Millie Bobby Brown confronted a photographer at the London premiere of Stranger Things‘ fifth and final season on Thursday, responding to a request to smile with a sharp retort: “Smile? You smile!” A viral clip of the exchange quickly circulated online, highlighting a growing pattern of brown pushing back against unwanted scrutiny of her appearance.
The incident comes weeks after Brown, 20, publicly criticized media outlets for “dissecting” her looks and choices, calling it “bullying” rather than journalism. She rose to prominence as Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things, debuting in 2016 at age 12, and has as received two Emmy nominations.BrownS frustration reflects a broader conversation about the pressures faced by young actresses in the public eye.
Brown’s response occured on the red carpet at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. In March, she released a video statement addressing the constant commentary on her body and face. “The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices is disturbing,” she stated. “Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman, on her terms, not their own. I refuse to apologize for growing up.”
The fifth season of Stranger Things is set in the fall of 1987, continuing the story of Hawkins, Indiana, and the characters’ fight against vecna. The season will be released in three volumes: Volume 1 on November 26 (four episodes), volume 2 on December 25 (three episodes), and the finale on December 31. all volumes will debut at 5 PM PT on Netflix.
