David Harbour Admits He Envied ‘Stranger Things’ Kids for Their Relaxed Attitude
David Harbour recently shared a humorous and surprising memory from his time on Stranger Things, noting his astonishment at how relaxed his younger co-stars were during filming. He joked that some of the child actors were so at ease that they would even fart on camera without a second thought.
These comments came during a recent conversation event in Los Angeles, where the cast and crew reminisced about the show’s early seasons. Harbour remarked that such a level of comfort was something he had never encountered in his own acting career.
“These kids were just enjoyable as hell,” Harbour said. “A lot of kid actors that you work with are very actor-y, and part of the strength of the actors that they formed were that, at their essence, they were just kids. So, even during takes, they would fart and do things that you just couldn’t believe that you had the relaxation to do that in front of a camera. I was like, I would dream of being able to do that and not being self-conscious in that way!”
Harbour explained that the atmosphere on set during the first season felt very natural and unfiltered, especially when compared to more traditional film sets where actors often maintain a controlled demeanor during scenes. He expressed that witnessing the younger cast’s free-spirited behavior actually deepened his admiration for them.
The discussion also covered how Harbour landed the role of Jim Hopper. The Duffer brothers initially considered other actors, including Billy Crudup, but everything changed after Harbour auditioned.
Ross Duffer explained, “One of our casting directors thought he could be great for the role. He came and read. He just did one take. We weren’t even there, we just saw the tape, and it was just so clear, instantly: This is Hopper. And we just cast him right then and there.”
Harbour had been acting for over two decades before his breakout role in Stranger Things. When the series began, his character Hopper was depicted as a troubled individual grappling with personal loss and alcoholism. Despite this, Harbour noted that the supportive environment on set helped to balance the challenging aspects of his role.
He described the experience of filming the first season as profoundly meaningful, expressing a strong sense of connection with both the cast and crew.
“These were real, beautiful human beings, and they were such a joy to work with; I had a blast,” he reflected. “I look back on that first season as being a miraculous time in my life. Hopper was a very depressed individual, it was really tough to go through the acting of that, but the family that we created and the story that we were telling, I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that enriched by some work that I was doing.”
The series, created by Matt and Ross Duffer, has become one of Netflix’s biggest global hits, transforming its young cast into major stars and solidifying Harbour’s status as a fan favorite.
The final season of Stranger Things has recently concluded, bringing to a close the story that began in Hawkins nearly a decade ago.
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