'Stranger Things' Jamie Campbell Bower shares dark toll of playing villains

An acclaimed actor and singer, Jamie Campbell Bower, has opened up about the toll of playing dark characters.

The 36-year-old star, who played Vecna in Stranger Things season 4, talked about wanting a break from playing villains on February 9 at MegaCon Orlando in Florida.

Bower told the audience that there is no worry about always being cast as a villain, but he would rather take a step back.

He quipped, "It's funny. I was talking to my therapist the other day," and then told the crowd he was "dead serious" about the conversation, saying, "I'm not lying."

Recalling his conversation with the therapist, the Emmanuelle star shared that he 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.’”

“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 noted.

"Like it f***** me up," Bower confessed, adding, “I’m dead serious.”

Moving forward, the Harry Potter alum shed light on being a part of Stranger Things season 5, articulating, “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,” Bower concluded.

For the unversed, the fifth chapter of the series has many stars, including Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, and Maya Hawke.

It is pertinent to mention that Stranger Things season 5 does not have a launch date yet but it is expected to be released in late 2025, with eight episodes.