Latest news with #StrangerThings:TheFirstShadow
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Stranger Things: First Shadow': Louis McCartney on ‘creating a language through the movement' to play the tortured Henry Creel
'When I get out there, I'm not giving first,' says Louis McCartney on the exchange of energy between him and the audience each night at Stranger Things: The First Shadow. "They're there and they're tapping, whooping, cheering, screaming immediately. They're ready to have a good night." McCartney plays the central role of Henry Creel in the new Broadway play, which serves as a prequel to the hit Netflix series. In a recent interview with Gold Derby, McCartney describes how the excited energy of American audiences helps propel him through a physically demanding performance. Stranger Things fans enter the theater already familiar with the character Henry Creel. Raphael Luce portrays a young version of Henry in a Season 4 flashback, while Jamie Campbell Bower embodies the adult version and his twisted villainous form known as Vecna. The First Shadow takes place in 1959, when a teenage Henry arrives in Hawkins, Ind. More from GoldDerby How Amy Sherman-Palladino's rapid-fire 'Étoile' dialogue kept French stars Charlotte Gainsbourg and Lou de Laáge on their toes Cyndi Lauper, Mariah Carey are your top choices for the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame [Poll Results] 'Awards Magnet': The Emmy implications after Joel's death on 'The Last of Us'for Netflix McCartney says there is 'a strange giving and taking' between his stage iteration of the character and his on-screen counterparts. The actor points towards Bower's performance during a scene with Eleven in the Rainbow Room of Hawkins lab as particularly inspiring. 'It was revolutionary for me, for my work,' he explains, 'It kind of encapsulated his darker side. And in the play, I guess my job is to deal with this nerdy kid who is a good kid and he wants to do right.'Many of Luce's expressions helped McCartney draw a line between Henry's earnest younger self and his ultimate path to darkness. 'There's this haunted look of dissection,' he says of Luce's portrayal. 'He's constantly questioning if he wants to step away. And in our play, we're dealing with this tearing of structural values and morals in a young kid because he's so malleable. And my question was how do you connect the dots between Vecna and a nerd?' McCartney finds fascination in the 'dichotomy' that resides in Henry. He is careful to telegraph the boy's humanity while also showcasing the pull towards wrath and hate, due to a supernatural connection to the evil Mind Flayer of the Upside Down. 'He feels all these things constantly as he's trying to suppress them,' notes the actor. SEE'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' reviews: Critics praise the 'visceral thrill ride,' but lament its lack of 'emotional connection' The tender side of Henry is on full display within his unlikely friendship with Patty Newby (Gabrielle Nevaeh). For the first time, Henry finds someone with shared interests, with whom he can confide in. 'He'll follow somebody if they tell him what he's doing is good because that's what he wants. And when he meets Patty, it's this new version of good that he's never experienced before,' says McCartney. Patty is perhaps the only character who sees the good in Henry, one glimmer of light in his otherwise very dark world. 'She does say to him that being weird is okay and that it's okay to be yourself, which is a big question we throw at the audience the whole time, of how do you feel about yourself? And it's nice to see people fit in because a lot of us don't normally in our everyday lives,' notes McCartney. 'His relationship to fear, to social anxiety, to relationships, to happiness is something that I personally can feel at any point in my day as well.' The First Shadow is stuffed to the brim with eye-popping special effects. One of McCartney's most pivotal scenes involves a true test of the trust between Henry and Patty, as the two actors fight their way through a nightmarish vision sequence in the school bathroom. There will be no spoilers here, but safe to say that the terrifying illusions and physical feats in this sequence have the audience screaming and roaring with applause every night. 'That scene is just bonkers,' admits McCartney, as he describes the ultra precise timing and breathing required to execute each illusion. 'I get out of the scene and I'm absolutely pooped,' says the actor. 