Jamie Campbell Bower Officially Debuts As Henry Creel In Stranger Things’ Hit Prequel & Teases How It Influences Vecna’s Season 5 Story

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Jamie Campbell Bower brought a chilling element to the weekend by revisiting his role as Henry Creel from the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things.

On December 19th, Jamie Campbell Bower unexpectedly joined the Broadway cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, playing Henry Creel. He stepped into the role during the play’s final scene, taking over from Louis McCartney, who had previously played Henry Creel in both the West End and Broadway versions.

Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com

While at a performance of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in New York City’s Marquis Theatre, ScreenRant witnessed a brief appearance by Campbell as Henry, which received a huge and enthusiastic reaction from the audience.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered in December 2023 and takes the story back to Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959. The play reveals the beginnings of Henry Creel’s story, showing his family’s move to town, the development of his abilities, his involvement in a school play led by Joyce Maldonado (who later becomes Joyce Byers), and his first encounter with Dr. Martin Brenner.

Before the play began, Bower explained to Liam Crowley from ScreenRant how he got involved with the stage production and shared his praise for Louis McCartney’s portrayal of Henry in The First Shadow.

Liam Crowley: How did this performance come together? How was it pitched to you?

Jamie Campbell Bower: I was just asked. It just sort of appeared.

Liam Crowley: How long ago?

Jamie Campbell Bower said it happened about a month ago, possibly even just two or three weeks. He was at the season 5 premiere when Louis brought up the possibility of working together. Louis asked if he was interested, and Jamie responded that it sounded like fun and he was in.

Liam Crowley: Have you seen [Louis McCartney’s] performance?

Jamie Campbell Bower said he’s seen the show twice and thinks the lead actor is fantastic. He recalls seeing him in London during previews, noting he was very muscular then, and again in March when the Broadway show opened, where he seemed even more physically fit.

Bower also discussed how the play The First Shadow impacted his performance as Vecna/Henry Creel in Stranger Things season 5. He mentioned incorporating elements from the play into his portrayal of Henry, while also developing his own interpretation of the character.

Liam Crowley asked if Henry’s performance in ‘The First Shadow’ changed how viewers saw the character heading into the fifth season.

Jamie Campbell Bower shared that he drew inspiration from a play, with more details coming next year. He explained that it definitely impacted how he approached the character of Henry, adding that he felt a deep love and genuine care for him. A lot of his work focused on understanding the character’s inner child, exploring who the boy was beneath the adult exterior.

Honestly, seeing the play really got to me. Knowing what was happening in his life at that time, I just felt so much sympathy for him. It was a really emotional experience, and a big part of it was seeing this person I’d always been fascinated by come to life on stage – it was actually quite beautiful. It made me think about everything he created, and everything he took with him.

Jamie Campbell Bower’s The First Shadow Debut Perfectly Leads Into Stranger Things Season 5 Vol. 2

Actor Jamie Bower makes his first appearance in The First Shadow shortly before the release of Stranger Things season 5, volume 2 on Netflix. The final three episodes of the season will be available on Christmas Day at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. In this final season, Bower’s character, Vecna (also known as Henry Creel), takes on yet another name – “Mr. Whatsit” – as he secretly interacts with the children of Hawkins.

Vol. Episode Count Release Date/Time
Stranger Things season 5, vol. 2 3 December 25 @ 8 p.m. ET
Stranger Things season 5, vol. 3 1 (Series Finale) December 31 @ 8 p.m. ET

Jamie Campbell Bower is now the second prominent actor to appear in both the TV show Stranger Things and its stage play. He joins Alex Breaux, who first played Dr. Brenner in the Broadway production, The First Shadow, and later appeared as Lt. Robert Akers in season 5 of Stranger Things.

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As a huge fan of both Stranger Things and immersive theatre, I was thrilled to see Jamie Campbell Bower in The First Shadow. And the timing couldn’t have been better! Season 5 of Stranger Things actually started referencing things directly from the play – storylines, reveals, and twists that are all part of its established history. We even got a flashback in Volume 1 to 1959, showing a young Joyce Byers promoting her school play – which, of course, is The First Shadow! It was amazing to see familiar faces like Jim Hopper, Ted and Karen Wheeler, Alan Munson, Bob Newby, and the Henderson and Sinclair families all involved in that story.

Season 2 of the play will continue to explore the story of Henry Creel’s past, and we’ll finally learn what happened in the cave where Max and Holly hid – all revealed through the play itself. As Hawkins faces its last battle against Vecna and the monsters from the Upside Down, the events of the play become increasingly important for understanding how the main Stranger Things series will end.

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2025-12-20 06:40