Jake Connelly: Age, Biography & Acting Career
Jake Connelly is a 14-year-old American actor best known for playing Derek Turnbow in Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 5. Born and raised in Arlington Heights, Illinois, he began acting in local commercials before landing the role that introduced him to an international television audience.
Derek starts the final season as Holly Wheeler’s obnoxious classmate but gradually becomes involved in protecting other children from Vecna. Connelly’s performance impressed the show’s creators enough that they expanded the character’s role during production.
His move from Chicago-area commercials to a major Netflix series makes him a relevant name among the rising actors to watch in 2027. Since Stranger Things, he has also appeared in a Hallmark movie and joined the cast of an independent thriller.
Jake Connelly Biography: Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Jake Connelly |
| Profession | Actor |
| Age | 14 years old (October 2026) |
| Reported birthday | March 5, 2012 (listed by Famous Birthdays; independently unconfirmed) |
| Hometown | Arlington Heights, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Kerri Connelly |
| Father | Phil Connelly |
| Siblings | One older brother |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm), according to his agency résumé |
| Education | Attended a Chicago-area middle school in 2025 |
| Known for | Derek Turnbow in Stranger Things Season 5 |
| Earlier acting credit | Between the Silence (2022) |
| Talent agency | Gray Talent Group |
| Net worth | No publicly verified figure |
How Old Is Jake Connelly?
Jake Connelly is 14 years old as of October 2026. His professional résumé with Gray Talent Group lists his age as 14, while interviews published during the previous year identified him as 13.
The entertainment website Famous Birthdays lists his birthday as March 5, 2012. That date is repeated in some online biographies, although an independently authenticated birth record or direct confirmation establishing the exact date has not been identified.
In a November 2025 interview with Teen Vogue, Connelly discussed attending eighth grade while preparing for the release of Stranger Things Season 5. He was 13 when the first episodes premiered, making him considerably younger than several members of the show’s original teenage cast.
Where Is Jake Connelly From?
Jake Connelly is from Arlington Heights, Illinois, a suburb northwest of Chicago. Reporting about his childhood and family identifies the community as the place where he grew up, although some celebrity profiles use Chicago as a broader geographical description.
His connection to the area shaped his early career. Rather than traveling to Los Angeles for his first acting experience, Connelly entered the industry through a commercial opportunity connected to someone his family knew in Chicago.
In a January 2026 Chicago Tribune interview, Connelly’s family discussed his upbringing, interest in football and experience returning home after filming one of Netflix’s biggest television productions.
Jake Connelly Parents and Family Background
Jake Connelly’s parents are Phil and Kerri Connelly. According to the Chicago Tribune family interview, Kerri works as a pediatric nurse, while Phil works in data analytics. The family also includes Jake’s older brother.
Acting was not originally the central focus of Connelly’s childhood. He grew up playing sports, particularly football, before a family connection introduced him to commercial auditions at approximately nine years old.
His parents became involved in supporting his acting opportunities as those projects grew more demanding. When production on Stranger Things required an extended stay in Atlanta, his mother accompanied him while he continued his education and filming schedule.
Connelly has spoken positively about his family’s support during the transition into professional acting. His parents were also present for some of the public appearances surrounding the show’s final season.
Jake Connelly Height and Education
Jake Connelly’s height is listed as 5 feet 6 inches, or approximately 168 centimeters, on his Gray Talent Group résumé. This is the agency’s publicly available measurement as checked in October 2026, rather than an independently measured or permanent figure.
Because Connelly is still a teenager, his height may change as he grows. Some older casting materials can also show different measurements because they were recorded at an earlier stage of an actor’s development.
Connelly was attending eighth grade at a Chicago-area middle school when Teen Vogue interviewed him in November 2025. He described managing schoolwork alongside filming and returning to classmates who were excited about his television appearance.
During production, his education continued through scheduled lessons on set. This allowed him to keep up with school responsibilities while working on scenes that sometimes required long or irregular filming hours.
How Did Jake Connelly Start Acting?
Jake Connelly began acting through commercials for Feldco, a home improvement company operating in the Chicago area. A friend of his mother who worked on commercials suggested that he take part in a project, giving him his first experience performing for a camera.
Connelly enjoyed the work and later signed with a talent agency. His professional acting résumé lists multiple advertising appearances, including Feldco commercials, alongside smaller filmed projects.
His early acting credits include the 2022 short film Between the Silence, in which he played Jakub. Although the project was much smaller than his later Netflix appearance, it gave him a scripted film credit before he joined a major television series.
How Jake Connelly Got Cast in Stranger Things
Connelly auditioned for Stranger Things through his talent agency, submitting a recorded performance before progressing through callbacks. He later described receiving the news that he had booked the role during a tornado warning near his family’s home.
In his Teen Vogue interview, he recalled being in the basement when his agents arranged a call and told him he was going to Hawkins. The announcement was especially exciting because he had already watched the series with his family.
Connelly learned he had secured the part in 2023, but the Hollywood writers’ strike delayed production. Filming subsequently took place in the Atlanta area, and audiences first saw his performance when Season 5 premiered in November 2025.
Jake Connelly in Stranger Things Season 5
Who Does Jake Connelly Play?
