David Harbour is reflecting on the role that transformed his life.

In a recent conversation with PEOPLE Magazine, the actor opened up about how Stranger Things, which premiered on July 15, 2016, became the seismic shift that altered the entire direction of his career.

“None of that would be happening without this role,” Harbour said. 

“This role changed the landscape. It was like an earthquake in my life.”

He went on to explain that the show’s unlikely beginnings and massive global response completely redefined his path.

“I mean, we shot that season. I loved it. It was so simple and kind of low budget when it started, and then people just fell in love with it and really attached to it and it just blew up in a way that I never imagined,” he shared.

“And so in terms of opportunities to tell stories and to create art, I think it’s given me more than any other role in my life for sure.”

Fans will know Harbour is set to return as Hopper in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which picks up in the fall of 1987. 

According to the official synopsis, Vecna “has vanished,” with his plans and whereabouts unknown.

Complicating matters, Hawkins has been placed under military quarantine as the government intensifies its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding.

“As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread,” the synopsis reads. 

“The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”