Could the Stranger Things finale save its controversial cast? Actors have battled everything from cheating scandals, cocaine busts and allegations they think ‘war crimes are sexy’

This winter is bound to be just a touch spooky – as Stranger Things fans will finally receive their long-awaited series finale in three acts – but many may wince at the actors on the screen, who over the years that filming and production took place have attracted a myriad of controversy.

The sci-fi horror show has been praised for everything from its gripping plot to its impressive special effects; but perhaps most of all, everyone has lauded its ‘perfect’ casting.

Season 4 left Hawkins, and our protagonists, in peril, with a gate to the Upside Down opened in the fallout from the gang’s final battle with Vecna.

Netflix has clarified that the last season of Stranger Things will be released in a triad: on November 26, December 25, and December 31 respectively.

This is the second time Stranger Things has released material in segments, with the first seven episodes of the fourth season released on May 27 and the final two episodes withheld until July 1.

But during the course of the programme’s rise to fame, some have found themselves in embroiled in scandal, and accused of everything from cheating on their wives to glorifying acts of war. 

Fans have even called for some of those caught up in backlash – which includes Noah Schnapp, David Harbour and Charlie Heaton – to be fired from the show.

However, it appears the line-up will welcome back many of those who have faced public cancellation – whether viewers like it or not…

NOAH SCHNAPP

Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp decided to address the backlash he faced over his comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war because he ‘wanted to set the story straight’

In recent years Noah Schnapp faced backlash over comments he made about the Israel-Hamas war. 

Noah, 20, who is Jewish, was slammed for showing off ‘Zionism is sexy’ stickers in November 2023, just one month after he declared: ‘You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism.’   

He was heavily criticised for both, and in January of last took to TikTok to ‘set the story straight’ in a video.

The star, known for his performance as fan favourite Will Byers, told fans that his ‘thoughts and beliefs’ had been ‘misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe,’ before insisting he only wants ‘peace and safety for innocent people.’

Despite the widespread assumption from critics that the apology had been forced by Netflix, a source told DailyMail.com that there was ‘zero pressure’ from the show’s cast or producers on Noah to speak out.

‘His latest apology wasn’t anything forced on him from castmates, the show or producers, or even Netflix,’ the insider stated. ‘People close to him have talked to him about it – but there was zero pressure put on him to do anything specific or take down any videos, or comments on the subject.’

The source stressed: ‘Noah, whether wrong or right, puts his heart out in everything he says and does.

‘He just saw the uproar it brought online, and he got scared. The things people were saying to him online or threatening him just got really real, really fast and he wanted to set the story straight because he never anticipated it would get to this point at any time.’

The insider claimed that the actor had learned a ‘valuable lesson’ from the situation and was hoping to move forward to a place of more ‘positivity.’

‘He sees what it has done and if he can now do anything to make people feel more at ease, that is his ultimate goal,’ they continued. 

‘He learned a valuable lesson and will make sure to choose what he does and says publicly with a little more care and consideration. He hopes the apology is a turning point to more positivity.’

A representative for Noah declined to comment at the time. 

In a video shared with his 32 million TikTok followers, he stated: ‘I only want peace and safety and security for all innocent people affected by this conflict.

‘I’ve had many open conversations with friends with a Palestinian background and I think they are very important conversations to have and I’ve learned a lot.’

Noah, 20, who is Jewish, had been slammed for showing off stickers saying ‘Zionism is sexy’ in November

He continued: ‘One of the takeaways I’ve had is that we all hope for the same things – that being those innocent people being held hostage in Gaza to be returned to their families and equally hope for the end to the war and the loss of innocent life in Palestine – so many of those people being women and children.

‘And I think anyone with any ounce of humanity would hope for an end to the hostilities on both sides. I stand against any killing of any innocent people.’

Referring to the criticism he has faced in recent months, Noah added: ‘I hope for 2024 that I will see people be a little more understanding and compassionate [online] and recognize that we are all human… we should stand together for humanity and for peace.’

Fans had branded Noah ‘sick and twisted’ and urged viewers to boycott the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which started production on January 8 in Atlanta, after he caused outrage with his initial comments and posts.

One fan wrote: ‘Damn killing innocent civilians is sexy. Stripping off people from basic necessities is sexy. Being the reason why people are displaced from their homes is sexy.’

Another commented: ‘How is he not getting fired for spreading hate.’

