Derek Turnbow (Jake Connelly) is new to Stranger Things this season, but Holly Wheeler’s (Nell Fisher) delightfully foul-mouthed classmate is already winning fans over.
Introduced in Vol. 1 of Stranger Things 5, the character lives up to his moniker “Dipshit Derek” as a bully who’s rude not only to kids his own age, but also to adults. When he’s targeted by Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), however, he steps up as the unlikely hero “Delightful Derek,” helping our crew smuggle other kids on Vecna’s radar to safety.
According to series co-creator Matt Duffer, Derek was originally intended to be a “generic bully character,” but Connelly’s charisma was undeniable.
“He was just so charming and hilarious that we started to gradually increase the size of his role throughout the season,” Duffer says. “So, not unlike Steve Harrington, Derek started out as a stereotypical bully, but grew into something much more compelling — all thanks to Jake.”
That’s already apparent to fans of the series. “Derek Turnbow is a legend,” one viewer declared on X, while another called him the “Season 5 MVP. Already.” On a recent post on Connelly’s Instagram, a new fan raved, “YOU ARE THE FUNNIEST CHARACTER IN STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5.”
Connelly had only ever appeared in a local Chicago furniture commercial before landing his first major role as Derek, so stepping onto the Stranger Things set for the first time was nerve-wracking.
“I was so nervous I literally was shaking in my boots,” Connelly admits. But the newcomer found plenty of support among the Stranger Things cast and crew, who “helped me so much, to the point that I felt like I had been there since the first season.”
Read on as Connelly opens up about portraying the brash character, filming the MAC-Z battle with the Demogorgons in Episode 4, and more.
Were there any moments in the scripts that made you gasp or stand out to you?
I seriously gasped at the first three episodes because I learned that Holly was taken and what happens after that. And I remember when I was reading the scripts for later in the season in my trailer, I learned I got to flip off someone and yell something that I won’t spoil, but it’s pretty amazing.
What do you remember about your first day on set?
On the first day, I was very nervous coming in. I didn’t really know anyone, but most of the veteran cast members that have been here since Season 1 and all the crew members really helped me sink into it. And I remember I had to eat three bags of Doritos, which was great for my first day.
How does Derek change over the season?
He goes from Dipshit Derek to Delightful Derek. And I feel like that’s really just his mindset changing because people believe in him now, and he just had a hard time before. But I feel like Joyce (Winona Ryder) is such a maternal character, and she really helped him believe in himself, which made him do great things and become Delightful Derek.
What was the costume and hair process like for you?
My hairstylist was such a nice person, and my mom even called him David Copperfield because he worked magic with my hair. I remember my first costume fitting with costume designer Amy Parris. She was such a nice person, and she just puts on ’80s music and it felt like a montage in a shopping mall where you’re just trying on outfits.
What are some of the coolest sets and locations you worked on?
I’ve got three in mind. First of all, the Turnbow house, my bedroom, Derek’s bedroom. It was amazing. There were so many ’80s things on the desk. There was an old Macintosh computer, He-Man comforter and Transformers pillow covers. Also the MAC-Z was amazing. Just explosions and things, but also McCorkle Farm was great, even though all the hay and dust got in everyone’s lungs. It was a pretty beautiful farm.
This season is even bigger than before. How would you describe Season 5 and what makes it stand out?
I’d say it’s colossal because it really expands on every other season, but just makes it bigger, better, and stronger. It really goes back to the roots of seasons 1 and 2, and it cranks it from a 3 to an 11.
What was it like filming the MAC-Z battle with the Demogorgons?
It was amazing. It’s like when you’re playing with Army men; that’s how I felt it was with the Duffers. They had people flying on wires, people set on fire, explosions everywhere. It was so cool that I had people literally flying over me. It was a perfectly choreographed dance where one guy was flying at this point, and at this specific cue, one guy fell off a tower, I yelled bad words, and I got the free swear pass, which was definitely a plus.
How do you hope fans will react to this final season?
I hope that they’re really happy with the ending, and I hope they’re thrilled with it. And I hope that they love it, and they love it so much that they’d go back and watch it again.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 are streaming now on Netflix, followed by three more episodes on Christmas Day and The Finale on New Year’s Eve. Find out when new episodes arrive in your part of the world here. And test your knowledge of Stranger Things with our superfan quiz.
