What If Joe Keery Had Played Jonathan In Stranger Things?
Instead of playing Steve Harrington, Joe Keery nearly played Jonathan Byers in Netflix's sci-fi horror coming-of-age drama Stranger Things. The ensemble of Stranger Things has gotten praise from audiences and critics alike, with the cast even winning a Screen Actors Guild award in 2017 for Outstanding Ensemble In A Drama Series. However, the cast could've been altered completely had Keery ended up playing quiet loner Jonathan instead of Steve, the popular jock who ends up redeeming himself and becoming a hero.
Joe Keery has revealed (via Boston.com) that he initially sent in a tape auditioning for the role of Jonathan, which ended up going to British actor Charlie Heaton. However, he was asked to audition again, this time for the role of Steve. After Keery's portrayal of Steve ended up becoming popular, the Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, decided they had to keep his character around in the show. Now, Steve is one of the most beloved characters in Stranger Things.
Related: Stranger Things Season 3’s Original Plan For Steve & Robin: What Changed
It's good that Joe Keery didn't get the role of Jonathan because that would've changed the vibe of the show. Audiences might not have believed that Joe Keery could play an outcast since his looks are more akin to a jock sort of character. Keery does have great acting chops, but Charlie Heaton does a good job portraying Jonathan as a quiet, anxious, sensitive outcast. Though Joe Keery is a great actor, it's unknown if he would bring the same type of energy to the role. It's also unclear if Keery would've had the same chemistry with Nancy Wheeler (Natalie Dyer), Mike's (Finn Wolfhard) older sister, that Heaton does. Matt Duffer has said (via GQ) that during a chemistry
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