A report on X suggested that David Harbour was reportedly absent during the press tour of Stranger Things Season 5 due to Millie Bobby Brown‘s alleged harassment complaint. As the cast of the Netflix series promoted the show over the last month, Harbour was notably missing from the promotions.
David Harbour is reportedly not present at the press tour pic.twitter.com/juMltdNkJI
However, the speculation that he pulled out of the press tour after Brown’s alleged complaint became public appears to be wrong. A source with knowledge about the situation told E! News that Harbour was never confirmed for the interview junket.
The outlet also reported the possible reason for Harbour’s absence, sharing that he was currently in production on Courteney Cox’s movie Evil Genius. According to Deadline, Cox is stepping in to direct this movie about the pizza bomber case, and Harbour will star alongside Patricia Arquette.
It was also reported that Harbour will reportedly join his co-stars during the season five premiere in Los Angeles on November 6.
Millie Bobby Brown’s Alleged Harassment Complaint Against David Harbour
David Harbour plays ex-police chief of Hawkins, Jim Hopper, who adopted Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven in Stranger Things. The report from the Daily Mail claimed that Brown filed a complaint with the streamer ahead of the fifth and final season of the show.
The anonymous source told the outlet that there were “pages and pages of accusations” where Brown accused Harbour of “bullying and harassing” her. Harbour was allegedly subjected to an internal inquiry after her formal complaint.
According to the report, the outcome of this internal inquiry remains undisclosed, but it did not involve any s*xual misconduct. A source told the outlet:
Mille Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months.
The report emerged at a time when the streaming giant is looking to make Stranger Things into a big theatrical event. A source within Netflix told Daily Mail that the streamer wouldn’t respond to the allegations, adding that they were focused on the show’s finale.
They shared, “It will be a theatrical event. Nothing is going to overshadow this, not even the leading man’s private life.” Another insider with information on the matter told Daily Mail:
It’s unfortunate that Mr Harbour’s personal woes have hit the headlines at a time when Stranger Things fans were looking forward to a global celebration to mark the end of the groundbreaking show.
The outlet also reported that Harbour’s estranged wife, Lily Allen, supported him during the inquiry. The source shared with the outlet, “Lily supported him throughout it all. It was a brutal time.” This allegedly happened before Harbour and Allen went their separate ways last December.
It was also alleged that Brown had a personal representative on set throughout the filming of the fifth season. The first half of the season is set to drop on November 26, 2025. The second half will premiere simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix on December 31, 2025.
Millie Bobby Brown’s Recent Comment on David Harbour Before Daily Mail Report
A recent comment from Millie Bobby Brown suggests an entirely different story, one that fans are already privy to before the allegations surfaced. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Brown only had great things to say about her onscreen dad.
Brown shared that she and the Thunderbolts* star connected on a different level when she starred on the show. She stated that she annoyed her co-star like “a daughter or a younger sister.” She shared (via @dailyharbour / Instagram):
David [Harbour, who plays Hopper] and I connected on another level. He always looked out for me, and I always annoyed him like a daughter or a younger sister. I was always trying to climb all over him and he was always rolling his eyes and laughing at me.
She further went on to say that the bond between Eleven and Hopper in the show mirrored the actual relationship they had in real life. She shared, “I think that’s kind of how the El and Hopper relationship really started to develop in the show – it was mirroring our actual lives and our actual relationship.”
It also appears that the two stars are still following each other on Instagram, despite the ugly allegations that were brought up against them. Some fans claimed that it was proof enough that there was never any real issue between Brown and Harbour.
This account seems to contradict the report of the Daily Mail. During a podcast appearance in 2021, Harbour shared his fatherly feeling towards Brown. He shared on an episode of That Scene With Dan Patrick that he had “a real protective feeling for her” (via EW). He added:
I have a real, like, worry. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with. And I’ve just always felt this kind of deep fatherly affection for her.
The new scandal is a major headache for Netflix, especially during the grand finale of their show. Harbour is also part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, which means Marvel will also have to deal with the aftermath of these allegations.
Do you think David Harbour will clear the air with his appearance at Stranger Things Season 5 LA premiere? Let us know in the comments below!
Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 1 will drop on Netflix on November 26, 2025.
