Inside Millie Bobby Brown's Relationships With Her Various Costars
Millie Bobby Brown has always regarded her "Stranger Things" co-stars as family rather than people she merely works with. Because she was homeschooled throughout her childhood, the actor says that she never made a ton of friends while growing up since she didn't have classmates to turn to. So when she was granted the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to act in the sci-fi Netflix series at the age of 11, she had no idea that she'd be making lifelong friendships along the way.
Although the British starlet has nothing but love for her "Stranger Things" cast mates, she admits to the Daily Mail that it's not always rainbows and butterflies behind the scenes. Because she and her co-stars are practically a family at this point, she admits that they're comfortable enough around each other to get into fights, just like brothers and sisters would. "We are siblings," she stated. "We argue all the time." But fortunately, their arguments are lighthearted enough that no one's feelings get hurt.
In fact, the "Stranger Things" cast is so incredibly close, that Brown even has a "marriage pact" with her co-star/BFF Noah Schnapp. "We said if we're not married by 40, we will get married together," the starlet told MTV News. Keep reading to learn more about Brown's adorable relationships with her co-stars on "Stranger Things."
Inside Millie Bobby Brown's relationship with David Harbour
Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour share a heartfelt father/daughter-style relationship behind the scenes of the beloved Netflix series. Just like Jim Hopper and Eleven, Harbour is extremely protective of Brown, and he goes out of his way to make sure she is safe. While some fans of the Duffer Brothers' series have criticized the Hawkins chief of police as being a bit too over-protective of Eleven, Harbour's safeguarding of Brown in real life has been met with much more praise.
The "Hellboy" actor rightfully emphasized how dangerous it can be for a young woman to be exploited by the media. Harbour has a paternal instinct to shield her from the dangers of being in the limelight. He said at the 23rd annual Critics Choice Awards, "I think the developing mind of someone who gets this famous and still has a brain that's not fully developed is an extremely difficult thing to navigate, and I hope she gets the help that she needs, and I know that I try to protect her as much as I can."
In a separate interview with "That Scene with Dan Patrick" podcast, Harbour further emphasized his paternal instincts when it comes to Brown. "I have a real protective feeling for her. I have a real, like, worry. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with. I've just always felt this kind of deep fatherly affection for her."
The actor's heartwarming relationship with Winona Ryder
Millie Bobby Brown and Winona Ryder are deeply connected in more ways than one. Not only does Brown share an uncanny physical resemblance to a younger Ryder, but they also share immense talent when it comes to their acting chops. Yet their similarities don't stop there. Just like Brown, Ryder was also a child actor in Hollywood (coincidentally during the 1980s when "Stranger Things" takes place). Because of this, Ryder has served as a wonderful mentor for Brown and has helped the 18-year-old navigate her way through the spotlight.
During a Comic-Con panel (via Twitter,) Ms. Brown went out of her way to praise the "Beetlejuice" actor, saying that it's difficult not to bow down to her whenever they run into each other on set. "She teaches me a lot. She's taught me a lot, and she's been an incredible maternal figure on set for me. She's always been there emotionally for me, and she's just helped me get through some stuff ... So, you know, it's been a very good relationship."
Speaking to E! News, Ryder said of her relationship with the young cast mates on the tv series, "I'm very protective, and I have mixed feelings about kids in the industry ... but we really scored with these kids, and it's been great watching them grow up."
Brown's adorable relationship with Noah Schnapp
So many beautiful friendships have blossomed amongst the "Stranger Things" cast. The sci-fi series has even brought several romantic relationships to light, including the long-term romance between Charlie Heaton and Natalia Dyer that started in 2016. But the "Stranger Things" duo with perhaps the biggest fanbase is none other than Noah Schnapp and Millie Bobby Brown. Although Will Byers and Eleven might have some newfound tension between them in Season 4 (since they're both sorta kinda in love with Mike,) there is nothing but love between Schnapp and Brown behind the scenes.
The two are very vocal about being best friends, and Brown even went so far as to tell Schnapp that her friendship with him is the longest one she's ever had in her life. "We have built such a friendship together, and you're also one of the longest friendships I've ever had," she told Schnapp while the two actors sat down with MTV News. "I don't know if you know that, but like ... I didn't grow up in school, so I didn't have any friends from my childhood so are really one of those people for me."
