interview by JANA LETONJA

Emmy and Tony Award nominated actor David Harbour recently wrapped production on the fifth and final season of Netflix’s Emmy winning and Golden Globe nominated series ‘Stranger Things’. This May, he will also star in Marvel’s highly anticipated film ‘Thuderbolts*, reprising his role as the Red Guardian.

You’ve had an impressive career spanning theater, television, and film. What initially drew you to acting, and how has your approach evolved over the years?

I felt like a freak when I was younger. Human beings seemed so foreign to me. I wrote all these little stories about being an alien when I was 6 and 7, and acting became a way for me to express my feelings of alienation and also to represent the facade that I thought all these weird humans were walking around with. The impulse was to express this discomfort but also to make others feel less alone if they too were at a loss. To be honest, that impulse is deep and has stayed fairly consistent. I still want to talk about how weird I think it is to live in civilization and I still want people to feel less alone.

full look COS

coat, shirt and scarf ETRO
jeans LEVI’S
shoes SCAROSSO
sunglasses OLIVER PEOPLES

From Broadway to blockbuster franchises like Marvel and ‘Stranger Things’, you’ve played a diverse range of roles. How do you choose your projects?

Whatever is best that comes in front of me, regardless of genre and form. It’s a gut impulse. How good is this? Does is surprise me? Is it entertaining and rich? And then sometimes I’ll take a look at a bank statement and see if bills need to be paid. This also is an influence.

‘Stranger Things’ became a cultural phenomenon. How has playing Jim Hopper impacted your career and personal life?

It was a watershed. There was life before Hopper and life after Hopper, two utterly different tones.

Season 5 marks the end of ‘Stranger Things’. How do you feel about saying goodbye to Jim Hopper after all these years? What can you tease about the final season?

I was very ready to say goodbye when we began the season. The shiny baubles of a free schedule glistened in the distance. ‘Thunderbolts’ was on the horizon, this HBO limited series I’m shooting, ‘DTF St. Louis’, etc. Then, as we got deep into shooting of the last season, I was finally able to relax into the fact that I was shooting the last season of this show that I loved, the last time I’d play this character that had been a part of me for so so long, and I let myself love it and be sad.

You’re also reprising your role as the Red Guardian in ‘Thunderbolts’. What can fans expect from this film and your character’s arc?

Alexei is, unsurprisingly, in a miserable state when we find him in ‘Thunderbolts’. He’s managed to get in his own way as he always does and push those away that love him. He’s a wreck. It’s a great place to start as a ‘superhero’, when you’re neither.

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Red Guardian is both comedic and formidable. How do you balance the humor and action in your performance?

I guess it lives somewhere deep inside, the idea that I’m balancing and sculpting things like action and humor and drama with Alexei, but the majority of what I’m doing is pretty straight acting, plumbing for emotional depth and truth, and it’s context that takes it to a comedic or dramatic place. The great thing about this role is that he gets to go big in both directions, and there’s even laughter in the dramatic bits and vice versa.

left:
full look DOLCE & GABBANA
ring PIANEGONDA
shoes SCAROSSO

right:
full look KING & TUCKFIELD
sunglasses OLIVER PEOPLES
shoes SCAROSSO

You have several exciting projects lined up, including ‘A Working Man’ and ‘Night of the Zoopocalypse’. What can you tell us about these upcoming projects?

‘A Working Man’ came about from my sheer fan excitement for Jason Statham and ‘Night of the Zoopocalypse’ was a wonderful kids primer for horror. Wild idea. Expose 5 year olds to John carpenter ideas. It’s fun. As I mentioned, I’m currently shooting the HBO limited series ‘DTF St. Louis’ with Jason Bateman. It’s got ‘White Lotus’ vibe. There’s murder and sex and weathermen.

full look LEVI’S
sunglasses OLIVER PEOPLES

What’s a role or genre you haven’t explored yet but would love to?

I have yet to do a straight up horror film and would love to. There’s so much about the modern world that terrifies me, you don’t even need a monster.

You’ve been involved in charity work, especially with the Back On My Feet program. Can you tell us more about why this cause is important to you?

Back On My Feet is an extraordinary program. They give back in such a unique way. It’s moving to see people who don’t trust that things are going to be ok, show up and make the leap of faith that maybe things will turn out ok. It’s really quite a profound leap.

TEAM CREDITS:

talent DAVID HARBOUR
photography PHIL CHESTER & SARA BYRNE
styling ORETTA CORBELLI
grooming RACHEL BURNEY at The Wall Group
styling assistant ALLEGRA GARGIULO
editor TIMOTEJ LETONJA
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN

IN CONVERSATION WITH DAVID HARBOUR

IN CONVERSATION WITH BORIS BREJCHA