Being thrust into the spotlight at just 12 with her iconic role as Eleven on Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown has faced intense online scrutiny and bullying over the years.
The now 21-year-old has spoken openly about the pressure on multiple occasions, which at times took a toll on her mental well-being.
Recently, her Netflix co-star Cara Buono described the harassment Millie endured while filming the series since 2015 as “outrageous and disgusting.”
Cara Buono highlighted the negative impact of online pressure on all the child stars of the show, emphasizing that it has been especially brutal for Millie Bobby Brown
Cara Buono has appeared in nearly every episode across all five seasons of the blockbuster series, portraying Karen Wheeler, the quintessential 1980s suburban mother of three.
Two of her children, played by Natalia Dyer and Finn Wolfhard, spend much of the series battling supernatural threats.
The 54-year-old naturally felt protective of the young cast members beyond her fictional family, including Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, Caleb McLaughlin, among others.
In a recent sit-down interview with the Daily Mail published on November 28, Buono opened up about her career, personal life, and experiences while filming Stranger Things.
During the discussion, given the show’s massive popularity, with its fourth season ranking among Netflix’s most-watched, the actress also addressed the “bullying” faced by the young stars on set.
Cara instinctively became a mother figure for all the young cast members during the filming of the show, which was largely filmed in Atlanta, Georgia
Over the past decade, Cara noted that much of the negative sentiment has been targeted toward Millie, something she strongly condemned.
She began by firmly stating, “Millie was a child, and no one should ever be treated like that. It’s outrageous and disgusting that people don’t have anything better to do.”
“I’m protective of Millie. I’m protective of all of them.”
Touching upon the recent wave of backlash that the new mother of an adopted daughter and wife of 23-year-old Jake Bongiovi has been weathering, with critics tearing apart everything from her motherhood decision at a ‘young’ age to her marriage dynamic and her fashion choices, Buono refuted many of those claims.
“Millie has an old soul and brain. She’s a natural-born mother. She’s amazing, one of the most ‘together’ people I know and with an incredible work ethic.”
The Sopranos star further told the outlet, “They say, ‘never work with animals or kids,’ but I love working with children, and these ones work harder than some of the adults I know.”
“Millie was a child and no one should be treated like that,” the 54-year-old actress said as she condemned the “bullying” her 21-year-old co-star endured
Buono also shared that one of the biggest reasons for her deep affection for her television family stems from the personal struggles she faced while filming season one of the show.
“I really, really wanted a big family, but I had a lot of fertility issues and several miscarriages during the show. So I always think the universe gave me… all these kids, because it came at this time when I was accepting I wouldn’t have more children, and I felt very happy to be their de-facto mum.”
Despite the show concluding with its fifth and final season, which premiered globally on November 6 and debuted on Netflix on November 26, Cara and the former child stars, now young adults, remain close.
“I love hearing all about their lives, their interests, their music, their worries. Now I text them, ‘I’ve seen your play’ or whatever. I love seeing them all shine.”
Rumors have recently alleged that the Enola Holmes star was bullied on set by her 50-year-old co-star David Harbour
Cara’s recent comments also come in light of a now-viral allegation involving Harbour, who plays police chief Jim Hopper in the series.
On November 1, Daily Mail reported that he had “bullied and harassed” Millie and even faced an internal inquiry after she allegedly complained about his behavior toward her during filming.
The publication also clarified that the accusation did not involve “claims of s**ual impropriety.”
However, those rumors were quickly shut down when Millie and Harbour presented a united front on the red carpet at the series’ premiere shortly after the report.
Apart from this, Brown and Jake, have sparked concerns and backlash over their relationship during a lunch outing with Millie, their daughter, and Noah on November 13.
Millie and her husband Jake Bongiovi, who adopted a baby girl in the summer of this year, have recently been criticized for their marriage and parental dynamics
As they arrived at the location, Jake was seen signaling to his wife, who was tightly holding their infant daughter against her chest, to lead the way into the restaurant as photographers swarmed around them.
This prompted Brown to raise her voice at the crowd, warning, “I am holding my baby, do not play with me right now.”
The moment quickly garnered attention and comments online, with critics labeling Bongiovi a “useless husband” and speculating that “divorce” was on the horizon for the duo.
Earlier in March, the actress was heavily “bullied” over her physical appearance and fashion choices during the promotion of her film The Electric State.
Reporters commented on her face, claiming she looked “old” and didn’t resemble her actual age.
Millie later called out the reporters and publications for spreading such a negative narrative about her in an Instagram video, saying, “I grew up in front of the world and for some reason people can’t seem to grow up with me…”
“The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, is disturbing… This isn’t journalism, this is bullying.”
“This franchise is really taking a turn for the worse,” expressed one disappointed social media user
