Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp briefly sent the internet into a frenzy after seemingly revealing a new romance—only to quickly pull the rug out from under his followers.
On April 1, the 21-year-old star shared a cozy photo on his Instagram Story featuring himself and an unidentified man with their arms wrapped around each other while gazing at a sunset. The caption, "one month of us," complete with a heart emoji, immediately sparked rumors that the actor was "hard launching" a new relationship.
Excited fans quickly flooded his other social media posts with supportive messages, though a few sharp-eyed followers noted the highly suspicious timing. Their skepticism proved to be correct. By April 2, Schnapp updated his Story to confess the truth behind his mystery man, simply writing, "April fools," alongside a kissing emoji.
The prank comes roughly a year after Schnapp publicly came out as gay in early 2023. At the time, he shared a lighthearted TikTok video joking about his family's entirely unsurprised reaction after he spent 18 years in the closet.
His real-life journey deeply influenced his Stranger Things character, Will Byers. During the show's final season, Will subtly comes out to his mother (played by Winona Ryder) by stating, "I don't like girls." In an interview with Variety, Schnapp explained that explicitly using the word "gay" can feel incredibly daunting, which is why his character opted for softer phrasing as he navigated his identity in the show's 1980s setting.
While the actor prefers to keep his actual dating life out of the public eye, he remains highly vocal about his deep platonic bonds with his castmates. Schnapp is particularly close with co-star Millie Bobby Brown, even serving as the godfather to her daughter with husband Jake Bongiovi. "I grew up with these people," he previously shared about his Stranger Things family. "We’ll keep these friendships for life."