Just as the much-anticipated final season of Stranger Things gears up for release, a storm has erupted behind the scenes. Actress Millie Bobby Brown has reportedly filed a formal complaint accusing her on-screen father figure, David Harbour (who plays Chief Jim Hopper), of “bullying and harassment” during the lead-up to production of Season 5.
According to multiple outlets, the complaint was lodged before filming commenced for the final season. Reports say the dossier consisted of “pages and pages of accusations.” In response, Netflix quietly initiated a months-long internal investigation.
While the full findings remain undisclosed, the investigation reportedly did not involve claims of sexual misconduct. In light of the complaint, Brown is said to have been accompanied by a personal representative on set throughout filming of the final season.
Harbour, age 50, who has portrayed the tough but caring Hopper since the show’s 2016 debut, finds himself navigating a double front: the large-scale production of one of Netflix’s most expensive series (rumoured budget ~US$400 million) and now this workplace dispute.
Brown, now 21, has matured from a child star into a main lead and entrepreneur, but reports say the environment on set behind the scenes hasn’t always mirrored the on-screen warmth between the characters Eleven and Hopper.
Netflix and representatives for Brown and Harbour have not issued public statements confirming the complaint or the investigation. A Netflix insider reportedly told one outlet, “It will be a theatrical event. Nothing is going to overshadow this, not even the leading man’s private life.”
The finale of Stranger Things will be released in three volumes: Volume 1 on November 26, 2025; Volume 2 on December 25, 2025; and the final episode dropping on December 31, 2025.
