Will from ‘Stranger Things’ Has a Day Job as a Lifeguard

Schnapp likes to keep thing real when it comes to his summer gig

Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) is just like any teen. Rocketing to fame in the hit Netflix science fiction horror series aside, he’s been showing up for his other job as a summer lifeguard.

The 17-year-old clearly doesn’t need the pocket change, but he has his own reasons for landing a day job. “It’s kind of a ‘just for fun thing,'” he told Flaunt. “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.”

The recent high school graduate shared more good news with his fans on TikTok with a video of his family reacting to the news that he’d been admitted into the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. “I was thinking of going for acting,” Schnapp shared. “Acting was just kind of repetitive, and I wanted to try something new. “I thought it would make more sense to do something different. And business was a pretty clear next thing for me.”

This video of Noah Schnapp learning he got accepted to college is the purest thing in the world. Congrats Noah!! 👏 pic.twitter.com/uJRZGueizw

— Netflix (@netflix) December 17, 2021

With his success in Stranger Things, Schnapp is one of the most popular teens around. For all the fame, he seems to have a good head on his shoulders, using his enormous social media following to push forward the topics that matter to him.

“I love to use my platform just to share very important ideas,” he said, “and just make people feel like they’re less alone in their struggles, and have someone to connect to, and relate to, and escape from, when they’re struggling with whatever they struggle with.”

As for the most recent season of Stranger Things, Schnapp said he’s enjoyed being now-older than his character. “It was super fun for me this season,” he said. “Very different for me than what I’m used to, just because it’s always been more of the supernatural struggles, and dealing with the Upside Down, and the monster, and this season was just a very real kind of season for Will. Exploring his personal issues, and struggling with his identity, and finding himself and kind of growing up.”