It: Welcome to Derry Actor Called Hollywood Strike a Blessing

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The Hollywood strikes created major problems for the team making It: Welcome to Derry. But the production pause actually turned out to be a positive thing for actor Stephen Rider.

Actor Rider, who played Hank Grogan, explained that the 2023 strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA actually helped him connect with his co-star, Amanda Christine (Ronnie). The break in filming for It: Welcome to Derry gave them time to bond and build a stronger relationship, which improved their on-screen chemistry.

In a recent podcast interview, actor Ride shared that he and his co-star, Christine, developed a strong bond while filming. They still stay in touch regularly and he considers her like family. He explained that the unexpected break caused by the strike actually allowed them to connect on a deeper level, turning what could have been a negative situation into a meaningful experience.

I’m still close with Amanda – she feels like family to me. Surprisingly, the strike turned out to be a real blessing because it gave us all the time to connect and strengthen our relationships. We’d video chat and talk openly, and she’d share what was going on in her life – she’s a bit younger, kind of like my niece. It really helped us build a close, personal connection.

Rider shared that he and his co-star have become close, even befriending each other’s families. He explained that their connection made it easy to portray romance on screen, as his feelings are genuine. He emphasized the importance of trust between actors, especially on set, and wanted to assure his co-star that she could always count on him.

We hadn’t filmed much when the strike began, but I’m so grateful we were able to finish the project. What started as a working relationship with Amanda became something much deeper – our families have become close, and we still keep in touch. I genuinely care for Amanda, and I didn’t have to fake any affection. Of course, I had to remember she wasn’t my own daughter, but we built a real connection based on trust and mutual respect. It was important for her to learn she could rely on me, and I made sure I was consistently there for her, both during filming and in life. Because of that, I think we were able to bring something extra to the roles, going beyond what was simply written in the script.

Rider and Christine enjoyed their work on It: Welcome to Derry, and even benefited from the recent strike, but the show’s creators faced significant challenges. Barbara Muschietti explained that the production delays created problems with consistency, as the seasons changed during filming. Because the show featured a young cast, some of the actors’ voices changed between shoots. Add to that scheduling difficulties with actors after the strike and a last-minute rewrite of the finale, and the whole experience was incredibly difficult.

Things got really tricky for us on set! We started filming during completely different seasons than planned – it was supposed to be a summer show, but suddenly it wasn’t! That meant we had to completely rethink the finale and create a whole new vibe to match the changing weather. Plus, the young actors were growing up fast – their voices were changing, and everyone’s schedules became a nightmare to manage. Honestly, it was a massive challenge for the whole studio to pull it all off.

It: Welcome to Derry releases new episodes on Sundays at 9:00 PM ET and 6:00 PM PT on HBO.

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2025-12-01 06:48