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David Harbour was not Stranger Things creators the Duffer brothers' first choice to play the role of Chief Hopper - but after their first choice passed, Harbour wowed the Duffers with an audition that they say immediately cemented him as the character. So who was the actor who passed, and made that possible?

Harbour himself posed the question to the Duffers in a pre-recorded video during an episode of podcast Happy Sad Confused, asking "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?" adding that he's always "run away" when the topic has been broached on set.

"I can't believe he wants us to say this. I believe he was - we did go out to someone prior to David. Someone who'd been less of a supporting actor," said Ross Duffer. "I haven't told him that this is one of his good friends," added brother Matt.

Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz stated that Harbour has confided in him that he believes the Duffers' first choice for Hopper was Josh Brolin, but the showrunners immediately shoot that down.

"No, no no no no no. I'm sorry, I like Josh Brolin, it's just that's not accurate," says Matt Duffer before confirming the actual actor who refused the role. "No, it was Billy Crudup. Everything happens for a reason. So it's like, once it kinda clicks into place. But yeah, Billy Crudup passed. I don't think he was doing much TV at the time. Now he's doing [Apple TV series] The Morning Show."

However, once Harbour got his shot at an audition, the Duffers realized he was perfect for Chief Hopper, citing his force of personality and his commitment to his take on how the character should be portrayed.

"David, he just came in and one of our casting directors thought he could be great for the role. But he came in and read. He just did one take. We weren't even there. We just saw the tape and it was so clear instantly, right? This is Hopper. And we just cast him right then and there," explains Ross. "Classic David, he's wearing a hat down to here. Again, I wasn't there, and he does the scene, and he's great, and our casting director, [Carmen Cuba], goes 'Do you want to do one more without the hat?' And he goes 'No,' and then he just walked out, and we're like 'That's the guy, that's Hopper. Hopper would keep on that hat."

Harbour became a star on the back of his fan favorite performance in Stranger Things, landing the role of Red Guardian in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a role he'll reprise for the third time, after Black Widow and Thunderbolts, in December's Avengers: Doomsday.

As we all collectively wait for Stranger Things season 5, here's the keys to getting ready:

• How to watch Stranger Things in chronological or release order
• Getting to know the Stranger Things season 5 cast
• There needs to be more death in Stranger Things, says co-star Gaten Matarazzo
• The Stranger Things time jump between season 4 and 5 has been confirmed by Netflix - and it raises some serious questions
• "They land the plane," David Harbour describes the Stranger Things finale, which he calls its "best episode"