26 Facts About The Beautiful Stranger Things Star, Millie Bobby Brown
When we first saw her, she wasn't yet a blip on the radar. The young girl couldn't have been more than just a mere tot when she was first spotted on the small screen, but for eagle-eyed fans of brilliant acting work, Millie Bobby Brown was someone who would one day be huge in Hollywood. She first turned heads as the (very) soft-spoken, tormented, and psychokinetic Eleven in the Netflix hit original series Stranger Things.
The show revolves around a group of boys in the 1980's who go on a hunt after one of their friends mysteriously disappears in their small town. They end up getting in over their heads when supernatural, and nefarious, things start happening and they're forced not only to fight for their lives but for the life of the mysterious Eleven who steps into aide the boys in their search.
The first season of the show, created by the Duffer Brothers, premiered in 2016 and instantly shot the young stars, including Brown, to fame. It also revived the careers of Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and later on in the second season, Sean Astin and Paul Reiser. While the entire young cast has stolen the hearts of people all over, Brown stands out in her wide-eyed innocence and precocious nature.
Here are 26 things that you didn't know about the genius that is Millie Bobby Brown.
26 She's Besties With Aaron Paul (He And His Wife Even "Adopted" Her)
It's not just normal folks who are diehard fans of the Stranger Things kids. So many famous people have tripped up over themselves in order to meet the cast, mainly Millie, who has turned into a little darling of young Hollywood. One of these famous people happens to be Aaron Paul of the Breaking Bad empire. Paul played Jesse Pinkman, the young, punk, sidekick to Brian Cranston's famous Walter White in the AMC drama.
Paul and his wife Lauren had been vocal about their admiration for Millie on Instagram and the three finally met up for dinner and posted a picture of the adorable event. The three even joked that the couple “adopted” Millie. “Had a wonderful evening with Aaron and Lauren!” Millie captioned on Instagram under the dinner pic. “Love my #fakeadoptedparents.”
25 Who Is She Dating? (You'd Be Surprised)
Okay, so we'll admit - it is a little weird when people become obsessed with who is dating who in Hollywood, but it's even weirder when people talk about who kid celebrities are dating. And Millie is no different. At 14-years-old, it was revealed that the young starlet was rumored to be in a relationship with 15-year-old singer-songwriter Jacob Sartorius. Earlier this year, the two even exchanged “I love you's” on Instagram when celebrating Millie's 14th birthday. “Happy birthday to this beautiful girl, 14!!” Jacob captioned, along with a picture of the two of them together. “you're the funniest, most caring person in the entire world. I hope this year brings you lots of great memories and moments you remember forever. Can't wait to see you, I love you and miss you so much!! @milliebbrown.” Awwwww.
24 She's Already A Style Icon
If you follow her Instagram feed, you already know that most are comparing the young actress with another tiny, short-haired beauty and fashion icon: Audrey Hepburn. Even at only 14, fashion magazines all over the world have featured Millie and her undeniable style. “This Stranger Things actress is well on her way to becoming THE fashion icon of the youth generation - not to mention adults as well,” Teen Vogue said in a feature about her back when she was 13. “She's always polished, always poised, but doesn't hesitate to rock a playful pair of overalls or (an) edgy leather jacket on occasion. In short, she's everything we want to be when it comes to our wardrobe.” And because she's still so young, we can look forward to seeing her style evolve in the years to come.
23 She's OBSESSED With The Kardashians (And They Are Obsessed Back)
It all started last year when Khloe Kardashian took to Twitter to announce that she and boyfriend Tristan Thompson had fallen in love with Stranger Things like the rest of the world. Shortly afterward, Millie went on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and revealed that she was obsessed with Keeping Up With The Kardashians. “I follow them on social media,” she told Fallon. “I think that they are just, like, really great. They're so entertaining.” Earlier this year, Millie got to meet Kim Kardashian, who Snapchatted the meeting. “You guys, look who I'm hanging out with on this Good Friday!” Kim said to the camera as Millie waved next to her. It was a joy to all their fans that the two finally met considering their admiration for each other and each other's talents.
22 Her American Accent Is So Good, So Many People Are Fooled
If you didn't know this, well you do now: Millie Bobby Brown is actually British. That's right, the American accent she perfected and uses for Eleven (and a lot of her television work) is fake. She spent four years of her young life in the UK before she moved to Orlando, Florida to begin her acting career. Casting directors were so taken back when she would audition because she showed a skill set that only adults showed. When she starred as the young Alice in ABC's pilot episode of Once Upon A Time In Wonderland, showrunner Zack Estrin was so impressed by her that he actually wrote an episode for her in order to specifically bring her back. “She walked on the set like she was born on it,” he told The Post. “She was the most confident child I had ever seen.”
