TL; DR:
- Millie Bobby Brown came of age in February.
- the stranger things The star says she’s noticed more sexualization since she turned 18.
- Brown talked about growing up in the spotlight and discovering feminism.
Most associate Millie Bobby Brown with the telepathic young eleven of stranger things. However, the actor has come a long way since his debut on Netflix. And according to her, growing up in the spotlight has presented troubling challenges, including coping with increased sexualization now that she has reached a certain age.
Millie Bobby Brown recently turned 18
Although Millie Bobby Brown became a household name at 12, six years have passed since stranger things first first. The actress celebrated her 18th birthday in February and recently opened up about the big event.
During an appearance on the Los Angeles Times’ The Guilty Feminist podcast, Brown admitted that growing up in the spotlight hasn’t been easy:
“Any 18 year old has to deal with being an adult, having relationships and friendships, being loved and trying to fit in. That’s a lot, and you’re trying to find yourself doing that. The only difference is, obviously, I’m doing it in the public eye. So it can be really overwhelming.
Balancing the usual coming-of-age struggles with stardom isn’t the only hurdle, either. According to Brown, there’s a much darker side to all the publicity she’s had to deal with, especially since she was 18: being sexualized online and in the media.
‘Stranger Things’ star says she’s struggled with sexualization since ‘she came of age’
As Millie Bobby Brown opened up about her experience of turning 18 on The Guilty Feminist podcast, she touched on a much darker side of coming of age in the “public eye”.
the stranger things The star told Deborah Frances-White and Susan Wokoma that she saw “a difference between how people act and how the press and social media reacted” towards her. Part of that has to do with people sexualizing her, which she notes many young girls and women fall victim to.
“I think it shouldn’t change anything, but it’s gross and it’s true,” Brown continued. “It’s a really good representation of what’s going on in the world and how young girls are sexualized. I dealt with this. But I’ve also been dealing with this forever.
And Brown’s awareness of sexism dates back to his time working on Enola Holmes. The actress revealed she first encountered feminism while starring in and producing the Netflix film.
Millie Bobby Brown discovers feminism at 17
It’s true, Millie Bobby Brown says she became “seriously aware of sexism” around the age of 17, while working on Enola Holmes. Fortunately, her experience on this set did not inspire her to explore movement. However, The Guilty Feminist podcast played a role in her discovery.
“I was a little scared of the word, actually,” Brown recalled. “I was like, ‘I don’t really understand. And I need to know more. I need to become knowledgeable.
A Google search led her to The Guilty Feminist, kickstarting her education on the subject. And feminism is not the only subject stranger things star is a lawyer for. She is also an ambassador for UNICEF, speaking out on a variety of issues she believes in. This way his passion shines through on and off the screen.
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