'It's so scary. It's so thrilling. I love hearing everybody's reactions.' In addition to these effects-driven moments, Henry also experiences countless fits of mental anguish and violent convulsions as dark forces work their way into his mind. McCartney credits 'time and patience and practice' for being able to sustain the physical toll of the role for an eight-show week, but confesses that it's not easy. There are several movement captains keeping an eye on the actor's stamina and he is greatly aided by finding 'an arc of movement' as the Mind Flayer gains control of Henry. 'We're starting it off basically as this baby Mind Flayer. And by the end of the play, it's like an alien, it's like a face hugger, and it's completely enveloping him,' describes McCartney as he demonstrates how the flick of his arms grows in intensity during the play. 'Creating a language through the movement was really important because I feel that much of the emotional breakdowns are in tandem with the physical breakdowns,' explains the actor, 'because one is his heart and his humanity, and the other is the Mind Flayer and the power that comes with that. And that's the character.' SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Launch Gallery: 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow': Broadway sneak peek Best of GoldDerby 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' 'Boop! The Musical' star Jasmine Amy Rogers uses her own 'quirky little eccentricities' to bring iconic cartoon character to life Click here to read the full article.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miriam Margolyes & Stephen Fry Set For UK Short; Nordisk Film Production Hire; Federation Lands Latest Series From ‘Bad Sisters' Co-Creator
Miriam Margolyes & Stephen Fry Set For LGBTQ+ Short EXCLUSIVE: Miriam Margolyes (Harry Potter franchise) will lead upcoming British short film A Friend of Dorothy, with Stephen Fry (Wilde), Alistair Nwachukwu and Oscar Lloyd (Stranger Things: The First Shadow) also starring. The film, which shot at The Charterhouse in London and a private home in Kensington & Chelsea, follows the titular Dorothy (Margolyes), an elderly woman living alone who unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with young neighbor JJ (Nwachukwu) when his football lands in her garden. It explores themes of loneliness in old age, intergenerational friendship and LGBTQ+ issues. Pic is the writing and directorial debut of actor Lee Knight, who also serves as executive producer. He is best known for appearing opposite to Ian McKellen in Prime Video's Hamlet and for roles in two Harry Potter films. His Filthy Gorgeous Productions is making the short, in association with A Marlow's Production, Double Dice Films and Namesake Films. James Dean, Scottie Fotré and Max Marlow are producing. Vanessa Whyte is leading cinematography, Amanda Bernstein on production design and Francisco Rodriguez-Weil on costume design. Exec producers are Harry Burnett Rae, Charles Gordon, Nicky Hale, Soumia Majumdar, Nichola Martin, Elliott Linger and Ingrid Tarrant. More from Deadline 'How To Kill Your Sister': Director Of Canneseries Competition Entry Talks Timelessness, Roadtrips & The "Absurdity" Of Belgian Content Simon Pegg Film 'Angels In The Asylum' Halts Shoot Indefinitely After Funding "Crisis" Leaves Crew, Producers & Suppliers Out Of Pocket Federation Studios Strikes Deal With Taiwan's Content Agency Nordisk Film Production Expands Swedish Team Nordisk Film Production has hired film and TV producer Emma Nyberg for its team in Sweden. Nyberg is known for producing the likes of 2017 Swedish blockbuster Sunny Side and Emmy-nominated series Riding in Darkness. She is currently in post-production on Netflix series Diary of a Ditched Girl, which is based on Amanda Romare's novels and was part of a large Nordic slate unveiled a year ago. Nordisk is framing her hire as in line with its strategy further increase its status as a major producer in Sweden. With her hiring and the recent addition of Lejla Bešić, Nordisk now employs 23 producers in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. 'A dream came true when Emma finally decided to join us at Nordisk Film Production,' said Johanna Bergenstråhle and Marike Muselaers, co-managing directors of Nordisk Film Production Sweden in a statement. 