Millie Bobby Brown is standing up for herself—and for all the young girls who are growing up on their own terms. The 21-year-old British actress responded to comments and reports online calling her "too old for her age," or so we quote, "ageing badly," following her recent public appearances.
On March 4, 2025, Millie expressed her sentiments over the issue through an Instagram video. As of writing, her video has garnered over 3.7 million views. "I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny. I think it's necessary to speak up about this," she began.
The Stranger Things star noted that people are ridiculously nitpicking her just because she has grown up to be the woman that she wants to be. "I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can't seem to grow with me. 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 1. And because I don't, I'm now a target," he continued.
With awards season in full swing in the US, celebrities are gracing numerous red carpets in their most glamorous outfits—and Millie is no exception. She was spotted at the recent SAG Awards sporting luscious blonde hair, which matched with her custom Louis Vuitton dress with a flowing train no one can miss. When she's off the red carpet, she's been trying out various '90s outfits and proudly posting them on her Instagram.
It was a refreshing new look for Millie—but some people are just too focused on thinking that it's not supposed to be how she should look, well, according to their standards.
And so, Millie goes on to mention the exact headlines and the writers who published them. "Let's talk about the articles, the headlines, the people who are so desperate to tear young women down," she said.
Millie firmly proclaimed, "This isn't journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it's disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse."
The actress fights back through her words, putting an end to all the criticisms. "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 calls on the public to do better and move away from becoming a society that uses criticisms as a knee-jerk reaction—instead of just celebrating women and people from all walks of life, no matter how they choose to present themselves.
"Let's do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing. Thank you," she concluded.
Millie Bobby Brown's career
At merely 10 years old, Millie was catapulted to stardom as one of the lead cast members of the hit Netflix series, Stranger Things, where she portrayed Eleven. Millie—along with the other cast—basically grew up making the show, and in turn, the audience watched them grow up through their screens.
It's a no-brainer that a lot of people (even I) would be surprised to see child stars in their full-grown, matured personas already. But it's definitely not a reason to pull them down just because one refuses to see them in a new light—which sadly has been the case for Millie.
So, you see, aside from the well-loved Stranger Things, Millie has already been making a name for herself outside the series. She top-billed her own films already, like Enola Holmes (which already got a part two) and also Damsel. She's a badass in all of those films.
Moreover, she also published a novel in 2023, titled Nineteen Steps. Millie is also an entrepreneur in her own right since she owns Florence by Mills, a lifestyle brand in the States. On top of all that, Millie is now happily married to the love of her life, Jake Bongiovi.
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