Noah Schnapp Addresses Controversy Ahead Of Stranger Things Season 5
Noah Schnapp has finally broken the silence about his controversial statements related to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict. The statement he posted on his TikTok this past Monday couldn’t have been released at a better time because the past few months have been a PR disaster for the 19-year-old actor.
When Netflix announced that Stranger Things began filming for season 5 on January 8, fans threatened to boycott the series, making it only a matter of time before we would see some damage control.
Heartfelt Statement
In a heartfelt statement, Noah Schnapp decided that it was time to clear the air. Whether he was encouraged by his representatives to make the statement or he made it of his own volition isn’t clear, but it seems like Schnapp wants to put this whole mess behind him and try to smooth things over.
But one thing that’s for certain is that he feels like his original statement, which has since been deleted, was misinterpreted at the time.
Biggest Takeaway
Noah Schnapp stated that he has since had discussions with Palestinian friends and that he has been able to empathize with their side of the conflict in a way he couldn’t previously.
His biggest takeaway was that although Israel and Palestine are in a heightened state of conflict, it’s a travesty that innocent people on both sides are getting caught in the crossfire.
Losing Social Media Followers
Extending an olive branch to the internet, the Stranger Things actor urged his followers to be a little more kind to one another during a time when we only seem to be becoming further divided.
Taking Noah Schnapp’s statement at face value, it does sound like he’s been humbled by the whole experience and wants to make things right.
After making his original statement this past October, and experiencing further backlash after handing out a bunch of “Zionism is sexy” stickers, he lost nearly half a million followers on social media.
Definite Backlash
A simple doom-scroll session on X will quickly show you how many horrible things people wanted to happen to Noah Schnapp as well.
No matter how innocuous or problematic Noah Schnapp’s past statements may have been, the backlash he faced was definitely not for the thin-skinned. Being on the receiving end of an immeasurable amount of insults, threats, and ill-wishes will change a person.
Open Discussion
In this case, it seems like he’s willing to have an open discussion with those who are willing to let him redeem himself in the court of public opinion.
At the end of the day, Noah Schnapp ruffled several feathers. Whether Stranger Things fans follow through with their boycott remains to be seen. It’s only been a day since the Bridge of Spies actor made his statement, and the comments section on his TikTok is disabled on the post.
Waiting For Stranger Things Season 5
Some X users are doubling down, however, and criticizing Noah Schnapp for not calling for a ceasefire during his statement. And some posts are simply making fun of him for “scrambling to save his career.”
Until Stranger Things sees its season 5 premiere, we won’t know for certain if viewership will be affected by the ongoing drama, or if we’ll all sign onto Netflix the second the new episodes drop.
Source: Variety
