David Harbour reveals that Stranger Things "opened a tremendous amount of doors" in his acting career

Stranger Things turned out to be a game-changer for David Harbour ever since he showed up as Chief Jim Hopper.

Before that, he was mostly a character actor who played smaller roles. But with tough, stubborn, and caring Hopper, he became a big star. Since then, Harbour went from small parts to leading roles in big movies and TV shows. He also featured on magazine covers and became known around the world.

In a recent interview with Variety, Harbour said the show changed his career a lot. Stranger Things helped him get many new jobs and new chances as an actor.

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David Harbour on Stranger Things: “opened a tremendous amount of doors”

When asked by Variety about the role Stranger Things played in his life, David Harbour said:

“A lot of people know me now, and it gave me a fan base of a certain type. So, career wise, it just opened a tremendous amount of doors. I mean, I’m interested now in what happens after “Stranger Things,” in terms of walking through those doors.”

Harbour added:

“Whereas, had you asked me that question seven years ago? It just ripped apart the whole conception of what I would be. I got to a certain point in my life when I was 35 — I really enjoyed being number seven on a call sheet of, like, a Denzel Washington action movie, and also being leads in plays at the Public Theater in New York. It was a lovely life, a fantastic life, a one-bedroom-rental-in-the-East-Village life, and “Stranger Things” changed that entire life in many ways.”

Harbour further told Variety that even though his fame and career have changed a lot, his main goal as an actor is still the same. He said that before Stranger Things and after it, he always wanted to choose interesting, meaningful stories. He wants his work to make people feel something and think in new ways. So even if his career looks very different now, his creative purpose has not changed.

With Stranger Things ending, Harbour is choosing many new kinds of projects. He is making an HBO show called DTF St. Louis, which is described as a dark and funny story about adults. He is also doing Violent Night 2, a wild Christmas action movie. And he has a role in Marvel’s Thunderbolts.

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Chief Jim Hopper in Stranger Things

In Stranger Things, Hopper is the police chief of Hawkins, Indiana. He has a very sad past, as his daughter, Sara, died of cancer. This broke his heart and made life very hard for him. Before everything got weird, Hopper already had this rough edge, but deep down, he was hurting.

In Season 1, he was all in searching for Will, digging into that creepy lab, and crossing paths with Eleven. By Season 2, he is hiding Eleven away in his cabin, trying to keep her safe from everything out there. He is starting to feel like her dad.

Then Season 3 rolls around, and Hopper and Joyce are teaming up, chasing clues, and stumbling into a hidden Russian lab underneath Starcourt Mall. The Russians want to open the gate to the Upside Down again. Hopper throws himself into the chaos when the machine blows up, and for a while, everyone thinks he is dead. It’s a huge moment, and everything shifts for the whole story and the people in it.

But then, Season 4 drops the surprise: Hopper made it out alive. The Russians grabbed him and shipped him off to a brutal labor camp in Kamchatka. Over there, Hopper hardens up. He gets tougher, inside and out. By the end of Season 4, he reunites with important people, like Eleven.

Meanwhile, the Upside Down is still a big threat, leading to the final conflict.

Netflix’s Tudum says Hopper has been training for the Upside Down. The last season will have a final battle against Vecna and other monsters, and Hopper will probably fight monsters and may lead missions into the Upside Down. He will be very important in both action and story.

Fans speculate he could reunite with Joyce or make a big sacrifice. His bond with Eleven is very important, as he protects her like a father. In some Stranger Things Season 5 art, Hopper has a thick beard and looks battle-ready. This could show time has passed or how hard the final fight has been.

Screenrant says Hopper might be safe from dying. He has already had two “death fake-outs.” But the final battle could still be very hard for him.

The Stranger Things Season 5 teaser shows Hawkins under military lockdown. Hopper used to be the police chief, and he knows a lot about the Upside Down. He might help fight the military and protect the town from monsters.