David Harbour of 'Stranger Things' brought the house down with an epic SAGs speech

Erin Jensen | USA TODAY

Did you need some motivation for Monday? David Harbour has you covered. For a million Mondays to come.

The Stranger Things actor stepped to the mic during Sunday's SAG Awards when the cast won for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series and delivered a speech that was like a supersized energy drink in word form.

"I would just like to say, in light of all that's going on in the world today, it's difficult to celebrate the already celebrated Stranger Things, but this award from you who take your craft seriously and earnestly believe, like me, that great acting can change the world is a call to arms from our fellow craftsmen and women to go deeper. And through our art to battle against fear, self-centeredness and exclusivity of our predominately narcissistic culture and through our craft to cultivate a more empathetic and understanding society by revealing intimate truths that serve as a forceful reminder to folks that when they feel broken and afraid and tired they are not alone. We are united in that we are all human beings and we are all together on this horrible, painful, joyous, exciting and mysterious ride that is being alive. Now, as we act in the continuing narrative of 'Stranger Things,' we 1983 midwesterners will repel bullies. We will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home. We will get past the lies. We will hunt monsters and when we are at a loss amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per Chief Jim Hopper, punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the weak and the disenfranchised and the marginalized. And we will do it all with soul, with heart, and with joy. We thank you for this responsibility. Thank you."

Backstage, Harbour said his speech went "through many iterations."

"I’ve had a lot of feelings and thoughts this past week," he added, "and I wanted to express it in some way."

Harbour shared that he talked to some of his co-stars about what he planned to say, though from the look of Winona Ryder's many faces it doesn't appear she was forewarned.

“We were at dinner the other night, it was Cara (Buono) and the teens and myself," he said. "I was like guys, I wanna say this kinda crazy speech, I wanna run it by you … They did assure me that it was an OK thing to say and it wasn’t pretentious.”

And there you have it.