Brown sweetly added that Schnapp has always helped her feel a lot more comfortable on set, which was really valuable to her, especially as one of the few females on set. "He's always been my biggest cheerleader," Brown gushes about her BFF, later adding, "I think it's really nice to have boys like that ... boys that support girls like that."
Are sparks flying between Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard?
While the majority of the "Stranger Things" fandom is under the impression that Mike and Eleven are destined for the stars, when it comes to the behind-the-scenes relationship between Millie Bobby Brown and Finn Wolfhard, they claim to be much more on the platonic side ... or are they? Noah Schnapp doesn't seem to think so! According to Schnapp, he's under the impression that Brown and Wolfhard have secretly got the hots for each other. It all started on Instagram when Schnapp tagged his buddies Wolfhard and Brown in a post which said "Tag two people that want to hook up with each other to make things awkward."
Neither actor has publicly declared whether or not they're crushing on each other, but one thing that's abundantly clear is that they have an adorable friendship. Brown even declared in an interview for a "Stranger Things" press junket that she and Wolfhard are each other's first kisses! According to the actor, their lip-locking was actually incredibly awkward because her father was behind the scenes witnessing the whole thing! Fortunately, things aren't nearly as awkward for Brown, because in an interview with E! News, the "Stranger Things" star says that she doesn't have a problem shooting intimate scenes with Wolfhard anymore. "We feel comfortable with each other, we feel trusted, we're in a safe environment. So, it's relatively easy," she said.
She and Sadie Sink would be lost without each other
Although Millie Bobby Brown has always adored her male co-stars in "the party," there's no denying that things could feel isolating at times for the starlet as the only girl among the young cast mates. So when Sadie Sink joined the gang as Max, it was like a breath of fresh air for Brown, who finally got to have a female co-star around her age to lean on.
In Season 3 of "Stranger Things," it's adorable getting to watch Max and Eleven's relationship blossom into a beautiful and everlasting friendship. Eleven is grateful for the feminine energy in her life, especially because in the first two seasons, she only has male friends. The same can be said of Brown and Sink's unbreakable bond, where the actors can be seen gushing about each other. And when Sink joined the cast back in Season 2, she spilled that she got especially close with Brown since they were the only ladies of the ST crew. They even went on a vacation to Cabo together for some girl time. No boys allowed!
"I think we'd be so lost without each other," she revealed to Access. "We really depend on each other when things get absolutely nuts, or when you need to talk to someone who understands exactly what you're going through. We have each other. Especially having Millie. She was the only girl at first. So, I think, it was nice that we had that connection." How adorable is that?
The actor's powerful bond with Matthew Modine
Millie Bobby Brown and Matthew Modine have had some of the most intense and heartbreaking scenes together throughout "Stranger Things." There's no denying that Season 4 especially of the hit Netflix series saw Eleven and her "papa" in a very complex and emotionally harrowing light. Much of the duo's powerful acting chops had a lot to do with their strong off-screen relationship once the cameras stop rolling. In fact, they're so close in real life that Brown has even gone on to describe Modine as her "godfather."
Modine has also gone on to praise Brown as both an actor and a person, calling her "brilliant" in an interview with Vulture. He then goes on to explain how he would support Brown during their tumultuous scenes, making sure that the young actor was comfortable and at ease with each take. The two would even get emotional with one another in between takes by letting each other know that they are loved. "There were times this season when we would check in with each other, especially during scenes where we're being harmful to one another," he revealed to the magazine. "We would begin by saying, 'I love you.' We would wink at each other before a scene started so we knew what we were doing, especially if it was saying something painful. It was a way to connect with one another and lift each other's game."
