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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lauren Del Fabbro

David Harbour breaks silence on Lily Allen album: ‘I respect her for doing that’

David Harbour has said that while his experience wasn’t the same, he respects Lily Allen for her album West End Girl (James Manning/PA) - (PA Archive)

Stranger Things actor David Harbour has broken his silence on his ex-wife, singer Lily Allen’s album, saying: “I respect her for doing that”.

The 51-year-old was the subject of a media storm late last year after Allen, known for hit songs Not Fair and Smile, detailed Harbour’s alleged infidelity and the breakdown of their marriage in her fifth studio album West End Girl.

Lily Allen was married to Stranger Things star David Harbour and detailed his alleged infidelity in her album West End Girl (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Archive)
Lily Allen was married to Stranger Things star David Harbour and detailed his alleged infidelity in her album West End Girl (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Archive)

Released in October, the US actor has remained silent on the topic until now, claiming that the contents of the record “wasn’t my experience”.

Speaking to Variety, he said: “It was weird.

“I do believe that it is the privilege of every artist to use their experience to create art, and so I respect her for doing that.”

“I can’t really say that much more because it’s my private life.

“In spite of the fact that a lot of people don’t allow me a private life — I value it. And I also value the lives of the people that I interact with privately. I just won’t speak about that.”

David Harbour doubled down when asked about the allegations made in Allen’s album, claiming that ‘it wasn’t my experience’ (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)
David Harbour doubled down when asked about the allegations made in Allen’s album, claiming that ‘it wasn’t my experience’ (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

When pressed about the claims Allen made in the album, he added: “Stories are complex and that’s why I say I respect her creation of art to channel her experience.

“It wasn’t my experience.”

Harbour starred as small town police chief Jim Hopper in all five seasons of the hit sci-fi Netflix series alongside Millie Bobby Brown and Winona Ryder.

He now appears as the tender Floyd Smernitch in the dark comedy DTF St Louis, about a love triangle between three middle-aged adults but one of them ends up dead.

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