Millie Bobby Brown has responded to criticism about her appearance during The Electric State press tour, addressing journalists and social media users who have focused on her looks. In a video shared on Instagram, she read out headlines from recent articles and named the writers responsible.
“I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow up with me,” Brown said. “Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things season one, and because I don’t, I’m now a target.”
She listed articles that questioned whether she had “aged badly” and others that commented on her face and overall appearance. “This isn’t journalism, this is bullying,” she said. “The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices is disturbing, and the fact that some of these articles are written by women makes it even worse.”
Brown reflected on her time in the industry, starting at the age of 10 as the breakout star of Stranger Things. She has previously spoken about the challenges of growing up in public, discussing in a recent interview how her unusual upbringing has shaped her social life. “I don’t have many friends, because of who I am,” she told Vanity Fair. “I didn’t go to school, so I don’t have the best social skills when it comes to people my own age and friendships. I struggle with that quite a bit. I missed out on a few things. But I’m working through them.”
She has also addressed how being in the spotlight has impacted her sense of self. In 2022, she stepped away from social media due to the way she was treated online, including being sexualized at a young age. Attention has extended to her personal life, including her recent marriage to actor and model Jake Bongiovi, which has been the subject of debate.
Brown called out the wider culture of criticism aimed at women in the industry, questioning why negative commentary is so prevalent. “We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when it comes down to it, it seems a lot easier to just tear them down for clicks,” she said. “I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman.”
She also pointed to the difference in how male actors are treated, noting that her Stranger Things co-stars Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, and Gaten Matarazzo have not faced the same level of scrutiny.
“We have become a society where it’s so much easier to criticize than it is to pay a compliment,” Brown said. “Why is it the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than just say something nice?”
