Stranger Things Actor Noah Schnapp's Controversy Explained

Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp has come under fire for recent actions and comments that he has made about the Israel-Hamas war.

Noah Schnapp has starred in Stranger Things since the series premiered on Netflix in 2016. The show, being the overnight hit that it was, has catapulted Schnapp and his co-stars to superstardom and straight into the public eye.

Why Has Noah Schnapp Become So Controversial?

Noah Schnapp has been the subject of much controversy in recent months. The backlash stems from the young actor’s pro-Israel stance in the wake of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Schnapp posted an Instagram story last November that showed him and his friends in a coffee house laughing to themselves while they passed around stickers with the phrases “Hamas is Isis” and “Zionism is Sexy” printed on them.

In early October 2023, the Palestinian militant group known as Hamas launched an attack on Israel which resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people, a number made up mostly of civilians. Two days later, the Israeli government declared war on Hamas and began a blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The ensuing conflict has claimed the lives of over 20,000 Palestinians and has also caused many around the globe to call for a ceasefire between the two opposing sides.

In response to Noah Schnapp’s remarks, a large contingent of Stranger Things fans have petitioned to have him removed from the cast of the show’s upcoming fifth season which has not yet entered production.

Noah Schnapp Is Not The Only Recent Subject of Backlash

Schnapp’s recent controversy has been far from an isolated incident in Hollywood.

In November, actress Melissa Barrera was fired from the cast of the upcoming horror film Scream VII for a pro-Palestinian message of support she had posted to social media.

Elsewhere, Academy Award-winner Susan Sarandon was dropped from her talent agency because of comments made at a pro-Palestinian rally regarding Jewish persecution.

At this time, Netflix has made no officially announced decision regarding Noah Schnapp’s participation in Stranger Things Season 5.