A third wrote: ‘Having all those resources to learn about the occupation, thousands of people literally pointing him to that direction, and this is what he answers with’.

‘War crimes are sexy?’ one fan asked, while another wrote: ‘The levels of evil this is.’ 

The star, known for his performance as fan favourite Will Byers, told fans that his ‘thoughts and beliefs’ had been ‘misconstrued from anything even close to what I believe,’ before insisting he only wants ‘peace and safety for innocent people.’ Pictured in the show

One fan fumed: ‘He’s handing out stickers whilst Palestinians are being blown up. Yeah Stranger Things is definitely cancelled in this household’.

‘Well get out of your cushy LA pad, give up your career and go live in Israel then if you love Palestinian genocide sooo badly,’ another stated.

In his full October 11 post, Noah wrote: ‘As a Jewish American, I am afraid. Afraid for my brothers and sisters in Israel, who have been senselessly attacked by Hamas. I am truly heartbroken to see the brutal murders of innocent children, women and soldiers fighting to defend themselves. 

‘I, like others, want peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. Let’s stop the rhetoric and choosing sides. Instead we must recognize that we are all on the side of the fight against terrorism. Choose humanity over violence.

‘I just reposted a beautiful picture of a young innocent girl whose life was taken by Hamas at a music festival. I was met with comments reading “no one cares free Palestine” and “She deserves that, and every Israeli terrorist deserves that – Free Palestine”. 

‘I am outraged by the justification and celebration of the death of a young girls life. Have people lost their minds??? STOP!’

‘This is one example of many posts, rallies, and petitions being signed attempting to justify the brutality against these innocent Israeli people,’ he continued. ‘You don’t have to be Jewish, you don’t have to be Israeli, you just have to have empathy and common sense to know that THIS is wrong.

‘I hope we can agree that Hamas are a recognized terrorist organization: they don’t represent the Palestinian people when they value murdering Israelis more than protecting their own.

‘You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism. It shouldn’t be a difficult choice. Shame on you.’

‘While you justify the murders and torture of our loved ones, we will hope and pray for safety, justice, liberation, and self determination in Palestine,’ he finished, addressing his pro-violence commenters. 

The young actor however is no stranger to controversy. In 2020, aged 15, he denied claims that a video showed him using a racial slur while singing a song. 

The clip saw him rapping Chris Brown and Lil Dicky’s Freaky Friday, with people convinced he was using an offensive term sung in the track.

But Noah insisted that he had ‘never used that word in his life’ and said the word ‘neighbour’ as a ‘replacement word’ for the derogatory term.

‘I should have kept my mouth shut,’ he said later, in apology statement stating he is ‘so sorry’, the BBC reports.

‘I genuinely have never used that word in my life. Using the word “neighbour” in that song was just something my camp friends and I did.

‘I hope you all understand I could never even think about doing that. My friends also would never post a video, or support me, if I was saying a slur without hesitation.’

DAVID HARBOUR 

He is known as the paternal figure to Stranger Things’ lead, Eleven, that many fell in love with. But David Harbour, the actor behind beloved detective Jim Hopper in the show, has found himself embroiled in scandal after a messy break-up with singer Lily Allen

He is known as the paternal figure to Stranger Things’ lead, Eleven, that many fell in love with.

But David Harbour, the actor behind beloved detective Jim Hopper in the show, has found himself embroiled in scandal after a messy break-up with singer Lily Allen.

Not long before their split, Lily turned amateur sleuth after speculating that David had ‘cheated’ on her using celebrity dating app Raya.

She was left in ‘agony’ when she allegedly discovered the actor had a secret profile on the platform, The Mail on Sunday revealed.

The pop star joined the app herself, pretending to be ‘looking for women’ – and allegedly found that David had already set up a dating profile. He was reportedly listed on the app as being active for at least a month.

Raya is so exclusive that it accepts only around eight per cent of applicants, but it has more than 10,000 members, with 100,000 on the waiting list. 

Once users find a new partner, they usually disable their profiles. 

A source said: ‘Lily was looking for women that were on Raya and cross-referencing them with women David follows on Instagram to try to figure out who he was seeing. She was doing her Wagatha thing.

Not long before their split, Lily turned amateur sleuth after speculating that David had ‘cheated’ on her using celebrity dating app Raya. Pictured in April

‘Lily only rejoined Raya to try to figure out whether he was seeing someone.

