‘IT: Stephen Rider from Derry Describes Strike as “Greatest Opportunity” for Enhancing Onscreen Chemistry with Amanda Christine’

During the challenging production period caused by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, Stephen Rider, who portrays the wrongfully convicted movie projectionist Hank Grogan in HBOs IT: Welcome to Derry, found a silver lining. The downtime allowed him to strengthen his bond with his on-screen daughter, Amanda Christine (Ronnie).

Speaking on The Official IT: Welcome to Derry Podcast, Rider shared, "I talk to them all the time. I still talk to Amanda, we talk. Like thats my family. The biggest blessing, in many ways, was the strike because it gave us time to really connect. We would FaceTime, and shed share things about life as a young person. It allowed us to develop a close relationship."

He added, "We had only filmed a small portion before the strike. Returning to set, we already had a real bond, which went beyond our characters. Our families know each other, and we still communicate. I love Amanda, and it wasnt acting. She had to learn to trust me, and I had to show that I was consistent, reliable, and presentnot just on set, but beyond it. That consistency helped us go beyond what was written on the page."

Co-creator Barbara Muschietti highlighted the logistical hurdles caused by the strikes. "About 90% of three episodes had been completed before production stopped," she noted. "Suddenly, we were forced to work across different seasons. A summer story suddenly needed a finale in another climate. Kids were growing, voices changing, schedules became chaotic. It was a major challenge for the studio."

The strikes concluded when the WGA reached an agreement with the AMPTP in September 2023, followed by SAG-AFTRA in November.

Author: Sophia Brooks