The Truth About 'Stranger Things' Star Dacre Montgomery Is Finally Out

Who doesn't love Stranger Things?

We're all eagerly awaiting the upcoming fourth season, which is set for release at some point next year.

The season 3 finale had us all asking a lot of questions...

via: IMDB

At the end of the episode, we saw the Byers family pack up and move out of Hawkins (can you blame them?), along with Eleven, who Joyce took in following Hopper's heartbreaking "death." But, just as we thought that it was going to end and we were wiping our tears away (because how emotional was that last episode?), bam, they played a scene during the credits that completely threw a spanner in the works and left the internet with even more queries.

At the very end of the final episode, we were transported to Russia.

via: Netflix

The post-credit scene showed what appeared to be a Russian-prison or secret base where the Soviets had somehow gotten their hands on a Demogorgon and were sending it onto one of the prisoners, presumably as some sort of punishment, torture method, or maybe even as part of some twisted research. Who knows?

It left us reeling for more.

via: IMDB

First off, what happened to Eleven's powers? Why did they disappear? Also, how on Earth did the Russians get hold of the Demogorgon? And who is the "American" that the guards refer to in one of the locked cells? So many unanswered questions. We need Season 4, right now.

All of the "hows" and "whys" naturally sparked a ton of fan theories about what will happen next.

via: IMDB

Superfans put on their detective hats and attempted to suss out the answers to all of their burning questions.

A popular one is that Eleven will never get her powers back...

But we're not convinced. Despite losing her abilities at the end of the finale, we put it down to sheer exhaustion after saving the world, again.

And there's the Chernobyl theory...

via: IMDB

One Reddit user has been making some wild predictions for Stranger Things season 4, theorizing that the Chernobyl nuclear disaster could be at the center of the show's next season.

But how does it tie into Stranger Things?

Well, a fan posted his theory to Reddit, in a post titled, "I figured out season 4 and I hate myself for it." The fan starts off by noting that each of the Stranger Things installments has taken place over an entire season - the first was set in winter 1983‬ around Christmas time, Season 2 took place in fall 1984‬ around the time of Halloween, and finally, Season 3 was set in summer 1985‬ over the Independence Day festivities. This, therefore, puts Season 4 as being set in Spring 1986 ‬to coincide with the Easter holidays and will likely span into spring break, the same time as the Chernobyl disaster.

Well, the internet didn't take the fan's prediction very well.

via: IMDB

Digital Spy said that the theory "may be the worst we've ever read," while Vice said that "referencing New Coke and Ghostbusters or whatever is one thing; creating a far-fetched, fictionalized story to explain a catastrophic disaster is another."

But putting aside all of the crazy fan theories...

Strangers Things' official Twitter account dropped this teaser a few months ago and it's safe to say that season 4 is looking promising.

Filming began last year...

via: Twitter

And "leaked" photographs began doing the rounds on the internet.

Is this hope for Hopper's return?

While actor David Harbour was nowhere to be seen, this doesn't mean we should give up hope!

And when the official trailer dropped back in February...

Us fans were left completely speechless.

So it turns out that Hopper is alive.

via: YouTube

This is everything that we could have wished for!

Since the trailer was released, fans have been more and more intrigued...

But of course, thanks to the pandemic, the release date is more likely to be pushed even further back.

But, as the excitement for the 4th season mounts...

Fans have only just realized how little they know about one of the show's biggest stars, Dacre Montgomery.

Dacre played the role of the rebellious teen heartthrob, Billy Hargrove...

And, it's needless to say, fans were quick to fall in love with him.

So what don't we know about the star?

Well, for one thing, his name isn't pronounced Daquiri.

"So Dacre is just acre."

"Like 5 acres to the next farm, right. A unit of measurement, acre," he revealed in a segment for GQ.

And, outside of the world of acting, Dacre has another huge passion.

He's a poet - and we didn't know it!

He runs the popular podcast, DKMH.

His podcast page description reads: "Beat poetry set to music... There are 5 core human drives that influence human behavior. To ACQUIRE. To BOND. To LEARN. To DEFEND. To FEEL... This podcast is a depiction of what DRIVES ME and how much my experiences have shaped who I am."

And did you know Dacre has a secret girlfriend?

Sorry to disappoint you all. The lady who captured his heart is Australian model, Liv Pollock.

They met through a shared love of design.

"We are both also really passionate about design," Pollock told the Daily Telegraph. "I'm studying architecture and Dacre has studied interior design so we were drawn to each other through our mutual love of design."

And Dacre's favorite thing about playing Billy?

The challenge of portraying a more "difficult to love character."

"He's a misunderstood character if you think about it."

Speaking to Vulture, he said: "I really tried to humanize him as much as I could... I tried to empathize with him as much as possible. It's hard, but he's a human being. We all have elements of good and bad in us, and to successfully portray such a conflicting personality was a rewarding acting challenge that doesn't come around too often."

Another cool thing about Dacre's process?

He does all of his own stunts!

Speaking in the same interview, he said:

"I love all that stuff. I'm at an age where I'm in good shape and not too much of a health risk for Netflix's insurance people. I grew up admiring stunt choreography, so I wanted to learn how it would be possible to do that, since [Stranger Things] has so much more action than in the past."

That's not to say he's found playing Billy easy.

"Especially with this kind of character, you can't take it home to your partner or your family or your friends."

"You'd lose everyone or you'd become progressively more fatigued throughout an 8 month shoot."

"There has to be a complete separation. You have to be able to switch it off. If not, you've got a problem."

This skill is even more impressive when you consider Dacre's past.

"I've struggled with anxiety since I was twelve years old," he explained in a past video for the Child Mind Institute.

"Anxiety is a very real issue."

"I also didn't feel like I had a skill set to combat my mental health issues... I think it's so important for everybody to know that you can get through it."

He also credits his hardships for getting him where he is today.

"Every moment, every trial, every tribulation had happened for a reason and made me who I was. So that I could step in the shoes and the role and have the work ethic and maturity required, to make the most out of it."

And he's very grateful for the opportunity of Stranger Things.

"It's been an amazing journey. I've been pursuing a career in this industry for a long time, so when I was finally given an opportunity, I didn't take it for granted."

"For the last twenty-four months, I've been a human sponge, soaking up and learning as much as I can, both on and off-set."

"Every single crew member on the set has a different job. I try to learn about it. I look at the continuity of the scene, each nuance of a plate moving, a curtain shifting, and all these different things."

"Curiosity for everyone, everything."

"Every experience is so important to an evolving human. Not just to artists or people in the arts — to all human beings."

He's certainly an interesting guy!

Want more from the Stranger Things gang? Scroll on for a rather unexpected relationship ...