Joe Keery Became a Tumblr Darling Thanks to His Role as Steve Harrington on Stranger Things

The Rise of Joe Keery's Popularity on Tumblr

Joe Keery rapidly became a fan favorite and Tumblr darling when he joined the cast of Stranger Things in 2016 as Steve Harrington. His suave good looks, enviable hair, and progression into a lovable babysitter won over viewers. It's no surprise that Tumblr, the online blogging platform and social networking website, became filled with posts thirsting over and appreciating Joe Keery.

Keery's Breakout Role

Prior to being cast on Stranger Things, Keery was a relatively unknown actor. He had bit parts on Chicago Fire and Empire, but Steve Harrington was his big breakout role. The '80s period drama became an instant hit on Netflix, and Keery quickly became a heartthrob. His hair alone gained a massive fanbase, with viewers obsessing over how to recreate his voluminous locks.

On Tumblr, fans immediately started creating photosets and GIFs of Keery in the role, broke down his scenes and reactions, and waxed poetic about his charm. Stranger Things premiered in July 2016, and by the end of the year there were already hundreds of thousands of posts about him on Tumblr. Keery rapidly became one of the most talked about and crushed-on stars among Tumblr users.

Tumblr Crushes on Keery

As Stranger Things continued into new seasons, Tumblr users only grew more enamored with Keery's character. Steve started out as a stereotypical '80s jerk, but eventually revealed his inner hero and babysitter side. He developed a close bond with the kids on the show, especially Dustin, and their brotherly relationship made Steve even more lovable.

Tumblr posts went wild over moments like Steve giving dating advice to Dustin before the school dance, taking beatings to protect the kids, and eventually becoming an honorary brother to the party. Posts waxed poetic about wanting to ruffle Steve's hair, imagining dates with him, and just general thirst over his looks and charm.

"Steve Harrington can step on me," was a common phrase across Keery fan blogs and posts. Users created endless romantic fantasies and fan fiction premises around getting to be with everyone's favorite babysitter.

Steve's Style Evolution

In addition to admiring Steve's personality growth, Tumblr users were also obsessed with Keery's style on the show. In early seasons, he embodied the preppy jock look with letterman jackets, polos, and Farrah Fawcett hairspray. But as the seasons went on, Steve adopted a grungier look with ripped jeans, flannels, and even a scoop neck earring at one point.

Tumblr fashion blogs and style posts endlessly analyze and appreciate Steve's outfits. Users recreate his looks with clothing hauls and moodboards. From emulate his hair tricks to swooning over his outfits, Tumblr helped rocket Keery to style icon status.

Behind-the-Scenes Secrets

In addition to obsessing over Steve on-screen, Tumblr users love getting a glimpse behind-the-scenes of Stranger Things. Photos and videos from set show Keery joking around with his fellow cast members, taking breaks between scenes, and having fun in costume. These candid BTS moments make Keery even more crush-worthy.

One particularly viral Tumblr post revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes fact about Keery's costume. According to the post, the show's costume department had to start providing leggings for Keery to wear under his jeans in season two. This was apparently done to "contain" things during filming. The post blew up with humorous reactions from fans.

Joe Keery's Enduring Fandom

Years after Stranger Things first premiered, Joe Keery remains a Tumblr favorite. He continues to rank highly in annual polls of Tumblr's most crushed-on celebrities. His posts get tens of thousands of likes and reblogs. The Steve Harrington tag remains massively popular.

Even as Keery takes on new projects like Free Guy and Death to 2021, the Tumblr love for him lives on. He helped create an iconic '80s character that resonated with viewers. For Tumblr users, Keery will forever be everyone's favorite babysitter with even better hair.

FAQs

Why did Joe Keery become so popular on Tumblr?

Joe Keery gained a massive Tumblr following thanks to his breakout role as Steve Harrington on Stranger Things. Fans fell in love with his character's progression into a lovable babysitter and protector of the kids on the show. His hair, style, and charm also made him a heartthrob.

What do fans love about Steve's style?

Tumblr users obsess over Steve's fashion evolution on the show. They appreciate his preppy jock look in early seasons with letterman jackets and polos. As Steve adopted a grungier look with ripped jeans and flannels, fans analyzed and recreated his outfits.

What behind-the-scenes facts went viral?

A popular Tumblr post revealed that the costume department had to provide leggings for Keery to wear under his jeans in season two. This was apparently to "contain" things during filming, leading to humorous reactions from fans.