Noah Schnapp issued an apology after a controversial video of him surfaced online, causing the hashtag #NoahSchnappIsOverParty to become a trending topic on Twitter.
In the 2019 clip, the Stranger Things star, 15, and his friends sang Chris Brown’s verse in Lil Dicky’s 2018 hit “Freaky Friday,” which includes the lyrics, “Wonder if I can say the N-word / Wait, can I really say the N-word? / What up, my n–ga? What up, my n–ga? / Big ups, my n–ga, we up, my n–ga / You p–sy ass n–ga, man, f–k y’all n–gas / ‘Cause I’m that n–ga, n–ga, n–ga, n–ga / I’m that n–ga!”
The video was originally posted on Schnapp’s friend’s Instagram account and has since been deleted. After it circulated on social media on Tuesday, August 25, the actor took to his Instagram Stories to set the record straight.
“Hi guys. recently a video from last summer has gotten out of me dancing and singing a song while singing the word ‘neighbor’ over the n word. i would truly never say the n word and i’m not the type of person,” he wrote. “I genuinely have never used that word in my life. using the word ‘neighbor’ in that song was just something my camp friends and i did.”
He continued, “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 that slur without hesitation. i apologize for using a replacement word. it is not my place to use one and i should of [sic] kept my mouth shut. i understand why it is found offensive and i am so sorry.”
This is the second month in a row that Schnapp has taken to social media to publicly apologize for something. On July 16, he shared a series of candid tweets addressing his followers after coming under fire for being friends with someone who ran a controversial fan page on Instagram.
“Hey everyone, so i see a lot of people upset on the internet over some things. first i want to apologize for hurting anyone at all. u all matter most to me,” he tweeted at the time. “[I know] some of u guys feel like ur feelings are being invalidated. which im sorry for. i never meant to defend anybody actions.”
The SAG Award winner then denied being “a bad friend” to his Stranger Things costar Millie Bobby Brown, whom the since-deactivated Instagram fan page had shamed.
“I’ve talked to her already and she isn’t offended in anyway [sic],” Schnapp tweeted. “I love her, she’s my best friend.”