David Harbour Slams Method Acting as Pointless and Risky
David Harbour takes aim at method acting, calling it both silly and hazardous, while reflecting on his career beyond Stranger Things and his views on Daniel Day-Lewis’s intense approach.
Quick challenge: can you recall a single role David Harbour has played apart from his turn as Chief Hopper in Stranger Things? If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Perhaps you vaguely remember him as a hard-hitting Father Christmas in a festive action film—Violent Night from 2022, if you’re curious. The sheer scale of Stranger Things has made Harbour almost inseparable from his Hawkins alter ego, and it’s easy to forget his varied career outside the Upside Down.
Yet, Harbour’s work stretches far beyond the Netflix phenomenon. He’s dipped into the superhero genre more than once, most recently as Red Guardian in Thunderbolts, a Marvel film that slipped by with little fanfare—possibly a victim of superhero fatigue or its resemblance to Suicide Squad. He also donned the horns for the 2019 Hellboy reboot, a project that earned him a Golden Raspberry nomination rather than critical acclaim. Harbour’s imposing presence and knack for physical roles have seen him cast in a fair few punch-ups, a glance at his filmography confirms as much.
Stage Roots and a Broader Repertoire
But there’s more to Harbour than action sequences. With two decades in television and theatre, he’s taken on roles with far more nuance. In 2005, he was up for a Tony for his performance in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, a play known for its sharp dialogue and emotional depth. He’s also tackled Shakespeare on stage and appeared in a host of television dramas, showing a range that goes well beyond brawling antiheroes.
His breakout as Hopper eventually brought him a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, cementing his reputation as a performer with genuine skill. Yet, Harbour is quick to dismiss the notion that acting demands total immersion or the so-called method approach. Reflecting on his early days, he admits,
“When I was younger – it’s so embarrassing – but I remember playing that famous Scottish King (Hamlet) and being like, ‘I’m gonna kill a cat’ or something: ‘I’m gonna go murder something to know what it feels like to murder.’ I didn’t actually do it, obviously. Not only is that stuff silly, it’s dangerous, and it actually doesn’t produce good work.”
Views on Method Acting and Daniel Day-Lewis
Even the legendary Daniel Day-Lewis, known for his all-consuming preparation, fails to sway Harbour’s opinion. When asked about Day-Lewis’s famously intense process, Harbour remarked,
“He’s an extraordinary actor who I’m captivated and fascinated by. (But) when he explains his process, it sounds like nonsense to me.”
It’s safe to say you won’t find the two actors sharing a quiet pint and comparing notes on Hamlet any time soon—especially considering Day-Lewis’s abrupt exit from the stage after a particularly overwhelming performance in 1989.
Current Projects and What’s Next
Harbour remains firmly in the spotlight, with the much-anticipated final series of Stranger Things on the horizon. He’s also set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, joining a star-studded cast. And for those who enjoyed his turn as a not-so-jolly Father Christmas, there’s more to come—Violent Night 2 is already in the works.