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Getting a big break in the form of an iconic character is a dream every actor aspires to have. The audience grows to associate the actor with the character and showers a lot of love to the actor. While the upside to this is an increased fanbase and more popularity, the downside is that it gets hard for an actor to break the clutter. ForStranger Thingsstar David Harbour, the latter seems to be the case.
Harbour plays police chief Jim Hopper in the beloved Netflix seriesStranger Things. The actor had his breakthrough with the series after over two decades of being in the industry. The role gained him movie characters such as the titular anti-hero inHellboyand the Red Guardian inBlack Widow. Despite the fame, the actor seems to want to turn his image upside down.
Also read:“Just terrible”: Real Reason Stranger Things Star David Harbour Didn’t ‘Feel Great’ Filming Gran Turismo
David Harbour’s Big Break WithStranger Things
Before he became a household name with the Duffer Brothers’Stranger Things,David Harbourstarted her career on the stage. He appeared in multiple productions of Shakespeare’s plays such asThe Tempest, The Winter’s Tale,andHamlet. He made an appearance on Broadway with the revival ofThe Rainmaker. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in a production ofWho’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Harbour made appearances in blockbusters such as the James Bond filmQuantum of Solace, the Leonardo DiCaprio starrerRevolutionary Road, and Ang Lee’sBrokeback Mountain. He had a recurring role in the seriesManhattanand made an appearance in Denzel Washington’s action filmThe Equalizer.
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David Harbour got his big break in the Netflix original seriesStranger Things. Created by the Duffer Brothers, the series was their tribute to the 80s as well as the mystery-horror novels of Stephen King. Harbour starred as Jim Hopper, the police chief of Hawkins, a fictional town. Hopper’s arc from being a lethargic soul to being one of the father figures to the kids in the show was lauded. He co-stars with Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Woflhard, and Gaten Matarazzo.
For his role as Jim Hopper, David Harbour received Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series twice and was nominated for a Golden Globe in the same category. He won the Critic’s Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Also read:“It sounds like nonsense to me”: Marvel Star David Harbour Trashed Daniel Day-Lewis After His Own Method Acting Made Him Want To Commit Murder
Why Does David Harbour Want A Break FromStranger Things?
David Harbour has been playing Jim Hopper since 2016. Four seasons ofStranger Thingshave been released so far and filming for a fifth and final season was underway before the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Despite all the fame and accolades that the role has brought him, Harbour mentioned that he wants to stop being known as Hopper to the audience. In an interview with Insider, he mentioned how he does not want to be a one-hit wonder and wants to expand his horizons. He said,
“The first year of Stranger Things, I remember having a discussion with a publicist and her saying, ‘Maybe you don’t want to be associated with the show so much,’ and I was like, ‘Why? I love this show. I love the character.’ And I do love the show. And I do love the character. But I don’t want to be just that character. I don’t want to be just that guy.”
Also read:“Not many modern actors are able to do it”: Stranger Things Creators Made David Harbour’s Character Based on Harrison Ford’s Most Iconic Role for a Surprising Reason
The actor compared his position to that of George Clooney when he was still a regular on the medical procedural showER. He mentioned that he wants to be more than just Hopper and wants to make films.
“I think about George Clooney leaving ER. Now we just see him as George Clooney. But there was a time when it was, ‘The guy from ER is doing a movie with Nicole Kidman.’ You don’t want to shit on the people that love you for this thing that you did that you also love. But at the same time, you kind of want to leave the nest. I got more in me.”
The actor has since appeared in the reboot ofHellboy, playing the titular role. He played the Red Guardian, the father figure of Scarlet Johannson’s Natasha Romanoff inBlack Widow. He also headlined the action comedyViolent Night, in which he played Santa Claus, albeit in a fresh take. He also made an appearance in the Chris Hemsworth starrerExtractionand was recently seen in Neil Blomkamp’sGran Turismo.
Source:Insider
Also read:“They don’t lock you in anymore”: David Harbour Speaks Out Against Lengthy CBM Contracts, Claims “Marvel learned that lesson”
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
