Summary
Gaining a surge of popularity from portraying antagonist Vecna in Netflix’sStranger Things, actor Jamie Campbell Bower recently reflected on his time in theHarry Potteruniverse, revisiting a role he refused a stunt double for. Bower played a young Gellert Grindelwald inHarry Potter’sseventh film,Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but the only time he’s in front of the camera is when his character steals the Elder Wand.
Since Bower’s time working onHarry Potter, the franchise has taken an exciting turn this year with new actors being eyed to portray beloved roles. HBO is well underway preparing for a new take on The Boy Who Lived’s story, confirming John Lithgow will be playing Dumbledore while Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu are still in talks to play Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape. Even though the formerVoldemort actor Hero Fiennes-Tiffin is open to returning in theHarry Potterreboot, the network seems against retreading old ground.
Stranger Things Star Jamie Campbell Bower Recalls Refusing a Stunt Double While Filming Harry Potter
During a Como Fan event in Italy (viaE! Online),Bower recalledDeathly Hallowsdirector David Yates’ offer of a stunt double while filming his only scene in the movie, which left the actor with a crushing realization. “‘David, if you have a stunt double, I’m not going to be in your film. So no, I don’t want a stunt double. I want to be in your film, God damn it,’”Bower reenacted, expressing his keenness to partake in the franchise 15 years ago. While theElder Wand has a lengthy history inHarry Potterlore, Bower’s time with a third of the all-powerfulDeathly Hallowswas brief. However, the actor returned to play Grindelwald again in 2018’sFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, reuniting with hisSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Streetco-star Johnny Depp to play a younger version of his central character.
“I rememberin Deathly Hallows, the only time you see me is when I’m stealing the Elder Wand and jumping out of the window.”
Bower also revealed how his small role inDeathly Hallowscame about, noting he got the gig simply by being friends with the cast and was asked if he wanted to take part. “I had a lot of friends onHarry Potterand I think one day somebody just was like, ‘Do you want to just like be in this film?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, all right. Sounds fun. Sounds cool,’” Bower explained and shared the warmth and kindness he experienced on set from other cast members. In particular, the actor singled out Tom Felton, who played Draco Malfoy, as “so welcoming so warm to me.”Bower’s upcoming role inThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Powerseason 3was surely awarded after boasting his acting chops throughoutStranger Thingsand blockbustersThe Mortal Instruments: City of Bonesand theTwilightsaga, but securing a place in theHarry Potterfranchise through friendly connections was a lucky break to come by.
Following season 4’s nail-biting conclusion and after a three-year hiatus, fueled by the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes,Stranger Thingsfans anticipate the fifth and final season’s debut. While the actor is grateful for his time playing Vecna and his counterparts Henry Creel and One,Bower wants to distance himself from villains afterStranger Things. This doesn’t bode well for the 36-year-old potentially playing the Witch King inThe Rings of Power, if theories are anything to go by, but fans of the Netflix series are expecting the actor’s swan song performance as Vecna to be as chilling as ever.
Stranger Things season 5 is set to premiere sometime in 2025.
