Millie Bobby Brown reflected on the fame she was hit with as a 11-year-old kid after starring in Netflix’s Stranger Things.
The actress shed some light on the challenges she faced growing up in the spotlight after landing her breakout role.
In a candid interview with Vanity Fair, the actress—who will celebrate her 21st birthday on February 19—spoke about the difficulties of navigating fame at a young age, including the impact it had on her friendships, mental health, and body image.
Brown, who rose to global stardom playing Eleven in the hit Netflix series, revealed that while she “always felt protected by her parents and by Netflix too,” she believes the industry should do more to safeguard young actors.
She expressed concerns about childhood contracts being leaked, calling it a serious issue.
“It just puts children in a really dangerous situation. I think everybody’s a little bit too lax about the way that children are brought up in the industry. I grew up with a lot of eyes on my parents, but I feel that those were the people that protected me the most,” she explained.
The Enola Holmes star also spoke about the harsh scrutiny she faced on social media, revealing that online trolling took a toll on her self-esteem.
She recalled how her 18th birthday was overshadowed by a flood of inappropriate content on Twitter, which led her to remove social media from her phone.
“I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is making me feel horrible about myself.’ I deleted it because I was becoming way too obsessed with the idea of becoming someone else,” she admitted.
Despite the challenges of fame, Brown emphasized that acting has always been her passion, saying, “I never wanted to be famous. That was never my thing. I just love acting.”
The actress, who is now married to Jake Bongiovi, son of rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, is preparing for the final season of Stranger Things, set to premiere in 2025.
