Jamie Campbell Bower is taking a break from villains after mental toll of Stranger Things 5

21 February 2025, 16:31

By Sam Prance

Jamie Campbell Bower says he had discussions with his therapist about the difficulty of playing Vecna.

Loading audio...

Stranger Things actor Jamie Campbell Bower has revealed that he's taking a break from playing villains after Vecna.

It's impossible to imagine Stranger Things 4 without Jamie Campbell Bower. The season revolves around new villain Vecna and he's easily the show's scariest character yet. Not only does Jamie depict Vecna perfectly in the current Stranger Things timeline and but he also portrays him in the past with his Henry Creel/Peter Ballard origin story.

However, Jamie's portrayal of Vecna didn't just leave a lasting impact on fans. He's now said that it "f--d" him up.

Read more: Stranger Things Season 5: Release date, spoilers, cast, news and trailers

Jamie Campbell Bower reveals how long it took to transform into Vecna

Speaking to MegaCon Orlando, Jamie revealed that he discussed the toll that playing villains takes on him in therapy. Explaining the advice that his therapist gave him, Jamie said: "We were going through some stuff, and he was like, ‘We really need to make sure that you carve out time for you whenever you’re working next.’"

As for his response Jamie said: "I turned around to him, and I was like, ‘Yeah, to be honest with you, man, I just don’t think I’ll be doing another bad guy for a minute.'" He then added: "Like it f—s me up. I’m dead serious.”

Discussing Vecna specifically, Jamie continued: "It’s been amazing - and it’s been an incredible journey - to join the show from season 4, to be part of something that so many people love and something that I loved as well and still love."

He ended by saying: "But I definitely am ready to hang up the foam latex and wish him a slippery farewell."

Jamie Campbell Bower as Henry Creel in Stranger Things 4. Picture: Netflix

Jamie isn't the only actor to speak out about the negative effects of playing villains on screen. Evan Peters previously took a break from American Horror Story because of how heavy it was. Speaking to GQ in 2018, he said: "I'm goofy, I'm silly, I like to have fun. I don't like to yell and scream. I actually hate it. Horror Story demanded that of me."

Ryan Murphy also revealed that Evan wanted to film a rom-com before he cast him as Jeffrey Dhamer in Dhamer. In a 2022 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan revealed that Evan "wanted to play someone normal".

Someone cast Jamie and Evan in a buddy comedy now!