Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp was in attendance at the Milano Santagiulia Arena on Sunday cheering for Team Canada as they faced Team USA in the men’s hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
Popular social media account Buzzing Pop shared a picture of Schnapp watching the game from the stands with his family. The 21-year-old had donned a Team Canada jersey on the occasion.
Fans flooded social media with reactions ranging from confusion to support as photos and videos of Schnapp wearing Team Canada gear circulated online.
Following are some fan reactions from X:
“Thought he was American?”
“Is he a Canadian? I thought he was an American,” commented one user.
“Wow this was unexpected but appreciate his support for my country 🍁🇨🇦,” wrote another fan.
Some fans who understood Schnapp’s Canadian heritage were quick to defend his choice while some even celebrated the celebrity endorsement.
“His parents are canadian (hes dads right by his side), so it makes sense Go Canada! Go Noah!” wrote one fan.
“Noah Schnapp switching sides. Canada just got a celebrity power‑up 🍁✨,” quipped one user.
“Everybody wants to be canadian i understand,” read one comment.
The choice makes perfect sense for those familiar with Schnapp’s background. The New York-born actor holds dual U.S. and Canadian citizenship with both parents hailing from Montreal, Quebec. His extended family still lives in the Canadian city which he visits regularly.
Noah Schnapp is a Montreal Canadiens’ fan
Schnapp’s love for Canada and particularly Montreal runs deep through his passion for the Montreal Canadiens. The actor is a self-proclaimed “true-to-heart” Montreal Canadiens fan who has shared his hockey devotion in a previous interview with the organization.
Schnapp gushed about the experience of attending games at the Bell Centre describing the atmosphere:
“The loud music and the big TV’s, the food stands, the loud vibe.”
When asked about his favorite player, Schnapp named former Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.
“Carey Price. I like the goalie. He’s just a very good goalie, and I like goalies,” he said.
The actor maintains his hockey passion even at home and reveals that he plays street hockey with his father. He also shared that he visits Montreal regularly, approximately twice a year, driven by both family connections and his love for the Canadiens.
“I visit Montreal about twice a year, partly because of family and partly for the Habs,” he explained.
Schnapp’s Canadian hockey fandom has occasionally put him in awkward situations. He once wore a Canadiens shirt to a New York Rangers playoff game at Madison Square Garden in 2014. In another instance, he attended a Boston Bruins game where he had to pretend to be a Bruins supporter to avoid conflict with the home crowd.
Edited by Anjum Rajonno