21 She Was Born In Spain
She's still so young, but Millie is extremely worldly. She was actually born in Marbella, Andalusia, Spain. “Brown grew up a bit in Bournemouth, England, a bit in Orlando, Florida, a bit in Vancouver, and a bit in Los Angeles, where she sort of still lives and where she began acting in television shows in 2013,” Interview magazine said when they did a profile on her after Stranger Things seemed to take over the world. She was actually interviewed for the magazine by her best friend, dancer Maddie Ziegler. During the interview, Ziegler was surprised to find out that her bestie was born in Spain. “Is this the first time you've read my biography?” Brown joked. “I was born in Spain. I thought I told you this many times before, Maddie Ziegler.”
20 Guess What? Drake Is ALSO One Of Her Besties
You can say that Millie has no shortage of celebrity friends. Sure, we've mentioned Aaron and Lauren Paul, and the Kardashian clan, Maddie Ziegler, but did you know that Miley Cyrus, Cara Delevingne, Emma Watson, Paris Jackson, and even Drake himself are not only massive fans but also now friends with the young star? “Drake is my man,” Millie told E! News. “He's amazing.” The two ended up meeting after one of his shows backstage. “This moment was amazing,” she said of meeting the rapper finally. “I was in his dressing room with his whole family. He invited me to the show. He was having a fanboy moment, I was having a fangirl moment, and I'll never forget it.” It's good to know that it's not just the regular fans who have extreme moments of excitement over meeting a celeb.
19 Stranger Things Was Not Her First On-Screen Role
Sure, when we first saw her on Stranger Things, we like to assume that it was her first role based on her shockingly young age. While “overnight success” sounds really good to us, it's hardly true in Millie's case. Her acting debut was on ABC's Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, which was a spin-off of Once Upon a Time. After that, she went on to star in the BBC America drama-thriller Intruders, which also starred John Simm, Mira Sorvino, Tory Kittles, and James Frain. It revolved around a former LAPD detective who stumbles upon a secret society while investigating a strange case. Millie played Madison, a nine-year-old girl whose body is taken over by the ghost of a dead killer. Basically, Millie had to act like she was a grown man when playing the part, which had to have been a kick for her.
18 Fans Of Grey's Anatomy Will Know Her
ABC's hit medical drama Grey's Anatomy has been on for so long, that people probably have forgotten some very famous names that have starred on the show (some who starred on it before they hit the big time). Stars like Mandy Moore (who appeared in one of their most traumatizing episodes where a madman ran loose in the hospital) and Abigail Breslin (she played a little girl who couldn't literally feel pain) and even Elisabeth Moss during her early Mad Men days and before A Handmaid's Tale. Millie is in good company because she played a young girl named Ruby who is coached by one of the doctors over the phone to save her mother after they're both trapped during an earthquake. The doctor in question told Ruby to sing “Stayin' Alive” while doing CPR in order to successfully do it.
17 … . Same With Fans Of Modern Family
There are a lot of actors who have started out as “extras” on certain shows, and those people have gone on to become super famous. An extra is usually a background actor who has very little or no dialogue in a television show or movie. Even though she had played speaking roles before going onto the comedy series Modern Family, everyone knows that even a tiny, minor part, on the Emmy-Award winning series is better than nothing right? Millie appeared briefly (it's a literal “blink and you'll miss it” moment) in the 17th episode of Season 6 titled “Closet? You'll Love It.” She played a little girl named Lizzie whose bike gets stolen by Manny Delgado (played by Rico Rodriguez). Even though the scene was all too brief, it was comedy gold.
16 Are All The Kids On Stranger Things Really Friends?
Whenever we see characters who are supposed to be close friends on the big or little screen, we all like to think that they're truly besties in real life. When it comes to all the Stranger Things kids, we REALLY want to believe that. Thing is, it appears to actually be true. The young cast: Millie, Finn Wolfhard (Will Byers), Gaten Mazzarato (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucus), and Noah Schnapp (Mike) apparently have a very tight bond both on and off the set and prove it on social media. When they aren't shooting, they tend to dedicate photo montages to each other on Instagram (like one Millie did after filming wrapped for Stranger Things 2). Different sites and magazines, such as Bustle have even done pieces revolving around the bond between the kids.
15 She HATES All The Kissing Scenes She Has To Do On Set
In case you hadn't heard, Millie's first kiss (ever) was actually on the set of Stranger Things. In the season one finale (spoiler alert here), Millie's character Eleven kisses Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and it happened to be Millie's first kiss. “It was a strange experience,” she told People back when she was 13. “Having 250 people looking at you kissing someone is like, 'Whoa!'”. Millie famously told Jimmy Fallon that she wasn't a fan of the on-screen kissing and wasn't fond of the Police's song “Every Breath You Take”, which was playing over the scene when Eleven and Mike kiss again during the end of the second season. Apparently, the song gives her goosebumps, but not in a good way. What's awesome is that she's able to joke about it now.