Natalia Dyer feels extremely protective of Brown
Millie Bobby Brown is fortunate enough to have an amazing and supportive cast on "Stranger Things." Being in the public eye is challenging, especially for children trying to navigate life in the limelight. Several stars on the show have spoken out about their concern for the young actors on the series, such as David Harbour and Winona Ryder. Another person on that list is Natalia Dyer, aka Nancy Wheeler. She even goes so far as to say that she feels as though her teenage co-stars are "over-sexualized" by the media. "I generally feel like, to me, it's over-sexualizing them," she confessed in an interview with The Independent. "I feel protective over the younger kids even though they're not kids anymore, they're teens." She adds, "They're all great people and all having to grow up in very crazy circumstances. As a private person, I just feel like, leave people alone –- unless you're talking about their work or what they want to talk about."
Brown has commented on being a huge fan of Dyer's convincing performances on "Stranger Things," particularly in regards to her acting skills alongside her on-screen/off-screen love interest. Sorry Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler shippers, but Brown is team Nancy and Jonathan all the way. "[Nancy should pick] Jonathan ... because he's kind, and he might just need a little bit more time to grow into himself, as a man," she revealed to Vanity Fair.
Her mature relationship with Henry Cavill
When she's not busy kicking butt on "Stranger Things," you can catch Millie Bobby Brown in Netflix's "Enola Holmes," where she co-stars alongside Henry Cavill, who plays her sibling. Being that Cavill is 20 years her senior, it comes as no surprise that her relationship with her "Enola Holmes" co-star is quite different than the one she shares with her "Stranger Things" co-stars. According to Brown in an interview with Deadline, her bond with Cavill is a lot more mature and guarded compared to the one she has with Wolfhard, Schnapp, Sink, and co. She explains that Cavill refuses to let Brown in on his personal life and is much more interested in keeping their relationship professional. Brown jokes that there are "terms and conditions" when it comes to their friendship, which she doesn't have with her "Stranger Things" buddies. "With the 'Stranger Things' kids, it's different," said the 18-year-old. "There's no boundaries because it's like we're all siblings. But with Henry, he's very strict with me, which I appreciate."
Meanwhile, Cavill has praised Brown and claimed that they are just like siblings in real life as well. "We annoy each other, we make fun of each other, we tease each other ... but we support each other as well," he told ET Canada. The "Superman" actor goes on to gush about Brown, claiming she is an incredibly talented artist and a joy to work alongside in the movies. "We have a good relationship," he continued, adding, "it's good fun."
Her beautiful friendship with Caleb McLaughlin
When it comes to "Stranger Things," it took a while for Lucas to warm up to Eleven. But after some convincing, he realized that she was the perfect addition to their "party," and he later welcomed her into the group of friends with open arms. But in real life, Caleb McLaughlin and Millie Bobby Brown had no difficulties at all when it came to becoming close friends. In fact, according to McLaughlin, he has a strong connection to his co-star since the two of them have been starring on the same show since day one. He gushed to People, "I think we both need each other because we've both had the same experience of breaking out to this whole celebrity world together from the same show." He added, "We get each other." But it isn't just Brown who McLaughlin shares a tight bond with. According to the actor, he is very close with every single one of his cast mates! He even adds that he considers his "Stranger Things" co-stars to be like brothers and sisters.
McLaughlin adds that he was touched when Brown joined his hashtag campaign which is all about practicing self-love. The hashtag that the "Stranger Things" star promoted encourages people to "be your biggest fan." "I just love her for that," he confessed. "It was great to push it out there so people can hear more about it. People really need to just love themselves because no one is teaching people that."
Is she crushing on Joe Keery?
As of late 2022, Millie Bobby Brown is happily in a relationship with Jake Bongiovi (who just so happens to be Jon Bon Jovi's son). She loves to show him off on her Instagram page. According to the starlet in an interview with Wired, the two met on Instagram. Just like some of the best relationships to appear on "Stranger Things," she and Bongiovi started out as friends. Yet over time, sparks flew, and they grew into something more. They've been together since 2021, and although she's very much taken, this doesn't mean she can't crush on her co-stars! According to Brown, she has an intense reaction whenever her Joe Kerry — aka Steve Harrington — enters the room. Adorably, she said in an interview at the "Stranger Things" Season 4 world premiere, "I blush every time Joe enters the room." She then joked that she asks him, "Can I touch your hair?"
Well, there you have it! It's clear that throughout her years in the public eye, Brown has not only launched a wonderful career for herself but she's more importantly built some beautiful lifelong friendships along the way.