David Harbour, the actor famed for playing Chief Jim Hopper in Netflix's global phenomenon Stranger Things, has unexpectedly departed his next scheduled film project. The 50-year-old star was set to feature in the upcoming Searchlight Pictures movie Behemoth! alongside Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde but has now left the production.
Departure from a Major Project
Searchlight Pictures confirmed to the Daily Mail that Harbour has 'stepped back' from the film. Representatives for the actor have been contacted for further comment on his sudden exit. This move comes in the immediate aftermath of the Stranger Things series finale, which aired its last episode on December 31, concluding a saga that began with its premiere in 2016.
A Challenging Period for the Star
Harbour's departure from Behemoth! follows a notably turbulent period in his personal and professional life. He spent the weeks leading up to the show's fifth season navigating a complex global press tour. This was swiftly followed by the release of his ex-wife Lily Allen's album, West End Girl, at the end of October, which is widely interpreted as detailing the breakdown of their four-year marriage.
Allen, who met Harbour on the dating app Raya, told Interview magazine that the album is a mix, stating, 'Well, some of it is based on truth and some of it is fantasy.' Harbour has not publicly addressed the album or its apparent accusations.
Absences and Reflections
Professionally, Harbour was notably absent from key Stranger Things events in late 2023. He did not attend the London premiere on November 13 and was also missing from a Paley Center event in New York City on December 18, following reports of erratic behaviour. A spokesperson for the Paley Center attributed his absence to a 'scheduling conflict.'
In a September interview with Esquire Spain, conducted before Allen's album release, Harbour reflected deeply on turning 50. When asked if he would change anything about the past fifty years, he offered a philosophical response: 'I would change either everything or nothing... You either accept your path completely and realise that even the pain and the slip-ups and the mistakes are all part of the journey.'
The actor's exit from Behemoth! marks a significant shift in his post-Stranger Things career trajectory, leaving fans and industry watchers keen to see what his next move will be.
