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Dacre Montgomery, best known for playing the troubled Billy Hargrove in Stranger Things, has revealed why he chose to step away from Hollywood just as his career was taking off.
In a candid conversation with The Australian, the 30-year-old actor said the fast-changing entertainment industry no longer aligned with the kind of career he wanted. "Traditional Hollywood stars existed because there was mystery," he explained. "Social media has erased a lot of that, and that's one of the reasons I disappeared from the spotlight for the past five years."
Montgomery joined Stranger Things in its second season, quickly becoming a fan favorite despite his character's villainous edge. His arc ended in the third season, which aired in 2019. Rather than capitalizing on his breakout moment, the Australian actor intentionally slowed down, focusing on roles and projects that felt meaningful to him. "I'm not trying to compete with anyone else," he said. "I'm just living my truth and hoping I can still pay the rent while I do it."
His time away wasn't idle. Montgomery appeared in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic Elvis, playing Steve Binder, and previously suited up as the Red Ranger in 2017's Power Rangers. Still, he admitted the constant demands of Hollywood pushed him to re-evaluate. "I've given a piece of myself to every role, and that's why I needed time off," he noted.
Now, Montgomery is charting a deliberate path forward. His new indie thriller, Went Up the Hill, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024 and opens to wider audiences this week. Speaking to People, he described the film as "divisive" but meaningful. "It doesn't need to connect with everyone," he said. "If it impacts even one person deeply, then it works."
Looking ahead, the actor is preparing to make his directorial debut with The Engagement Party, a project he hopes will showcase his voice behind the camera. Montgomery says the through-line of his future choices is simple: creating stories with staying power. "The films I want to make need to say something important. That's the legacy I'm chasing."
