Joe Keery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Keery
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Keery at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
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Joseph David Keery
April 24, 1992 |
| Education | DePaul University (BFA) |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
| Musical career | |
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| Origin | Chicago, Illinois |
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| Labels | AWAL |
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Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992) is an American actor and musician. He is also known by his music name, Djo. He became famous for playing Steve Harrington in the science fiction series Stranger Things. This popular show started in 2016 and is still ongoing.
Joe Keery has also starred in movies like the comedy Free Guy (2021). More recently, he appeared in the fifth season of the crime drama series Fargo (2023–2024). As a musician, Keery was part of the band Post Animal. After leaving the band, he started his solo music career. He has released several albums, including Twenty Twenty (2019) and Decide (2022). His song "End of Beginning" from Decide became very popular in 2024. His third album, The Crux, was released on April 4, 2025.
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Early Life and Education
Joe Keery was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He is the second of five children in his family. He went to River Valley Charter School for elementary and middle school. Later, he attended Newburyport High School.
When he was younger, Joe took part in a performing arts camp called Theater in the Open. He started acting in high school because his older sister encouraged him. He then studied acting at The Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago. He earned his degree in Acting in 2014.
Acting Career
Early Roles
Before becoming widely known, Joe Keery appeared in commercials for brands like KFC and Domino's. He also had small roles in TV shows such as Empire and Chicago Fire. His first role in a full-length movie was in an independent film.
Becoming Steve Harrington
Joe Keery's big break came with his role as Steve Harrington. This was in the Netflix science fiction series Stranger Things. He was cast in late 2015. He first tried out for a different character, Jonathan, but then sent in a video for the role of Steve.
The show first aired in 2016 and was a huge success. Joe became a regular cast member for the second season. The third and fourth seasons of Stranger Things were released in 2019 and 2022.
Other Film and TV Projects
Since starting Stranger Things, Joe Keery has also acted in other movies. He played Walter "Keys" McKey, a game developer, in the 2021 action comedy film Free Guy. This movie was very popular at the box office. In May 2022, he was cast in the sci-fi action film Cold Storage. In August 2022, he took on the role of Gator Tillman in the fifth season of Fargo.
Music Career
Besides acting, Joe Keery is also a talented musician. In his early twenties, he released music under the name "Cool Cool Cool." He was a guitarist and drummer for the band Post Animal, based in Chicago. Their first album came out in October 2015.
The band's second album, When I Think Of You In A Castle, was released in April 2018. Joe played guitar and sang on this album. By 2019, he was no longer touring with the band. He later left Post Animal to focus on his acting work.
Solo Music as Djo
On July 19, 2019, Joe Keery began releasing music as a solo artist under the name Djo. His first single was "Roddy." He released a second single, "Chateau (Feel Alright)," on August 9, 2019. His first album as Djo, Twenty Twenty, came out on September 13, 2019. Critics praised his music, comparing it to other psychedelic artists.
On September 9, 2020, he released a new song called "Keep Your Head Up." In 2022, he performed at several music festivals. His second album, Decide, was announced in June 2022. The album was released on September 16, 2022, and received good reviews. In 2024, a song from the album, "End of Beginning", became very popular on social media. Joe Keery released his third album, The Crux, on April 4, 2025.
Film and Television Roles
Here are some of Joe Keery's notable roles in films and TV shows:
Films
- Henry Gamble's Birthday Party (2015) as Gabe
- Free Guy (2021) as Walter "Keys" McKeys
- Pavements (2024) as Stephen Malkmus
- Cold Storage (2025) as Travis Meacham
Television Shows
- Chicago Fire (2015) as Emmett
- Empire (2015) as Tony Trichter III
- Stranger Things (2016–present) as Steve Harrington
- Fargo (2023–2024) as Gator Tillman
Music Releases
Joe Keery has released several albums and singles as Djo.
Studio Albums
- Twenty Twenty (2019)
- Decide (2022)
- The Crux (2025)
Popular Singles
- "Roddy" (2019)
- "Chateau (Feel Alright)" (2019)
- "Keep Your Head Up" (2020)
- "Change" (2022)
- "End of Beginning" (2024) - This song became very popular online.
- "Basic Being Basic" (2025)
Awards and Nominations
Joe Keery has received several awards and nominations for his acting.
- 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Won for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Stranger Things.
- 2018 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Stranger Things.
- 2020 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Stranger Things.
- 2022 Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series, Drama for Stranger Things.
- 2024 Kids' Choice Awards: Nominated for Favorite Social Music Star.
- 2024 Astra TV Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie for Fargo.
- 2024 Billboard Music Awards: Nominated for Top Rock Song for "End of Beginning".
- 2025 Brit Awards: Nominated for Best International Song for "End of Beginning".
Tours
- Back on You World Tour (2025)
See also
In Spanish: Joe Keery para niños
