David Harbour said he was told Madonna wanted him to audition for her movie because she thought he was 'sexy' in 'Revolutionary Road'

• David Harbour said he was told Madonna asked him to audition for her movie "W.E."
• He told "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" she saw him in 2008's"Revolutionary Road" and thought he was "sexy."

Actor David Harbour said he was told Madonna wanted to cast him in her 2011 movie "W.E." because she thought he was sexy.

The 47-year-old star recently appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to promote his Christmas action flick, "Violent Night," when he discussed working with Madonna. Harbour said that when he was approached for the role it was very secretive, calling it "a real cloak-and-dagger type of experience."

He explained "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 St. Regis and go in this room, and all will be revealed. And I was like, 'This is really weird and creepy.'"

The casting director told Harbour that the mystery director had seen his work in "Revolutionary Road," and was impressed by it. He said he was told: "'You have a sex scene in it, and they thought you were sexy.'"

The actor said he expected the likes of Ridley Scott or Martin Scorsese to be working on the project, so he was taken by surprise when Madonna walked in.

He said: "And so all weekend, I was literally thinking about Ridley Scott and Martin Scorsese. I show up at the St. Regis, and I get in the room, and there's a bunch of other New York actors there, and in walks Madonna, who's directing this movie."

Harbour instantly realized that this meant Madonna requested him to audition for the role.

He said: "The first thing that flooded over me, I was like, 'Wow, Madonna thinks I'm sexy.'"

"W.E.," is a historical dramatization of the real-life romance between Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) and King Edward VIII (James D'Arcy). Harbour played Ernest Simpson, Wallis' second husband.

The actor said "W.E." was "not a terrific movie," but he called it "one of the coolest things I've ever done." He said he was even invited to Madonna's birthday party.

He said, "She came in, and she was in like this gorgeous, emerald dress. And then the party started, and she put on sweatpants, and they just cranked Madonna music. I danced with Madonna to Madonna music. On my headstone, that is it!"

Harbour is currently known for his role as Chief Hopper in Netflix's "Stranger Things," which he joined in its first season in 2016. Previously he appeared in movies including "Brokeback Mountain," "The Green Hornet," and "Between Us."

Representatives for Madonna did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.