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Stranger Things Volume 4 dropped on Netflix over the Summer and with it came a monstrous new villain. The villain, Vecna, aka Henry Creel, aka 001, wreaked havoc in Hawkins throughout the season.
On July 6th, Netflix tweeted a 20-second clip of Jamie Campbell Bower watching a scene from the show while reciting part of his monologue from the final episode. Many actors typically watch the scenes they are participating in when recording voiceover in order to gain a greater sense of the speed and tone their lines should be delivered in. And while the writing team asked fans to comment on how good Bower is as an actor, many fans praised his voice.
Some are amazed at Bower’s change from a soft-spoken orderly to a psychotic killer. Some fans find it difficult to believe that it was the actor himself who voiced Vecna. Noticeably, Vecna's character was a stark contrast from that of Henry Creel even though they were both played by actor Jamie Campbell Bower.
What do you think?
When voice actors step into the booth for character work, the work doesn't just begin that moment. Preparation is key for character work. For example, a noticeable aspect of Bower's performance is that he has no script, and while he may have referred to it during his time in the studio it's impressive to think he memorized his whole monologue. (To note, having your scripts memorized is not typically necessary for voice actors, but serves as an example of Bower's preparedness.)
Motivation is another key aspect in character work. How does your character feel, and why? On Vecna, Bower stated how much he feels he understands the character, and that he himself doesn't see him as a villain due to the fact that Vecna is holding onto so many negative emotions. He told Variety that he's "certainly able to view him as a point of conflict. But in terms of, like, is he evil or villainous? I mean, I understand him, and I love him. And I relate to him. I just got a pain in my eyes as I was saying that — maybe I should shut up! Like, I understand him, and so I’m always gonna be on his side."
Envisioning your character's physicality is another way to get into character. How tall are they? Do they have any physical traits that would impact their voice or how they carry their sound? Are they shy or loud and boisterous? It often helps to stand as your character would while performing your script reads to make your voice reflect the actions and physicality of the character as closely as possible. You can see this reflected in Bower's physicality and facial expressions in the above clip.
To read more about Jamie Campbell Bower’s performance as Vecna, check out the below articles:
(Economic Times Spotlight Special)
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