Whether you’re into geeky pop culture or not, chances are you’ve already seen Prince De Guzman’s amazing cosplay transformations by now. From his recent appearances as Buzz Lightyear and Elvis Presley to his iconic take of Pennywise from It, Prince has made a huge mark in the cosplay world of the Philippines. Just in time for the intensely exciting Season 4 of Stranger Things, he is at it again – this time cosplaying as the unforgettable Vecna / Henry / 001 (played flawlessly by Jamie Campbell Bower).
Photo by CJ Visions
I don’t know about you but the minute I saw Vecna, I was hooked. He reminded me of the movie monsters of old and made me feel the way I did as a child. He’s menacing and creepy and you won’t be able to look away! (Watch my interview with The Duffer Brothers about Vecna here.) I felt the same way when I saw Prince’s cosplay for the first time at the launch of Vecna’s Lair in Glorietta 4.
Prince shares that he chose to cosplay Vecna because, aside from the iconic character design, he was the best Stranger Things antagonist to date. “I was also hooked to his character because he was relatable to me only in the sense that we both love and find comfort with spiders,” he adds, sharing that he has a few pet tarantulas and scorpions at home.
Photo by CJ Visions
He didn’t just cosplay Vecna alone, though. Awie De Guzman also cosplayed Max Mayfield, who plays an integral part in the latest season of Stranger Things. “I love that she is very sarcastic, brave in shutting herself from the world to face her demons, and even brave in admitting to herself that she needs her friends and loved ones to fight Vecna,” Awie shares.
Photo by CJ Visions
Despite having already cosplayed so many iconic characters, Prince admits that Vecna was by far the most challenging cosplay he’s ever done. In fact, it took a team of three to finish the full look. Prince sculpted the full head prosthetics and he worked with Kino Kaoru in creating the suit. As for the impeccable paint job from head to toe, there’s Dinny Grayson to thank.
“The most challenging part in Vecna’s costume process was sculpting the mask and standing for almost eight hours straight for two days while Kino helped me build the suit,” he shares. Talk about dedication!
Photo by Johan Andrew Ocampo (JAO)
While Max’s look may seem simple, Awie shares that it was also challenging to cosplay because it requires a lot of heart and understanding to get to her character. “Since we would be in a public event, I studied her nuances and expressions,” Awie explains. “That is far more challenging than just putting on a wig and makeup.”
Prince and Awie’s tandem Stranger Things costumes definitely won’t be forgotten anytime soon and I can’t wait to see what else they have in store for the future!
Prince De Guzman
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PrinceDeGuzmanTransformations
Instagram: @theprincedeguzman
TikTok: @imprincedeguzman
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PrinceDeGuzmanTransformations
Awie De Guzman
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aawie.deguzman
Instagram: @awiesome
TikTok: @awiedeguzman
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