Random Things About Joe Keery (12 items)

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  (#9) He Went On Hundreds Of Auditions Before Landing The Role Of Steve

  Though his first few projects (Stranger Things, Empire, a two-episode stint on Chicago Fire) have all been high-profile gigs, don't fall under the impression that Keery hasn't paid his dues. He's auditioned…a lot. Some sources say Keery went on more than 100 auditions before he started to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry. A 25-year-old who has auditioned that much is poised for stardom. In Keery's case, that may need to be amended to superstardom.
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  (#7) He's Dating Actress Maika Monroe

  When the second season of Stranger Things premiered, Keery and girlfriend Maika Monroe strolled their first red carpet together. Monroe is pretty damn cool in her own right, starring in horror hits like The Guest and It Follows. In addition to being a young working actress and a total knockout, she's also an accomplished professional kiteboarder. When she was 17, she relocated to the Dominican Republic to focus on her kiteboarding career. After Hollywood beckoned, she returned to the States. So, not only is she multitalented, Monroe now has Steve Harrington on her arm. You go, girl.
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  (#4) His First Movie Was Henry Gamble's Birthday Party

  Stephen Cone's 2015 drama Henry Gamble's Birthday Party was Keery's big-screen debut. He portrayed the hetero object of a gay guy's affections. Though Cone had originally envisioned a more typical hunk for the role, he saw what Keery could bring to the performance.

  "He's not like a traditional sort of heartthrob," Cone said. "Now I'm like 'Yep, [the casting directors] were right.'…[Keery] has no ego. He doesn't talk a lot. He's just a sweetheart."
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  (#12) He Gives Input On His Stranger Things Character

  While the carefully mapped-out plot lines of Stranger Things are clearly the domain of the Duffer Brothers, the showrunners have more of a collaborative process when creating characters. They are open to input from their actors, and Keery has been an instrumental voice in how Steve has evolved. The brothers "set a really collaborative tone from the top down," Keery said. "We will do things how they're scripted, but they are also willing to kind of go to different places, or try different lines…they want it to feel right; they want it to feel as natural as possible." Whatever they're doing, it's clearly working.
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  (#6) He Looks Eerily Like Ben Schwartz

  Young David Harbour is not Keery's only celebrity doppelgänger. He also has a startling likeness to actor and comedian Ben Schwartz, who is largely known as the loveable spaz Jean-Ralphio on Parks & Recreation. There are all sorts of fun fan theories about the resemblance, namely that, given the eras in which Stranger Things and Parks & Rec are set, Steve is Jean-Ralphio's dad. Keery and Schwartz are making the most of the attention. They've done late night talk show appearances together and even starred together in a Visa commercial.
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  (#8) He Auditioned For The Role Of Jonathan

  When Stranger Things was still a glint in the eyes of the Duffer Brothers and they were in the process of casting, Keery submitted an audition tape. He wasn't auditioning for Steve, though - he was shooting for the role of Jonathan Byers, Will's older brother. While Jonathan eventually went to the superb Charlie Heaton, Keery was asked to read for Steve, and the pairing of actor and role just clicked.

  "Right away, I was like, I don't necessarily think I have the right look for [Jonathan]," Keery said. "And then when I did audition for Steve, I felt I had a pretty good understanding of what they wanted the character to be. I also had a pretty good idea of what I personally wanted to bring to him. So that's how the character Steve is now."

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