Jamie Campbell Bower reveals how he insisted to a director that he was ready for anything to maintain his brief appearance as a majorHarry Pottervillain. The actor is best known for his appearances inSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Mortal Instrument: City of Bones, and theTwilightfranchise. In 2022, Bower made hisStranger Thingsdebut as Hawkins Lab attendant Henry Creel, whois eventually revealed to be Vecna, the monstrous villain responsible for the events of the series.
As Bower recently appeared in a panel during the Como Fan Event (viaET Online), the actor revealed that his brief appearance as the young dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Iwas almost cut even shorter had he not insisted on taking on all the responsibilities of the scene. The actor stated that after being brought on to play Grindelwald through a friend, David Yates questioned on the day of shooting ifhe’d rather have a stunt double perform the window jump, which Bower quickly rejected. Check out Bower’s full recollection below:
I had a lot of friends on Harry Potter. And 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. I remember in Deathly Hallows, the only time you see me is when I’m stealing the Elder Wand and jumping out of the window.
And I remember David Yates coming up to me as we were filming that one scene—that one scene is my one day of work—and David goes, ‘Do you think you want to stunt double?’ And I was like, ‘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.’”
What Bower’s Response Reveals About His Harry Potter Role
The Actor Would Be Able To Take Center Stage As A Foe Later On
Bower isn’t exaggerating when he states just how a stunt double would impact his on-screen presence in theHarry Pottermovies. While the novels featured a larger role for the dark wizard as Dumbledore’s youth was brought to light,his presence in the movie series is reduced to a brief glimpse of him stealing the Elder Wandfrom the workshop of wandmaker, Gregorovitch, as well as a photograph. However, Bower would have the opportunity to reprise the role for a brief appearance inFantastic Beasts: The Crime of Grindelwald.
Jamie Campbell Bower’s 10 Best Roles, According To IMDb
Jamie Campbell has shown impressive acting ability as Stranger Thing’s Vecna, but the villain is far from his first notable acting credit.
While his role as a villain in theHarry Potterfranchise may have been cut short,hisStranger Thingstenure would allow him to fulfill the opportunity of playing a major antagonist.Upon his debut inStranger Things, his roles of Henry Creel and Vecna were only hinted towards, making the eventual reveal of the character’s true nature incredibly impactful once viewers were finally subjected to the horrors of Vecna’s plan and the bloody Hawkins Lab massacre. With Bower set to play Vecna in a cryptic, more humanoid form inStranger Thingsseason 5, the actor will bring new depth to the character.
Our Thoughts On Bower’s Harry Potter Experience
The Actor Has Proven Himself As A Formidable Villain Actor
Though his earlier villainous role in theHarry Potterfranchise may have been brief, Bower’s later roles have fully shown off his true range as a villain. His appearance of Henry Creel in the flashbacks lulled audiences in with his friendly side, only for the later Vecna reveal and his greater presence as the transformed villain, to display how terrifying he could be.WhileStranger Thingsseason 5could likely be Bower’s last opportunity to play the major antagonist, many viewers may be keen to see him take on other major antagonistic roles in the future.
