Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower was the only main cast member who read the final script alone 

Stranger Things Season 5 is heading our way and the battle lines for survival are drawn.

Vecna has already unleashed a deadly portal, bringing Hawkins under the threat of obliteration. As we brace for the epic showdown between beloved small-town heroes and the dark forces of the Upside Down, Jamie Campbell Bower had a candid conversation with Collider, in which he opened up about how he read the script for Season 5 in isolation.

Bower plays the notorious Vecna in the show and adds a chilling intensity to the villain. Will, Eleven, and the rest of the party will now have to fight dangers and the viewers will see the ripple effects of fallout in Season 4.

Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower was the only main cast member who read the final script alone

Bower’s character, Vecna, was first known as Henry Creel. He was revealed to be a gifted child whose powers were both tested and manipulated by Dr. Brenner. His arc is much like Eleven’s, but unlike her, Vecna’s is a dark character.

The transformation of Creel into Vecna in Stranger Things was a process triggered by years of isolation, resentment, and pain. He is the architect behind each monster turmoil that destabilized Hawkins.

With Season 5, the epic saga's curtains will fall. At this very crucial moment, Bower opened up about his emotional process behind filming the 5th season. In a conversation with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, the actor described how he read the final script in a way that was not what he planned.

He had COVID at the time, forcing him to stay isolated in his apartment while the rest of the cast gathered for a table read at the studio.

Bower said the moment was strangely aligned with Vecna’s core themes,

“My series finale reading was done in my apartment in Atlanta because I had COVID… Whilst everybody else was at work in the studio, reading it all together in tears, I was stuck behind the screen. Now I'm like, ‘That feels right. That's appropriate."

He added:

“I remember Matt and Ross just stuck their head around my screen at the end, and I just went, ‘Guys, thank you so much for changing so many people's lives.’”

The actor has always been grateful for the part he played in one of the most viewed and loved shows on Netflix. In Stranger Things, Vecna became an instant icon, not just because of his design but because of the performance Bower put into it.

Henry Creel was once a lonely child who felt misunderstood, and Bower captured his emotional core, making fans connect to the intense story behind the terrifying villain. His portrayal made Vecna frightening, but also tragic and in Season 4, the cruelty's unforgiving grip on Henry’s became more prominent.

Season 5 of Stranger Things will likely push that psychology even harder. Bower also touched on fan interactions and how the character has affected viewers. Many fans have responded to the emotional depth he brought to Season 4. He noted that playing Vecna has opened doors to more major franchises. He will next appear in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, though his role remains a mystery.

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Stranger Things Season 5 will air on November 26, 2025, on Netflix.

Also Read: Stranger Things Season 5 release time: When are the new Episodes releasing in your country? Timings revealed

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