Dacre Montgomery returns after stepping away from Hollywood following 'Stranger Things'

Dacre Montgomery reflects on leaving Hollywood after 'Stranger Things' and returning on his own terms

Dacre Montgomery has spoken about his decision to step away from Hollywood after his breakout role in Stranger Things and his return to acting on his own terms. The Australian actor rose to international attention in 2017, aged 22, after portraying Billy Hargrove in the Netflix series.

Following the sudden visibility, Montgomery returned to his hometown of Perth and declined acting offers for nearly four years. “I decided to step away from the industry for quite some time,” he told Yahoo. “And it was worth it in every single way for myself.”

He explained that the global attention felt exposing and led him to reassess his priorities. “It can be very exposing and can really breed a fragility that I think I was starting to feel,” he said.

Montgomery, now 31, is returning to the screen in Dead Man’s Wire, directed by Gus Van Sant. The film marks Van Sant’s first feature in seven years and is inspired by a 1977 true crime case. Montgomery stars opposite Bill Skarsgård, portraying banker Richard “Dick” Hall, whose kidnapping becomes a national spectacle.

“Obviously, the fact that it’s topical and a huge conversation in the social and political zeitgeist right now,” Montgomery said of the project. “Second was Gus Van Sant. And then thirdly, having a character that pushes me.”

The actor said the experience challenged him both professionally and personally. Working with Skarsgård, he learned the importance of openness on set. “He was like, ‘Dude, this is part of it. I can’t act with [someone] that’s not accessible,’” Montgomery recalled. “That was a big learning for me.”

Montgomery said time away allowed him to reflect on his craft and personal life, including his engagement in 2023. He stressed that fame no longer motivates his career choices.

“I didn’t want to just be kind of doing anything and everything,” he said. “I wanted to be spending time working with directors and characters that I want to be investing in.”