Jamie Campbell Bower has announced the one aspect of Venca he wished had been different while portraying the terrifying villain in Netflix's Stranger Things.
While conversing at Entertainment Weekly's Brave Warriors panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, the Twilight Saga alum stated he wanted to add a realistic touch to the character, aiming to stand out with his performance.
Bower wanted more 'Tactile' feet
While describing that footwear plays a major role in how an actor moves, Bower stated, “Shoes are a big thing because they do affect the way that you walk.
“It’s something I’m always focused on. I remember after doing season 4 of Stranger Things, [prosthetics designer] Barrie [Gower] was like, ‘If there’s one thing you can change, what would it be?’ And I’d be like the feet, I’d make them more tactile,” he added.
However, by the time production began on the fifth and final season, the issue had been resolved.
"Even my toes are CG, so there's no reason to worry about that," Bower joked, referring to the increased use of computer-generated visual effects.
Season 5 depended more on CGI
As per the 37-year-old, Vecna's appearance was redesigned for the final season using new prosthetic techniques, shocking fans.
The updated procedure minimised his time in the makeup chair from multiple hours to around three hours, while makeup removal took less than an hour.
The streamlined design also made filming much more comfortable for the actor, with Gower humorously mentioning that it was "a lot easier for him to go to the bathroom this season."
Grueling revolution behind Vecna
During Season 4, Bower recalled that makeup sessions often started"at 1am, 2am to get him ready for 8am or 9am. We would have a whole shooting day of, maybe 10 to 12 hours. Then we would be de-rigging him for two hours in the evening.”
"By the time they got to the fourth season, the production team was so experienced and so on it."
Bower's portrayal of Vecna has become one of the most promising performances of Stranger Things, with the actor earning praise for bringing the show's chilling main antagonist to life through a combination of performance, prosthetics, and visual effects.
