<\/p>\n
Australian actor Dacre Montgomery<\/a> had his breakout role playing the detestable villain Billy Hargrove on Stranger Things<\/a>, but just as his career was taking off, he chose to take a step back from Hollywood.<\/p>\n Montgomery recently spoke with The Australian<\/a> about his decision to move out of the limelight and take a different path in his acting career than the traditional Hollywood one. \u201cI think things have changed,\u201d he told the outlet, noting the lack of \u201cmystery\u201d when it comes to famous stars.<\/p>\n \u201cTraditional Hollywood stars existed because there was mystery,\u201d he explained. \u201cSocial media has done away with that. That\u2019s a large part of why I dropped off the map for the last five years.\u201d<\/p>\n Montgomery starred in Netflix\u2019s supernatural hit drama Stranger Things from 2017 to 2022. He was a main cast member in Seasons 2 and 3 and a guest star in Season 4 after his character was killed off at the end of the third season. He also played producer Steve Binder in 2022\u2019s Elvis<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, his roles slowed down in the years since, with no television or film acting gigs in 2023 and just one in 2024, the Australian\/New Zealand thriller drama Went Up the Hill, which is set for wide release on Friday (August 15).<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not trying to compete with anyone else, I\u2019m living my truth,\u201d Montgomery continued. \u201cAnd hopefully being able to pay the rent while I\u2019m doing it.\u201d<\/p>\n In the year he joined Stranger Things, Montgomery also starred in the Australian adventure comedy A Few Less Men, the superhero film Power Rangers<\/a>, and the Christmas psychological horror Better Watch Out<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve given a piece of myself to every role I\u2019ve played and that\u2019s largely why I\u2019ve taken time off,\u201d he added. \u201cLately, there\u2019s been a lot of personal reflection about what I want in my career. I\u2019m trying to gain a bit more control over where and what I\u2019m working on.\u201d<\/p>\n