{{Short description|American actor (born 2012)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Jake Connelly | birth_date = {{birth year and age|2012}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2022–present | known_for = ''Stranger Things'' }}
'''Jake Connelly''' (born 2012) is an American actor.<ref name="TheWrap-Advice">{{cite web |last=Ray |first=Alyssa |date=November 7, 2025 |title=How Millie Bobby Brown Welcomed ‘Stranger Things’ Newcomer Jake Connelly Into the Fold |url=https://www.thewrap.com/millie-bobby-brown-stranger-things-jake-connelly-advice/ |work=TheWrap |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref> He is known for his role as Derek Turnbow in the fifth and final season of the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things''.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile">{{cite web |date=November 27, 2025 |title=Who Plays Derek in Stranger Things 5 Volume 1? Meet 13-Year-Old Jake Connelly |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/who-plays-derek-in-stranger-things-5-volume-1-jake-connelly |work=Teen Vogue |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref>
== Early life == Jake Connelly was born in 2012.<ref name="TheWrap-Advice" /> He was raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> {{As of|2025}}, he attends middle school in the Chicago area.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> Connelly plays American football on his school team as a right tackle on the offensive line and on the inside defense.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> He is a fan of the Chicago Bears .<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" />
Prior to being cast in ''Stranger Things'', Connelly was a fan of the Netflix series.<ref name="MSN-Age">{{cite web |last=Nhundu |first=Kimberly |date=November 28, 2025 |title=How old is Stranger Things season 5 star Jake Connelly? |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/how-old-is-stranger-things-season-5-star-jake-connelly/ar-AA1RgpUl |work=MSN |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref> He watched the show with his family when the fourth season was released.<ref name="IrishStar-Bio">{{cite web |last=Nhundu |first=Kimberly |last2=Toua |first2=Myriam |date=November 27, 2025 |title=Stranger Things Season 5 star Jake Connelly - all you need to know about the new character |url=https://www.irishstar.com/culture/entertainment/stranger-things-jake-connelly-s5-36316824 |work=The Irish Star |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref>
== Career == Connelly began acting several years before his television debut.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> His first acting roles were in commercials for Feldco Windows directed by a family friend.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> His only credit prior to ''Stranger Things'' was a short film titled ''Between the Silence''.<ref name="Decider-Derek">{{cite web |last=O'Keefe |first=Meghan |date=November 26, 2025 |title='Stranger Things' 5's Most Unlikely Hero? "Dipsh*t" Derek Turnbow |url=https://decider.com/2025/11/26/stranger-things-5-derek-turnbow-jake-connelly/ |work=Decider |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref><ref name="MEN-Profile">{{cite web |last=Nhundu |first=Kimberly |date=November 27, 2025 |title=Who plays Derek Turnbow in Stranger Things 5? Jake Connelly's age and past roles |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/tv/who-plays-derek-turnbow-stranger-32953855 |work=Manchester Evening News |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref>
In July 2024, Connelly was cast in the fifth season of ''Stranger Things''.<ref name="MarieClaire-Cast">{{cite web |last=Napier |first=Caitlin |date=2025 |title=Meet The New Cast Taking Over 'Stranger Things' Season 5 |url=https://www.marieclaire.com.au/life/entertainment/new-faces-stranger-things-season-5/ |work=Marie Claire |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref><ref name="People-NewCharacters">{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Julia |date=November 27, 2025 |title=Stranger Things Season 5's New Characters: See Who Joins for the Final Chapter |url=https://people.com/stranger-things-season-5-new-characters-11856184 |work=People |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref> He received the call confirming he had won the role while sheltering in his basement during a tornado warning.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" /> To keep his casting a secret, he told his schoolmates that he was filming a documentary about mayonnaise.<ref name="TeenVogue-Profile" />
Connelly portrayed Derek Turnbow.<ref name="Netflix-Tudum">{{cite web |last=Hatchett |first=Keisha |date=November 27, 2025 |title=Stranger Things 5 Cast Guide: New Characters, Siblings, Backstories, DnD Classes, and More |url=https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/stranger-things-season-5-cast-character-guide |work=Netflix Tudum |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref> The character is introduced as a bully who torments Holly Wheeler, but later becomes an ally to the protagonists.<ref name="Decider-Derek" /><ref name="EW-Cast">{{cite web |last=Colburn |first=Randall |date=November 25, 2025 |title=See who's joining the Stranger Things cast for its fifth and final season |url=https://ew.com/meet-the-new-stranger-things-season-5-characters-11855902 |work=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 29, 2025}}</ref>
== Filmography == === Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes/Ref |- | rowspan="2"|2025 | ''Stranger Things'' | Derek Turnbow | Also starring (season 5); 7 episodes<ref name="TeenVogue-CastList">{{cite web |date=November 26, 2025 |title=Stranger Things Season 5 Cast & Characters: Here's Who Plays Holly, Derek, and More |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/stranger-things-season-5-cast-characters-who-plays-holly-derek |access-date=November 29, 2025 |work=Teen Vogue}}</ref> |}
=== Short film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | 2022 | ''Between the Silence'' | Jakub | <ref name="MEN-Profile" /> |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Connelly, Jake}} Category:2012 births Category:Living people Category:American male television actors Category:American male child actors Category:People from Chicago Category:21st-century American male actors