Netflix

The emotional scene from Stranger Things 5 that took 12 hours to shoot: “I was just in tears. It was perfect”

It is one of the most intense moments of the final season, and it also serves to explain a key element about the series’ villain.

Roberto Barragán

Update: Dec 30th, 2025 21:24 CET

Everything is ready for the most popular series ever seen on Netflix to bring its story to a close. Episode 8 arrives in just over 24 hours (December 31, 2026), the same amount of time it took the team to create one of the most emotional scenes of the season, starring mainly Will Byers, a character played by actor Noah Schnapp.

WARNING: The following contains numerous spoilers for Stranger Things.

Will Byers comes out as gay, and although it may not seem like it, this is very important for the series.

In one of the most emotional scenes ever seen in the series, Will decides to tell everyone that he is gay. He does so by leaving behind his greatest fears, which were none other than others seeing him as a different person, and to do so, he recalls several moments with his friends and family, assuring them that he is just like them, except that he does not like girls. As expected, the group embraces him.

This is not a trivial revelation, since, on the one hand—and most importantly—it lifts a weight off his shoulders by releasing something that was causing him distress. On the other hand, it is a fundamental aspect of the plot, since Will Byers was where it all began, as Vecna chose him precisely because of his fear, considering him the weakest vessel to subdue and use to carry out his evil plans. Now, as we approach the final episode, he no longer has any fear, having realized that he is capable of connecting to the hive mind and even momentarily controlling Vecna himself. In other words, telling everyone how he felt has made him much stronger.

“It was like a 12-hour day of just that monologue”

Noah Schnapp, who plays Will, said that they spent several filming sessions recording that moment, which felt like “a 12-hour day.” He also explained that he was somewhat concerned that he might need to tweak the script a little (something that is common in all kinds of scenes) to create something so special, but it wasn’t necessary: “I was just in tears. It was perfect.”

The emotional scene from Stranger Things 5 that took 12 hours to shoot: “I was just in tears. It was perfect”

Will Byers comes out as gay, and although it may not seem like it, this is very important for the series.

“It was like a 12-hour day of just that monologue”

What time does episode 8 of Stranger Things 5 premiere?

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