David Harbour Had To Get Prosthetic Fat Face After Losing Weight Before Stranger Things 4

Warning: Major Stranger Things Spoilers lay ahead

David Harbour has opened up about the technicalities of filming flashback scenes for Stranger Things after losing a significant amount of weight.

The 47-year-old plays the role of legendary Jim Hopper in the hit Netflix supernatural series.

Hopper begins the series as Hawkin's Chief of Police, but his role soon develops into that of a father-figure for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) a love interest of Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and in many of the episodes - but particularly the last episode of season four - a Demogorgon-slaying hero.

Harbour has since revealed the intense transformation process he underwent in the fourth season after he lost a significant amount of weight for the scenes after his character's 'death', only then to have to adorn prosthetics for a series of flashback scenes.

In a post on Instagram, Harbour explained he suggested to the Duffer brothers - the writers of the series - that at the end of season three, they should 'shoot the flashbacks post 'death'' because of the issues there would be with continuity after him losing so much weight.

The actor continued: "But they hadn’t been written yet. Luckily, we had the miraculous @barriegower come in and give me the ‘fuller hopper’ face.

"I hate prosthetics, but Barry/team made it as painless as possible. The results speak for themselves."

Harbour also used the post to 'shoutout' the head of the makeup department Amy Forsythe for 'augmenting, overseeing and being all around generous with the process'.

"And the talented hair chief @sarahhindsgaul who sat down with our gulag ‘barber’ and tested and tested and made sure we could shave my real hair cleanly and theatrically efficiently to catch on camera," he added.

The actor reflected on the prosthetics process: "We only had one shot at it."

In an interview with GQ, Harbour revealed he lost 'about eight pounds from season three' to season four in order to accurately portray Hopper struggling to survive in the harsh conditions of a Russian prison.

The actor noted he went from 'about 270' to 'around 190' pounds in just eight months, doing pilates and practising intermittent fasting to help him achieve his desired weight loss for the role.

However, the actor added that he has since 'gained' all the weight back.

Harbour also explained how he doesn't have any plans to change his weight so drastically for a role ever again due to how successfully the Stranger Things' team was able to use prosthetics to alter his appearance.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy/@dkharbour/Instagram

Topics: Netflix, Stranger Things, TV and Film, David Harbour

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.