Raphael Luce went from a relatively unknown young performer to one of the most talked-about new faces on television almost overnight, thanks to a single, unforgettable role: Young Henry Creel, the boy who becomes Vecna in Stranger Things Season 4. Since then, his career has only accelerated, landing him roles in Loki, The First Lady, and Luc Besson’s 2026 gothic epic Dracula. Here’s a complete, up-to-date look at who Raphael Luce is, where he comes from, and what’s next for him.
By RK Fashion Zone Editorial Team | A dedicated team researching and writing about modern fashion, beauty products, and practical outfit guides.
Who Is Raphael Luce?
Raphael Luce is a Franco-American actor and trained stuntman best known for playing Young Henry Creel, also referred to as 001, in Stranger Things Season 4, the origin story of the show’s central villain, Vecna. Born on December 29, 2006, Raphael was born in Vermont and spent much of his childhood in southern France, which is where his fluency in both English and French comes from. He splits his time today between Los Angeles, New Orleans, and France, largely for work.
Raphael Luce’s Age and Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Raphael Luce |
| Date of birth | December 29, 2006 |
| Birthplace | Vermont, USA |
| Raised in | Southern France (approximately 10 years) |
| Nationality | Franco-American |
| Known for | Young Henry Creel / 001 in Stranger Things |
| Other credits | Loki, The First Lady, Dracula (2026) |
| Languages | English, French (bilingual) |
| Based in | Los Angeles, New Orleans, and France |
| Talent representation | Paradigm and Bold Talent Agency |
Family: A Legacy of Performers
Raphael comes from a genuine performing family, which explains both his acting instincts and his serious stunt training. His parents are Jade Kindar-Martin and Karine Mauffrey, both professional stunt performers who previously worked with Cirque du Soleil. His father, Jade Kindar-Martin, is a world-renowned high-wire walker who also competed on America’s Got Talent: Extreme in 2022, finishing in the top four. His mother, Karine Mauffrey, is a former gymnast and stuntwoman.
Raphael is the oldest of three siblings, both of whom are also working actors: Gabriel Sky and Jophielle Love. Growing up in a household built around physical performance gave Raphael an early, hands-on introduction to the discipline that would later define much of his own on-camera work.
Stranger Things: The Role That Changed Everything
Raphael Luce’s breakout role came in Stranger Things Season 4, where he played the younger version of Henry Creel, the character who eventually becomes the show’s central antagonist, Vecna. The role required Raphael to convey a quiet, unsettling darkness beneath a seemingly ordinary teenage exterior, a difficult tonal balance for any actor, let alone one delivering his first major television performance.
The role instantly connected him to one of the most-watched shows on Netflix and introduced him to a global audience, positioning him alongside established young stars like Millie Bobby Brown, one of his Stranger Things castmates. If you’re curious how Raphael’s career trajectory compares to other rising stars his age, our roundup of breakout actresses in their 20s features several performers, including Millie Bobby Brown, who’ve followed a similarly fast rise from a single defining role to a full-fledged career.
Stunt Training: More Than Just an Actor
Unlike many young actors, Raphael Luce brings genuine physical performance credentials to his roles, a direct result of his family background. He trains extensively in high falls, screen fighting, full-body burns, drifting, stunt driving, and high-wire walking skills that go well beyond what’s typically expected of an actor his age. His training even includes footage of controlled full-body burns as part of his stunt preparation, documented on his own YouTube channel.
This dual identity as both actor and trained stuntman gives Raphael a level of physical authenticity in action-heavy or intense roles that purely drama-trained actors often can’t match, and it’s likely to become an increasingly visible part of his career as he takes on more physically demanding parts.
Career Beyond Stranger Things
Raphael Luce’s filmography has expanded quickly since his Stranger Things debut. His additional television credits include Loki and The First Lady, both further establishing his range outside of the horror-adjacent tone that made him famous.
Dracula (2026)
Raphael’s highest-profile film role to date is in Luc Besson’s Dracula, released internationally as Dracula: A Love Tale. The gothic romantic fantasy reimagines Bram Stoker’s classic novel, centering on a 15th-century prince who renounces God after his wife’s murder and is cursed with immortality. Raphael plays Simon, a supporting character connected to the priest’s investigation into the spreading vampirism, tying him to the film’s central hunt for Dracula.
The film features a heavyweight ensemble cast including Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, and Zoë Bleu, with a score composed by Danny Elfman. It premiered in France in the summer of 2025 before its wide U.S. theatrical release on February 6, 2026, giving Raphael his first major big-screen credit alongside some of the industry’s most established names.
Social Media Presence and Public Profile
Raphael Luce maintains an active and rapidly growing social media presence, with a combined following of more than two million across platforms. His TikTok account alone has amassed over two million followers and more than 22 million likes, while his Instagram following continues to grow alongside each new project. He regularly shares glimpses of his day-to-day life as a working actor, his stunt training, and appearances at fan conventions, where he’s become a popular presence for Stranger Things fans eager to meet the actor behind Young Henry Creel.
For readers interested in how other young performers are building their public profiles and personal brand alongside acting careers, our biography of Chelsea Clark, star of Ginny & Georgia, and our profile of Marvel actress Xochitl Gomez cover similar career paths worth exploring.
Awards, Recognition, and Convention Appearances
Since Stranger Things Season 4 aired, Raphael has become a fixture on the fan convention circuit, regularly appearing to meet fans in person alongside cast members from the show. This kind of sustained fan engagement, paired with his growing filmography, has helped him build a public profile that extends well beyond a single viral role a trajectory shared by several other young actors on the rise, including Nikki Rodriguez, whose own career path from a breakout supporting role into a broader filmography offers a useful comparison point.
What’s Next for Raphael Luce
With Dracula now in wide theatrical release and his profile continuing to grow through both acting work and stunt training, Raphael Luce appears positioned for a long-term career that spans both dramatic performance and physically demanding action work, a combination relatively few actors his age can genuinely claim. As Stranger Things approaches its final chapters, expect Raphael’s name to keep surfacing in casting news for both film and television projects that call for his particular blend of screen presence and physical skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Raphael Luce?
Raphael Luce was born on December 29, 2006, making him a young adult performer as of 2026.
Is Raphael Luce French or American?
He’s both French and American; Raphael is Franco-American, born in Vermont, USA, and raised for roughly a decade in southern France. He’s fluent in both English and French.
What role does Raphael Luce play in Stranger Things?
He plays Young Henry Creel, also known as 001, the character who later becomes the show’s primary antagonist, Vecna.
Is Raphael Luce a real stuntman?
Yes. Beyond acting, he trains extensively in stunt disciplines including high falls, screen fighting, full-body burns, and high-wire walking, following in the footsteps of both of his stunt-performer parents.
What movie is Raphael Luce in for 2026?
He appears in Luc Besson’s Dracula (also released as Dracula: A Love Tale), playing the character Simon, alongside Caleb Landry Jones and Christoph Waltz. The film had its wide U.S. release on February 6, 2026.
Who are Raphael Luce’s parents?
His parents are Jade Kindar-Martin, a world-renowned high-wire walker, and Karine Mauffrey, a former gymnast and stuntwoman. Both previously performed with Cirque du Soleil.
