Winona Ryder has opened up about filming one of the most brutal and emotional moments in history. Stranger Thingsrevealing that the shocking scene couldn’t be practiced and was only filmed twice.
Talk to Netflix TudumThe actress reflected on Joyce Byers’ final confrontation with Vecna in the series finale, describing it as a moment you simply have to engage with in the moment.
The climactic sequence sees Joyce decapitate Vecna with an axe, marking Ryder’s final on-screen moment with Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays the series’ longtime villain.
Ryder explained that the intensity of the scene left little room for repetition.
“You can’t rehearse a scene like that. You just have to save it for the take. I think I’ve only done it twice,” she said.
She also shared a sweeter memory of that day, despite the violence of the scene itself.
“I love Jamie so much,” Ryder said.
“I remember when he was in that position and we were talking about bands, and he’s the sweetest person. I came that day just for that.”
The decapitation follows Joyce’s provocative line to Vecna, “You fucked with the wrong family”, which stands out as one of the rare uses of the F-word in the series’ history.
Series co-creator Matt Duffer explained why the moment was so important.
“We haven’t used the F-word on the show, and we were looking for a moment for that…we were looking for a real moment that would deserve stronger language and we kept it and we said, well, if we’re going to go for it, this is the time to do it. Let’s give it to Winona.”
According to Ross Duffer, choosing Joyce to deliver the final blow seemed natural.
He described her as the group’s protector and said the scene gained emotional depth during editing, particularly through flashbacks that connected her rage to past trauma.
The goal, Matt Duffer added, was clear: “Let’s make this the most moving beheading in history.” »
Stranger Things 5 is now streaming in full on Netflix.
