Transforming Jamie Campbell Bower into the nightmarish Vecna in Stranger Things 5 is a painstaking process that blends traditional makeup artistry with cutting-edge visual effects. Far from being a fully digital character, Vecna is largely created through practical effects, allowing Bower’s performance to remain at the heart of the terrifying transformation.

A look at Bower`s transformation

Each shooting day begins extremely early, with the special effects team spending nearly seven hours applying layers of prosthetic makeup to Bower’s face, head, shoulders and hands. The prosthetics are carefully sculpted to resemble exposed muscles, burnt skin and decaying flesh, giving Vecna his raw, organic appearance. Every piece is custom-made and fitted to Bower’s body so that he can move naturally and convey emotion despite the heavy makeup.