Joe Keery has emerged as a popular actor with his role on ‘Stranger Things‘ as Steve Harrington. The actor is now expanding his career with a role very different than his established image in the sci-fi show. His role in the fifth season of FX’s anthology series ‘Fargo’, is that of a starkly different character of Gator Tillman, the troubled and problematic son of Jon Hamm’s rogue North Dakota sheriff, Roy Tillman.
In a recent interview with TV Insider, Keery opened up about this new role that allowed him to explore a darker and more complex character. Here’s what he said about it and how he hopes to use it as a stepping stone to further expanding his tapestry of work.
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Joe Keery Opens Up About His Character In ‘Fargo’
Joe Keery said he is excited about the opportunity to work on ‘Fargo’, chiefly because he deeply admires the show. “Honestly, I would have done anything in ‘Fargo’. I would have been a guy 300 yards in the distance of the background of a scene. I love that show,” he said.
The actor further asserted that playing a character so different from Steve Harrington was a major perk, which allowed him to diversify his roles and challenge himself as an actor. Talking about his character Gator Tillman, Keery revealed that he drew inspiration from various sources and blended different people and elements from movies to create a nuanced character.
He said that Gator is a character with a deeply conflicted, layered inner life. His life mostly draws its darkness from his abusive father’s upbringing.
Keery said he personally had a learning opportunity while exploring the contradictions within Gator. “He’s a character that has a lot of conflict baked into him from a turbulent upbringing and that’s really fun. A character who is full of contradictions and somebody who is confused,” he said.
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Joe Keery also talked about the deeper layers of Gator, who interacts differently with each character on the show. He further noted that Gator is most honest with Dot, played by Juno Temple.
He also talked about the importance of reacting to the performances of his co-stars, which helped shape his portrayal of Gator. “You find out a lot about your character based on how they interact with other people, and that was for sure the case with Gator. I really relied on my other actors,” Keery explained.
He also called the experience of working on ‘Fargo’ as a turning point in his career. The actor said he looks at the opportunity as a chance to work on more mature content and to learn from the talented cast and crew.
“It was a huge turning point for me and my career. It was just a big opportunity… It felt like each day I was showing up was another opportunity to pick something else up and learn from all these people who are working on this show in front of the camera and behind the camera,” Keery said.
‘Fargo’ Season 5 is now streaming on Hulu.
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