Jamie Campbell Bower facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jamie Campbell Bower
Bower in 2025
Born	James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (1988-11-22) 22 November 1988 (age 37) London, England
Occupation	Actor singer musician
Years active	2007–present
Musical career
Genres	Alternative rock indie rock punk rock post-hardcore hardcore punk country blues dark music folk rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Xtra Mile Republic Five to One

James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor, singer, and musician. He is widely known for his role as Henry Creel / Vecna. This character appeared in the fourth (2022) and fifth (2025) seasons of the popular science fiction series Stranger Things. His performance in the show earned him much praise.

Bower has also appeared in many films. These include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) and The Twilight Saga (2009–2012). He played a young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018). On television, he starred in the fantasy series Camelot (2011) and the drama series Will (2017).

Beyond acting, Bower was the lead singer and guitarist of the punk rock band Counterfeit. He was with the band from 2015 to 2020. After leaving, he started a solo music career. In 2024, he formed a new band called BloodMagic.

Jamie Campbell Bower's Early Life

James Metcalfe Campbell Bower was born in London on 22 November 1988. His mother, Anne Elizabeth Roseberry, manages music artists. His father, David Bower, works for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. Jamie has a younger brother named Samuel, born in 1994. Samuel later played music with Jamie in the band Counterfeit.

Jamie showed an interest in music and performing from a young age. He learned to play the violin as a child. He attended Bedales School, a private school in Steep, Hampshire. He was also a member of London's National Youth Music Theatre and National Youth Theatre.

Jamie Campbell Bower's Career Highlights

Acting Roles and Performances

Jamie Campbell Bower started his acting career thanks to a friend. His friend, Laura Michelle Kelly, recommended him to her agent. In 2007, he co-starred as Anthony Hope in Tim Burton's film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The next year, in 2008, he played Rocker in RocknRolla and Jack in Winter in Wartime. In 2009, he appeared in a remake of the series The Prisoner as Number 11–12.

Bower and Kevin Zegers in March 2013

Also in 2009, he took on the role of the vampire Caius Volturi in The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He continued this role in both Twilight: Breaking Dawn films. In 2010, he played a young Gellert Grindelwald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. He returned to this role in the 2018 film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. He also played King Arthur in the 2011 television series Camelot. In 2010, he was featured 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 (2013). This film was based on the popular book series by Cassandra Clare. In June 2015, he began playing Joe in the West End musical Bend It Like Beckham.

In July 2017, Bower joined the TNT series Will. He played the role of the poet and spy Christopher Marlowe. This character was known for being clever and a bit rebellious. The series explored Marlowe's life and his interest in mysterious topics.

In January 2019, it was announced that Bower would star in a Game of Thrones prequel series. This series was called Bloodmoon, but HBO later decided not to produce it. He also starred in the 2019 film Six Days of Sistine. Since 2015, Bower has voiced Skiff in the Thomas & Friends franchise. He contributed to the television show, home videos, and the film Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.

Bower's most recognized role is Henry Creel / Vecna in Stranger Things. He appeared in the fourth (2022) and fifth (2025) seasons. Applying the special make-up for this role took up to eight hours each day. His performance received great reviews. In December 2025, he made a surprise appearance in the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. This marked his Broadway debut.

Jamie Campbell Bower's Music Journey

Jamie Campbell Bower played drums in a band called William K. Later, he was the lead singer of The Darling Buds. This band did not release an album and broke up in June 2015. He then became the lead singer and guitarist for the punk rock band Counterfeit. They released their first album in March 2017 and toured the US that year. In November 2020, Bower announced that the band was splitting up. He then started releasing music as a solo artist.

When Counterfeit ended, Bower shared that he felt sad. He also mentioned that he enjoys writing country songs because of their structure. He said it felt more natural for him to sing with an American-like sound. Bower also expressed a desire to create a musical project inspired by Divine Comedy, especially Dante's Inferno. He is a baritone singer.

On 1 April 2024, Bower announced his new band, BloodMagic. He also created a new Instagram account for the band, featuring drummer Kyle Adams. He released the solo music video "Waiting for Your Love" on 19 March 2026.

Jamie Campbell Bower's Modeling Work

Early in his acting career, Jamie Campbell Bower also worked as a part-time model. He was with Select Model Management in London. He has posed for and promoted various fashion brands. In December 2013, he joined Burberry's campaign for spring/summer 2014. In 2016, he modeled for Dolce & Gabbana and Dior. In 2017, he posed for Hugo Boss's fall/winter campaign.

In 2018, he modeled for Fendi. He also did a photoshoot for Flaunt Magazine with model Erika Linder. In February 2024, he walked the runway for Tom Ford during Milan Fashion Week. In September 2025, he modeled for Cartier and Ann Demeulemeester. Also in 2025, he posed for a Hugo Boss campaign that worked with Formula One. Bower is also a spokesperson for Saint Laurent.

Musical Influences

Jamie Campbell Bower has shared that many bands influenced his music. These include Placebo, Blur, and Oasis. For his solo work, he found great inspiration in The Cure. He also mentioned that some darker music styles helped him prepare for his role in Stranger Things. A cover of Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo also inspired him for this role. The original song plays a big part in the Stranger Things story.

Jamie Campbell Bower's Personal Life

Jamie Campbell Bower divides his time between London and Los Angeles.

Health and Well-being

In a December 2007 interview, Jamie Campbell Bower shared that he has mild dyslexia.

Jamie Campbell Bower has openly talked about his journey with mental well-being. He shared the importance of being honest about feelings like sadness or fear. He believes expressing these feelings is a key step to feeling better. His band Counterfeit even released a song called "It Gets Better" about this topic.

In July 2022, Bower wrote on Twitter about overcoming personal challenges. He shared that he sought help for his mental health many years ago. He expressed gratitude for his progress and encouraged others facing difficulties. He said, "Each day is a chance to start again. Atone for mistakes and grow. For anyone who wakes up thinking 'oh god not again' I promise you there's a way." Mental health organizations like Turning Point praised his message.

In September 2022, Bower mentioned that he grew up with anxiety. He also spoke about the importance of expressing feelings and learning to let go of things you cannot control. He shared that when you are open about your feelings, others often understand and connect with you better.

Performances and Works

Film

Key

Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2007	Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street	Anthony Hope
2008	RocknRolla	Rocker
	Winter in Wartime	Jack
2009	The Twilight Saga: New Moon	Caius
2010	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1	Young Gellert Grindelwald
	London Boulevard	Whiteboy
2011	Anonymous	Young Earl Oxford
	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1	Caius
2012	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
2013	The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones	Jace Wayland
2015	Thomas & Friends: Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure	Skiff (voice)
2016	Caer	A Man	Short film
2018	Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald	Young Gellert Grindelwald
2019	Six Days of Sistine	Jean-Baptiste
2024	Horizon: An American Saga	Caleb Sykes
	Witchboard	Alexander Babtiste
	Emmanuelle	Sir John
0TBA	True Haunting	Ed Becker	Post-production

Television

Theatre

Video Games

Music Videos

Counterfeit Discography

Solo Discography

Singles

Awards and Nominations

See Also

In Spanish: Jamie Campbell Bower para niños

• List of British actors