Joe Keery is channeling his inner Steve Harrington—this time not in Stranger Things, but on social media. The actor and musician just called out Elite Daily for using one of his photos of co-star Finn Wolfhard without permission—and then adding their own watermark to it.
The drama unfolded on Instagram after Elite Daily posted a meme featuring Wolfhard, claiming credit with their logo. But the photo wasn’t theirs—it was taken by Keery himself on film. In a now-viral moment, Keery commented directly on the post, writing: “And take the watermark off, I took these. I gotta get a watermark.”
Keery’s sister, Caroline Keery Whitmore, jumped into the fray too, teasing the outlet: “Hey @elitedaily, how’d you watermark @djotime’s pics?! Also, I’ll take a fruit basket too, thank you so much!!” Joe chimed back, “Yeah, send her a fruit basket,” turning the exchange into a perfect mix of humor and assertiveness.
The post has since been deleted, but not before screenshots spread across social media, where fans quickly rallied behind Keery. Many praised him for standing up for his creative rights while keeping things lighthearted. “He is the funniest ever ohmygod ??,” one fan wrote, while another quipped, “Joe and Caroline fighting Elite Daily ?? get ’em peepaw!!”
Others took a more serious tone, calling out the larger issue of digital ethics. “Watermarking a photo you didn’t even take just because you added a tweet is wild,” one user posted. Photographers online also defended Keery, noting that proper credit is essential in a world where reposts and rebranding often blur creative ownership.
The whole situation has evolved into a teachable moment about respecting creators’ work—even when the creator happens to be a Stranger Things star. Fans say Keery’s response perfectly balances humor, confidence, and artistic pride, reinforcing his reputation as both effortlessly cool and quietly principled.
