ACTOR Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Vecna in Stranger Things 5, revealed that in the past pulled more from Dracula and other gothic vampire imagery when creating his version of the character, but he had more specific references for latest season, including Fred Rogers of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”. "I used The Shining, so the Kubrick-ian stare was obviously something I was very eager to utilize, even in season 4," the actor told.

 

He added: "For season 4, I used Funny Games — the American remake, particularly the way that Brady (Corbet) and Michael (Pitt) hold themselves. You can see that I've...borrowed. Credit where credit's due." For season 5, Bower lists 2020 horror film Alone about a woman trying to escape a bloodthirsty psychopath, as well as actor Van Johnson in 1957's The Pied Piper of Hamelin as inspirations.

 

Then there was the iconic children's show host. "Mr Rogers was a really interesting reference because that actually bled into music as well," Bower said. He added: "I used Tom Hanks in A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood, but that score is really eerie as well, with some real moments of spook." Bower recalls going through his phone and finding videos of himself on set preparing for season 5's "Shock Jock" scene as he walks down the staircase.

 

"There are videos of me … prior to getting there, practicing, trying things out, seeing what would work. I did it in two characters, but wanted to make sure that the body was in the same place and that the movement was correct so that when it's spliced together, it's not too wild." "I'd ask myself questions like, 'Of all the things that could exist, why recreate the house?'

 

"he said, referring to the Creel family home where a young Henry killed his mother and sister and drove his father to madness. "What does that mean to him? And what does home mean? And what was that experience like for him as a child, growing up where home could have been safe but wasn't? And perhaps this is an opportunity for him to recreate that safety." Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix.