David Harbour finally gives verdict on Lily Allen’s break-up album
The Stranger Things star has spoken candidly about hearing music inspired by the collapse of his marriage while also opening up about mental health struggles and life under public scrutiny.
David Harbour thinks it was “weird” to hear music inspired by the collapse of his marriage to Lily Allen after the release of her break-up album.
The actor, 51, has broken his silence on his 41-year-old singer ex Lily’s deeply personal recent record, saying the version of events presented in the songs was not his own experience.
David addressed the release of Lily’s West End Girl album during an interview with Variety, months after the release of the record that chronicles the emotional fallout from the end of his relationship with the singer.
Speaking about hearing the album, David said: “It was weird. I do believe that it is the privilege of every artist to use their experience to create art, and so I respect her for doing that.
“I can’t really say that much more, because it’s my private life.”
The actor said he remains determined to keep details of the relationship private despite intense public interest.
He added: “In spite of the fact that a lot of people don’t allow me a private life – I value it. And I also value the lives of the people that I interact with privately. I just won’t speak about that.
“Stories are complex, and that’s why I say I respect her creation of art to channel her experience. It wasn’t my experience.”
David and Lily met on the celebrity dating app Raya and married in Las Vegas in 2020 before separating in early 2025 after four years of marriage.
Lily has previously described the West End Girls album as a “mixture of fact and fiction” and cautioned listeners against treating its lyrics as “gospel”.
The comments come as David prepares for the final season of Stranger Things, the Netflix phenomenon that turned him into a global star through his portrayal of Chief Jim Hopper, while Lily continues to discuss the personal experiences that informed her latest music.
Lily’s 14-track album was reportedly written over a period of 10 days last December and contains lyrics touching on infidelity, heartbreak and emotional conflict.
Before marrying David, Lily was married to builder Sam Cooper from 2011 until their divorce in 2018.
The new Variety interview also saw David discuss his mental health struggles.
He has spoken openly in the past about living with bipolar disorder and revealed he experienced what he described as a breakdown late last year.
David said: “I had a breakdown. I do suffer from some confusing stuff – it’s confusing as hell. I think a lot of people have a friend or a brother or a co-worker that deals with mental health stuff, and they’re probably pretty confused when that person gets depressed or gets manic or has an episode.”
The actor continued: “Under times of extreme stress, that can cause somewhat erratic behaviour, and it’s embarrassing, and I’m ashamed of it. It’s not something I choose, and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.”
David added his condition can be both a challenge and a source of creative inspiration.
He said: “I do feel like, for some of us, our gifts are inextricably linked with our illnesses. To have a nervous system that reacts to the world in a too-delicate way can allow me to have that moment that I love on the swings with Jason Bateman in DTF St. Louis.
“But it can also force me, in moments of extreme stress, to act a little weird.”
David, who is also known for roles in Black Widow, Violent Night and the Hellboy reboot, said he remains focused on moving forward despite public scrutiny surrounding both his personal life and Lily’s album.
He said: “You can like me, not like me, yell about me – whatever I mean to you. But I’m just going to try to put the best foot forward, and try to put out things, in the midst of all of my difficulties.”
