You remember the mullet. Honestly, how could you not? When Dacre Montgomery stepped onto the screen in Stranger Things as Billy Hargrove, he didn't just play a villain; he basically hijacked the entire vibe of the show. One minute he’s lifting weights to Scorpions, the next he’s terrifying a group of middle schoolers in a way that felt uncomfortably real.
But then, he just... stopped.
After becoming a global obsession, Montgomery didn't take the typical "Marvel-hero-in-waiting" path. Instead, he headed back to Perth, Australia. He turned down a mountain of scripts. He went quiet. It turns out, Dacre Montgomery movies and tv shows are a lot more than just a list of credits—they’re a blueprint for an actor who decided he’d rather be an artist than a commodity.
The Breaking Point and the "Reverse Engineering" of a Career
It’s 2026 now, and we’re finally seeing the fruits of that long hiatus. Montgomery recently admitted that the overnight fame from Netflix "scared the shit" out of him. He was 22, fresh out of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), and suddenly he couldn't walk down a street in any city on Earth.
He chose to "reverse engineer" his career. Basically, he wanted to go from being a commercial heartthrob back to his roots in art-house and auteur-driven cinema. It was a risky move. His agent even dropped him at one point because he wouldn't say yes to the big-money blockbusters. But if you look at his recent work, the gamble is paying off.
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The Gus Van Sant Connection
The biggest proof of this shift is his role in Dead Man’s Wire, which hit theaters just recently in January 2026. Directed by the legendary Gus Van Sant, this isn't some popcorn flick. It’s a gritty, surreal true-crime thriller based on the 1977 kidnapping of Richard Hall.
Montgomery plays Hall, a banker who gets a 12-gauge shotgun wired to his neck by a desperate man. Starring alongside heavyweights like Bill Skarsgård and Al Pacino, Dacre isn't just a "pretty face" anymore. He’s doing the heavy lifting. The reviews have been calling it "fragile and frightening," which is a far cry from the Red Ranger.
Dacre Montgomery Movies and TV Shows: A History of Intensity
Before he was working with Van Sant, Montgomery was taking roles that, in hindsight, showed exactly how much range he actually has. Most people know him from the big two, but the deeper cuts in his filmography are where the weird stuff lives.
Power Rangers (2017)
This was his big break. He played Jason Scott, the Red Ranger. While the movie didn't exactly set the box office on fire, Montgomery brought a grounded, "troubled-kid-with-a-heart-of-gold" energy to a role that could have been very one-dimensional. It was his first taste of the Hollywood machine.
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Better Watch Out (2017)
If you haven't seen this Christmas horror-comedy, you're missing out. It's twisted. Dacre plays Jeremy, and while it's a smaller role, you can see glimpses of the menacing charisma that would later define his time in Hawkins.
The Broken Hearts Gallery (2020)
This was a pivot. A romantic comedy produced by Selena Gomez where he plays Nick, a dry, slightly cynical hotel developer. It’s a "soft" role. It proved he could do the leading-man thing without needing a leather jacket or a weapon.
Elvis (2022)
Baz Luhrmann’s chaotic, glittering biopic saw Montgomery as Steve Binder, the director who helped Elvis reclaim his throne during the '68 Comeback Special. It was a small but pivotal part. He had to stand toe-to-toe with Austin Butler’s powerhouse performance, and he held his own.
The Masterclass in Villainy: Billy Hargrove
We have to talk about Billy. It’s the role that defines Dacre Montgomery movies and tv shows for the general public. His audition tape is legendary—he literally danced naked to 80s music and sent it in. The Duffer Brothers saw it and knew they found their guy.
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What made Billy work wasn't just the aggression; it was the layers. In Season 3, when he was possessed by the Mind Flayer, Montgomery had to play three things at once:
- The physical host for an ancient evil.
- The terrified human trapped inside.
- The "cool guy" facade he used to protect himself.
The "Sauna Test" episode is still cited by fans on Reddit as some of the best acting in the history of the show. He made you feel bad for a guy who, by all accounts, was a terrible human being. That’s a hard needle to thread.
What’s Happening in 2026 and Beyond?
Dacre isn't just acting anymore. He’s taking control of the camera. He’s currently in post-production for his directorial debut, The Engagement Party. He’s also starring in it, which sounds like a lot of pressure, but he’s been directing high-concept short films for years during his "off-time."
Upcoming Projects to Watch
- Faces of Death: A remake of the 70s mondo horror film. He’s starring alongside Barbie Ferreira and Charli xcx. Expect something visceral and probably very controversial.
- Went Up the Hill: This one premiered at festivals recently and is a "three-hander told by two people." It’s a ghost story about inherited trauma where he plays a young man confronting his estranged mother’s past.
- Moral Capacity: A collaboration with director Brad Anderson. Details are thin, but it’s expected to be another psychological deep dive.
How to Follow Dacre’s Career Properly
If you're looking for more than just the movies, you should check out his podcast/poetry project, DKMH. It’s basically his internal monologue set to music. It’s "beat-inspired" and very atmospheric. It’s not for everyone, but if you want to understand the guy behind the characters, it’s the place to go.
The Actionable Insight: If you’ve only seen him in Stranger Things, go watch Went Up the Hill or Better Watch Out. It’ll completely change how you view his "villain" persona. Dacre Montgomery is intentionally moving away from the "heartthrob" label and into the "character actor" lane. Keep an eye on his directorial work with The Engagement Party later this year; it’s likely to be the real turning point where he stops being "that guy from Netflix" and starts being a filmmaker in his own right.