Jake Connelly's Derek Turnbow Audition: Behind the Scenes of Stranger Things 5

An insightful review of Jake Connelly's Derek Turnbow Audition: Behind the Scenes of Stranger Things 5—check out the main takeaways.

The audition tape released by Netflix showcases Connelly reading a three-minute dialogue sample written specifically for Derek Turnbow. Unlike traditional audition sides that lean heavily on action or supernatural shock, this scene centers on an everyday dispute between neighborhood kids trying to make sense of a community under military curfew.

Connelly’s eyes dart across the frame, capturing the quiet panic and curiosity of a child trying to act brave while surrounded by chaos. He drops comedic lines with an understated, deadpan delivery. Instead of playing for laughs, he lets the awkwardness of early adolescence carry the weight. Yahoo’s entertainment desk labeled the audition "delightful" precisely because Connelly refrained from pushing emotional cues. He listened actively to his off-camera reader, reacting with micro-expressions and unscripted pauses that gave the scene weight.

Behind-the-scenes footage packaged with the release shows Connelly arriving on set in Atlanta. Flanked by veteran series stars, the young actor appears wide-eyed between setups, holding his retro prop bicycle while crew members prep practical lighting rigs. The juxtaposition between Connelly’s real-world awe and his confident on-camera presence underscores why production leadership trusted him with significant screen time.