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When Stranger Things Season 4 introduced us to new villain Vecna, we’re not sure any of us ever expected him to be as scary as what we saw on screen. Shots of Jamie Campbell Bower on the Stranger Things set of Vecna made the rounds on social media, and it didn’t take long for the internet to do what it does best – memes. One of the Vecna memes shows Bower in full costume sipping on a Starbucks drink, and if you’re curious about what’s in the drink, you’re in luck.

Vecna memes are making the round. Vecna, played by Jamie Campbell Bower, is seen here with Millie Bobby Brown in a production still from 'Stranger Things' Season 4.
Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna | Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022

What Starbucks drink is Jamie Campbell Bower drinking in the Vecna meme?

It took makeup artists several hours every time they got Bower ready for the camera. Head makeup artist Barrie Gower said the British actor never complained once during the grisly transformation into the monster. It’s no surprise, though, that Bower needed some refreshments every now and then during the process.

Netflix posted the photo of the makeup artists working on Bower as he sipped the large Starbucks drink, and it didn’t take long for fans to launch yet another Vecna meme into popularity. Stranger Things fans immediately wanted to know about the drink and which ingredients were used. 

During the Stranger Things Season 4 watch party before volume 2 premiered, Bower, David Harbour, and Brett Gelman joined a live stream to chat with fans. One of them asked about the Starbucks drink in the Vecna meme.

During the Instagram Live, Bower said, “Actually [Stranger Things co-creators] Matt and Ross [Duffer] asked me this the other day. It’s a venti salted caramel cream cold brew with extra foam, otherwise known as the Vecna.”

The Vecna has 31 grams of sugar and 275 mg of caffeine 

Vecna might take the award for scariest Stranger Things villain, but he certainly has a sweet tooth. (Not exactly something we’d expect from a monster that essentially turns his victims inside out when he kills them.) Bower’s “Vecna” includes a whopping 31 grams of sugar and 275 milligrams of caffeine. For perspective, drinking a large version of the drink is almost equivalent to three 12-ounce sodas. Plus, the American Heart Association advises no more than 36 grams of sugar per day for men and 25 grams for women. As for caffeine, the Mayo Clinic states anywhere between 200-400 milligrams of caffeine is typically safe for adults.

Bower’s co-star Gelman joked in the Instagram Live, “You really juice the sugar before you [perform].”

“I was, like, fully caffeinated,” Bower laughed. “It’s a wonder I didn’t die!”

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‘Stranger Things 4’ Villain Vecna Went Through Several Makeovers Before Final Look

Plenty of Vecna memes made the social media rounds

The Starbucks drink wasn’t the only Vecna meme. Another popular shot showed the actor in full Vecna prosthetics while chatting on a cell phone. One of the funniest memes to come out of Stranger Things Season 4 involved a shot of Vecna in one of the episodes. Fans quickly compared the monster’s shape to the Grinch, joking about his rounded belly and how he stood. Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s Lauren Anderson pointed out the similarities in a tweet of her own, saying, “I hate the internet especially when it’s right,” and included a side-by-side of the two characters. 

All episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 are currently streaming on Netflix.

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