Stranger Things' Eddie Munson actor really played guitar in season finale
The Eddie Munson star said he "practised manically for months" ahead of shooting the scene. **WARNING: Contains spoilers for Stranger Things season 4**
Stranger Things star Joseph Quinn has revealed that it really was him playing the guitar in the show's epic season 4 finale.
The fan-favourite character Eddie Munson may have only been introduced in the show's latest run but he has already been gifted an iconic scene where he takes to the string instrument in a vital moment of the high-stakes plot.
In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, the Eddie Munson actor explained that the Duffer brothers texted him towards the beginning of the pandemic asking if he could play – but it wasn't until he saw the script that he realised how big a task he was being expected to take on.
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Does Eddie Munson actor Joseph Quinn play the guitar?
Yes, Joseph Quinn does play the guitar as Eddie Munson in Stranger Things 4.
"They texted me and they said, like, can you play the guitar?" he said. "I said yes. That was about two months into the pandemic, maybe three months, and then a month later, they sent me the last script.
"I was like 'Are you serious?' They were like, 'Yeah.' And I thought 'OK.' So I went and bought a guitar and then practised manically for months until we ended up shooting the thing."
Asked if it was mostly him playing, he confirmed it was but added that there were certain parts where he had to rely on a little expert help.
"I was trying to be realistic with kind of what I could do," Quinn explained. "Like I've been playing [guitar] since I was a kid but I'm no virtuoso. So I had most of the song down, but for the solo, we had to fly someone, a black belt metal guitarist, in to help with that. The rest of it? I had a stab at it, yeah.
"It was so thrilling to do on the day – me and Gaten [Matarazzo] were on top of the caravan in the middle of the Upside Down playing Metallica. And it was great fun!"
What song does Eddie Munson play in Stranger Things season 4 episode 9?
Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) plays Master of Puppets by Metallica on the guitar in the Stranger Things season 4 finale.
And it sounds like it wasn't just Quinn who enjoyed the experience of playing the rock anthem, with the rest of the cast and crew also relishing the chance to watch some live music after the pandemic.
"I think the timing of it was brilliant," he said. "For the whole crew, it felt like the first time that people had been in a live music situation since the pandemic, so it was a joyous kind of celebration on the day."
Additional reporting by Huw Fullerton.
Read more:
- Will Max die in Stranger Things?
- Stranger Things 4 soundtrack – every song featured in the Netflix show
- Who dies in Stranger Things 4 part 2?
- Stranger Things 4 drops hints about Will's sexuality in emotional scenes
- Stranger Things 4 part 2 review – a barnstorming end to an epic season
Stranger Things season 4 is now streaming in its entirety on Netflix. Check out our guides to the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Sci-fi hub for more news, interviews and features.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
