During a promotional interview on The Tonight Show, host Jimmy Fallon showed his passion for the final season of Netflix’s hit series. In a conversation with actor Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, Fallon discussed the major plot twists of the new season and revealed his personal favorite character—a new face to the Hawkins crew.
A Major Revelation For Will Byers In Season 5
The main topic of the interview was the major plot development for Will Byers that concludes the first part of the final season. Schnapp detailed his dramatic reaction to first reading the script, which reveals Will has a powerful psychic connection to the creatures of the Upside Down. He described running out of the shower to show the final page to his assistant after reading the shocking twist.
Filming the intense scenes where Will’s powers are revealed took a physical toll on the actor. Schnapp told Fallon he was screaming so much during one sequence that he burst blood vessels in his face, leaving him visibly bruised.
“I was screaming so much that day that I actually popped all the blood vessels in my face. This has never happened before,” Schnapp told Fallon during the show.
The payoff for that effort was a pivotal moment that was captured in a single, perfect take, which Schnapp and co-creator Ross Duffer decided not to touch after reviewing it.
An On-Set Injury Leads To A Fan-Favorite Character
The conversation shifted from supernatural powers to on-set mishaps. Schnapp explained to Fallon that his enthusiasm for performing stunts sometimes goes too far. He recounted a specific incident where his character had to tackle a new character named Derek Turnbow, played by actor Jake Connelly.
“I run, and I accidentally pinned him [Connelly] down to the ground. He’s scraped. His whole leg was bleeding,” Schnapp admitted during the interview.
Despite the mishap, Connelly reacted with a positive attitude. According to Schnapp, the young actor got up and said, “It’s OK, Mr. Noah. I feel like Tom Cruise doing my own stunts”. This new character, introduced in Season 5, has quickly become popular with viewers.
Jimmy Fallon Names His Favorite Character
This discussion about the new character Derek led Jimmy Fallon to share his own opinion. The host, a well-known fan of the series, revealed that Derek Turnbow is his personal favorite character in the new season. This pick is notable, as it sidesteps more established heroes like Eleven or Mike Wheeler in favor of a newcomer who has made a strong impression in just a few episodes.
Fallon’s choice highlights how the final season is successfully introducing new elements that resonate with the audience. The character’s immediate popularity, confirmed by fan reactions online, and his memorable on-set story have made him a standout part of the season’s launch.
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Record-Breaking Success For The Final Season
This character-driven interview comes on the heels of a hugely successful premiere for the show. The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 generated 59.6 million views in their first five days on Netflix. This makes it the biggest premiere ever for an English-language series on the platform.
The remaining episodes of the final season are set to be released soon. The next three episodes will premiere on December 25, 2025. The series will then conclude with a 125-minute finale episode on December 31, 2025. In a special event, this finale will also be screened in over 500 movie theaters across the United States and Canada.
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