Confidence goes a long way — just ask Stranger Things‘ David Harbour.
During his Wednesday stint on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the actor shared a hilarious story about meeting Madonna for the first time. Harbour starred in the 2011 historical romance drama W.E., which Madonna directed.
“It was a real Cloak and Dagger type of experience,” he began. “I got a call from a casting director that I knew very well, saying, ‘They’re putting together a top secret movie read through, but you just have to show up at the Saint Regis [hotel in New York City] and go in this room and all will be revealed.'”
Harbour wanted to know why he had to go and was told, “The director really liked you in this movie Revolutionary Road — you have a sex scene in it — and… they thought you were sexy.”
So, he showed up at the hotel and “in walks Madonna.”
Instead of feeling intimidated or star-struck, Harbour admitted the first thought that went through his mind was, “Wow, Madonna thinks I’m sexy!”
Harbor further revealed Madonna wanted everyone to call her “M” during the read. But he “was a punk kid” who was “so excited and so cocky,” he deliberately called her Madonna.
“It was a truly, harrowing, exciting experience,” he said of the audition, which ended with him being cast as real life British shipbroker Ernest Simpson in Madonna’s movie.
Harbour also recalled being invited to one of Madonna’s parties, where he danced with her to one of her songs. The actor joked he wants that written on his tombstone.
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