By Ophelia Anderson
When Joseph David Keery first stepped onto set in 2015 for Stranger Things, no one – least of all himself – could have predicted the journey that lay ahead. Initially auditioning for the earnest Jonathan Byers, the actor instead landed the role of Steve Harrington – a character originally scripted to die in season one but ultimately rewritten to become one of the most beloved figures in Netflix’s genre-defining global phenomenon.
A decade later, that same affable charm that made Steve “King” of Hawkins has become Hollywood currency. As Stranger Things ends its run with Season 5 – a series that has captivated audiences around the world since 2016 – Keery stands at a creative crossroads: still riding the wave of massive popularity from the show, yet forging a path beyond the upside-down world that defined much of his 20s and early 30s.
Now 33, Keery’s next big screen outing – the sci-fi horror comedy Cold Storage – hits cinemas in February – marking a bold step beyond the shadow cast by Hawkins.
A Familiar Face, a Fresh Challenge
In Cold Storage, directed by Jonny Campbell and adapted from David Koepp’s 2019 novel, Keery plays Travis “Teacake” Meacham – a night-shift worker at a self-storage facility built on an abandoned military base. When a parasitic fungus escapes from underground and begins threatening humanity, Travis and co-worker Naomi (Georgina Campbell) find themselves thrust into a race against time to contain a pandemic-level outbreak.
It’s a storyline that blends horror, comedy, and action, and from the earliest promotional buzz, critics and audiences alike have been drawn to Keery’s performance. Campbell calls the actor “absolutely brilliant” and “almost too good to be true,” praising his versatility and easy rapport with co-stars. In a recent interview, his co-star said, “I think he’s an utter superstar… extremely professional but also inspiring. He was a joy to work with.”
Keery himself describes Cold Storage as something of a throwback: at once shocking, tender, and funny – capturing the spirit of adventure movies he grew up with, yet grounded in modern sensibilities. “The film has a real engine behind it,” he said, noting that it “starts and does not stop until it’s over,” with a rare blend of tones that keeps audiences guessing.
The Legacy of Steve Harrington
There may be no role more synonymous with Keery than Steve Harrington – the once-selfish high school jock whose evolution into Hawkins’ reluctant hero became a central emotional core of Stranger Things.
When Stranger Things first premiered in 2016, Steve was meant to be a minor character. But the Duffer Brothers – creators of the show – were so taken with Keery’s warmth and charisma that they expanded his arc, turning him into a beloved figure whose loyalty, humour and hair became cultural hallmarks of the series.
“It was like college,” Keery said of his ten-year journey on the show, comparing the commitment to “two and a half colleges” given how much of his life it occupied. He admits the end of Stranger Things has been both overwhelming and exhilarating – a closing of one chapter that has opened space for artistic growth.
For fans, Steve’s evolution – from Hawkins High bully to mentor, coach and steadfast friend – mirrored the emotional stakes of the show’s own narrative: that courage can come from unexpected places, and redemption is earned through consistency. The character’s journey became one of the most quoted and shared arcs of modern TV – cementing Keery as one of the breakout stars of one of the most watched series of the last decade.
More Than Just a TV Star
Yet as eagerly as the world awaits Cold Storage, Keery has spent the past few years quietly diversifying his creative portfolio.
Long before his Netflix fame – and long before viral memes about Steve’s basketball skills and iconic hair – Keery was earning his stripes as a musician. Under the moniker Djo, he released his first solo tracks in 2019, eventually gaining a cult following for his psychedelic rock and synth-laden indie.
In recent years, his music gained mainstream traction – his track End of Beginning went viral and enjoyed wide international streaming success, while his 2025 album The Crux offered introspective, richly produced songs that draw from classic influences and personal stories.
Fans have watched Keery juggle these creative outlets with grace. On further terms, he’s never shied from embracing the dual identity of actor and musician, telling Esquire that he has “never been choosing one thing or the other,” instead seeing his creative life as one seamless expression of his artistic self.
Beyond Cult Fandom
One of Keery’s defining strengths – and a reason his transition from TV heartthrob to viable leading man feels so natural – is his ability to connect with audiences on more than one level. He brings humour and vulnerability in equal measure, which made Steve Harrington feel like someone you’d actually know, and now propels his new characters into fresh genres.
Joining him in Cold Storage is a stellar ensemble, including Liam Neeson – who memorably told The Tonight Show that Keery is “very funny” and “the modern day Cary Grant,” even if he confessed to never having watched Stranger Things.
That kind of praise – especially from an established star like Neeson – speaks not just to Keery’s screen presence, but to the wide appeal he brings, whether in a sprawling sci-fi epic or a crowd-pleasing genre mash-up.
What’s Next?
Beyond Cold Storage, the future looks ripe with opportunity. Having bid farewell to Steve Harrington – a role that occupied nearly one-third of his life – Keery is suddenly free to explore parts that are as unpredictable as the fungus in his new film.
Whether he leans more into dramatic roles, returns more deeply to music, or continues balancing both, one thing is clear: Joe Keery’s career is far from a one-trick pony. He’s a storyteller at heart, whether he’s navigating the hellish corridors of Hawkins, scaring up laughs and screams on the big screen, or spinning guitar riffs onstage.
In the end, perhaps that’s the key to Keery’s appeal: a blend of relatability and ambiguity, humour and heart, that keeps audiences invested, curious, and cheering for whatever comes next.
