Jake Connelly is a child actor and an American who became famous in 2025 when he was cast in the fifth and final season of the Netflix science-fiction series Stranger Things. Connelly, with little previous acting experience, gained widespread attention for his performance as Derek Turnbow, a character whose character arc develops considerably throughout the course of the series.
His casting was one of the publicity-breaking debuts among young actors who were brought in during the last season of the show. Connelly is considered one of the latest emerging stars in teen TV, with a quickly expanding fan base and a significant following on social media, as of 2025.
Jake Connelly Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name: | Jake Connelly |
| Birth Date: | 2012 |
| Age (approx.): | 14 Years |
| Birthplace: | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Height: | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Parents: | Rory and Lily Connelly |
Early Life
Jake Connelly was born in 2012 in the United States and grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. He has talked about his childhood in an ordinary Midwestern family and has stated that he was a fan of the Chicago Bears, a local boy. Before entering the acting business, Connelly had led a very personalized life with a focus on school and family.
He is a student in the eighth grade as of late 2025, and he was able to pursue acting early in his life, combining his studies with it. According to the public sources, he lacked any serious professional training in acting prior to getting his part in Stranger Things. His move into the entertainment industry was a surprise, which emphasized a non-sequitur into Hollywood by a young actor.
Jake Connelly Career
The acting career of Jake Connelly had a small start, and he had little professional experience before his breakthrough role. His first credits, prior to his role in Stranger Things, were a local furniture commercial and a short independent film, Between the Silence (2022).
These initial performances gave him little exposure but assisted in introducing him to on-camera work. His biggest break then followed in 2025 when he appeared in Season 5 of Stranger Things, the legacy series of Netflix. One such character, presented by Connelly, is a bully, Derek Turnbow, who later becomes an ally to the main group of characters as the story unfolds.
The change in his character was one of the more talked-about arcs in the new roles introduced during the last season. As per interviews, Connelly was notified about his casting when a tornado alarm went off, and he was hiding in the basement of his family.
In order to maintain the position confidential with his peers, he jokingly informed colleagues that he would be shooting a documentary on mayonnaise, which was subsequently verified in several media interviews. His play attracted notice due to his emotional versatility, especially since he had no prior acting history of such magnitude.
After the Stranger Things Season 5 release, Connelly was interviewed by magazines like Teen Vogue, talking about how he managed to adapt to abrupt fame, collaborate with other more experienced cast members, and cope with the burden of publicity at a young age. By the end of 2025, no further film or television projects have been formally announced, though there is a wide consensus among industry observers that he is a promising young talent.
Personal Life
It is not publicly known that Jake Connelly is in a romantic relationship. Since he is a minor, there are no confirmed or publicly known dating or romantic involvements. The media attention and interviews have concentrated solely on his acting, education, and adaptation to the publicity.
Social Media
Jake Connelly is an active social media user, primarily on Instagram (under the handle @jakeconnellyofficial), where he has about 661,000 followers as of late 2025. His content consists mainly of behind-the-scenes marketing content about Stranger Things, communication with fans, and age-specific lifestyle content.
The interest of the fans was high, and his social media development gained momentum after the last part of the series Stranger Things was released. His online image management seems to be highly controlled, which is in line with the best practices of young social media celebrities.
Jake Connelly Net Worth
The net worth of Jake Connelly has not been publicly declared, and no confirmed estimations have been made. Being a child actor at the beginning of his career, his income is mostly linked to his appearance in Stranger Things and further marketing campaigns. Any calculation of his net worth cannot be alleged to be real without formal financial reporting.