David Harbour
Spill Sesh/Youtube Screenshot

David Harbour is used to fighting monsters, but he's now facing a public relations war on two fronts. Just as the Stranger Things star's reputation is reeling from his ex-wife Lily Allen's bombshell new album, which is loaded with allegations of infidelity, a separate, career-damaging complaint has suddenly surfaced.

It's no coincidence, RadarOnline.com can report, that harassment charges from the set of Stranger Things have suddenly come to light. The actor is facing a double whammy of bad publicity, which sources describe as a 'heartbreaking' and targeted attack.

Publicity experts are calling the 'strategic timing' of the leak anything but accidental, suggesting it was 'purposely timed' to 'wreck' him at his most vulnerable moment.

Allegations From Hawkins: David Harbour and the Millie Bobby Brown Complaint

Harbour, 50, is trying to save his career after his Stranger Things co-star Millie Bobby Brown, 21, accused him of 'bullying and harassing' her on set ahead of the show's much-anticipated fifth and final season.

The actor, who plays the beloved ex-police chief Jim Hopper and the adoptive father of Brown's character Eleven, was reportedly the subject of an internal inquiry after the British actress filed a formal complaint several months ago.

Insiders said the investigation brought on by Brown went on for months. One source revealed, 'Mille Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations.'

The situation was allegedly so tense that the young star reportedly had a personal representative with her on set throughout the filming of the final series. While the outcome of Brown's complaints remains undisclosed, sources confirm the claims did not involve any sexual misconduct.

David Harbour and Lily Allen
David Harbour and Lily Allen pose for a selfie Voice/Instagram

David Harbour and the 'Calculated' Album Drop

This on-set complaint is now exploding publicly, and it comes hot on the heels of Allen's new album West End Girl. The record is a blistering collection of tracks about betrayal, lust, and heartbreak, featuring some not-so-subtle references to Harbour.

Insiders say the album's timing could once again take away from Harbour's successes.

'It definitely feels calculated,' said one industry source. 'David's on the brink of a major career moment, but instead of celebrating that, he's dealing with headlines about Lily's songs and what they imply. It's landed at the worst possible time for him.'

A friend of the singer claimed: 'Lily was very intentional with this album. After keeping her head down for so long, she wanted to tell her version before David stepped into the spotlight. It's her way of reclaiming the narrative – and making sure he knows she's not to be underestimated.'

Lily Allen
Lily Allen's back with new music Facebook/Lily Allen

PR Crisis: Why This Timing Is No Coincidence for David Harbour

Publicity experts wonder if the sudden 'discovery' of the complaint was 'strategic timing' designed to hit Harbour while his reputation is already destabilised. This leak, piling a professional crisis on top of his personal 'heartbreak,' is being seen as a move 'purposely timed' to 'wreck' his career.

'This situation is especially complicated because David is experiencing multiple, overlapping PR crises,' Alexandria Hurley, founder of ABH Public Relations, told Radar. 'The timing of these accusations being made public — coming just days after his ex-wife Lily Allen's album dropped with references to alleged infidelity — is not accidental.'

So far, Netflix has not addressed the allegations, as the streamer prepares to heavily promote the final season of its record-setting series. Hurley said in this case, silence may be golden for Harbour, as his hands are likely tied.

'Because Stranger Things is gearing up for a major promotional cycle, his response will likely be influenced, if not controlled, by Netflix and contractual communications parameters,' she explained.

The expert said she expects Harbour to take the well-travelled Hollywood route of 'laying low,' avoiding direct comment and letting the news cycle move on.

'The clear intent here was to cause maximum damage to his image,' Hurley noted of the leak's timing. 'Silence alone will not fully repair this, but missteps right now could worsen the narrative,' she added. 'I would not be surprised if he kept quiet until it fades out.'

As David Harbour weathers this perfect storm of personal and professional allegations, he remains silent, 'laying low' as the final season of Stranger Things approaches. While experts and insiders point to a 'purposely timed' attack designed to 'wreck' his career at its peak, the question of the damage—and the truth—remains.