Millie Bobby Brown has in recent years had to face an age old problem for child stars: your fans not wanting you to ever grow up.
Ever since her role as Eleven on Stranger Things shot 12 year-old Millie to fame in 2016, she’s been navigating the rocky path from child star to adult superstar. Despite the scrutiny she’s under, Millie’s own behavior has been mostly scandal free.
Yet there’s always been a lot of tension around and directed at Millie – and much of this centers on mixed feelings about her getting older and becoming more adult. Fans have a strong attachment to Millie’s beloved signature character, Eleven, and from the start of Millie’s public appearances for the show, some have found it jarring that Millie’s personality is apparently quite different from Eleven’s.
Eleven also has a childlike innocence, and even in later seasons retains a not-overly-sexualized, often boyish presentation. Meanwhile, here’s been a lot of controversy and debate around whether Millie should be dressing and presenting as a woman (we all remember the ‘omg she looks 40!’ freakouts.) But that’s kind of an odd criticism since trying to look a bit more grown up than you really are is a pretty normal part of being a teenager.
Millie has managed to walk this tightrope beautifully: coming into adulthood at a pace that works for her, being open about how uncomfortable attention from creeps makes her, and continuing to play Eleven impeccably. It’s been aspirational to see her rise to the occasion and make the circumstances work for her.