@Courtesy of Netflix
@Courtesy of Netflix
Press Conference With Actors Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Jamie Campbell Bower
Q: My question is about your journey on Stranger Things. How have your characters developed as well as yourselves as human beings?
Jamie Campbell Bower: The artistic process that I went through for this show was arguably the most in depth process I’ve ever done for any specific role. I felt such a level of duty to this show. Maybe because of its success and the hard work that’s been put into it by all these amazing people who are here. But also because of Matt and Ross Duffer, they’re the most intellectually emotionally intelligent people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Their references are broad and varied. I went into season four trying to fully understand the reasons that this person was the way that they were, and ultimately came to some beautiful moments within that. A lot of stuff to do with primary caregiver relationships at childhood and the trauma. I had more of those moments in season five as well. But I can’t say too much about those because it’s a development throughout the season.
Caleb McLaughlin: My artistic journey was the development of me in my adolescence. The scripts wrote my life out in a way, which is interesting. It’s rare to be a child actor and understand what a script means, understand a character. When you’re an adult actor, you have a little bit more experience in life and are able to draw from those experiences. At 13, I didn’t really know much. I just knew what I loved and I expressed myself in that way. Lucas merged with my personality in a way where I had to put Caleb to the side and then put Lucas in the forefront to understand who he was. How would I react to that? How would Lucas do that? It’s developed me into the person I am today. It was an interesting journey and discovery, honestly. I’ve been on the show almost half my life. That is a part of my development. There’s a big impact on that.
Gaten Matarazzo: It’s harder for me to find things that haven’t been impacted by the show when it comes to my development. Not just as a person, but as somebody who does what we do for a living. It’s the most incredible opportunity and it’s pretty special. What I love to take away and remember is that it’s very rare for people at our age to have the literacy of how a set works on a day-to-day basis at this age. Usually people who do that, a lot of times they do it at a school or they do it in their early twenties. They are usually starting around the time that we are now. It’s really cool to have that experience and that baseline so that when you show up on a set or in a theater, you have those anxieties or uncertainties out of the way. You can just hunker down and focus on what you enjoy doing. I don’t take that for granted. It’s something I value. I would be an incredibly different person if I wasn’t a part of this. That has to do with the people involved, it’s such a warm group. It’s any actor’s dream to be a part of something as incredible as this show.
Finn Wolfhard: I learned everything from the set. Being that young and the show being so big, it softened the intensity that we are all experiencing it together. It’s a testament to the Duffers on how much they care about their actors and their crew. It was such a gift to be able to also add characters that have become fan favorites over the years. It was such a gift to be able to have these people join the family.
Q: This season picks up right where we left off, without that usual moment of calm. How does starting from such a high stakes place change the energy on set and in your performances?
Gaten Matarazzo: It’s a completely different type of start to a season that we’re used to. There’s always a boost of optimism at the end of seasons where there is a good chunk of victories for the gang. Last season, it ended with us pretty clearly losing for the first time. We’re starting from scratch and that’s pretty scary. But what’s so special is that in Stranger Things fashion, we as a gang go about that challenge with just as much enthusiasm and intensity and fierce desire as we always have. That’s a pretty cool place to start because it’s hard to watch. It’s hard to watch them struggle.
Q: Vecna is one of the most famous villains in Dungeons and Dragons Lore, and Stranger Things reimagined him in a deeply psychological human way. How aware were you of the D & D origins when you first took on the role? And did you draw from that mythology or deliberately avoid it to create something new?
Jamie Campbell Bower: Did I deliberately avoid it? No. How aware of it was I? Not that aware. I think I’ve played D and D once, and same thing with Magic: The Gathering, I’m still at that stage where I’m doing things and people are going: “You can’t do that.” Which is always an irritation for anyone playing a game. I was living in downtown Los Angeles when I got cast in this show: I remember walking down the street and there was a guy wearing a Vecna D & D t-shirt. I swear on my life. I’ve not seen a Vecna D & D t-shirt since. That was weird.
@Courtesy of Netflix
Q: This season finds Mike back in the strategist role leading missions into the Upside Down and showing flashes of the Dungeon Master we meet in season one. What was it like revisiting that version of him through a more mature lens?
Finn Wolfhard: It was awesome to be able to step back into that role, to be able to play this character after so many years, and go back to his roots as a kid. It was really rewarding. Because these characters started so young, you see them go through phases. You see them go through changes in the same way that any kid goes through changes. But in the end you always come back to your core beliefs and what you think is right. There’s all these different roads you can go down and explore for yourself. But in the end it’s like, what are the things that truly matter? Season Five was a fun reintroduction of those beliefs that Mike holds so dearly.
Q: Lucas ended last season in such a vulnerable place, still reeling from what happened to Max. How does that emotional aftermath guide his actions and mindset this season?
Caleb McLaughlin: This was one of Lucas’s most traumatic moments. He felt like it was his fault. He was there to protect her and he failed to do the job. We capture him in this stoic sensibility of resilience. He’s ready for whatever comes next. He has the support of his friends, the support from his past and is just ready for whatever comes next.
Q: Dustin’s always been the group’s hope. How do you hold on to that optimism when the world’s literally falling apart?
Gaten Matarazzo: It’s hard to. I love to play this part and I think that without him, I probably would be a tremendously more pessimistic person. A lot of that optimism stemmed from who I was at 13. That’s something that Matt and Ross enjoyed watching at least early on in the process of auditioning for this show. They wrote it out, put it on paper and gave me the opportunity: it almost felt like it was giving me the tools to remain consistent in that department over the course of this decade. I like to think that I’ve made a habit of it. That’s really all you can ask for. But yes, it is not an easy time to do so. I am a very, very lucky individual and I don’t take that for granted. I’m very fortunate to be in a situation where I can prioritize optimism day-to-day when so many aren’t.
Q: When you first read this season’s scripts, what struck you most, the scale, the emotion or how it ties back to where it all began?
Finn Wolfhard: The scale of it is so huge. Season Five blew that outta the water. What surprised me and what I was the most impressed with is how the Duffers handled the world building, the bigger set piece and action with the emotional character stuff. That’s very hard to juggle. Sometimes you’re not even thinking about performance, you’re just thinking about trying to get the scene done in the best way possible. And then halfway through that action sequence, you have this emotional, personal moment. That’s a testament to the whole cast. It offers a lot of versatility.
Q: There’s a lot of emotion and action packed into this season. Without spoiling anything, how would you describe the tone viewers can expect in volume two?
Gaten Matarazzo: It’s large and that’s been really, really exciting. It’s very cool to be a part of a project where you basically are making a feature film every time you’re starting a new episode. That is quite rare, that’s something that this show has done brilliantly.
Finn Wolfhard: It’s like a bittersweet second half. It answers a lot of questions that people have been asking about the show. I’m just excited for people to see it. I haven’t seen it, so I’m excited to see it as well.
“Stranger Things Season 5 – Volume 1” : Press Conference With Actors Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Noah Schnapp and Executive Producer Shawn Levy
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Here’s the trailer for Stranger Things Season 5 – Volume 1: