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Stranger Things Star David Harbour Reveals How Hopper Will Change in Season 4


David Harbour who plays Chief Hopper in Stranger Things, saw his character taking a protective role over Eleven (played by Millie Bobby Brown), eventually becoming her adoptive father, and the Season finale ultimately showed him seemingly sacrificing himself to save her. Even though it looked like Hopper died at the end of Season 3, a Season 4 teaser already confirmed that Hopper had just been transported to Russia, forcing him on his own journey away from Eleven and other friends from Hawkins, Indiana.

Stranger Things Season 4 David Harbour
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Credit: Netflix

During a recent episode of That Scene with Dan Patrick podcast, Harbour talked about the relationship he has built with Brown since the series started in 2016.

"Millie and I have always had sort of a special relationship because I knew her when she was so young. I knew her before any of this big fame hit," the 46-year-old actor said.

Harbour clearly has a special place for his costar. "I have a real protective feeling for her. I have a real, like, worry," he added. "I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with. And I've just always felt this kind of deep fatherly affection for her."

Harbour also talked about his character's arc in Season 4, revealing that he brings Hopper "back into the warrior realm" rather than focusing only on his parenting duties.

"One of the interesting things about Hopper this season — although you do see a lot of that fatherly stuff is — I did want to take him back into the warrior realm because there's something as you get to be the dad role where, you know, it's a bit like the dad gene," he explained.

"You start to become less of a viable presence in the world," Harbour added. "They're more like, 'Oh, dad' — like someone who people are humiliated by, and like, I'm not quite ready for that. I still want to be, like, a presence."

Related: Stranger Things Season 4 Will Have "Insane Storylines", According to Star Caleb McLaughlin

Last October, Netflix announced that Stranger Things had resumed production on Season 4 after the COVID-19 pandemic halted filming earlier in 2020. The streaming giant hasn't announed an official release date for the upcoming season yet, but it's expected to release later this year.

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