March 4 (UPI) — Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown took to social media to address criticisms of her appearance.
“I started in the industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow up with me,” she said in an Instagram video posted Monday evening. “Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1.”
Brown was 12 years old when Season 1 of the Netflix series was released in 2016.
In her post, the actress, now 21, referred to articles that have come out as she prepares for the March 14 release of her new Netflix film, The Electric State, which also stars Chris Pratt.
The stories she mentioned were published by The Daily Mail. One piece has a headline that begins, “Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown ageing so badly?” while another headline begins “What has Millie Bobby Brown done to her face?” and the third is titled “Millie Bobby Brown mistaken for ‘someone’s mom’ as she guides younger sister Ava through LA crowd.”
Millie Bobby Brown attends the SAG Awards held in February. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
Still another headline describes Brown as having a a “‘mommy makeover’ look.”
“This isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” Brown said. “The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, is disturbing, and the fact that some of these articles are written by women, makes it even worse.”
Millie Bobby Brown arrives on the red carpet at Netflix’s “Damsel” New York premiere in 2024. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Millie Bobby Brown arrives for the SAG Awards in 2020. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
“Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not their own,” she added. “I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman.”
She concluded her video by asking the media to “do better” for all young women.
That video received 1.2 million likes, and fans and stars alike offered support.
“Enormously proud of you,” penned Sarah Jessica Parker.
“Beautifully said,” wrote Sharon Stone. “…It really doesn’t matter our age or stature, we must be willing to own ourselves fully not fall to the false ideology of tear down media. Good job my friend.”
