False claims that Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp has died are taking over social media, receiving more than 500,000 views.
The reports appear to stem from an account called "Drop Pop" (@TheDropPop) on X, formerly Twitter. On Tuesday, the account shared a red carpet photo of the teen actor, along with the caption: "Noah Schnapp is dead at 19."
Newsweek reached out to Noah Schnapp and X for comment via email.
Despite Drop Pop having only 678 followers, the rumor quickly spread across the platform, highlighting how quickly misinformation can circulate on social media.
Several fans were taken in by the hoax, with some devastated by the fake news.
"Is he ok?" asked miz. pumpernickel.
"Oh wow I thought he really died," commented Sasu.
"I'm not gonna lie, my heart actually skipped a beat," said @Get_B44.
However, others saw through the deception, with Vale:O telling the account to "Stop lying."
"Its not real guys he is still active on social media," wrote miss rodriguez.
"Sorry I didn't knew u were joking but tho u shouldn't make jokes on someone's death especially on young ones," said Nakul.
This is the second hoax Schnapp has faced in recent weeks. In December, the X account Lyric Vault (@LyricVault) claimed the Netflix star had been hospitalized "after falling off a bike rack and landing on his neck."
The account spread similar claims about Amy Schumer, claiming that the 42-year-old comedian was in "critical condition" after falling down stairs.
Both stars recently caused controversy with their remarks about the Israel-Hamas war. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group launched a shock attack on southern Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 240 as hostages. Israel subsequently fired airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, which has been governed by Hamas since 2007.
Supplies of food, fuel, energy and medicine into Gaza were suspended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, followed by a ground offensive into the territory. As of January 25, at least 25,700 people in Gaza have been killed, with a further 63,000 wounded, according to the Associated Press, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.
Shortly after news of the initial Hamas attack broke, Schnapp, who is Jewish, shared a statement on Instagram. Although he expressed sympathy for civilians on both sides of the conflict, the wording "You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism" angered a number of his followers.
Stranger Things boycott calls swiftly followed after Schnapp was accused by Israeli actress Noa Tishby of liking "Islamophobic" social media posts. Schnapp has played Will Byers—one of the sci-fi hit's main characters—since the first season, with some fans requesting that he be written out of the show's fifth and final.
The backlash against Schnapp intensified in November after he shared a video on Instagram that featured a sticker reading "Zionism is sexy." The Oxford Dictionary defines Zionism as a movement dedicated to the "re-establishment and (now) the development and protection of a Jewish nation in what is now Israel."
The Teen Choice Award winner subsequently lost over 491,000 social media followers in just one month. On January 15, Schnapp attempted to clarify his position, responding to the social media backlash on TikTok.
"I feel like my thoughts and beliefs have been so far misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe, and I wanted to just state from my heart how I feel," he said in the clip.
"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 Palesti—Palestinian background and I think those are very important conversations to have and I've learned a lot."
Schnapp called for an "end to the hostility on both sides" and said that he hopes people will act "more understanding and compassionate" online in 2024.
However, his statement divided the internet. Some users praised Schnapp's candor and willingness to expand his knowledge on the issue, while others believed the statement was only for "damage control" purposes to stop him from getting "fired from Stranger Things."
Update 1/25/24, 11:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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