Joe Keery Was Convinced He ‘Was Going To Get Killed’ Off ‘Stranger Things’

By Shakiel Mahjouri. Published: 12 Aug 2021 10:49 AM

Joe Keery — Photo: Marie Tomanova/GQ

Joe Keery definitely did not expect to be playing Steve Harrington on “Stranger Things” some five years later.

Keery, 29, dishes on the role that made him famous in a new interview for the Sept. 2021 issue of GQ. Harrington has undergone quite the character arc since season 1 of the show, which is surprising when you consider the actor did not think he would become a series regular.

“I figured I was going to get killed, to be honest with you, because I played the douchey sort-of boyfriend,” he tells the publication, “which is the first guy to die.”

Keery’s success as Harrington directly played a role in the actor’s departure from psychedelic rock band Post Animal. He now releases solo music under the Djo persona.

“I guess I just try not to use the notoriety of one thing to sort of fuel the other thing,” he says.

“I just mostly wanted to confuse people,” he says, “so that they would critique the music without me involved, I guess, or listen to it without me involved. That’s always the most rewarding, honestly, when people are like, ‘What? Oh, I didn’t know that was you.’”

Fans eagerly awaiting season 4 of “Stranger Things” can get a taste of Keery in “Free Guy” — premiering Aug. 13 and starring Keery alongside Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, and Taika Waititi.

“She could not be more down to earth!” Keery praises Comer. “She’s so cool, comes from a great family. She’s amazing. I’m a huge fan of hers.”

Comer plays Keery’s on-screen ex-girlfriend, but the actor also has a lot of praise for his real-life girlfriend Maika Monroe. The pair met at a party in Los Angeles four years ago.

“Over quarantine, it was like we spent so much time together, which was rare,” Keery shares. “I mean, that’s one of the disadvantages of dating someone else in the industry.

“There are advantages as well: somebody who kind of understands what’s going on with you in a pretty deep way. But yeah, I think she’s like me. She doesn’t take it all too seriously.”