I grew up a huge fan of Norris, Chan, Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Ford back in the late ‘80s; martial arts, sci-fi, and action movies were my way out of the mundane, suburban streets of the greater Detroit area. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the kind of instant access to actors, directors, and other creative types in the entertainment industry that we enjoy today. So, I lived vicariously through niche magazines like Black Belt, Fangoria, and Starlog — starving for any random behind-the-scenes bits or movie-star interviews I could find. 

The funny thing about those old-school magazine articles: they were shallow, seldom revealing much beyond what you saw on the screen. But I wanted to know how Norris trained, if Schwarzenegger hated Stallone, and how Chan pulled-off those crazy stunts — this was the stuff that fed my fanboy interests!

Naturally, I love today’s many online venues like Reddit’s AMA, Instagram, and other interactive sites where fans can engage with their heroes. The Internet and social media have changed everything about fan culture and the immediacy of information. 

For example, one of the bigger entertainment and social phenomenons of last year, which was also a total throwback to ‘80s action/horror/sci-fi, was Netflix’s Stranger Things. A show that was as much an homage to the ‘80s as it was a child of the Internet age and binge-media. From the day of its release, Stranger Things developed a rapid following that has only grown deeper and more passionate since Netflix dropped Season 1 last July.

RELATED: Stranger Things 2 – First Plot Details Revealed!

Undoubtedly, one of the coolest characters in Stranger Things was the bold and unconventional Sheriff Jim Hopper, played by actor David Harbour. His punch-first, small-town cop was an awesome blend of Snake Plissken, John McClane, and Indiana Jones. In a recent Q&A with Mogul, Harbour talks about Stranger Things Season 2, his favorite music, and other cool, random stuff.

Harbour talked about his relationship with the Stranger Things kids and how the show’s success has affected them:

“The kids are all great, but the success of the show has created a new complexity for them that they are all grappling with.  I don’t know what its like to be a 12 year old with 3 million Instagram followers.  its gotta be tough on the soul of someone so young.  my hope is that they all continue to grow and develop their talents and keep their heads above water amidst all this.” 

Harbour shares a few insights about the coming season too:

“I’ve seen a lot of Episode 1 and have seen a lot of the shooting at the monitor and I can honestly say that I am so excited for you all to see this season.  its so fun and dark and complex.  the characters all get to deepen and develop and we get to take on even greater demons (inner and outer)… Episodes 4 and 5 are pretty epic.  Last year I felt they were the slowest of the season and this season, 4 and 5 are incredible.  The story moves so fast in the middle and the tension is so high.”

Harbour explains what attracted him to the role of Hopper:

“The character reminded me of a lot of brash, messed up leading men characters I admired from the ‘70s and ‘80s. The guys Nick Nolte, Harrison ford, Jack Nicolson and Gene Hackman played in their younger days.  it was a dream to me to play homage to that.  he’s just such a rich character, one of the most fun to play of my whole career.”

Finally, Harbour talks about the spontaneity and loose atmosphere on the set:

“We don’t rehearse much, but we’re all so comfortable with each other that we take risks naturally intuitively and quickly so there isn’t much need.  I do a lot of work outside rehearsals to be ready, but once we shoot we are pretty quick about it all. Fun to live in the spontaneous nature of whatever happens happens.”

We live in a pretty amazing era of film and television. Interacting with our favorite stars and creatives, hearing the inner thoughts, and expanding their story worlds only forges greater connections with the fans. I can’t wait for Stranger Things Season 2.  

What do you think of Harbour’s comments? Let us know in the comments down below!

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SOURCE: Mogul