Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp has broken his silence on the backlash to his “Zionism is Sexy” controversy, which saw demand for the star to be removed from Season 5 of the Netflix series.
Schnapp has run into numerous controversies since being catapulted to fame as Will Byers in Netflix’s Stranger Things, with the latest backlash arriving after an Instagram Story was shared in which he’s seen laughing with friends in a coffee shop as they pass around stickers saying “Zionism is sexy” and “Hamas is Isis” amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Noah Schnapp handing out “Hamas is Isis” and “Zionism is sexy” stickers https://t.co/PXVHC80Jmt
— lexie 🍉 (@gomezquality) November 13, 2023
Prior to this, Schnapp – who is of both Russian and Moroccan Jewish descent – took to Instagram to share a lengthy statement on the ongoing conflict in which he criticized those “choosing sides.” There has been widespread criticism towards the actor, with calls for him to be cancelled.
Up until now, he’s remained quiet, having turned off or limited comments on his posts and avoiding addressing the situation – until now.
Noah Schnapp breaks silence on “Zionism is Sexy” backlash
Taking to TikTok on January 16, Schnapp shared a clip in which he addresses the controversy, claiming his comments were “misconstrued.”
“Hey guys, it’s Noah,” he says. “I just wanted to come on here super briefly just to discuss everything that’s been going on online. I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe.”
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The Stranger Things star goes on to say: “I wanted to just state from my heart how I feel. I only want peace and safety and security for all innocent people affected by this conflict. I’ve had many open discussions with friends from Palestinian background, and I think those are very important conversations to have. And I’ve learned a lot.
“One of the takeaways I’ve had is that we all hope for the same things – that being those innocent people still being held hostage in Gaza to be returned to their families and equally hope for an end to the loss of innocent life in Palestine, so many of those people being women and children. And it’s horrible to see.
“I think anyone with any ounce of humanity would hope for an end to the hostility on both sides. I stand against any killing of any innocent people, and I hope you guys all do too. And I just hope to one day see those two groups be able to live harmoniously together in that region.
“I hope for 2024 online to see people be a little more understanding and compassionate and recognize that we’re all human, regardless of our race, of our ethnicity, of our background, of our country of birth, of even our sexuality. We are all human and we’re all the same and we should all love each other for that and support each other and stand together – and stand together for humanity and for peace.”
You can read more about Schnapp’s controversies, including the “Zionism is Sexy” video, here.