Noah Schnapp
Early life
Schnapp was born in New York City to Mitchell and Karine Schnapp (née Perez). He was raised in Scarsdale, New York along with his twin sister, Chloe. He holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship. Schnapp is Jewish and held his bar mitzvah in Israel. His mother is of Moroccan Jewish descent.
Schnapp was inspired to pursue acting at age 5 after seeing the Broadway production of Annie. He performed acting roles in school and community plays. When he was 8, his acting teacher suggested he attempt a professional career. Schnapp's parents registered him for an acting program at Star Kidz in Westchester, where he was guided by coach Alyson Isbrandtsen. It was under her guidance that he was subsequently introduced to MKS&D Talent Management, which opened up avenues for his career.
Acting career
Early Career and Breakthrough
Schnapp's professional acting career began when he voiced the lead character, Charlie Brown, in the animated movie The Peanuts Movie in 2015. That same year, he made his film debut in the Academy Award-winning historical drama Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg. He played Roger Donovan, the son of character James B. Donovan and acted alongside Tom Hanks.
His breakthrough came in July 2016, when he began starring as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror television series Stranger Things. Schnapp initially tried out for the role of Mike, another key character in the series. However, during his time at a sleepaway camp, he was ultimately selected to play Will Byers. The news of his successful casting reached him via one of his limited phone calls home. Byers is a central character in the series. The series kicks off with Will's mysterious disappearance on his way home from a friend's house, this sets off a series of supernatural events and uncovers a secretive government experiment. The character is also marked by his emotional sensitivity. Schnapp was promoted to series regular for the second season of the series, which premiered on October 27, 2017. In 2022, prior to his own coming out, Schnapp revealed that his character identified as gay.
The series, set in the 1980s and blends science fiction, horror, and nostalgic elements, became a cultural phenomenon, with Schnapp's portrayal of a boy caught in a supernatural mystery earning critical acclaim. The show is set to air its final season in 2025.
Other Roles
In 2016, Schnapp was featured in the Panic! at the Disco's Music video for their song LA Devotee. In March 2017, he appeared on stage at Madison Square Garden to perform the song with the band.
In 2018 Alongside Ryan Philippe, Schnapp played the son of a street artist, in a short film called "The Circle" set during the great depression. Schnapp also participated in We Only Know So Much (2018), a film that shows a multigenerational family. His voice acting continued in the animated film The Legend of Hallowaiian as the voice of Kai.
Schnapp also starred in independent films like Abe (2019) and Waiting for Anya (2020).
Schnapp appeared in the 2020 Halloween comedy Hubie Halloween, a Netflix film where he played a character named Tommy. The film included Adam Sandler and an ensemble cast. In April 2022, Schnapp joined the cast of The Tutor. The psychological thriller released in 2023 and featured Schnapp as Jackson - a troubled teenager - he stars opposite Garrett Hedlund.
Schnapp also voiced the character for the video game The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure.
Other ventures
In 2019, Schnapp launched a YouTube channel under his own name. Active for a year and a half, he primarily created vlogs and lifestyle videos. As of June 2022, the channel has 4.2 million subscribers and has gained 110 million views.
In November 2021, he launched To Be Honest (TBH), a sustainability-focused snacking company he co-founded with Elena Guberman and Ba Minuzzi. In November 2022, Schnapp announced a crowdfunding campaign for this venture on the Republic platform that aimed to raise a maximum amount of $1.235 million at a $15 million valuation cap. In 2023, he launched TenderFix, a delivery-only virtual restaurant brand operated by IHOP with a menu of chicken tenders.
Schnapp also worked as a lifeguard, a job he took on during his summer break before college.
Personal life
As of 2023, Schnapp attends the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, majoring in entrepreneurship and innovation. He is scheduled to graduate in 2026. Schnapp was pictured in a viral video for a quiz show on campus with a $50 prize.
Schnapp publicly came out as gay in a video posted to his TikTok account on January 5, 2023. The video saw him express relief that family and friends had accepted his coming out, and he quipped in the video's caption, "I guess I'm more similar to Will [Byers] than I thought", a reference to his statement about his Stranger Things character also being gay.
In October 2023, Schnapp voiced support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. A month later, a video posted to social media showed him sitting and smiling among people handing out "Zionism is sexy" and "Hamas is ISIS" stickers, coupled with his previous comments, led some fans to demand he be dropped from the cast of Stranger Things and to threaten to boycott the show's fifth and final season. In January 2024, he posted a TikTok video stating that he wanted peace for both sides and had learned a lot from conversations with Palestinian friends. In the video, he asked for people to show more understanding and compassion, and stated he felt his thoughts and beliefs about the war had been misconstrued.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Schnapp has shown a commitment to philanthropy and social causes. He has been involved in initiatives related to anti-bullying and environmental sustainability.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Bridge of Spies | Roger Donovan | ||
| 2015 | The Peanuts Movie | Charlie Brown | Voice role | |
| 2016 | The Circle | Lucas | Short film | |
| 2018 | The Legend of Hallowaiian | Kai | Voice role | |
| 2018 | We Only Know So Much | Otis Copeland | ||
| 2020 | Abe | Abe | ||
| 2020 | Hubie Halloween | Tommy | ||
| 2020 | Waiting for Anya | Jo | ||
| 2021 | Who Are You, Charlie Brown? | Himself | Documentary | |
| 2023 | The Tutor | Jackson |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–present | Stranger Things | Will Byers | Recurring role (season 1); main role (season 2–present) | |
| 2017 | Lip Sync Battle | Himself | Episode: "The Cast of Stranger Things" | |
| 2018 | Liza on Demand | Evan / Trevor | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | Stranger Sharks | Himself | TV special (Shark Week) |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist | Refs. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "LA Devotee" | Panic! at the Disco | |
| 2018 | "In My Feelings" | Drake | |
| 2020 | "See You" | Johnny Orlando |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MTV Movie & TV Awards | 2018 | Best Frightened Performance | Stranger Things | Won | |
| Best On-Screen Team | Stranger Things | Nominated | |||
| People's Choice Awards | 2022 | Male TV Star of 2022 | — | Won | |
| Queerty Awards | 2023 | Closet Door Bustdown | — | Won | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | 2017 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Stranger Things | Won | |
| 2018 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Stranger Things | Nominated | ||
| 2020 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Stranger Things | Nominated | ||
| Teen Choice Awards | 2019 | Choice Summer TV Actor | — | Won | |
| Young Artist Awards | 2017 | Best Performance in a Digital TV Series or Film – Young Actor | Stranger Things | Nominated |