Matt and Ross Duffer were not quite prepared for the strange reactions they would receive after the conclusion of the final season of Stranger Things, which featured Noah Schnapp's character, Will Byers, coming out as gay. In an interview with Variety published on January 1st, Matt candidly shared that they had not anticipated the homophobic backlash, stating, "No is the honest truth." He further explained that the scene had been a long-time goal for them, saying, "Ross and I are many things, but subtle is not one of those things!"
The brothers reiterated that the scene had been a nine-year-long build-up, with Ross adding that it was "a really important scene for us and for Noah - not just from a thematic point of view, but also from a narrative point of view." They explained that for Will, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) to defeat the evil Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), they had to fully embrace who they were inside - especially the character of Will.
Matt shared that the first few episodes of the season were about self-acceptance, which was step one in Will's journey. Step two was for Will to make the choice to come out as gay and figure out how to do it. "He knows that he needs to do that," Matt explained. "And that's the final step for him. And he finds the courage to be able to do it. And it's really the ultimate 'f--k you' to Vecna. That was the intention."
Ross added, "We're proud of the episode, and we're proud of the scene, and proud of Noah, who gave a really brave and vulnerable performance." The brothers also revealed that the scene took longer to write than any other in the series, as they were concerned about getting every part of it right. Matt noted that the scene felt incredibly poignant "because of how close to home this hit" was for Noah, who himself came out as gay in 2023.
"Our goal was to make sure that he was comfortable and happy with the scene," Matt said. "And when he was, we felt good about it. I've been texting with him a lot, but specifically after that scene and after that episode aired. He's in a really good place. He's very proud of the scene, and we're proud of it too."
Noah, who is 21 years old, was fully prepared to offer his insight on the scene. He shared with Variety in December that he was worried he might need to provide feedback but honestly found it perfect. "I was just in tears," he added. "It was perfect."
