When David Harbour began his acting career in 1999, he was making guest appearances on major primetime television shows before going on to appear in Stranger Things. Unbeknownst to Harbour, he’d go on to star in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as bring home a myriad of prestigious awards for his work. David Harbour’s career has run the gamut from a guest to a major motion picture star.
David Harbour currently has more than 30 films under his belt and continues to add to the list. Harbour’s supporting roles include roles in films such as Brokeback Mountain, Suicide Squad, and War of the Worlds. Harbour learned from each supporting role he played and used those roles to grow in his career. Now he’s the main star in his movies, but there is still much to learn about David Harbour.
1. David Harbour’s Early Roles Were All Supporting Roles
From the start, David Harbour was a supporting actor. It’s not uncommon for actors to get their start as the sidekick, the guest star, or the supporting role, but Harbour spent years playing alongside major leads. It wasn’t until he’d been in the business for approximately 20 years that he landed his first starring role in a major motion picture. Before that, though, Harbour’s role as Jim Hopper in the Netflix phenomenon Stranger Things made him a household name.
2. Harbour’s First Leading Role Was Hellboy
David Harbor became a household name after his starring role in Stranger Things. He began starring in the series in 2016 as the Chief of Police, and he’s survived longer than most. His success on the show began to change the game for David Harbour. Instead of being tapped for yet another supporting movie role, Harbour was cast as Hellboy in the movie Hellboy.
Harbour’s title role in Hellboy was followed by a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Black Widow. He played Alexei Shostakov, who is also known as Red Guardian. A year later, Harbour landed the lead role in the horror film Violent Night. Harbour’s days of supporting roles are finally over.
3. David Harbour’s Awards and Nominations
Since landing the role of Jim Hopper on Stranger Things, David Harbour’s name has been a regular during awards season. He was nominated for five Screen Actors Guild Awards for Stranger Things and won in 2017 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Additionally, Harbour has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award. David Harbour has earned two Primetime Emmy Awards for his role in Stranger Things, but he’s never won.
4. David Harbour Is Santa Claus
There are specific roles that many actors are excited to play and that can be written, re-written, and made again and again. Santa Claus is one of them. Tim Allen was Santa Claus in a series of movies designed for the entire family. David Harbour’s portrayal of Santa Claus is not for the entire family. Harbour’s Santa is a murderer who spends his spare time not making toys but killing mercenaries in horror film Violent Night, which was released in 2022. It’s not the typical Santa story, but David Harbour told it well.
5. Harbour Studied Drama At A Private School
David Harbour’s childhood was spent in New York. He was born and raised in White Plains to parents who are both in the real estate industry. Following his graduation from Byram Hills High School, David Harbour chose to study drama. He was accepted into Dartmouth College, which is a prestigious private school in the Ivy League family.
While at Dartmouth, Harbour didn’t stop at studying drama. David Harbour minored in Italian. Harbour also spent time in a fraternity. He’s a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He put his drama degree to good use since graduating with it.
6. Harbour Began His Acting Career On Stage
David Harbour is famous for his supporting roles but did not begin his acting career in the movies or on television. Harbour’s first role as a professional actor was on Broadway. He landed a role in the Broadway revival of The Rainmaker in 1999. That role led to television appearances and movie roles, but Harbour did not end his stage career despite landing television and movie roles.
David Harbour starred in theater productions every year from 1999 until 2013. He did not make a stage appearance in 2014 or 2015. Harbour returned to the stage in 2016 as Tim in Cal in Camo. After that, he didn’t return to the stage until 2022, when he played Michael in Mad House. In 2005, David Harbour starred in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He was Nick, and his role earned him his first and only Tony Award Nomination for Best Feature Actor in a Play.Harbour was cast as Hellboy
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