"Stranger Things" Creators Keep Secrets from Their Cast Members, Including Jamie Campbell Bower's Portrayal of Vecna.
The highly anticipated fifth season of the popular Netflix show "Stranger Things" has finally arrived, leaving fans with more questions than answers about the storyline. Despite going on record saying they've known how the series would conclude for years, show creators Matt and Ross Duffer have revealed that even their cast members remained in the dark until filming began.
Even Jamie Campbell Bower, who brings to life the sinister character of Vecna, was initially left guessing about the season's plot. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bower admitted he had been given minimal insight into the storyline by the Duffers during his tenure for season four.
"I wish I had known more than I did," Bower said, revealing that as a seasoned cast member, he felt "really sad going into [season] five, not knowing as much as I did." He went on to describe himself as having "firing over text messages of questions" to the showrunners, with one particularly specific inquiry prompting him to finally get some answers.
Bower's portrayal of Vecna is a significant departure from his previous character, Henry Creel. When asked about what inspired this change, Bower seemed hesitant to reveal too much, citing the complexity of his character and the desire not to spoil key plot twists for fans.
"The truth in this scenario is clearly that Holly Wheeler is being used in some way, and he's not telling her," Bower revealed. This sentiment was echoed by the actor when discussing the emotional toll of playing Vecna, describing it as a "terrifying" experience that requires him to confront his own darkness.
With all episodes now wrapped up, fans will have to wait until December 25 and 31 to catch "Stranger Things" season five on Netflix.
The highly anticipated fifth season of the popular Netflix show "Stranger Things" has finally arrived, leaving fans with more questions than answers about the storyline. Despite going on record saying they've known how the series would conclude for years, show creators Matt and Ross Duffer have revealed that even their cast members remained in the dark until filming began.
Even Jamie Campbell Bower, who brings to life the sinister character of Vecna, was initially left guessing about the season's plot. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Bower admitted he had been given minimal insight into the storyline by the Duffers during his tenure for season four.
"I wish I had known more than I did," Bower said, revealing that as a seasoned cast member, he felt "really sad going into [season] five, not knowing as much as I did." He went on to describe himself as having "firing over text messages of questions" to the showrunners, with one particularly specific inquiry prompting him to finally get some answers.
Bower's portrayal of Vecna is a significant departure from his previous character, Henry Creel. When asked about what inspired this change, Bower seemed hesitant to reveal too much, citing the complexity of his character and the desire not to spoil key plot twists for fans.
"The truth in this scenario is clearly that Holly Wheeler is being used in some way, and he's not telling her," Bower revealed. This sentiment was echoed by the actor when discussing the emotional toll of playing Vecna, describing it as a "terrifying" experience that requires him to confront his own darkness.
With all episodes now wrapped up, fans will have to wait until December 25 and 31 to catch "Stranger Things" season five on Netflix.
it's clear he was just as invested in the character as we were watching him 
i mean, who hasn't felt like they're left in the dark about a plot twist and then just fires off questions via text messages? 
it's hilarious and relatable at the same time. but what i love most is how he spoke about being terrified by the character and having to confront his own darkness - that takes so much courage and vulnerability, bravo Jamie 
and then finally got some answers, guess you could say he was 'vecna'-ly curious about his character 
. I'm excited to see how this season plays out now that we know more about Vecna's storyline tho, let's get ready for the Upside Down drama 
.
And what's up with Jamie's character development? I loved Henry Creel in Insatiable, but Vecna is just... different 
. Bring it on, Duffer brothers! 
. The way he was kept in the dark until filming started, like what even is that? And now we're all left wondering what really goes down with Holly Wheeler 
what's up with vecna's connection to holly wheeler tho? is there gonna be some major plot twist or something? 
, he must've been really curious about Vecna's storyline and it's frustrating that the Duffer brothers kept him in the dark. I mean, as a cast member, you'd think you'd get some insight into what's going on, especially since it's your character who's got a pretty major role to play. But at the same time, I guess it's cool that he was still able to bring his own energy and interpretation to the part 
. It's like, as an actor, you've got to be prepared for some surprises, right? 
. Like, what's up with the creators keeping it all a secret from the cast? I mean, come on, Jamie Campbell Bower is like, a seasoned pro and he still had to send firing messages to Matt and Ross for answers? 
. Can't wait for the holidays so we can finally binge-watch and try to piece together all the plot holes 
. And can we talk about Vecna for a sec? That guy is straight-up terrifying 
. But honestly, now that he's spilling all the tea on set, I'm kinda worried that some of the magic has been lost 
. Still can't wait for Dec 25th though! Let's get ready to binge and figure out what happened 
cant wait!
. and jay campbell bower had to send texts to matt & ross duffer to get answers lol 
. i mean, we're talking about a show that's been going on for 5 seasons and still keeping secrets from its own cast members 
. the fandom is gonna have some wild theories now 
. did you guys see his reactions in the interview? 