Who Is Drew Starkey? Meet the Hollywood Heartthrob and Netflix Star
From his breakout role as the volatile Rafe Cameron in Netflix’s Outer Banks to starring alongside Daniel Craig in Queer, Drew Starkey is cementing his place as Hollywood’s rising heartthrob. Get to know the Scorpio.
For those who don’t know who Drew Starkey is, it’s time to get acquainted. The 31-year-old actor has had an impressive year with career-defining projects, causing an internet frenzy and leaving people wondering who he is. He catapulted into stardom playing Rafe Cameron on Netflix’s original series Outer Banks. He’s a sought-after actor for a reason, and his expanding list of high-profile projects is a clear indication that he’s just getting started.
Born Joseph Andrew Starkey, the Hollywood heartthrob is the oldest of four. Originally hailing from Hickory, North Carolina, he was an aspiring actor who broke onto the scene after scoring a supporting role in the 2018 LGBTQIA+ coming-of-age film Love, Simon. (Before that, some of his first on-screen appearances were in Scream: Resurrection in 2015 and in Ozark in 2017.) From there, the only way was up for the 1993-born Scorpio. His filmography since includes The Hate U Give (2018), The Devil All The Time (2020), and The Other Zoey (2023). His forthcoming film is one of the most exciting yet.
Drew Starkey's Upcoming Projects: Queer and Onslaught
Starkey is now set to play opposite Daniel Craig in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer (2024). The Challengers and Call Me By Your Name director is adapting William S. Burrough’s novel of the same name and follows the story of William Lee (Craig) who lives in Mexico City and meets Eugene Allerton (Starkey) whom he forms a connection with and later becomes his infatuation. The film will be on limited release in the U.S. starting November 27.
The star has some other exciting projects to look forward to. Starkey will be reuniting with A24 in Adam Wingard’s action-thriller Onslaught. While details are still under wraps, early reports say the film will follow a mother who relies on certain skills to keep her loved ones safe while an unknown entity escapes from a military base. He’ll be joining the cast featuring Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, and Alex “Poatan” Pereira. The film is currently scheduled for a 2027 release date.
A Rising Style Icon
He can also add style star to his resume as he’s continued to grace red carpets wearing sophisticated looks. Starkey has been working closely with Spanish luxury house Loewe and creative director Jonathan Anderson. He has a James Dean edge to him that makes him effortlessly cool and stylish. Plus, the actor isn’t afraid to rock bold colors, which he did at the 2024 Governors Awards via a red satin lapel blazer by Valentino.
In an interview with Pop Culturalist, Starkey mentioned he’s an avid reader and enjoys John Steinbeck’s work, specifically East of Eden, and, as fans know, he’ll use any excuse to bring up his love affair with the Harry Potter books. He admits to rereading them often. In an interview for GQ, Starkey revealed his strong feelings for MTV’s Jersey Shore and called it the “peak of American culture.” In the same interview, he described moving to Los Angeles in 2019 to chase his dream of becoming an actor and the hustle it took to land these smaller roles that would eventually lead him to stardom in Outer Banks. Style and a sense of humor? What’s not to love?
