David Harbour has reportedly dropped out of Tony Gilroy’s forthcoming drama, Behemoth!, following the whirlwind press tour that concluded Stranger Things.
The 50-year-old was set to star alongside Pedro Pascal and Olivia Wilde in the film, but Searchlight Pictures confirmed Tuesday that he exited the production.
His role has reportedly been recast, according to Variety, but the new actor has not been announced.
Gilroy, who is known for directing the Jason Bourne movies and the Star Wars series Andor, has said in interviews that Behemoth! revolves around a cellist. The movie will also star actors Matthew Lillard and Eva Victor. According to the film’s official logline, the plot “follows a musician from a family of musician who returns to Los Angeles. A love letter to the music of the movies and the people who make it.”
Harbour reportedly cited his mental health when he backed out of the movie,Variety said, due to being overwhelmed by the attention surrounding the divisive series finale of the hit Netflix show, which released its last episode on December 31.
After five seasons across nine years, the conclusion of Stranger Things brought the ensemble cast of the science-fiction show back into the spotlight in a major way.
Harbour, who played police officer Jim Hopper on the long-running show, was arguably the actor most featured in headlines due to the extremely public fallout over his divorce from singer Lily Allen, along with viral rumors about a feud between him and co-star Millie Bobby Brown.
Nevertheless, Brown and Harbour put on a united front ahead of the series release, posing together on red carpets and praising each other in interviews.
Harbour missed most of the Stranger Things press tour while he was filming a new movie with Courtney Cox.
Harbour has previously been open about his mental health journey, including opening up about being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
“I was diagnosed at 26 as bipolar after an episode that landed me in an institution,” the actor said in 2022. “I have been struggling with the medical model of mental illness for a long time. I started to really get into talk therapy around the particular trauma, and I find that narrative and stories, dealing intellectually and emotionally with personal trauma, has been far more liberating to me than hospitals and drugs.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
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