14 She Voluntarily Shaved Her Entire Head
If you're a fan of Stranger Things, you're aware Eleven rocks a shaved head. Millie actually did that in real life and even posted the moment on Instagram. “The day I shaved my head was the most empowering moment of my whole life,” the young actress posted in a caption. “The last strand of hair cut off was the moment my whole face was on show and I couldn't hide behind my hair like I used to. The only image I had in my head about what I could possibly look like is Charlize Theron in Mad Max. As I looked at myself and couldn't see my old self, I realized that now; I have a job to do and that is to inspire other girls that your image or exterior part is not what I think is important. What I find important is caring, loving, and inspiring other girls.”
13 She Also Raps Too
If you have yet to see the video where Millie goes on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and drops some sick bars, you're in for a treat. Mille actually performs a rap where she literally just recaps season one of the show. Her rap basically covers all the major plot points, like the shaved head (almost dead), demogorgons, the evil Dr. Brenner, and, of course, waffles. “All I need is my Eggo waffles/ I'm in love with those/ what I'm left with when I use my powers is a bloody nose/” Those who watch the series know that basically the only food Eleven will actually eat is Eggo waffles, which has turned into a running gag of sorts. And as for the bloody nose line - Eleven, whenever she uses her powers, grows weaker and gets a bloody nose.
12 What Are Her Thoughts On Playing A Young Princess Leia?
Back after the first season of Stranger Things premiered and Millie was a hit, people started asking her about roles she'd like to play in the future, and one stuck out the most. The role of a young Princess Leia of Star Wars fame. As we know, Princess Leia was brought to life by the late Carrie Fisher and after she passed, fans expressed interest in having an origin tale of a young Leia. And who would be perfect to play her? Why Millie of course. At Emerald City Comic Con, Millie expressed interest in playing the role - you know, if it actually gets made and she was offered the role - when asked who she would want to play. “Princess Leia. If they made - I think they are making another Star Wars - I would love a role like that. Because I want to do something far from Eleven.”
11 She's Basically A Social Media Queen
Even though she's only 14-years-old, Millie is actually already better at social media than most adults. In fact, she's so good, that she actually rules the tally of most popular actors based on data (from Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc). The Hollywood Reporter listed the Top Actors chart and Millie kept the lead for two weeks in a row. But being the Queen of All Things Social Media can have its pitfalls. Co-star David Harbour, who plays Eleven guardian police chief Jim Hopper, told DailyMail.com that he thinks Millie might be getting unwanted attention thanks to her social media status. “She's in the cross-hairs of something extremely dangerous that nobody seems to be paying attention to,” he said. With her brains, however, we're pretty sure she'll be able to keep her wits about her while online.
10 She Relishes In Her Zodiac Sign (Pisces)
Sometimes, for those of us who aren't really in sync with the zodiac, we can often think we're one astrology sign when we're in fact another sign altogether. This happened to be the case with Millie, who for a while believed that she was an air sign when she is actually a water sign. “I'm right on the cusp,” Millie explained to Variety. “So I thought I was an Aquarius and got a temporary tattoo that lasted for three weeks of the Aquarius sign, but really I found out I was a Pisces. Fun fact.” For those who don't know astrology, Pisces' are actually very emotional signs, who are often known for their extreme compassion and caring nature. So it seems very appropriate that Millie happened to be born under that specific sign.
9 She's A Producer Even Though She's Only 14
Recently it was revealed that Millie was actually going to be taking on the role of producer, thus making her the youngest producer in Hollywood history. She is going to be producing and starring in a series of films based on the Enola Holmes Mysteries, which is based on Nancy Springs popular books. Millie, of course, will be taking on the title role of Enola, who happens to be Sherlock Holmes' younger sister. She will be producing the movies through PCMA Productions (yes, she has her own production company), thus making her the youngest to ever be given a producer credit (when it comes to feature films, anyway). This is a massive break for her already stellar resume. It probably won't be long before we see her move to directing and writing as well.
8 Wait? She Loves Boxing?
Back in a GQ feature that focused on a day in the life of Millie, it was revealed that she actually takes boxing lessons. “She's ready for another lesson: Muay Thai boxing, which she does every day,” the writer says. “Despite the pleas of her publicist, who reminds her that she's been feeling sick-a concern Brown responds by completely ignoring-we're up from the table, and one of us is ready to spar. Her face corkscrews in concentration.” She then started teaching the writer assigned to profile her some boxing moves. “Hands up. All the way up,” she says. “Protect your chin.” The writer then goes on to describe Millie's poise and demeanor during the quick lesson, referring to her as a “patient teacher” and very focused.
