A deep look at Millie Bobby Brown’s next chapter — her career beyond Stranger Things, her thriving businesses, and her reflections on growing up in the spotlight.
Millie Bobby Brown: Growing Up, Moving Forward, and Letting Go of the World That Raised Her
Atlanta isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think of Hollywood stars. Its endless highways, big-box stores, and billboard-lined roads feel more like everyday America than a playground for global celebrities. Yet this is exactly where Millie Bobby Brown has chosen to build a home and a routine. It’s an unexpected place for one of the most recognizable young actors on the planet, but maybe that’s what makes it work for her.
She rushes into a local coffee shop, apologizing for running late — she’s coming straight from dance rehearsals at one of the massive studio complexes on the outskirts of the city. Atlanta has become her workplace as much as her second home; it’s where Stranger Things filmed for nearly a decade, and it’s where she’s now carefully shaping her next chapter. “I have something in the pipeline that I’m really excited about,” she hints with the kind of grin that says she won’t budge on giving details.
At 21, Brown cuts a surprisingly ordinary figure in a sports bra, black shorts, and a ponytail — the picture of a young woman fresh from a workout. But the illusion of normalcy fades the second she reaches for a bottle of water and the small “011” tattoo flashes on her wrist. It’s a nod to the character that changed everything for her: Eleven, the fierce, telekinetic hero of Stranger Things who became a global pop-culture icon long before Brown had even finished growing up.
The series itself has become one of the most influential TV shows of the 21st century. Set in fictional Hawkins, Indiana, and steeped in ’80s nostalgia, supernatural danger, and coming-of-age emotion, the show helped cement Netflix as the world’s dominant streaming platform. Every season shattered viewership records. And at the heart of the ensemble was a child actor who showed a level of command and emotional depth far beyond her years.
Now, as she reflects on the end of the series that defined her adolescence, Brown grows quiet. “It’s like a death of someone you love,” she says, settling into an armchair. There’s a gentleness in her voice that wasn’t there earlier. “I was 10 when I started. This is like a family to me — not just the cast and crew, but the whole identity of the show.”
Growing up in the public eye is complicated enough, but Brown has also built a career outside the Hawkins universe. She has starred in several Netflix films, founded an animal shelter called Joey’s Friends, and launched a production company to take control of her storytelling future. But perhaps her most impressive venture is Florence by Mills, the lifestyle and beauty brand she started at just 15. What began with skincare has expanded to clothes, fragrances, accessories, and even pet products — an empire fueled by her instinct for what young people want.
You can find her sunglasses at Specsavers, her loungewear at Nordstrom, and her beauty products at Ulta and Boots. To millions of Gen Z fans, she’s not just Eleven — she’s a relatable and reassuring presence, the kind of big-sister figure who feels warm, funny, and unusually grounded for someone with more than 64 million Instagram followers.
But her fame hasn’t come without scrutiny. Earlier this year, tabloids obsessively picked apart her platinum-blonde hair, calling her “too grown-up” for her age — criticism she has learned to tune out. She’s dyed it back to her signature brunette now, though not because of the noise. It was simply time for something new.
And “something new” is becoming a theme for her. With Stranger Things ending, Brown is entering a rare moment in a young actor’s life: stepping out of a shadow that also happens to be a legacy. She’s deeply proud of the show that shaped her, but she’s also eager to test the boundaries of who she can be without it.
In conversation, she’s both warm and no-nonsense — the kind of personality that feels capable of steering studios, brands, and businesses with surprising confidence. It’s easy to forget she’s only 21 when she talks about creative control, future projects, and plans for her company. She’s focused, steady, and forward-looking, more entrepreneur than former child star.
Still, when the topic shifts back to Hawkins, you can see a softness return. It’s more than nostalgia — it’s gratitude. That small tattoo on her wrist isn’t just a tribute to a character; it’s a reminder of the show that gave her a voice, a career, and a kind of global sisterhood with fans who grew up alongside her.
As she steps into the next phase of her life — new roles, new ventures, and a future she’s determined to shape on her own terms — Brown seems ready. Ready to experiment. Ready to evolve. Ready to be seen as more than the girl with a shaved head and supernatural powers.
She may have left Hawkins behind, but she’s taking its resilience, curiosity, and heart with her. And if her ambition is any indication, the journey ahead is only beginning.