As the nostalgic, supernatural horror of Stranger Things reaches its hotly anticipated crescendo, millions of viewers have already tuned in. Countless more are gearing up for this weekend’s jaw-dropping finale to see if the Hawkins crew can finally topple Vecna. Jamie Campbell Bower’s chilling portrayal of the series’ overarching antagonist, also known as Henry Creel, has universally been hailed as a massive standout. Naturally, this explosive popularity has fans digging into the 37-year-old actor’s life away from the cameras. People are keen to uncover everything from his alternative careers and past relationships to his very real battles with mental health.
A Deeply Rooted Musical Pedigree
Born in London on 22nd November 1988, Bower comes from a surprisingly musical background. His mother, Anne Elizabeth Roseberry, is a music manager, while his father, David Bower, works for the Gibson Guitar Corporation. It seems the talent genuinely runs in the family; his mother happens to be one of four daughters of the highly respected musician and scholar Eric Norman Roseberry.
Well before his terrifying turn in Stranger Things, or indeed his iconic stints in the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises, Bower was already an incredibly accomplished musician. He tackled the violin via the Suzuki method right from childhood. This early start paved the way for a varied musical career alongside his acting commitments. Initially, he played drums for William K and fronted The Darling Buds, though the latter unfortunately never managed to release a studio album.
From Heavy Riffs to Haute Couture
Bower eventually found his footing as the lead singer of Counterfeit. The rock outfit released their debut record in 2017 but ultimately disbanded in 2020, leaving a recorded second album entirely unreleased. He has been quite open about the profound sadness and grief he felt over the band’s demise. However, the music hasn’t stopped. In April 2024, the actor announced a fresh musical venture dubbed BloodMagic alongside drummer Kyle Adams, quickly dropping their debut single, Death/Rebirth.
Beyond his own projects, eagle-eyed fans might also spot him in the music video for Florence + The Machine’s Never Let Me Go. When he isn’t acting or making music, he works as a model, having fronted campaigns for heavy-hitting fashion houses like Burberry, Dior, Cartier, and Hugo Boss.
A Distinctly Spanish Success Story
While global audiences are mesmerised by sci-fi villains, regional Netflix subscribers are driving vastly different narratives up the charts. Over in Spain, a heartwarming film from an Aragonese director has quietly conquered the platform. In a mere four days, ‘Menudas piezas’ rocketed to the top spot, becoming the most-watched film currently available to Spanish users. It is a project with deep local roots. Heavily featuring Zaragoza, the film was largely shot in the Aragonese capital and centres entirely around a local comprehensive school, Marcos Frechín, and its underdog chess team.
Directed by Zaragoza native Nacho G. Velilla, the box office hit has seamlessly transitioned into a streaming juggernaut. It boasts a brilliant ensemble of regional talent, starring fellow Aragonese actor Alexandra Jiménez, with a score crafted by Huesca-born Juanjo Javierre and performed by the Orquesta Reino de Aragón. This hyper-local combination has clearly struck a chord with viewers.
Checkmate for the Underdogs
The plot follows Candela, played by Jiménez, who mistakenly believes the social ladder only goes upwards. Following an unexpected and rather traumatic divorce, she suddenly loses her comfortable job at an elite school. Left with few options, she is forced to return to the working-class neighbourhood she left behind, awkwardly asking for help from the very father and sister she has spent years looking down on. It becomes a matter of resetting the board and starting from scratch.
Her only shot at a second chance involves taking a teaching job at her old school, dealing with students facing serious integration issues. She plummets from the crème de la crème right down to what she views as utter mediocrity. Yet, Candela quickly learns a harsh but vital lesson. These supposed misfits teach her that your past matters far less than who you are today. This ragtag group of students, completely written off by society, essentially fight their way to become national chess champions. Ultimately, the film delivers a poignant reminder: in chess, just as in life, it really doesn’t matter if you are a king or a pawn, because when the game finishes, everyone goes back into the exact same box.
