Stephen Rider plays the role of Hank Grogan, a projectionist at a local cinema in IT: Welcome to Derry. He is also the father of Ronnie, a role played by Amanda Christine. During an appearance on The Official It: Welcome to Derry Podcast, Rider spoke about how the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that happened two years ago helped him with his role as Hank Grogan.During the strike, Stephen Rider had to take a break from filming IT: Welcome to Derry. But he never stopped communicating with his fellow actors, and he never stopped working on his skills as an actor.He revealed:"I talk to them all the time. I still talk to Amanda, we talk. Like that's my family... And I think the biggest blessing beyond that, in a lot of ways, was the strike. Because it allowed all of us to really sit with these relationships and we would FaceTime each other and talk. And she would tell me, her being a little young, like my niece … dealing with life. You know what I'm saying? But it allowed us to build an intimate relationship."Keep reading to know more about how Stephen Rider believed the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes helped him build chemistry with his onscreen daughter, Ronnie (Amanda Christine).What did Stephen Rider do during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes?While on The Official It: Welcome to Derry Podcast, Stephen Rider revealed that he and his onscreen daughter, Amanda Christie, have been keeping in touch, despite the break in filming.He also shared how their relationship got better during the course of the strike. According to Rider, the strikes allowed him and Amanda to grow their relationship both onscreen and offscreen. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostIn his words:"And we had only filmed a little bit before we went on strike. I think the biggest blessing is that we came back and we had a genuine relationship that transcended, just me and her. Our families know each other, and we still talk. And so, I love Amanda. And I didn't have to pretend on loving her. Now, of course, I had to personalize that because she's still not my daughter."Rider explained:"But the fact that we learned how to love each other, and more so, especially for Black women, she had to learn how to trust me. And I think it was important for me to allow her to recognize that she could lean on me, she could depend on me, and I was consistent, and I would show up, not just on set, but show up. And because of it, I believe we were able to hopefully transcend what the pages quote unquote said."Stephen Rider believes the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes helped him build a real bond with his young co-star. The break gave them time to talk, connect, and trust each other both onscreen and offscreen. Because of that, their father–daughter relationship in IT: Welcome to Derry feels more natural and heartfelt on camera.Also read: How It: Welcome to Derry is setting up a major tragedy for the Hanlon family? Details explored