'The Mexican public is fantastic': Dacre Montgomery conquers Mexico at CCXP 2025

CCXP 2025, the country's largest geek event for comics, film, anime, and the video game and entertainment industry , continues its party this May 31 in Mexico City, with a lineup that brings international stars to the country's capital, exclusive previews of upcoming series and films, and which this Saturday experienced one of its strongest days in terms of content, revelations, and the stature of its star guests.

On its second day, with sunnier skies and no rain hindering it, the convention continued to attract hordes of fans of all ages, who gathered early in the morning near the Citibanamex Center to get the best spots at the packed panels, find the best discounts at the many stores, win prizes at the interactive booths, and, with luck, spot one of their idols wandering like another earthling amidst the confusion of colors and warmth of CCXP.

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The costumes and cosplay, characterizations and performances, although it seemed impossible, were even more complex and elaborate than the previous day, with men and women impersonating witches, painted up to their ears in intense shades of green, human fruits and piñatas walking around in mascots and t-shirts made by hand with crepe paper, dinosaurs wandering among the chaos of the convention, and even an enthusiast who captured the attention and attention of the photographs dressed as the famous "Daffy Duck", but in his sorcerer version.

However, despite this event, which was a breath of fresh air for all attendees, CCXP, in addition to being a meeting point for fans of cosplay, video games, anime, and film, is also a very important space for international stars to visit and interact with their fans. Thus, one of the highlights of the second day was the panel featuring Dacre Montgomery, the young 30-year-old Australian actor who rose to fame, among other things, for his unforgettable role as the terrifying and irresistible "Billy" in "Stranger Things," and who unleashed euphoria among his Mexican fans as soon as he set foot on stage.

"Hello everyone, this is my third time in Mexico. Thank you for having me here. I speak a little Spanish," said the actor, with a brief and direct introduction, and a marked accent in his attempt to speak our language. " I was at CCXP in Brazil and this feels much bigger; the Mexican audience is fantastic," he stated.

Dressed in simple denim and a blue cap, Montgomery, attractive, with tourmaline eyes, broad shoulders and shoulders straightened by exercise - but with an unmistakably childlike face - displayed a calm nature, focused on the questions his interlocutors asked him, explaining the background of the characters that have marked his acting career, and addressing the audience with a rather respectful shyness. Although he has appeared in important productions that have earned him excellent reviews for his work - such as playing Steve Bunder in the 2022 film "Elvis" -, Montgomery has carved out a place for himself in the world's "geek" culture for his portrayal of "Jason Lee Scott" or the "Red Ranger" in the movie "Power Rangers" (2017), but above all for his impeccable portrayal of "Billy" in the acclaimed Netflix series "Stranger Things."

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Despite being a detestable character who never hesitated to put the main characters and even his own half-sister "Max" - played by Sadie Sink - in a difficult position, Dacre Montgomery's performance as "Billy" in "Stranger Things" won over audiences; a racist, controlling teenager with serious homicidal tendencies, but who, behind his stony exterior, concealed the ghost of a desperate child, abandoned by his mother and who experienced daily physical violence and humiliation from his own father.

“I think the most important thing about characters like these is humanizing them,” says the actor, who in real life was bullied at school, and who believes that watching “Billy” allowed him to see these acts in a deeper light.

“Making them relatable is always more than just a villain. I was bullied in school, so when it came to playing Billy, I never thought about what it might be like to put myself in the other person's shoes. The more I delved into the character, the more I thought that the people who bullied me at school might have been through situations like Billy's. That they might have had problems, abusive parents, and that's what made the character relatable. I want the audience to love and hate them. I think all good TV shows do that. There are a lot of terrible, cruel characters, but as an audience, you connect with them, you understand them. They're multifaceted, they're human beings, they're not just 'bad'. You have to make the antagonists interesting.”

In the plot of "Stranger Things," the terrifying villain "Vecna" traps young people with deep psychological trauma in a kind of curse that subsequently takes their lives. The only way to break this terrible trance is through music, a force that reaches deeper than fear, and which is the salvation of the characters in the series. When Dacre Montgomery was asked what song he would use to free himself from "Vecna's" spell, he replied that it would probably be a Jimmy Hendrix song, as he listened to his songs a lot back then to give shape and meaning to the character of "Billy."

Dacre Montgomery also shared details about Jason Lee Scott—the "Red Ranger," his first leading role in the "Power Rangers" movie. The actor said the role was "his first job," and that at the time, it felt like a huge burden to bear on his shoulders because of everything it entailed. However, looking back on it, he feels satisfied because it was what opened the door to the geek world, of which he also considers himself a fan. "I also come to places like this to see things. There are very talented people, there's a lot of art. I also like video games and movies. It's a huge culture all over the world," he stated.

Dacre Montgomery bid farewell to the Mexican public with a wave and a smile, followed by a wave of shouts and applause, becoming the first big star to appear this Saturday at CCXP Mexico 2025. There are even more surprises to come, from the appearance of Pedro Pascal and the cast of “Fantastic Four,” and the cast of “Jurassic World Reborn,” which will include Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mexican Manuel García Rulfo.

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