Noah Schnapp left a prominent mark in Netflix’s acclaimed and fan-favorite sci-fi horror series, Stranger Things. Schnapp played Will Byers in the Netflix show, however, the actor was not the first choice for the role.
As per reports online, the actor first auditioned for Mike Wheeler, eventually played by Finn Wolfhard. But the great character swap for these actors worked in favor of the show making both characters remarkable as the show progressed.
Noah Schnapp Revealed His Casting Process
Stranger Things is one of the most memorable shows on Netflix with an astounding fanbase that embraces the actors and their evolution. Noah Schnapp’s Will Byers is loved by fans the same way they have praised Mike, Lucas, and Dustin. However, the actor revealed that he vividly recalls the audition process as he was not intended to be Byers in the beginning.
“I definitely remember that it was a long process, the auditioning. At first I went as a normal audition into this casting office, and I originally auditioned for the role of Mike,” Schnapp told The Hollywood Reporter.“ But when I got my callback later on, they asked me to play for Will. We used scripts that went way forward, and at one of the last callbacks, we read scripts from Stand By Me. We were all in L.A. at the time, and I had only met Caleb [McLaughlin], because we had met at another audition. They told me that I got the role while I was at camp. Honestly, when my parents called me, they were like, ‘We have someone on the phone for you.’ And I was like, ‘Who is it?’ And they were like, ‘It’s the Duffer Brothers, those people from Stranger Things!”
The actor went on to add that it was difficult to believe, “I thought they were lying,” Schnapp continued adding “They told me I got the role, and it was crazy.” The actor was in camp at the time and said that he was super excited to hear the news.
Noah Schnapp On His Experience Playing Will Byers
The actor was certainly over the moon being featured in the series. “I was so excited to play Will. He goes into the Upside Down, and he has some pretty crazy experiences,” Schnapp told THR. However, it was a different atmosphere for the young actor to be on set filming the first sequence of the show.
“I remember we shot it using a bunch of different takes,” Schnapp said continuing, “First, they put smoke everywhere. Everyone was coughing; it was very foggy. They shot me running through the woods a whole bunch of times. Then when we filmed all of the parts in the house, the Duffer brothers had a long talk with me about what I’m going to do and where I’m going to go. When I had to pick up the phone, there was a speaker that I didn’t even see, and it played the Demogorgon noise — that roar. I freaked out. It scared me so much. It actually felt so real, that I was really so scared.”
The actor further revealed that he was creeped out by the Demogorgon as the makers filmed the creature in real time putting a guy in a very tall suit. Regardless, the show was a massive hit and it has been a breakout role for the actor.
