Jamie Campbell Bower has reflected on his long battle with addiction and road to recovery in a candid set of posts shared on Twitter.
The actor has recently made waves with his role as the terrifying villain Vecna in the fourth season of Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, and last week, he took to Twitter to announce that he was celebrating seven and a half years of sobriety.
“12 and a half years ago I was in active addiction,” Campbell Bower wrote. “Hurting myself and those around me who I loved the most. It got so bad that eventually I ended up in a hospital for mental health.”
“I am now seven-and-a-half years clean and sober. I have made many mistakes in my life. But each day is a chance to start again. Atone for mistakes and grow.”
He added: “For anyone who wakes up thinking ‘oh god not again’ I promise you there’s a way. I’m so grateful to be where I am, I’m so grateful to be sober. I’m so grateful to be. Remember, we are all works in progress.”
Prior to his work on Stranger Things, Campbell Bower has enjoyed a fruitful career that’s seen him appear in some of the most famous film franchises of the past few years. He’s appeared in The Twilight Saga and Harry Potter, with him starring in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows – Part 1 as a young Grindelwald.
Running parallel to his work as an actor is a lifelong passion for music. Notably, between 2015 and 2020 he was the frontman and main songwriter for London punk band Counterfeit, who released their debut album Together We Are Stronger in 2017, to critical acclaim.
Campbell Bower is expected to reprise his role as Vecna for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things.