David Harbour was not the first choice to play Chief Jim Hopper in Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things, creators Matt and Ross Duffer have revealed.
Speaking on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Duffer Brothers said actor Billy Crudup was initially considered for the role before passing on the project.
“I’m pretty sure I was second choice, and I don’t know who I was second choice to,” Harbour said in a video question during the interview. “Maybe I was third choice? But would you please answer the question of how I came to be cast as Chief Hopper, and who had to say no to allow me to do that wonderful, incredible role.”
After Horowitz guessed the role may have first gone to Josh Brolin, Matt Duffer clarified: “No, it was Billy Crudup, which is a very different — like, everything happens for a reason, right? So it’s like, once it kind of clicks into place … But yeah, Billy Crudup passed. I don’t think he was doing much TV at the time.”
Ross Duffer said Harbour secured the role almost immediately after auditioning.
“And then David just — honestly — he just came in and one of our casting directors thought he could be great for the role,” Ross Duffer added. “But he came and read and 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 went on to become one of the central figures of the series, portraying Hawkins police chief Jim Hopper, who evolves into a surrogate father figure to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).
Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in 2016 and concluded its five-season run in 2025. The series has won 12 Emmy Awards and remains eligible for contention again this year.
The franchise has since expanded with the animated spinoff Stranger Things: Tales from '85, which has been renewed for a second season, and a Broadway prequel production slated for a future feature release.
Crudup currently stars in The Morning Show on Apple TV+, a role that has earned him two Emmy Awards. In 2017, he also appeared alongside Naomi Watts in Netflix psychological thriller series Gypsy.
