Are Stranger Things' David Harbour And Winona Ryder Friends in Real Life?
When Stranger Things hit our screens in July 2016 no one quite imagined just how successful the show would be.
After examining viewing behavior, Netflix discovered that episode 2 of Season 1 was when viewers got hooked – this is because they became invested in the story and wanted to find out what happened to Barb. The popularity of the show can be put down to fans loving the characters as well as the exciting plot. Two such characters that viewers have always been invested in are Jim Hopper (David Harbour ) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder).
Joyce and Hopper – their on-screen relationship as #Jopper
Joyce and Hopper have had great chemistry from the start. Their relationship is one that's somewhat tumultuous and it's likely we'll see bumps in the road in Season 5 too. Though they know each other from high school, they first come together in Stranger Things Season 1 to investigate Will's disappearance, and they manage to break into the infamous Hawkins Lab.
Season 2 sees a continuation of their adventures with Hopper investigating underground tunnels before aiding Joyce in a mission to release Will from the possession of the Mind Flayer. In Season 3, Joyce convinces him to help her determine what's behind some faulty magnets. However, it's during this season that we see a problematic side to Hoppe when he berates both Joyce and Eleven. There's also a lot of sexual tension and bickering.
Known collectively as Jopper, the pair are often the subject of fan fiction.
Winona and David – their off-screen relationship
Some six years ago, there was a lot of excitement when David Harbour did an AMA (ask me anything) on the Stranger Things subreddit.
When asked about what off-screen relationships were like, Harbour responded that they generally "live" their characters. As such, he described he and Winona as having a "deeply loving and complicated relationship." He went on to say they would be mad at one another, fight, then be happy again.
So, what can we deduce from Harbour's comments about his relationship with Winona? It's probably safe to say that the pair have a mutual appreciation of one another and are friends in real life – even if they do have little squabbles here and there like their on-screen characters.