The actor opens up about the emotional journey of saying goodbye to the show and the decade-long bond with his castmates.

Reflecting on the End of an Era

November 7, 2025: At the Los Angeles premiere of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things on November 6, star David Harbour described the moment as “beautiful” yet deeply poignant. He noted the significance of the series’ impact—“the fans, the people that love the show, what we’re trying to do this season, how we really want to pay it off, we really want to tell this story.”

But behind the celebration lies a more personal sentiment: “And then at the end of it, it’s also like I just see all these people that I’ve loved and known so deeply for 10 years and we have to move on and let go. And that is life.”

A Career-Defining Role

Harbour acknowledged how pivotal his role as Jim Hopper has been to his career. He described it as transformative: “This role changed the landscape. It was like an earthquake in my life.” Starting from a relatively modest production, the series evolved into a worldwide phenomenon—something Harbour says “I never imagined.”

The role not only raised his profile but opened doors to other major projects. Harbour suggested that none of his current opportunities would have been possible without his work on Stranger Things.

Saying Goodbye to the Family

More than just co-workers, the cast and crew have become a tight-knit family over the show’s nearly decade-long run. Harbour described the emotional complexity of the farewell: “There’s a sadness there. But also, we’ve all grown up.”

He recognised the necessity of the moment: after ten years together, it was time to “leave that nest and try other things and different projects,” allowing both the cast and the show’s creators the freedom to evolve.

What’s Next for Harbour

As the series reaches its conclusion in three parts—Volume 1 on November 26, Volume 2 on December 25, and the finale on December 31—Harbour is already turning his focus toward new ventures. He’s recently wrapped work on Violent Night 2 and has projects in development including Evil Genius and Behemoth! (co-starring Pedro Pascal).

In stepping away from the role that defined him, Harbour is embracing the bittersweet mix of achievement and departure—grateful for the journey, ready for what comes next.