Stranger Things' David Harbour on dramatic 34kg 'transformation'

Stranger Things star David Harbour has opened up about his insane 34kg transformation for the role of Jim Hopper, who is imprisoned in Russia between the events of seasons three and four.

The 47-year-old took to Instagram to reveal the truth behind the transformation and what it took to get there.

"Many of you have asked about Hopper’s physical transformation from season 3 to season 4," he wrote alongside some before and after pictures. "My trainer @davidhigginslondon worked with me for 8months to make the transformation, and then another year to keep it through the pandemic. All told it was a difficult and exciting ride, changing diet and exercise plans (or lack thereof)."

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David shared that he was hovering around the 120kg mark when he began his transformation and eventually made it down to 86kg when they shot season four.

He then revealed that he had gained weight to play Santa Claus and has to lose it once again to play Hopper, adding it's not healthy to be doing this all the time.

"Recently ballooned up again to play jolly ole St. Nick in a flick I can’t wait for you to see this holiday season, so I am struggling to fight back down towards a good weight for wherever hopper ends up in season 5," he wrote. "All this up and down is not good for the body, and I’ll have to give it up soon, but it is such a fun part of the job to live in a different version of your skin for a while."

Speaking with British GQ earlier this year, David said he isn't so keen to gain weight again after having lost it for Stranger Things.

"I don’t think I’ll ever do that again," he said. "I have this Santa Claus movie coming out for Universal in December and I gained [it all back]. But now, yeah, never again. The prosthetics are too good."

He also shared with the publication that he shed the weight by utilising techniques like intermittent fasting and doing Pilates.

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