'Her talent for finding the right projects, her experience, her network of top Swedish writers and her great personality will be a great contribution to our Swedish office.' Nordisk's slate includes the upcoming Brace Your Heart, Bamse and the Secret of the Sea and The Girl with the Needle. Federation Grabs Sales On Malin-Sarah Gozin Dramedy France's Federation Studios is heading into Canneseries with international sales rights to Dead End, the dark comedy-thriller from Malin-Sarah Gozin. The six-part series is in competition at the Cannes event, and will screen on Monday, April 28 at 3 p.m. local time. We previously reported that Caviar was selling the show, but Federation has confirmed it now has worldwide rights. Gozin – known as the creator of the Belgian series that Bad Sisters was based on, and as an exec producer on the Apple TV+ – will attend the fest as creator, screenwriter and director, alongside fellow director Hans Vercauter and actors Peter Van den Begin, Elise Schaap, Emilie De Roo, Marjan De Schutter and Ward Kerremans. The series follows Van den Begin as Ed Bex, a man who has the peculiar ability to see flashes of the past when he tastes something. He runs an unconventional one-man business, which gives grieving families a reconstruction of their loved ones final moments by sucking on their toothbrush or tasting their lipstick. When police come across a corpse in an airtight bag, they turn to Ed for help and request he tries out his gift on human flesh. Per the synopsis, 'As Ed 'sinks his teeth' into the case, he finds himself caught in a whirlwind of bizarre events, family trouble and mid-life struggles.' Series launched earlier this year on Play Media and Streamz in Belgium. Gozin, Brett Baer, Dave Finkel, Bert Hamelinck and Dimitri Verbeeck are the exec producers. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far Which Colleen Hoover Books Are Becoming Movies? 'Verity,' 'Reminders Of Him' & 'Regretting You' Will Join 'It Ends With Us'
Buzz Feed
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Louis McCartney Stranger Things The First Shadow Interview
There are some spoilers ahead for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. First, what was the audition process like for Henry Creel? Since it's not just a play but something in the Stranger Things world, was the process pretty secretive? The play is directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, with Stephen being renowned for his work on Billy Elliot, The Crown, and more, and Justin having just directed Prima Facie with Jodie Comer. How was it working with the two of them on this show? What's your favorite movie? Or a performance that made you want to become an actor? Since we know where Henry Creel ultimately ends up in Stranger Things, did you take any inspiration from Jamie Campbell Bower's performance as Vecna/Henry in Stranger Things Season 4? Personally, my favorite characters are often the villains who you're able to find the humanity in, and that's exactly what happens in The First Shadow with us seeing Henry before he becomes Vecna. How was it finding the nuances in him and the childlike moments? So much so that the audience really can forget where Henry ends up. Is there a Stranger Things Easter egg or detail in The First Shadow that you love? Or one fans haven't spotted yet? The Stranger Things fanbase is so into it that one of the wildest parts of sitting in the theater is watching the reaction when the theme song plays for the first time. What is it like seeing that happen night after night? What's the last TV show you binge-watched? Or one you are hyperfixated on right now? Were you a Broadway fan growing up? One of the most important relationships in the play is Henry and Patty, who is Bob Newby's sister. How has it been working with Gabrielle Nevaeh, because the two of you have such great chemistry? Being the only cast member to carry over between productions, what have been some surprising differences (or similarities) between West End audiences and the Broadway audiences? Who have you been the most starstruck by? Or who've you been surprised to find out came and saw Stranger Things: The First Shadow? Stranger Things: The First Shadow is really an amazing technical feat, and unlike anything on Broadway right now. Is there an illusion or moment that's the most technically challenging to perform every night? If you were to create a playlist for Henry Creel, what songs would you put on it? What's one book or book series you think everyone should read at least once? And finally, what have been your favorite places to visit in New York City? You can catch Louis as Henry Creel in Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway now. For tickets and more info click here.
