NPR

'Stranger Things' Star David Harbour Will Take Messy Over Perfect Any Day

"I've always been drawn to characters that are less-than capable, that make me feel not alone in my weirdness," Harbour says. Stranger Things returns for its third season on Netflix on July 4.
"We're all a bit of a mess ..." says David Harbour. "I've always wanted to portray that." Harbour plays the cantankerous police chief Jim Hopper on the Netflix series<em> Stranger Things. </em>It returns for its third season on July 4.

In Stranger Things 3, the citizens of the fictitious town of Hawkins, Ind., have a turbulent Fourth of July ahead of them. But the unconventional teenage protagonists of the show, led by grumpy police chief Jim Hopper, are ready for the challenge.

Hopper is played by David Harbour, a veteran actor who began his career more than 20 years ago. He found success on stage, TV and film, but Harbour didn't land a breakout role until the '80s nostalgia-fueled, sci-fi adventure came along.

Thanks to the show's cult following Hopper and

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