Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp takes summer job as lifeguard: ‘It’s kind of kept me grounded’

Actor and recent high school gradaute described it as a ‘just for fun thing’

Inga Parkel
Tuesday 23 August 2022 12:00 EDT
Comments
Stranger Things Season 4

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Noah Schnapp has said he has taken a summer job as a lifeguard to keep himself “grounded”.

The Stranger Things star said that while he doesn’t need the gig for financial reasons, it has allowed him to feel like a normal teenager.

“It’s kind of a ‘just for fun thing,’” 17-year-old Schnapp told Flaunt in a recent interview.

“I’ve kind of grown up with a normal life and normal friends and stuff outside of Stranger Things, so it’s kind of kept me grounded.”

After recently graduating from high school, Schnapp, who stars as Will Byer in the hit Netflix sci-fi series, posted a TikTok video informing fans that he will next be attending the University of Pennsylvania.

“I was thinking of going for acting,” he said, before adding: “Acting was just kind of repetitive, and I wanted to try something new.” Schnapp has instead joined the university’s business program.

“Millie [Bobby Brown] is doing the same thing with her schooling – she’s kind of learning about other things,” he explained.

Co-star Brown, who plays Eleven in the show, recently enrolled in an online Purdue University course in human services to learn “how to help young people”.

(L to R) Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in ‘Stranger Things’
(L to R) Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in ‘Stranger Things’ (Courtesy of Netflix)

Schnapp said: “I thought it would make more sense to do something different. And business was a pretty clear next thing for me.”

After airing its latest season in July, Stranger Things accounts for 18 billion minutes of streaming.

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in