Jake Connelly plays Derek Turnbow, a Hawkins schoolboy introduced as a rude, outspoken bully. Derek is a classmate of Holly Wheeler, played by Nell Fisher, and initially treats other children poorly.
His behavior makes him difficult to like at first. However, the final season gradually reveals a different side of Derek as he becomes involved in efforts to protect children threatened by Vecna.
That shift takes Derek beyond the role of a minor school bully. He becomes part of the group’s increasingly dangerous plans and provides moments of humor during scenes involving serious threats.
Why Did the Duffer Brothers Expand Derek’s Role?
In a November 2025 Netflix Tudum interview, co-creator Matt Duffer explained that Derek was initially conceived as a “generic bully.” Connelly’s performance during the casting and production process convinced the creators to give the character more material.
The result was a character who developed from a deliberately unpleasant schoolboy into a more sympathetic member of the story. Connelly’s comic timing helped Derek remain entertaining even when the character was behaving badly.
Netflix also released a behind-the-scenes video of Connelly’s audition. It includes footage of the actor and comments from the creators about why his approach to the character stood out.
Working With Nell Fisher and Priah Ferguson
Connelly worked closely with Nell Fisher, whose character Holly Wheeler has an expanded role in the final season. Their characters are connected through the younger children’s storyline, although they begin with an unfriendly relationship.
Holly’s encounters with Vecna become an important part of the season’s mystery. Readers interested in that side of the plot can explore Nell Fisher’s role as Holly Wheeler in Stranger Things, which covers the character’s story separately.
Connelly also shared scenes involving Erica Sinclair, played by Priah Ferguson. In his Teen Vogue interview, he recalled improvising some of Derek’s shouted dialogue during a barn scene involving Erica and Robin.
The opportunity to work with established cast members was new to Connelly. He described feeling nervous when he first arrived but said that other performers helped him become comfortable on set.
Jake Connelly Movies and TV Shows
Jake Connelly’s filmography is still developing. His best-known work is Stranger Things, but his credits also include a short film, advertising projects and a 2026 Hallmark appearance.
| Year | Movie or TV show | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Between the Silence | Jakub | Released short film |
| 2025 | Stranger Things Season 5 | Derek Turnbow | Released Netflix series |
| 2026 | Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story | Cameo appearance | Premiered October 17, 2026 |
| TBA | Blood on the Ice | Character not publicly confirmed | Film announced; release date unconfirmed |
Stranger Things remains his most recognizable acting credit. His professional résumé also includes promotional and commercial videos, but those assignments are separate from his scripted film and television roles.
In December 2025, Connelly appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The interview gave audiences an opportunity to see his personality outside Derek Turnbow’s character, although the appearance should not be counted as a fictional acting role.
Jake Connelly in Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story
Jake Connelly appeared in the Hallmark Channel movie Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story, which premiered on October 17, 2026. The network’s official holiday schedule identifies him among the film’s featured cameo performers.
The movie follows a Chicago football-themed holiday romance starring Lyndsy Fonseca and Robert Buckley. Connelly’s appearance was a cameo rather than a leading role, so it should not be described as his first major film performance.
The project had a personal appeal because Connelly is a Chicago Bears supporter. According to the Bears’ behind-the-scenes account, he participated in a tailgate scene filmed with the main cast at Soldier Field.
Jake Connelly Net Worth and Stranger Things Salary
Jake Connelly’s net worth has not been reliably established through public financial records. No dependable source has disclosed his total assets, verified earnings or the value of his acting contracts.
His salary for Stranger Things Season 5 has also not been publicly confirmed. Reports about payments to other cast members cannot establish how much Connelly received for portraying Derek Turnbow.
His confirmed professional work includes advertisements, a short film, Stranger Things and his Hallmark cameo. These credits establish that he has worked as an actor, but they do not support a specific estimate of his personal wealth.
Jake Connelly’s Interest in Football
Outside acting, Connelly has spoken frequently about football. He played the sport while growing up in Illinois and supports the Chicago Bears, a team that also became part of his professional experience through the Hallmark movie.
During his November 2025 Teen Vogue interview, he discussed playing on the offensive and defensive lines for his football team. The sport remained one of his interests even as his involvement in Stranger Things attracted greater public attention.
Connelly has also described enjoying time with friends and family between acting commitments. His interviews offer a picture of a teenager adjusting to sudden recognition while continuing activities that were already part of his life before television.
What Is Jake Connelly’s Next Movie?
Jake Connelly joined the cast of Blood on the Ice, a thriller directed by Justin Hayward and produced by Mbrella Films in collaboration with IB Films. The project was announced in February 2026, with Kelli Garner and former Chicago Bears player Israel Idonije also named among the cast.
The film follows a woman whose trip to a frozen lake becomes a struggle for survival. Production took place in central Illinois, and subsequent reporting indicated that filming had been completed.
Connelly discussed the project in a 2026 interview, including the experience of working on a frozen lake. It is a different kind of production from the supernatural ensemble story that introduced him to most viewers.
As of October 23, 2026, a confirmed public release date for Blood on the Ice had not been established in the accessible reporting reviewed. Its eventual release will offer audiences another opportunity to see Connelly’s acting outside his role as Derek Turnbow.
