Dacre Montgomery

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.

It's more difficult for me to get into a character in the lead-up as opposed to leaving it.

When I filmed 'Power Rangers,' almost everything was being assisted by a green screen, but it wasn't the same with 'Stranger Things.'

I think we live in this interesting point where if you know how to and you're interested in capitalizing on social media for good and for brand building, there's so much potential.

I'm looking for the thing that is different from the antagonist in 'Stranger Things,' different from the protagonist in 'Power Rangers,' and something that will really continue these two amazing opportunities I've been given.

I'm writing; I'm teaching myself writing.

My mom's a psychologist, and so is my grandfather.

Cara Buono is a lovely, lovely lady.

I was probably about 10 years old when I said to Mom, 'I'd really like to pursue a career in front of the camera.'

For me, there is always a certain level of recklessness that, I think, gives you a certain foundation, that makes you more interesting as a person.

You can't always be by the book every single day of your life.

I have the same wind-down routine when I go to bed, whether I'm shooting or not. It's nothing too special - maybe some TV, maybe a book.

It'd been about four months since shooting 'Power Rangers,' and 'Stranger Things' was the first thing I saw that made me think, 'I need this.' I had one day to get my act together, so I made a short film rather than a self-tape. It had an opening score, opening titles, and I may or may not have put on a g-string and danced to 'Hungry Like a Wolf.'

It's one huge arc right until you're in your early 20s. You're always changing and always learning, but it's very much that chapter in your life: fall crazy in love, become extremely angry at little things. It's a tumultuous time.

I think that your relationship is always changing with your siblings.

I was bullied in high school, and it's interesting coming from the other side of the camera lens, finding out that all of these people that I thought were my antagonists in my life were probably just as insecure as I was at that age.

I always just like to improvise, and that goes for my audition tapes as well.

I recall very early Mel Gibson films where he's kind of cheeky. I wanted to embody those qualities, definitely.

In terms of my actual acting, I don't really like to to copy anyone or replicate anything that I've seen.

I had a really tough time in high school.

It's such a thrill walking onto a film set.

I came from drama school, and it's a group of 18 people working together in every single production and splitting up the roles for three years, so I am very much about the team.

My mum didn't really let me watch TV until I was about 5 years old.

I wasn't a good kid in school. I wasn't a bad kid. I just didn't focus. My grades weren't good. I mucked around, you know, a phase everyone went through.

I was a really big kid.