The celebrity divorce landscape just got a dramatic soundtrack. As fans gear up for the final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things on November 26, David Harbour is finding himself squarely in the spotlight, not for his acting prowess as Jim Hopper, but for the bombshell allegations dropped by his estranged wife, singer Lily Allen, in her new tell-all album, West End Girl.
While Allen’s album has been dubbed a “masterpiece” by some reviewers, it is the scandalous content—laying bare the purported reasons for the couple’s divorce last December—that has captured everyone’s attention.
The Bombshells of West End Girl
Allen, 40, certainly did not hold back in her first album in seven years. The record details the dissolution of their four-year marriage, alleging that the 50-year-old actor was unfaithful.
Key tracks like “Tennis” and “Madeline” seemingly exposed the brutal truth of the split. Allen suggests that although they had some version of an open relationship, the arrangement required Harbour to “Be discreet and don’t be blatant” and that it “had to be with strangers”.
The Not Fair hitmaker accused Harbour of crossing the line with a woman referred to as “Madeline,” who was later revealed to be costume designer Natalie Tippett, who worked with Harbour on the 2021 film We Have a Ghost. Tippet, a single mom, confirmed she was aware of Allen’s music, stating the situation was “a little bit scary” for her.
Beyond cheating, Allen also accused her ex-husband of gaslighting, lying, and even questioned whether he was a “sex addict”. In the song “Pussy Palace,” she sings about discovering evidence of a “double life”, including a shoebox full of “handwritten letters / From brokenhearted women wishing you could have been better” in his New York apartment, alongside sex toys, butt plugs, lube, and “hundreds” of condoms.
Adding fuel to the fire, Allen took a “savage dig” at Harbour on Halloween by dressing up as the beloved children’s literary character “Madeline”.
Harbour’s Measured Response: “All Part of the Journey”
Amid the relentless media frenzy, Harbour has remained tight-lipped regarding the specific allegations of infidelity. However, in an interview conducted prior to the album’s release, the actor reflected on his five decades of life, particularly as he turned 50 this year.
When asked about regret, Harbour offered a candid, philosophical take, saying he would “change either everything or nothing”.
He continued: “You either accept your path completely and realise that even the pain and the slip-ups and the mistakes are all part of the journey, and that there’s truth and growth, wisdom and deeper empathy and connection in all that". He likened his life to a “house of cards,” noting that trying to change one thing means changing it all.
For Harbour, these “slip-ups” appear intrinsic to his identity as an artist. He stated that if he were to change everything to make his life “happy and silly,” he “wouldn’t be an artist anymore. And that would suck”.
Looking Ahead
Harbour appears focused on his future, predicting his next 50 years will be “full of more stories that are complex and rich”.
While avoiding comment on Allen’s explosive claims, the Stranger Things star indicated his focus is on moving forward personally, too: “Then, of course, there’s personal stuff that I want to do, and people that I want to love, and be good to and nurture, things like that”.
The tension between Allen’s public accusations and Harbour’s non-response is reminiscent of a theatrical performance itself. Like a carefully composed stage play, the public is left to decode the narrative, choosing whether to focus on the raw, explosive truths laid bare by Allen, or to appreciate the stoic, artistic reflection offered by Harbour. Either way, the drama surrounding the star couple ensures that the final season of Stranger Things will share the headlines with some very real-life darkness.