When you think of Joe Keery, it’s likely that your mind will going to Stranger Things, one of the best shows on Netflix to date. The 33-year-old actor has been playing everyone’s favorite demogorgon-slaying-babysitter, Steve Harrington, since he was in his early 20s. The role launched his acting career, and it’s safe to say this fan-favorite ‘80s teen with killer hair will be the crown jewel of Keery’s resume for years to come. How does Keery feel about that, though? Well, he just shared a fantastic take.
When a young actor spends 10 years of their life playing a popular role, it’s sometimes hard to escape that character afterwards. There’s a fear of being pigeon-holed into a specific archetype when it comes to roles. With Stranger Things 5 wrapped and set to premiere on Netflix’s 2025 release schedule, the Zach Sang Show asked Joe Keery how he was feeling about fans possibly only recognizing him as Steve Harrington for the foreseeable future, and it sounds like he’s not all that bothered by the possibility:
I mean, what a gift it’s been to do it. And there’s like a part of me, obviously, that is like ‘No, I’m more than just that.’ But I don’t know, I’m kind of OK with that. If that’s all, I mean, what an insane ride that has been. But I guess now it puts me in this place of privilege to be able to just, like, chase the things I’m really interested in doing.
