Millie Bobby Brown, 22, has shared the profound emotional toll the conclusion of the Netflix series "Stranger Things" took on her, describing it as a period of "slight depression." The British actress, who began filming the show at age 10, recently spoke on the podcast "Happy Sad Confused" about the difficulty of saying goodbye to a role and cast that had been central to her life for a decade.
Brown explained that the extensive time spent with her "Stranger Things" castmates, including David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, and Winona Ryder, meant they became like family. "I started the show when I was 10, and this character was me, and these people were in my life more than my own family," she stated. "I saw these people more than going home and eating dinner with my family. Saying goodbye to that after 10 years was a very, very emotional thing, and I'm going to miss Eleven more than anything."
Amidst these feelings, Brown also expressed concern about the future of her friendships with the cast after filming ceased. She revealed that she apologized to her co-stars for any past upsets, aiming to "mend anything" and ensure their bonds would endure. "I was like, 'We're still friends, right? Like, you're not gonna stop talking to me anymore,'" Brown recalled. "I was like, 'I'm sorry if I ever upset you,' and was just trying to mend anything. 'It's been 10 years, and I really want to be friends. You're my sibling'." She described sitting on a beach and crying, finding it a "very hard time."
This personal reflection comes shortly after a report from the Daily Mail alleged that Brown had filed a "harassment and bullying" complaint against co-star David Harbour prior to the show's final season. Harbour addressed reports of tension in an interview with Variety, characterizing such incidents as akin to family disagreements. He stated that he and Brown have "adore[d] each other and always have" and that any issues were resolved through direct communication. "Once he and Milly cleared everybody out of the way and talked to each other,' they were 'fine,'" the report stated.
Brown and Harbour appeared to put any such speculation to rest, presenting a united front at the "Stranger Things" series five premiere held at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The two were photographed with their arms around each other, smiling, and Netflix shared a video on Instagram of them embracing in front of cheering fans. Brown is currently promoting the third installment of the Enola Holmes film series, in which she reprises her role as Sherlock Holmes's younger sister.