Millie Bobby Brown has not only cemented her place in the entertainment industry; she has also proven that no amount of media scrutiny can bring her down.
The Stranger Things breakout star has been under intense press spotlight while growing up in the public eye, yet she continues to show remarkable confidence and assertiveness when dealing with the media, especially in moments of intrusion or disrespect.
So, here are five iconic moments when Brown snapped back at the press and proved she bows to no one.
“Smile? You Smile!”
Brown graced the London premiere of Stranger Things Season 5 with poise and confidence, but it seemed the paparazzi weren’t satisfied with her presence alone.
As she posed for photos, some photographers demanded that she “smile.”
Known for staying true to her emotions, Brown appeared fed up with being treated like an object during photo ops. She snapped back with a sharp retort: “Smile? You smile!” before walking off the red carpet, brushing off the expectation that she should always perform for the cameras.
The moment sparked a wave of reactions online, but many quickly came to the British actress’s defense, praising her for speaking up and refusing to be pushed around.
“Don’t Play with Me”
Brown recently had a tense run-in with photographers while carrying her baby daughter upon arriving at The Ivy Soho Brasserie ahead of the Stranger Things Season 5 UK screening.
As she stepped out of the vehicle with her baby in her arms, followed by her husband, Jake Bongiovi, co-star Noah Schnapp, and a bodyguard, she did her best to avoid the cameras.
The 21-year-old star appeared visibly irritated when one photographer became pushy. She shot him a cold stare, raised her voice, and warned, “I’m holding my baby. Do not play with me right now.”
For context, Brown previously revealed that she and Bongiovi are committed to keeping their child out of the spotlight.
“For me, it’s really important to protect her and her story,” she said in the December issue of British Vogue, “until she’s old enough to potentially one day share it herself.”
In fact, they didn’t even want to reveal her name until “she’s ready to decide for herself.”
“If she chooses to share her personality one day with the world, like I did when I was young, that’s something we’d support,” she continued. “But right now, as she’s so little—as her parents, it’s our job to protect her from that.”
“Get off my f***ing case”
Brown is growing increasingly exhausted by the constant commentary about her body and appearance. In March, she boldly called out tabloids, media outlets, and journalists for dissecting her “face, body, and choices.”
She even posted an Instagram video addressing the headlines that mocked her looks during the press tour for her Netflix movie The Electric State.
"It's, like, get off my f---ing case, you know? I am 21. I am going to have fun and play and be myself," she told British Vogue. "I can't silence the 500 million people behind their phones. So what is the realistic route here? I think it's just uplift and empower young people. Can we fight back harder? Can we instill self-love and confidence into girls to be able to believe in themselves no matter what anyone says? That I can do. That I will do."
Calling Out Hyper-Sexualization
There’s no denying that the media has had an inappropriate fixation on Brown’s appearance since she was a child, which she has repeatedly and bravely called out.
In a 2022 interview on the Guilty Feminist podcast, she opened up about being sexualized as a young celebrity and the overwhelming experience of growing up in the public eye.
“Any 18-year-old is dealing with navigating being an adult and having relationships and friendships and ... being liked and trying to fit in,” she said. “It’s all a lot, and you’re trying to find yourself while doing that. The only difference is that, obviously, I’m doing that in the public eye, so it can be really overwhelming.”
She also criticized tabloids and social media for sexualizing her, especially after she came of age.
“I believe that that shouldn’t change anything, but it’s gross and it’s true, and ... it’s a very good representation of what’s going on in the world and how young girls are sexualized,” she added.
Defending Child Actors
Brown isn’t just defending herself; she’s also speaking up for young women and fellow young actors.
Having been under the public’s critical eye since starring in Netflix’s Stranger Things at age 11, she believes strongly that child actors need better protection within the industry, especially after her salary was leaked to the public in February.
“It just puts children in a really dangerous situation,” she told Vanity Fair. “I think everybody’s a little bit too lax about the way that children are brought up in the industry. I grew up with a lot of eyes on my parents, but I feel that those were the people that protected me the most.”
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