Jamie Campbell Bower reveals he had to go to therapy because of playing Vecna in Stranger Things

Jamie Campbell Bower had one of the most significant roles in Netflix's Stranger Things, where the actor portrayed the role of the show's antagonist, Vecna. Although a challenging role, Campbell showcased stellar acting and was a central part of the story as he fought against the main characters, which could only be fought off with music. However, playing a villain has pros and cons, which are heavier on the cons side, and the actor sheds light on the struggles surrounding his role as Vecna. This included hour-long makeup sessions, painful prosthetics, and the toll it had on his mental health.

Speaking to People, the actor revealed that he had to undergo intense therapy to cope with the repercussions of playing a sadistic villain. He also added that this might be the last time he plays a villain and will most likely take a break for a while.

“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.’ 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. Like it f—s me up. I’m dead serious.”

As for Vecna's future in the series, the actor isn't all that hopeful about it. In the same interview, he added,

“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. But I definitely am ready to hang up the foam latex and wish him a slippery farewell.”

Stranger Things' fifth and final season

The final season of the highly acclaimed Netflix series is on the way, and the creators have teased it to be the most personal story yet. Showrunner Matt Duff told Deadline,

“We think it’s our most personal story. It was super intense and emotional to film — for us and for our actors. We’ve been making this show together for almost 10 years. There was a lot of crying. There was so much crying. The show means so much to all of us, and everyone put their hearts and souls into it. And we hope — and believe — that passion will translate to the screen.”

Production for the season started in January 2024, and most of the main characters are returning. The show is already undergoing post-production and visual effects. It is expected to be released sometime this year.

You can stream all four seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix.