With Stranger Things Season 2, Noah Schnapp Became a Star

Season two of the Netflix sci-fi series rested on the capable shoulders of the 13-year-old actor

By Chris Harnick Oct 31, 2017 6:00 PMTags
Watch: "Stranger Things" Creators on Noah Schnapp's Performance

Noah Schnapp—who knew? Apparently the folks behind Stranger Things new the 13-year-old actor had the chops to pull off the emotional arc in season two.

"When we hired him, we knew he was incredible and we knew we were going to under utilize him in season one. We just said to him, trust us, your time is coming. Well, season two got here and his time came and he crushes. He completely, utterly crushes," director and executive producer Shawn Levy said.

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Netflix

Season two of Stranger Things picks up roughly a year after the events of the first season. Will Byers (Schanpp) is back among the living, hanging with his friends, but having visions of the Upside Down. This is where the real spoilers start—His connection to the Upside Down and the giant shadow monster were key to the season. After spending the majority of season one off screen or comatose, season two presented an opportunity for Schnapp to flex his acting muscles. This kid can do from afraid to creepy in the blink of an eye. There was some serious range shown.

"It's so cool," Schanpp told E! News, "because the way you find out is you just turn the page and all of a sudden, ‘Oh, the monster's in me! OK.' I was so excited to be a bigger part of this season."  

Click play on the video above to hear from Matt and Ross Duffer and more from Schnapp, including what it was like working with Winona Ryder.

Stranger Things season two is now streaming on Netflix.