Express Tribune
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Meet the ‘Stranger Things' characters on stage in Broadway's The First Shadow prequel
Fans of Netflix's Stranger Things can now experience the supernatural drama live on stage with Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a Broadway prequel set in 1959 Hawkins, Indiana. The play explores the origins of the Upside Down and introduces younger versions of familiar characters from the TV series, offering fresh insights for longtime viewers while remaining accessible to newcomers. The story centers on Henry Creel, a reserved young boy with psychokinetic powers who later becomes the series' primary antagonist, Vecna. His transformation and the mysterious deaths in Hawkins are the play's focal points. Louis McCartney plays Henry, earning a 2025 Tony nomination for his role. Returning characters include a young Joyce Maldonado (later Joyce Byers), Bob Newby, and Jim Hopper Jr., each navigating high school drama and eerie supernatural events. The cast also features the teenage versions of Karen and Ted Wheeler, Claudia Yount and Walter Henderson, and Sue Anderson and Charles Sinclair — the future parents of key characters in the TV show. Broadway newcomer Patty Newby, not seen in the TV series, plays a significant role in Henry's early life, forming a deep connection with him as his powers emerge. Dr. Martin Brenner appears as a younger version of the controversial scientist, exploring his early experiments with Henry. The show also features live-action stage interpretations of fan-favorite monsters, including the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer, offering audiences theatrical jump scares and impressive stage effects. Directed with cinematic flair and packed with Easter eggs, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a must-see for fans awaiting season 5 of the Netflix series.
Perth Now
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
George Clooney 'proud' of Tony Award nomination
George Clooney "couldn't be more proud" of his Tony Award nomination. The 63-year-old actor made his Broadway debut in 'Good Night, and Good Luck' and has been recognised with a place on the shortlist for the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play category for the upcoming theatre awards, while the production - which he co-wrote with Grant Heslov - hs also up for Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Costume Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play and Best Sound Design of a Play.. George - who faces Best Actor competition from Cole Escola ('Oh, Mary!'), Jon Michael Hill ('Purpose'), Daniel Dae Kim ('Yellow Face'), Harry Lennix ('Purpose') and Louis McCartney ('Stranger Things: The First Shadow') - said in a statement: "It's a thrill to have 5 nominations for this play. For everyone involved, this has been an incredible experience. I couldn't be more proud or feel more lucky." Daniel, whose nod for 'Yellow Face' also makes him a first time nominee, has been left "shocked, surprised and deeply meaningful" by the recognition. He said in his own statement: "I am shocked, surprised and deeply honored by this recognition. To receive my first Tony nomination alongside Francis Jue and David Henry Hwang for a role that explores Asian American identity is incredibly special, and learning that I am the first Asian American to be nominated in this category makes it even more meaningful. "I couldn't be prouder of our show and the people I was lucky enough to collaborate with, especially David, Leigh Silverman, our cast and crew, and the Roundabout Theater. At a time when the arts are imperiled, it's even more important that we remember the value of theatre and the power of the artists making it. Thank you to the American Theater Wing for believing that Yellow Face, and my work, is worthy of a place in this cherished community." And Louis, who has reprised his role as Henry Creel in 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' on Broadway after first playing the part in London's West End, feels "so blessed". He said: "So, so thankful. Thank you to the Tony nominators and to everyone who worked on 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow'. "Thank you to SFP, Netflix, Kate Trefry and our amazing directors, Steven Daldry and Justin Martin. I feel so blessed to be welcomed into the Broadway community. So lucky and super excited. Thank you." Meanwhile, Mia Farrow "burst into tears" when she found out she'd been nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play for 'The Roommate'. She said: "Honestly, I didn't expect this! I burst into tears. "I wish my mom were here – she would have been so proud of me. I'm so overwhelmed with gratitude to be among these nominees, as this is just the best community in the world. I'm still in the 'oh my god, oh my god, oh my god' mode!" The other nominees in the category are Laura Donnelly ('The Hills of California'), LaTanya Richardson Jackson ('Purpose'), Sadie Sink ('John Proctor is the Villain'), and Sarah Snook ('The Picture of Dorian Gray'). The 78th annual Tony Awards will take place on June 8 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and will be hosted by 'Wicked' actress Cynthia Erivo, who previously won a Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Tony for her starring role as Celie in the musical revival of 'The Color Purple'. The Tony Awards will stream on Paramount+ and air live on CBS.
