Joe Keery's Relationship With Charlie Heaton — Inside the Bond That Inspired Him to Write a Song

When Joe Keery wasn't battling monsters on the set of Stranger Things, he was building a real-life friendship with co-star Charlie Heaton.

Their shared moments off-camera were so meaningful that Keery was inspired to write a heartfelt tribute, showing that some of Hollywood's strongest connections are forged in unexpected places.

Joe Keery and Charlie Heaton's Friendship

Keery and Heaton first crossed paths as castmates on the Netflix hit series Stranger Things in 2016, playing Steve Harrington and Jonathan Byers, respectively.

While their on‑screen chemistry fluctuated between rivalry and alliance, off‑screen, a genuine camaraderie blossomed.

In a 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Keery revealed that during filming of the show's final season in Atlanta, he lived with a friend whose house backed onto that of Heaton and his partner, Natalia Dyer, also a co-star.

This proximity turned into something more than a shared filming schedule. Keery recalled that on their off days he would often be 'hanging out, playing guitar,' while Heaton tended to his garden, dug wires, hung lights — simply tending to everyday chores.

Their relationship, he says, felt more like friendship among 'mates down there' than a typical co‑star dynamic.

It was this mixture of mundanity and closeness that planted the seeds for something more — a creative homage rather than a fleeting on‑set acquaintance.

Joe Keery Wrote A Song Inspired By Charlie Heaton

That homage came to life in 2025, when Keery, under his music moniker Djo, released his new album 'The Crux'. Among its tracks is a song titled 'Charlie's Garden' — a warm, jaunty tribute to his friendship with Heaton.

Describing the inspiration behind the track, Keery said, 'I guess part of trying to be as honest as I could was realising that I could use these songs to sing about the people that I love in my life, and to memorialise these times that I'm experiencing. And so it just kind of came about.'

The origin story of the song is as casual as it is charming—just another normal day when Heaton and Dyer left their dog for a walk, and Keery, who noticed the piano inside their house, asked if he could play while they were out.

He shared, '"Hey, can I play your piano while you're gone?" "Sure." ... So this song just comes out. Charlie and Natalia come back, and I say, "Hey, listen, I got this song!"'

Later at the studio in New York, Keery laid down the track — and even invited Heaton to contribute. Heaton added a playful voice‑over in an American accent, which appears intermittently throughout the song as a cheeky callback.

Musically, 'Charlie's Garden' is infused with nostalgic pop‑rock vibes. Keery cites influences like The Beatles, particularly Paul McCartney, and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). He described the track as 'an homage to my great friend and my time in Atlanta.'

The result is a breezy, affectionate, and intimate song — less about drama, more about friendship, shared spaces, and everyday life behind the scenes.

Djo's New Album 'The Crux' Pays Homage To His Cast Members

Beyond 'Charlie's Garden', Keery's 2025 album 'The Crux' includes further tributes to his co-stars and the Stranger Things cast. The track 'Delete Ya' is a Police-inspired breakup anthem.

Keery gives a quick nod to his friendship with Heaton and the series itself, explaining how he navigated personal heartache by teaming up 'with Charlie' and taking their younger co-stars 'for a ride.'

Keery admitted that being so open about his personal life on the record could feel daunting.

'But then that's also your job, I guess, as a songwriter and as an artist,' he said. 'If you're just watering it down, what's the point? I think you really should try to be as direct as possible. And maybe the thing that you don't think you should say is the exact thing that you should,' Keery said.

Their Viral Golden Globe Elevator Skit

With Stranger Things dominating online conversations, Keery and Heaton's humorous skit with Natalia Dyer in 2018, in an elevator at the Golden Globe Awards, has since resurfaced online and gone viral among netizens.

The short clip shows Keery and Heaton exchanging playful banter as they ride the elevator, teasing each other and joking about the Hollywood scene.

Fans were quick to react, with many praising the genuine camaraderie between the two actors. Comments included, 'These two are pure friendship goals' and 'It's so refreshing to see co-stars genuinely getting along.'

The skit captures the off-screen chemistry that fans love, demonstrating that their bond is not just a product of shared scenes on Stranger Things, but also the result of authentic friendship and humour. It also helped cement their image as one of the show's most relatable and down-to-earth pairs.

From 2016 co-stars to long-time friends, Joe Keery and Charlie Heaton have turned shared backyards, music sessions, and playful Golden Globe moments into a lasting bond.

Their friendship is a heartwarming reminder that the story behind the scenes can be just as memorable as the one on-screen.