If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the last decade, you know the hair. It’s voluminous. It’s gravity-defying. It’s basically a supporting character in its own right. But behind the 1980s spray-tan and the babysitter-of-the-year memes is a guy who almost didn't make it past the first season of Stranger Things.
Joe Keery is the actor who plays Steve Harrington, and honestly, he’s one of the few people in Hollywood who managed to turn a "disposable jock" trope into the beating heart of a global phenomenon.
It’s 2026. The final episodes of Stranger Things have officially landed on Netflix, and the "Conformity Gate" fan theories are still swirling like a Midwest dust storm. People are obsessed. But while everyone is busy arguing about whether the finale was a Vecna-induced illusion or if there’s a secret ninth episode hidden in the Upside Down, Joe Keery has already moved on. He’s at the Golden Globes in a white tuxedo, looking like a modern-day leading man, and reminding us that he was never just "Steve the Hair Harrington."
The Audition That Changed Everything (He Didn't Want to be Steve)
Here’s a fun bit of trivia: Joe Keery didn't even audition for Steve Harrington originally.
He wanted to be Jonathan Byers. You know, the moody photographer with the shoegaze aesthetic? Keery sent in a tape for that role first. It didn't stick. But the Duffer Brothers saw something in his energy—a sort of effortless, goofy charisma—and asked him to read for Steve instead.
At the time, Steve was written as a total tool. He was supposed to be the antagonist who eventually gets killed off. But Keery brought a layer of vulnerability to the "King Steve" persona that the writers couldn't ignore. They liked him so much they rewrote his entire fate. Instead of becoming Demogorgon food in Season 1, he became the guy who fights monsters with a nail-studded bat while looking after a bunch of middle schoolers.
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Before the Hawkins glow-up, Keery’s resume was... relatable. We're talking:
- KFC commercials.
- A Domino’s ad.
- One-off spots on Chicago Fire and Empire.
He was just a kid from Newburyport, Massachusetts, who studied theater at DePaul University in Chicago and was trying to make rent. Then 2016 happened, and everything shifted.
Is He an Actor or a Rockstar? (The Djo Evolution)
If you only know him as Steve, you’re missing half the story.
While filming Stranger Things in Atlanta, Keery was quietly building a makeshift studio in his rented house. He’d spend all day fighting interdimensional horrors and all night recording psychedelic synth-pop. He eventually released music under the alias Djo (pronounced "Joe").
Why the weird name? Honestly, he wanted the music to stand on its own. He didn't want people listening just because they liked his TV show. He even used to wear a bowl-cut wig and sunglasses on stage to hide his identity. It worked. His 2022 track "End of Beginning" went absolutely nuclear on TikTok in 2024, racking up billions of streams.
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You’ve probably heard it. It’s the one where he sings, "And when I'm back in Chicago, I feel it / Another version of me." It’s a love letter to his college years and the life he had before he became a household name. By early 2026, he’s not just a "crossover" act; he’s a legitimate headliner. He just wrapped his "Back On You" world tour and dropped a deluxe version of his third album, The Crux. He’s proving that you can be a Netflix heartthrob and a psych-rock pioneer at the same time without it feeling like a gimmick.
The Post-Hawkins Pivot: Fargo and Beyond
A lot of actors get stuck in the "teen star" lane forever. Keery is actively fighting that.
He’s been making some wild choices lately. Take Spree (2020), for example. He played a sociopathic rideshare driver obsessed with going viral. It was disturbing, frantic, and nothing like the lovable Steve Harrington. Then he showed up in Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds and Marmalade in 2024.
But the real "adult" breakthrough was Season 5 of Fargo.
He played Gator Tillman—a complex, desperate, and somewhat pathetic deputy caught under the thumb of his powerful father. It was a masterclass in nuanced acting. He traded the bat for a badge and proved he has the range to play characters that aren't necessarily "likable."
What's Next for Joe Keery?
As we move through 2026, Keery’s schedule is packed. He’s starring in the sci-fi action film Cold Storage alongside Liam Neeson, which is currently in post-production. He’s also the voice of John Greenwood in the PBS series The American Revolution.
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He’s 33 now. The "New McDreamy" labels from the 2026 Golden Globes suggest he’s entering his leading-man era. But despite the fame, he stays pretty low-key. He dated actress Maika Monroe for years, but they split around 2023, and since then, he’s kept his personal life behind a very thick curtain.
Why We Still Care About Steve Harrington
Look, characters come and go. But Steve Harrington stuck because of the way Keery played him. He took a guy who was supposed to be a jerk and turned him into a surrogate big brother for an entire generation of viewers.
His chemistry with Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) and Maya Hawke (Robin) is the glue of the show. Fans were devastated when the series finally wrapped in late 2025, leading to the "Conformity Gate" theories where people literally refused to believe it was over. Keery had to go on record in early 2026 to tell everyone, "I'm sorry, but there is no ninth episode."
It’s rare to see an actor have that much impact on a character’s DNA. The Duffer Brothers might have created Steve, but Joe Keery is the one who gave him a soul—and the hair, obviously.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you’re feeling the post-Stranger Things void, don’t just rewatch the show for the tenth time. Start with these:
- Listen to Djo: Check out the album Decide. It’s much more than "actor music." It’s legit '70s-inspired synth-pop that actually has something to say about fame and identity.
- Watch Fargo Season 5: It’s on Hulu/FX. This is where you see Joe Keery truly shed the "Steve" skin and show what he can do as a dramatic actor.
- See Spree: If you want to see him play a total creep, this is the one. It’s a wild ride and shows a completely different side of his talent.
Joe Keery is no longer just the guy who plays Steve Harrington. He’s a musician, a dramatic lead, and a guy who managed to survive the "teen heartthrob" curse by being genuinely talented. Keep an eye on Cold Storage later this year—it's going to be a big shift for him.