‘Lily has never even looked at anyone since she met David. She is devastated. He broke up with Lily a month ago. 

‘He was meant to be on holiday with her in Kenya over Christmas.’

David’s alleged dating profile, exclusively revealed by the Mail on Sunday, read: ‘Visiting New York from Atlanta’ and ‘closet nerd that plays tough guys on your TV’.

It also described him as living in Atlanta, Georgia, 800 miles from the family home in Brooklyn, New York, where the couple moved in 2020, with Lily enrolling her children in local schools. 

He bought a house in Atlanta last year to be closer to the Stranger Things set as the show was filming its fifth and final series.

Lily’s circle of London friends said she had suspected for some time that her husband was interested in other women.

By the time the couple broke up, she had become convinced that he had a secret girlfriend. 

David, pictured in the show, played Jim Hopper, who serves as a father figure to the lead, Eleven

In April, David attended CinemaCon 2025 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, posing with co-star Florence Pugh at the event where Disney was presenting its upcoming release schedule.

It was the star’s first outing since it emerged he had a relationship with a younger colleague during his marriage to singer Lily.

The Daily Mail was told the American actor was romantically involved with a younger costume designer, whom the Mail chose not to name.

‘David cheated on Lily,’ an associate said. ‘They met on a movie they did together.’ The source, who witnessed their interactions on set, said: ‘They weren’t very secretive about their relationship.’

So serious did the romance become that David paid for the woman to travel more than 400 miles to visit him while he was working on his hit Netflix TV series last year.

‘David flew her to Atlanta while he shot Stranger Things to keep him company,’ the associate said.

Lily, who has two daughters with first husband Sam Cooper, wed David in Las Vegas in 2020 a year after they met on Raya.

CHARLIE HEATON

He won over viewers in his portrayal of sensitive photographer Jonathan Byers. But British actor Charlie Heaton found his job at risk while filming after, in 2017, being caught up in a cocaine bust at LAX​ airport in Los Angeles

Charlie, pictured in the series, plays sensitive soul Jonathan, who is also Will’s protective older brother

He won over viewers in his portrayal of sensitive photographer Jonathan Byers. But British actor Charlie Heaton found his job at risk while filming after, in 2017, being caught up in a cocaine bust at LAX​ airport in Los Angeles.

The star, 31, was promptly put on a plane back to London, where he then pleaded his case with U.S. embassy officials to be let back in. 

It was revealed in 2018 that he would not lose his job ​on the hit ​Netflix series, as one of the global hit show’s executives confirmed to DailyMail.com that the English actor from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, would definitely be returning for the third season.

Stranger Things’ costume designer Kim Wilcox said Charlie was not pushed out at Netflix despite the drug bust because the show’s creators value him and ‘their family atmosphere’.

The award-winning designer said the actor ‘slipped’ in his decision making and says that the 24-year-old English actor is a ‘sensitive soul’.

‘Charlie is returning,’ she said. ‘Charlie actually is one of my favorites of all the actors and I think he’s a very sensitive soul. I think he’s a good man and I think he’s made some great decisions in his life and maybe this was just a time where something slipped.’

She continued: ‘I think he’s a fine actor and he’s a great ensemble player and I think that in his work and in his presentation at Stranger Things 2, myself and to everyone else, he is very professional and an incredibly generous human being, so I don’t see why they wouldn’t invite him back.’

Charlie’s return was further aided by the fact that ​U.S. border officials did not press charges or take further action over being discovered with cocaine at the airport.

​Insiders said Netflix had assurances from Charlie that he ‘would not let them down again​’, and that he met with U.S. Embassy officials​ in London.

After being sent back home following the incident, the young actor issued a statement, which read: ‘My planned travel to the U.S. last week was affected by an issue at U.S. immigration, and I am working to rectify it as soon as possible.

‘I do want to clarify that I was not arrested or charged with a crime, and cooperated fully with the U.S. officials at LAX.’ 

​Fans rallied behind Charlie, and his mother and sister previously said a small amount of cocaine found its way on to his wallet at a party two weeks earlier, or at a bar or at a shop without his knowledge.

Family of the actor​ ​said he has never done drugs in the past and was not under the influence at the time he was stopped at the LA airport.

