‘Stranger Things’ creators reveal one star was second choice for role

It is safe to say everything worked out for the best regarding the cast of Netflix's hit series Stranger Things—provided, of course, you enjoyed how the show wrapped up.

The Casting Mystery

While fans often speculate about character arcs, the real drama recently centered on the casting of Chief Jim Hopper. David Harbour, who became synonymous with the role, recently sat down with Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz to get some long-overdue answers from series creators Matt and Ross Duffer.

During the interview, which you can view via this clip from the Happy Sad Confused Instagram, Harbour pressed the brothers on his hiring process. Harbour admitted, "I’m pretty sure I was second choice, and I don’t know who I was second choice to—maybe I was third choice? But would you please answer the question of how I came to be cast as Chief Hopper, and who had to say no to allow me to do that wonderful, incredible role."

Setting the Record Straight

Horowitz initially threw out Josh Brolin's name as a potential candidate, but the Duffer brothers were quick to shut that down.

"No, no, no, no, no no," Matt Duffer clarified. "It was Billy Crudup, which is a very different—like, everything happens for a reason, right? So it’s like, once it kind of clicks into place. But yeah, Billy Crudup passed. I don’t think he was doing much TV at the time."

It is clear the team at 205focus.com agrees that Harbour eventually made the role of Hopper his own, proving that the casting process—while circuitous—landed exactly where it needed to.