Dacre Montgomery Opens Up About Why He Walked Away From Hollywood

Dacre Montgomery, best known for his unforgettable role as Billy Hargrove in Netflix’s Stranger Things, has finally revealed why he stepped away from Hollywood — just as his star was beginning to rise.

In a rare and reflective interview, the Australian actor opened up about the emotional and personal reasons behind his decision to retreat from the spotlight. For many fans, Montgomery’s absence from the big screen over the past few years had been a mystery. Now, he’s breaking the silence.

“Traditional Hollywood stars had mystery,” Montgomery said. “Now, social media has stripped that away. Everyone knows everything — and I realized I needed to step back before I lost myself in it.”

At the height of his fame, Montgomery made a deliberate choice to leave Los Angeles and slow things down. He turned down roles, avoided red carpets, and stopped chasing visibility — not because he lost interest in acting, but because he needed to reconnect with why he started in the first place.

“I’ve given a piece of myself to every role I’ve ever played,” he explained. “And that takes a toll. I needed space to breathe, to reflect, and to figure out how I wanted to show up in this industry.”

Montgomery also spoke about the overwhelming pressure that comes with success — the expectation to always be “on,” to constantly market yourself, and to compete in a game that rarely allows rest. For a while, he says, it became unsustainable.

But his time away wasn’t wasted. During his hiatus, Montgomery focused on personal growth, creative development, and rediscovering what kind of stories truly move him. That journey led him to a project he describes as “life-changing.”

His new film, Went Up the Hill, marks his return to acting — and it’s a powerful statement. The psychological drama explores themes of grief, identity, and fractured memory, with Montgomery playing a layered character viewed from multiple emotional perspectives.

“This is exactly why I took time off,” he told People magazine. “To wait for something like this — something that matters. A role that speaks to something deeper than just entertainment.”

For Montgomery, acting is no longer about fame or career climbing. It’s about connection. He hopes his work resonates with people on a personal level — even if it’s just one person at a time.

“If a story can impact just one person in the right way, it’s worth doing,” he said.

While some may see his exit from Hollywood as a risk, Montgomery views it as a necessary reset. Now, he returns not as a product of the industry, but as an artist on his own terms — more grounded, more intentional, and more authentic than ever.