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In this column, Regan discusses celebrity drama and controversies.
The Ship has left the harbor: The sinking of david harbour's career
The Ship has left the harbor: The sinking of david harbour's career
By Regan Snyder
By Regan Snyder
For many actors, landing a role in a popular television show is a one-way ticket to success, wealth, and fame. It all depends on how they play their cards. Maintaining a clean public image and staying out of controversies can be crucial to long-term success. Stranger Things actor David Harbour has distinctly failed this formula with his involvement in a recent drama that may have sealed him into infamy.
Image of David Harbour as Jim Hopper, credits to Vulture
Created in 2016 by the Duffer Brothers, the hit show Stranger Things has garnered $1.4 billion dollars and 1.2 billion views throughout the course of its runtime. When its first season was released, the actors had no idea how much of a success the show would turn out to be. Almost overnight, the cast went from unknown to wildly famous. One of these cast members was David Harbour, who played the police officer Jim Hopper. His character was beloved by fans and his performance was far from lacking. His role should have firmly secured him a place in the acting world, but things took a turn for the worse when his wife, Lily Allen, came out with cheating allegations against him.
After four years of marriage and two children, Harbour’s wife, Lily Allen discovered that her husband had been cheating on her. Released on Oct. 24, 2025, Allen’s album, West End Girl, chronicled the devastation of learning about her husband’s infidelity, as well as her struggle to reclaim her own identity. The album has been well-received, connecting with many women, who view it as a testament to female anger and heartbreak. Allen delves into Harbour's alleged gaslighting, manipulation and narcissism, emphasizing the man's inability to support her in her successes. In a review of the album by Harper’s Bazaar, journalist Ella Alexander writes, “The David Harbour character is a recognizable one — a performative soft boy who talks the talk, but can’t live up to the standards he sets.” Despite how caring he may seem on screen, Allen has made it clear that Harbour is a much different character when the cameras are off.
The situation only worsened when The Daily Mail came out with an article stating that actor Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim against Harbour during the filming of Stranger Things' fifth and final season. According to them, Brown filed “pages and pages of accusations” and “the investigation went on for months.” Despite this fact, no sources know the result of the complaints, and the actors seemed to be on friendly terms on the red carpet. In a red carpet interview with Entertainment Tonight, Brown commented on Harbour, saying, “I obviously had a really special bond with David… it’s been so special to have him along the journey for me.” It is unclear whether this comment came from a place of authenticity or if Netflix, the company in charge of Stranger Things, told her to keep quiet about the allegations to keep the focus solely on the final season of the show. It is uncertain whether or not the truth of this matter will come to light. Regardless, this rumor has only served to further stain Harbour’s reputation.
Recently, Harbour’s mental health has also proven to be an adversary. As of Jan. 2026, Harbour has dropped out of Tony Gilroy's new drama film, Behemoth!, due to his mental health. Harbour has been open about struggling with bipolar disorder, a condition he was diagnosed with at 25 years old. He has previously experienced manic episodes and was admitted to a psych ward around the time of his initial diagnosis. Needless to say, Harbour is careful about his mental health, and has deemed it necessary to step away from acting following the conclusion of Stranger Things.
The combination of drama, allegations, and mental health scares has created the perfect storm for a disastrous career. The current condition of David Harbour’s reputation looks barely salvageable. However, there is no telling what a good rebrand can do. With the right PR team, and a bit of luck, Harbour could find himself back on the way to stardom.
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