Joe Keery (born 1992) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Lovable Jock Steve Harrington on Stranger Things. He's also known for his role in indie movies like Henry Gambles Birthday Party and Spree. In 2021 he appeared in the video game blockbuster Free Guy.
Keery is also a musician; he was a former member of the band Post Animal and currently releases music under the name "Djo".
Filmography:
- Henry Gambles Birthday Party (2015): Gabe
- Stranger Things (2016-): Steve Harrington
- Molly's Game (2017): Cole
- After Everything (2018): Chris
- Slice (2018): Jackson
- No Activity (2019-): Ed Reinhardt
- Spree (2020): Kurt Kunkle
- Death To 2020 (2020): Duke Goolies
- Free Guy (2021): Walter "Keys" McKey
- Fargo: Season Five (2023): Gator Tillman
- Marmalade (2024): Baron
Discography (as Djo):
- Twenty Twenty (2019)
- Decide (2022)
Joe Keery provides examples of the following tropes:
- Actor-Inspired Heroism: Steve Harrington from Stranger Things was originally envisioned as a stereotypical eighties Jerk Jock and Romantic False Lead for Nancy who would die at the end of the season. However, the creators found Joe to be so likable and charming, the character was rewritten as a more complicated individual, with his initial jerkish actions in the show are the result of Toxic Friend Influence and insecurity. This led to Steve gaining a major Heel Realization towards the end of the season, developing into a more decent individual (as well as Nancy not actually breaking up with him until the next season when it's solely down to personal differences). He likewise went through a lot of Character Development during Seasons 2 and 3, causing him to develop into a big brother figure towards the kids and become both one of the show's heroes.
- Cast the Runner-Up: He originally auditioned for the role of Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things before being cast as Steve Harrington.
