Millie Bobby Brown Turned Down A Hefty Paycheck Before Jake Bongiovi Engagement
At only 19 years old, Millie Bobby Brown made a big life decision — she said "yes" to forever to her boyfriend, Jake Bongiovi, the son of legendary singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi.
On April 11, the "Stranger Things" star seemingly announced their engagement on Instagram with a photo of them on the beach (and what looks like a massive diamond ring on her finger). "I've loved you three summers now, honey, I want 'em all," she wrote, alluding to a Taylor Swift song. Meanwhile, Bongiovi shared a similar photo on his feed, captioning it with "forever." It's not clear when the Gen Z lovebirds started dating, but they became Instagram official in November 2021. As it turns out, they met on the app, too. "We met on Instagram. And we were friends for a bit, and then, what can I say?" she told Wired without divulging any more details.
Prior to their engagement, Brown reportedly made another life-altering decision — she apparently refused a multi-million dollar offer to star in a spinoff.
Millie Bobby Brown wants to move on from Stranger Things
Before Millie Bobby Brown said "yes" to her boyfriend, Jake Biongovi, she reportedly said "no" to the prospect of continuing to play her iconic role of Eleven on "Stranger Things." In a report from The Sun, the actor apparently turned down an offer to star in a spinoff, even if it meant refusing a £10 million payout, or an equivalent of nearly $12.5 million.
"There are so many directions it could go. Nothing is off the table," a source told the outlet of the project. "They think it would translate to a stage show for Broadway and the West End just like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." They also noted that more "Stranger Things" related projects are being considered, but nothing has been finalized yet. "Another spin-off series following some of the show's main characters is also being worked up," they dished. But all Brown wants to do is explore other ventures. The insider said Brown wants to "branch out" into other roles and break away from "Stranger Things" completely.
However, the official Twitter account for the show's writers debunked these insider claims, clarifying that there's absolutely no truth to the story. "Yeah there's nothing in this article that is true," they wrote. "Don't know why we have to keep debunking this rumor but get those clicks you guys!!"
What's next for Millie Bobby Brown?
Whether there's indeed a "Stranger Things" spinoff in the works or not, Millie Bobby Brown is certain that she won't be involved. Speaking to Seventeen, the "Enola Holmes" star shared that, while she's sad about ending the show that catapulted her to superstardom, she's ready to explore what else is out there.
"I'm definitely ready to wrap up. I feel like there's a lot of the story that's been told now, and we know of it, it's been in our lives for a very long time," she explained. "But I'm very ready to say goodbye to this chapter of my life and open new ones. I'm able to create stories myself that are important to me and focus on the bigger picture. But I'm really grateful."
Brown, who is studying human services at Purdue, told Parade that after "Stranger Things," she wishes to explore a career behind the scenes and try her hand at directing. But she noted that she wants to work toward it instead of using her popularity to score projects. "I have many passions and ambitions, but I also am very aware that it takes a lot to fill those boots and I don't want anything handed to me," she said. "There are many young women like me that are in film school studying directing and I'm really aware that I have the privilege of being able to take control of the narratives that I want to put out in the world, so I definitely want to work my way to that point of success."