Noah Schnapp has seemingly backtracked on having a new relationship by declaring his last Instagram post an “April fool”.
Noah Schnapp has seemingly backtracked on having a new relationship.
The Stranger Things actor – who came out as gay in January 2023 – took to his Instagram account on Wednesday (01.04.26) to mark his one-month anniversary with a mystery man, but he has now suggested the post was a timely prank.
In a new Instagram Story slide shared on Thursday (02.04.26), he simply wrote: “April fools [blowing kiss emoji] (sic)”.
In the original Instagram Story post, Noah shared a photo of himself and a mystery man with their arms around one another and their backs to the camera.
He captioned the post: “one month of us [heart emoji] (sic)”
Noah previously reflected on how playing Will Byers, who is also gay, in Stranger Things had helped him understand and feel more comfortable with himself.
He told GQ magazine: “Seeing how the world receives Will, and embraces him, has taught me through the years to feel OK in who I am, and how I express myself…
“But it didn’t just help find my own identity sexually. As a person, it taught me that it’s OK to be me, as everything that I am.
“And I think that’s what’s so special about our show, and what’s so special about Will. It doesn’t resonate with queer people, it resonates with all people who feel different.”
Noah has felt “not part of the group” and “always that weird kid on the side” for most of his life but playing Will has helped him to embrace the things that set him apart from others.
He said: “I’ll carry that with me through my life.”
The 21-year-old actor previously admitted that his family and friends weren’t surprised when he came out.
He told Variety: “When I finally told my friends and family I was gay after being scared in the closet for 18 years and all they said was, ‘We know.’”
Noah came out on TikTok and he felt very emotional when he first read the messages of support he received afterwards.
He said: “I didn’t want to sit there waiting nervously to see what people were going to say. I just wanted to put it away and be confident in who I am, and know that I don’t have to care what people think anymore.
“When I opened my phone… it was, like, a thousand texts of hearts and congratulations and rainbow flags.
“I was crying. I was like, ‘I made it. I’m done. I don’t have to worry.’”
Noah Schnapp suggests ‘mystery man’ post was a prank
