Stranger Things: 5 times Jamie Campbell Bower proved his range

If you watched Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 (or any other episode from a different season, too) and felt uneasy in a new way, you’re not alone, to say the least! Jamie Campbell Bower has changed how the show feels when he’s on screen by making it feel so much more personal.

When we watch his scenes, we can already sense something bad is about to happen. That reaction comes from his love of the craft. So here are five times Bower proved his range on Netflix's Stranger Things.

Jamie Campbell Bower's best Stranger Things scenes

1) Henry Creel is scarier than Vecna

Now we all expect the monster to scare us because that’s easy. But what gets under our skin is Henry Creel looking calm and deciding what to do next. Bower plays Henry without any sense of obvious menace as he barely moves. That restraint forces us to do the work as a viewer, and oddly enough, our brain fills in the danger. So, when violence arrives, we feel like we earned it.

2) The lab orderly who earns our trust

When Henry poses as a helpful orderly, we actually believe in Bower's warmth, and we want Eleven to believe him too. The reveal that comes later on Stranger Things only works because the earlier kindness feels real. He commits to the switch as we soon realize we trusted the wrong person, and how!

3) Face acting that tells the whole story

Have you watched Bower’s face in close-ups? Well, I have seen the shift before any dialogue explains it. His eyes harden, and his jaw locks. This skill shows up most clearly when Henry confronts people who break rules, and you understand exactly why everyone (including the viewers) should be afraid.

4) Vecna still feels human under the makeup

Let's be honest, heavy prosthetics can easily ruin a lot of performances. But lo and behold, they don’t ruin this one. Even buried under layers of makeup, Bower speaks slowly as Vecna, as every word feels chosen. That’s why Vecna does the real damage even when the visual effects fade into the background.

5) One actor playing several versions of the same mind

This is supposed to be the most challenging part, but of course, Bower makes it look easy! Through the course of the show, we see him shadow Henry the child, Henry the manipulator, Henry the killer, and obviously, Vecna, the symbol of it all. We can trace the same thinking through each version as we can sense his pain and the resulting need for control in his eyes and bodily language. That continuity keeps the story from slipping into cartoon territory.