‘Stranger Things’ Stars Noah Schnapp and Jamie Campbell Bower Call Out Duffer Brothers for Not Replying to Texts
Noah Schnapp and Jamie Campbell Bower have joked that Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer were not always quick to reply to their text messages during production of the show’s final season.
The comments came during Netflix’s Stranger Things Emmys FYSEE event held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, according to Entertainment Weekly, which attended the panel.
The event brought together cast and crew to reflect on the long-running series as it wrapped up its final season. Schnapp, who played Will Byers, spoke about how his relationship with the Duffer brothers evolved over the years as he grew from a child actor into an adult.
He explained that at first he was nervous to share ideas, but later became more confident in contributing to the character’s story. He said, “Starting off as a kid, you kind of walk in all nervous and scared and think your opinion is not valued. And as you get older, you’re like, ‘No, I’ve been with this character for so many years, and I also have an opinion that matters.’ And I think coming into this [final] season I felt confident in that.”
Schnapp then joked about how he often tried to pitch ideas to the Duffer brothers over text messages, suggesting that many of them went unanswered. He said, “I mean, the Duffers can speak to how many texts I’ve sent them that went unanswered of ideas and pitches for this and that, and videos of ‘should it go this way or this way?’”
As the discussion continued, executive producer Shawn Levy laughed and said the creators did read the messages, while Schnapp responded that he hoped they did. Ross Duffer quickly pushed back on the idea that he ignored messages, saying, “They didn’t go unanswered, what are you talking about?” Schnapp replied by claiming he could prove otherwise, adding that he had “receipts.”
Actor David Harbour also joined in on the lighthearted moment, joking that Schnapp should turn on read receipts for future messages so he could confirm when they were seen.
Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Vecna in the series, shared a similar experience during the panel. He said he also sent multiple messages to the Duffer brothers while trying to develop his character but often did not receive immediate replies. He said, “Again, like Noah, sent a load of text messages that didn’t get answered.”
Bower added that despite the lack of responses, the creators still allowed space for discussion and later revisited his ideas during conversations on set. He described their working style as open and collaborative, even if communication sometimes came with delays.
Schnapp also shared that one of his own ideas was eventually included in the final season. He said he helped shape a key emotional scene between Will Byers and Mike Wheeler, which added closure to Will’s storyline. He explained that he felt strongly about the moment and brought it to the creators, who later incorporated it into the script.
He said, “I knew people would riot if there wasn’t a little more with that.”
The panel also featured other cast members, including Natalia Dyer and David Harbour, who reflected on their long journey with the show. Dyer spoke about the emotional challenge of ending a series they had worked on for nearly a decade, describing the experience as a meaningful conclusion to their characters’ stories.
Stranger Things has recently concluded its final season on Netflix after becoming one of the platform’s most popular original series. The FYSEE event served as a final celebration of the cast and crew’s work over ten years, as well as a look back at the collaborative process behind the show.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
