Jamie Campbell Bower

Biography

James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor, singer, and musician. He is best known for his role as Henry Creel / Vecna in the fourth (2022) and fifth (2025) seasons of the science fiction horror series Stranger Things, for which he received critical acclaim. Bower's other roles include the films Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), The Twilight Saga (2009–2012), and the young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), as well as the fantasy series Camelot (2011) and drama series Will (2017). Outside of acting, Bower was the lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Counterfeit from 2015 to 2020, when he left to pursue a solo career. In 2024, he formed a new band called BloodMagic.

== Early life == James Metcalfe Campbell Bower was born in London on 22 November 1988, the son of Anne Elizabeth Roseberry and David Bower. His mother is a music manager and his father works for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. He is the maternal great-great-great-great-grandson of Scottish lawyer Sir John Campbell of Airds (1807–1853), Lieutenant Governor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. His younger brother, Samuel (born 1994), later played with him in the band Counterfeit. Bower has had an interest in music and performance from a young age. He started playing the violin as a child, which he was taught using the Suzuki method. He attended Bedales School, a co-educational independent school in Steep, Hampshire, and is a former member of London's National Youth Music Theatre and National Youth Theatre.

== Career ==

=== Acting === Bower began his professional career when his friend Laura Michelle Kelly recommended him to her agent. In 2007, he co-starred as Anthony Hope in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. In 2008, he played Rocker in the film RocknRolla and Jack in Winter in Wartime. In 2009, he starred in the 2009 remake of the series The Prisoner as Number 11–12. Also in 2009, he played the vampire Caius Volturi in the film The Twilight Saga: New Moon and both Twilight: Breaking Dawn films. He appeared as a young Gellert Grindelwald (the dark wizard defeated by Albus Dumbledore) in the 2010 film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1; he reprised this role in the 2018 film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He played King Arthur in the 2011 television series Camelot. In 2010, he starred in the music video for "Young (Belane)" by The Xcerts. In 2012, Bower appeared in the music video for "Never Let Me Go" by Florence + The Machine. He played Jace Wayland in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, the 2013 film adaptation of The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. In June 2015, he began playing the role of Joe in the West End musical Bend It Like Beckham. In July 2017, Bower joined the TNT original series Will. He played the role of gay poet, atheist, and spy Christopher Marlowe, who was jealous of Shakespeare. Christopher is preoccupied with death, the supernatural, and the occult. Bower explained that the series delves into Marlowe's life and refers to him as a naughty boy. In January 2019, Bower was announced to star in a Game of Thrones prequel series titled Bloodmoon, but HBO later decided not to pick it up. He starred in the 2019 film Six Days of Sistine, distributed by Mbur Indie Film Distributor and co-starring Elarica Johnson. Since 2015, Bower has voiced Skiff in the Thomas & Friends franchise, having contributed to the television show, two home videos, and the feature film Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure. Bower starred as Henry Creel / Vecna in the fourth (2022) and fifth (2025) seasons of the Netflix science fiction horror series Stranger Things. Having make-up applied for the role took up to eight hours per day. His performance in the series garnered critical acclaim and became his most widely known role. In December 2025, he reprised the role for a surprise appearance in the final scene of the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, marking his Broadway debut.

=== Music === Bower played drums in a band called William K. He was then the lead singer of the band The Darling Buds, which never released an album and dissolved in June 2015. He became the lead singer and guitarist for the punk rock band Counterfeit, which released its first album in March 2017 and toured the US that year. In November 2020, Bower announced the band's split through their Instagram page. The band had a second album recorded before the split, which was never released. He released music as a solo artist shortly after. When Counterfeit disbanded, Bower said he felt sadness and grief. He also said he likes writing country songs because of their structure: "As far back as I can remember, whenever I picked up a microphone, it was harder for me to sing wholly in a British accent than to just wail away and drop my Ts or bend notes so it almost sounds American." He also said that he would like to create a musical project inspired by the Divine Comedy, especially Dante's Inferno. Bower is a baritone. On 1 April 2024, Bower announced the formation of a new band called BloodMagic. He also deleted all his photos from Instagram and created a new account named after the band, featuring drummer Kyle Adams.He released the solo music video "Waiting for Your Love" on 19 March 2026.

=== Modeling === At the beginning of his acting career, Bower was a part-time model with Select Model Management in London. He has posed and offered testimonials for various fashion brands. In December 2013, he joined the cast of Burberry's Campaign Stars for spring/summer 2014; in 2016, he posed for Dolce & Gabbana; and Dior, in 2017, he posed for Hugo Boss's fall/winter campaign; in 2018, he modelled for Fendi, as well as in a photoshoot for Flaunt Magazine with model Erika Linder; in February 2024, during the Milan Fashion Week, he paraded for Tom Ford; and in September 2025, he modelled for Cartier and Ann Demeulemeester. In 2025, he also posed for a Hugo Boss campaign in collaboration with Formula One. Bower is also a testimonial for Saint Laurent.

== Musical influences == In a 2019 interview, Bower named Placebo, Deftones, Blur, Oasis, and Marilyn Manson as influences on his music career. In a 2022 interview, he cited The Cure as his greatest inspiration during his solo career, especially their album Pornography, and also black metal artists such as Sunn O))), Mayhem, Darkthrone, and Carpathian Forest, particularly when preparing for his role in Stranger Things. He also said that another inspiration for the same role was the Placebo cover of Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill", the original of which plays a large role in the storylines of the seasons in which he appears.

== Personal life ==