7 A Hollywood Scout Literally Discovered Her
We always heard about stories like these in the form of jokes and/or caution tales about attempting to become an actor or actress in Hollywood: That if you're patient enough, you'll eventually be “discovered” and put in a big budget movie. Yeah, that almost never happens in real life. Keyword here though when it comes to Millie, is "almost" never happens. When she was younger, her parents had actually signed her up for acting classes as “something to do” on Saturdays. It was there where a Hollywood talent scout “discovered her”. “She has instincts you cannot teach,” the scout said to her parents and told her that Millie could “mix it with the best kids in Hollywood.” They took the scout's advice and the rest is history.
6 She Gets To Work With Her Actual Hero (Winona Ryder)
If you noticed in the first season of the sci-thriller, Eleven and Joyce Meyers didn't have that much screen time together, which was a shame since Millie and actress Winona Ryder have an abundance of chemistry. In the limited screen time they did have together, their bond was rich and loving. It also helps that Millie is in awe of Ryder as an actress and a role model. “Her talent and drive [are inspirational]” Brown said. “She is just such an incredible actress, but also a really amazing person.” When they attend functions outside of the set, they look so adorable together in photographs. It's clear that there's a lot of respect, love, and admiration between the two. And, of course, they didn't end up sharing much screen time AGAIN in Season two - but their reunion was tearful and wonderful at the same time.
5 A LOT Of Money Went Into Making Her Dream Come True
At this point in time, Mille is on top of the world and money is the last thing that's on her list of concerns - but in the past it actually was. If you noticed, Millie's family hopped around A LOT in order to make her dreams come true, and when you're constantly moving, it takes up not only a lot of energy, but it costs a lot of money too. At one point they were struggling financially and had to borrow money from Millie's manager. “I was devastated,” she told Daily Mail. “I wasn't getting work. I thought I was done.” The reason why she wasn't landing as many parts as she wanted was because casting directors were informing her that she was too “mature” for her age. Luckily for all of us, Eleven was also ahead of her years, so the role suited Millie perfectly.
4 Her Knowledge Of 80's Movies Helped Land Her The Part
Don't we all wish it was a part of “our” jobs to simply watch movies all the time in order to do research? Well, it just so happens it was Millie's love of horror movies and 80's movies that helped her research Eleven. In fact, her love of 80's movies may have helped her land the famous role itself. After she had sent in a few different audition tapes to the Duffer Brothers, she met up with both the duo and casting director Carmen Cuba via Skype. But they didn't really discuss the show. “We actually spoke about 80's movies and were talking about what my favorite things to do are, and what music I listen to,” Millie said during an interview with Deadline. From that, they knew they had to meet the young girl in person.
3 She's Smarter Than Your Average Teenager
This year, TIME magazine released its yearly “100 Most Influential People” issue, and Millie was actually named 2018's youngest most influential person on the list. Aaron Paul was actually the one lucky enough to pen the piece about her. Both first met when she was 12 and he wrote that “It was like speaking to a future mentor with a perspective and groundedness that I could only have dreamed of at that age,” the actor wrote. “Or at any age.” He then talks about her abilities on the screen. “She somehow understands the human experience as if she has lived it for a thousand years. I'm proud to know her. To call her a friend. To call her my adopted daughter.” His words have never been truer.
2 So Many Celebrities Want To Work With Her
Whenever an actor happens to run into Millie on the red carpet, they're constantly swooning over her and, more often than not, tend to fanboy (or fangirl, like Drake did) out whenever they're in her presence. Of course, she does the same thing as well. Actors like Zac Efron (who she did a Snapchat story with) would love to work with the talented young actress, and who can blame them? Even though she steals the camera every time she's in the frame, she manages to bring out the best in her co-stars - even in spite of her limited lines in Stranger Things. It's hard to think of an actor not getting completely excited to have the chance to work with this precocious young woman.
1 She's Turning Into One Of The Most Positive Young Role Models There Is
These days, with the rise of reality television, it's hard to find good young role models out there. She supports some stand-up causes (she gave a touching shout out to the students of Parkland during the Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards) and is wise beyond her years according to everyone who has ever met her. Her ambition and drive are extremely influential to those young children who are looking to break into the industry and she shows that you should never give up on your dreams. Writers doing profiles on Millie often talk about her poise and grace when she's speaking to adults and how she can switch it up at any time - one minute she's acting like a wise-beyond-her-years adult, and the next giggling over something trivial (she is just a kid, after all). We can only hope to see her influence grow in Hollywood the older she gets.
References: eonline.com, usmagazine.com, teenvogue.com, nypost.com, interviewmagazine.com, people.com, bustle.com, youtube.com, wmagazine.com, popbuzz.com, dailymail.co.uk, variety.com, telegraph.co.uk, gq.com, huffingtonpost.com, deadline.com