BRETT GELMAN

The star has found himself facing backlash after voicing support for Noah Schnapp, who in 2023 said ‘Zionism is sexy’

In other social media tirades, Brett faced backlash after calling Palestinian supporters ‘fake woke liberals’ and saying they ‘don’t read’

He has hit out at critics Brett has called antisemitic in interviews and social media posts over the years

Injecting a comedic burst into the show, Brett Gelman, 48, portrays Murray in Stranger Things. Pictured with Winona Ryder

Injecting a comedic burst into the show, Brett Gelman, 48, portrays Murray in Stranger Things. 

He was introduced in the second series and has evolved from a quirky conspiracy theorist to a firm fan-favourite.

In the fourth season, he took on a central role as he helped Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) break out Jim Hopper (David Harbour) from a Russian camp, with his knowledge of the language and karate skills coming in useful during the rescue mission.

Speaking about his plans for his career, Brett previously told The Guardian that his role in Stranger Things made him realise he wants to be an ‘action star’.

He said: ‘For a long time, I always saw myself as the villain. But the show really opened up the possibility of being the hero for me. I would really like to be that fun action star, it is definitely something I am focused on doing right now.’

However, the star has found himself facing backlash after voicing support for Noah Scnapp, who in 2023 said ‘Zionism is sexy.’

Brett spoke out in his defense and told TMZ that that the views the young actor had shared did not warrant an apology. 

The actor, who played Murray Bauman in the Netflix hit, went on to argue that anyone who is not pro-Israel is consciously or subconsciously being anti-Semitic. 

‘I’m not talking about being for every detail of its government,’ he continued. 

‘Absolutely there are some problems there. I’m not for Netanyahu. But I’m for Israel, I’m for the Israeli people.

‘And I do believe that Israel has the right to defend itself. I’m not for the death of innocent Palestinians at all, and my heart goes out to them and their families as well – but at the same time I don’t know why no one is placing their deaths at all at a responsibility of Hamas. 

‘Everybody wants peace. Nobody wants war. Israel did not start this war.’  

In other social media tirades, Brett faced backlash after calling Palestinian supporters ‘fake woke liberals’ and saying they ‘don’t read’. 

‘Guess who actually lives on stolen land? You do. Guess who actually lives on stolen land? You do you, me Jew. You live on stolen land,’ he said in another clip, captioning it: ‘To you who have been pushing this false antisemitic narrative for years…. Jewish and Palestinian blood and trauma are in your hands!’

JOSEPH QUINN

The star, 31, who has since found cinematic fame and is set to play George Harrison in Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics, broke viewers’ hearts when his character sacrificed himself with one last epic Master of Puppets solo in series four. However, his most recently linked to romance, Doja Cat, sparked criticisms as the singer and rapper been known for being divisive online

Joseph Quinn’s time on the show was short but poignant – as the actor had audiences fall head over heels with Dungeons & Dragons and guitar nerd Eddie Munson.

The star, 31, who has since found cinematic fame and is set to play George Harrison in Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics, broke viewers’ hearts when his character sacrificed himself with one last epic Master of Puppets solo in series four.

However, his most recently linked to romance, Doja Cat, sparked criticisms as the singer and rapper been known for being divisive online.

Joseph faced backlash for being associated with the controversial star – although it is unclear if they are still together.

In once of her more backlash-attracting posts, Doja took to Instagram Live with her fans as she poked fun of people who were concerned about the pandemic in an expletive-filled rant.

She defiantly said: ‘B****, I’m not scared of a coronavirus or the motherf***ing beer version of that s***. I’m gonna get corona and then I’m gonna get a Corona, cause I don’t give a f*** about corona, b****. It’s a flu!

‘I’m not scared. Y’all are p****, period. You just take some Mucinex and drink water and tea and sleep — that’s all you gotta do. Y’all are so scared of some damn corona. Y’all are so scared of corona that I need a Corona.’

And just a month prior, she defended herself after participating in alleged alt-right Tinychat rooms. 

Joseph, pictured with Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby who will be starring in the new Fantastic Four movie together

She once again went on an Instagram Live and called the scandal ‘f***ing ridiculous’ and insisted her ‘friends aren’t racist in chat rooms.’

‘My friends on Tinychat aren’t white supremacists. They love me. I love them. They’re loving and that’s it!’ Doja exclaimed.

And you won’t find anything on them because you’re f***ing stupid! Your actions are stupid. You may not be stupid. You may be smart but your actions are not telling…it is what it is.

