‘Stranger Things’ Star Reveals Why He Left Hollywood and ‘Dropped Off the Map’ originally appeared on Parade.
Stranger Things star Dacre Montgomery candidly opened up about his decision to leave Hollywood at the height of his fame.
“I think things have changed,” Montgomery, 30, told The Australian, according to TheDaily Mail. “Traditional Hollywood stars existed because there was mystery. … Social media has done away with that. That’s a large part of why I dropped off the map for the last five years.”
He continued, “I’m not trying to compete with anyone else, I’m living my truth and hopefully being able to pay the rent while I’m doing it.”
“I’ve given a piece of myself to every role I’ve played and that’s largely why I’ve taken time off,” Montgomery said. “Lately, there’s been a lot of personal reflection about what I want in my career. I’m trying to gain a bit more control over where and what I’m working on.”
Montgomery’s acting career began with the 2010 short film Betrand the Terrible. He went on to appear in the 2017 Power Rangers reboot and joined the cast of Netflix’s Stranger Things as Billy Hargrove for season 2 that same year. The character was the abusive older step-brother of series regular Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink). Montgomery reprised the role in seasons 3 and 4, which earned him nominations at the MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
He has most stayed out of the spotlight since leaving the show in 2022, though he’s marking his return to acting with the upcoming film Went Up the Hill.
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While Montgomery is reluctant about certain acting roles, he has expressed interest in working behind the camera.
“I’m not looking for this to be an engine for my acting career at all,” he told The Daily Telegraph in 2024. “I want to direct, and I’m serious about directing, so I’m taking it seriously and not trying to use it as something else.”
‘Stranger Things’ Star Reveals Why He Left Hollywood and ‘Dropped Off the Map’ first appeared on Parade on Aug 15, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Aug 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
