Millie Bobby Brown Says Goodbye to Eleven and Embraces a New Chapter of Life

Millie Bobby Brown is closing a major chapter of her life. After nearly a decade playing Eleven on Stranger Things, the actor says she knows she will never return to the role that made her a global star. While that goodbye comes with emotion, Brown makes it clear that Eleven will always be part of who she is.

“Eleven has influenced me in huge ways,” Brown says. The character gave her confidence, strength, and the belief that she could be a hero not just on screen, but in real life too.

That confidence pushed Brown to start her beauty brand, Florence by Mills, when she was just 15 years old. She admits she didn’t know everything about skincare back then, but she believed in herself enough to try. Today, the brand is a major part of her identity outside acting.

Since first appearing on Netflix, Brown has continued to build an impressive career. She starred in the Enola Holmes films and took on blockbuster roles in the Godzilla movies. At the same time, her personal life has changed just as dramatically.

Now 21, Brown is married to Jake Bongiovi and recently became a mother after adopting a baby girl. She also revealed that her legal name is now Millie Bonnie Bongiovi, marking another shift away from the child star the world once knew.

Despite some online resistance to seeing her grow up, Brown says she is firmly in her “most authentic era.” She credits motherhood with helping her get there. Becoming a parent, she explains, made her more focused and fearless about being the person she needs to be for her daughter.

With a baby at home, self-care looks different now. Brown says long beauty routines are no longer realistic. Instead, she focuses on quick check-ins with herself and staying connected with loved ones. Journaling has become a regular habit, and she is careful about how she talks about herself.

She says she no longer allows negative self-talk, especially about her body. As a mother, she feels a responsibility to model kindness toward herself. “I couldn’t imagine talking about myself like that anymore,” she explains, knowing her daughter will one day watch and learn from her behavior.

Brown also reflects on how women often feel pressure to make themselves smaller for others. That’s something she says she won’t do anymore, again because of the example she wants to set.

While motherhood has shaped her growth, Brown is clear that it’s not the only path. She encourages people to choose what’s right for them, whether that means raising a child or reconnecting with their inner child.

As she steps away from Eleven and into this new phase, Millie Bobby Brown is no longer defined by a single role. Instead, she’s embracing adulthood on her own terms — confident, self-aware, and focused on the future.