After the pair were spotted together for the first time last year, many took to social media to write: ‘Sorry are we just disregarding how weird and problematic Doja has been the last couple years? Joe, what are you doing??????’

‘God thank you I feel like I’m going insane with how she’s basically an internet Nazi and everybody is just ignoring that because they like Joseph Quinn,’ another penned. ‘I’m probably never going to respect him the same way again, honestly. Who you date says a lot about your own personal views.’

‘She’s an awful person. So mean to her fans,’ a third shared.

While others insisted they looked ‘great together’ and that Doja’s controversies were all ‘very online’, others pointed out the pairing was strange because the singer was embroiled in ‘beef’ with Joseph’s co-star Noah Schnapp.

In 2022, she slammed the young Stranger Things actor for posting messages where she asked him to set her up with his co-star Joseph, telling her followers the move was ‘snake s**t’.

She soon came under fire from fans who highlighted that Noah was a minor, and lost herself over 200k followers while the child star has gained nearly one million.

Noah took to TikTok to post a now-deleted video that showcased private DMs between him and the Say So songstress, where she expressed a romantic interest in Joseph.

But Doja then hit back at the Will Byers actor, taking to Instagram Live on Thursday to call him out for his duplicitous act, but added that she didn’t want her fans to overreact, since he is ‘just a kid’.

She began by saying she tried to make a, ‘three-minute TikTok but it didn’t work,’ so she opted for an Instagram Live video, adding she hoped someone was recording the video.

Doja said it was ‘socially unaware’ for Noah to share their private conversation online but added that young people do ‘dumb s**t’ and ‘f**k up relationships with people’ in her ranting video.

‘I’m just gonna say something right now, about the whole f***ing Noah Schnapp thing,’ she began.

‘I think that… to be fair, let’s try to be chill about it,’ Doja started. ‘Like Noah is a kid, but, I don’t even know how old he is, but he can’t be over – like there’s no way he’s over 21,’ she added of the actor.

‘But when you’re that young, you make mistakes. You do dumb s**t. I’m like trying to be super fair,’ Doja, who wore a plunging Beginning Boutique dress in her video, continued.

‘You do dumb s**t, you say dumb s**t, you f***ing, f**k up relationships with people. You make mistakes,’ she added.

Doja went on to admit that she too has had her ‘share of f**k ups’ and learnt from her mistakes, before fuming that it was ‘like weasel s**t’ for him to share their chat online.

‘Like you’re supposed do that so that you know you’re not supposed to do that in the future. I did my share of f**k ups so that I don’t f**k up again,’ Doja continued, though her tone distinctly changed.

‘But the fact that Noah did that, like went and posted a private conversation between me and him is so unbelievably socially unaware and whack. That’s like borderline snake s**t, that’s like weasel s**t,’ she added.

‘And I’m not saying that that encapsulates his entire personality – like I don’t imagine Noah that way. Maybe he is, like a whole snake. But I didn’t see him that way,’ she said.

‘I made an assumption that he was gonna be chill about it and he went and shared information that I didn’t feel comfortable with him sharing,’ she concluded.

The DM that New York-native shared showed Doja asking: ‘Noah can u tell Joseph to hmu. wait no. does he have a gf?’

He responded, ‘LMAOO slide into his dms,’ but she said, ‘idk his IG or twitter he doesn’t have a DM to slide into’, before he provided Quinn’s handle for her.

In April Joseph Quinn was reportedly been ‘seen on a celebrity dating app’ after Doja Cat hit back at engagement rumours. 

The singer and the Stranger Things actor went public with their relationship in August when they were seen packing on the PDA in London.

They were last seen together at the Los Angeles premiere of Joseph’s new film Warfare on March 27. 

However, a source has now claimed he is dating again, after setting up a profile on Raya, according to The Sun. 

An insider told the publication: ‘The pair seemed happy the last time they were spotted together, having partied at the Sunset Tower Hotel with Joseph’s co-stars 

‘While it’s been almost eight months since Joseph and Doja went public with their relationship, that hasn’t stopped the actor from getting back on the apps.’

They added: ‘He’s back on Raya and clearly open-minded about looking for another woman, which is hardly surprising given Doja’s history of being open to non-monogamous relationships.’ 

MailOnline has contacted Joseph’s representatives for comment at the time.  

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