Although Millie Bobby Brown has captivated audiences around the globe with her portrayal of the cool kid Eleven, with telekinetic powers in Stranger Things, her journey to stardom hasn’t always been the easiest. Facing a tumultuous world that often questioned her place within it, Brown recalled suffering a dream-crushing incident at just 10 years of age.

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things | image: 21 Laps Entertainment

Opening up about her meteoric rise to fame, Millie Bobby Brown shared an anecdote about a casting director who shattered her confidence with harsh words, during her prime. Revealing how this incident almost marked the end of her dreams, Brown expressed gratitude to her parents, who helped her overcome adversity and emerge as an inspiration for countless others.

From her overnight stardom through Netflix’s Stranger Things, to her appearance alongside Henry Cavill in Enola Holmes, Millie Bobby Brown has successfully captivated audiences with her talent. Therefore, reflecting on her envious career, during an interview with Allure, Brown opened up about her journey to stardom, shedding light on the challenges she faced at a tender age, and the lessons she learned along the way.

According to Millie Bobby Brown, her path to acting wasn’t always clear. Growing up, the actress struggled with self-identity and often felt lonely even in crowded rooms. But it was through acting, she found a way to bridge the gap. And this realization surprisingly came during a Christmas performance. Thereafter, although her parents initially warned her about the commitment, Brown recalled how acting had already become a lifeline for her.

My parents were like, ‘Well, it is a job. And if you commit to it, you have to commit to it. You can’t audition and then give up’. So I was like, ‘I don’t care. Whatever it takes, I want to act.’

I enjoyed being different people because I always struggled with self-identity and knowing who I was. Even as a young person, I always felt like I didn’t quite belong in every room I was in. I also struggle with loneliness a bit. I always felt quite alone in a crowded room, like I was just one of a kind, like nobody ever really understood me. So I liked [playing] characters that people understood [and] people could relate to because I felt like no one could relate to Millie.

Millie Bobby Brown in Grey’s Anatomy | image: ABC

Soon her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was just 8. There onwards, Millie Bobby Brown began finding better opportunities and even landed guest spots on popular shows including Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, NCIS, Modern Family, and Grey’s Anatomy. But surprisingly, although Brown tried auditioning for comedy roles, she somehow always ended up landing “intense roles”. This led her to question her place in an industry that seemed to reject her for qualities that should have been celebrated.

However, soon Millie Bobby Brown realized why she was only landing serious roles, despite trying her hands on a versatile career. At just 10 years old, Brown experienced a pivotal moment that almost shook her confidence. Speaking with the outlet, the actress recalled a “disastrous” audition where the casting director told her she’d never make it in the industry, labeling her maturity as a detriment.

Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things | image: 21 Laps Entertainment

I always knew that I was mature and I couldn’t really help that. Going back to what I said earlier about being kind of very lonely in who I was and feeling like no one was quite like me in school and no one was as mature as I was, [hearing that] was really hard because I thought [maturity] was a good thing. And then being told that it wasn’t, that I wouldn’t make it in this industry, it was so hurtful. I got really down about that.

Millie Bobby Brown, who was just 10 years of age back then, recalled how the sting of those words lingered, almost derailing her aspirations. The actress mentioned almost quitting her career and dreams until her parents convinced her to do one last self-tape. With much-needed support from her family, Brown chose perseverance—and three months later she landed the groundbreaking role of Eleven in Stranger Things—that forever altered the trajectory of her career.

My parents told me, ‘Just do this one last audition on tape and then you can go outside and play with your friends again.’ So I said, ‘Okay, yeah, I should do this one because it looks cool.’

At first it was really fun, And then I was like, ‘Gosh, I could really do things with this. I could really change the world with this.’ There was something about acting that made me feel powerful, impactful, and like I could inspire people. 

Although the unnamed casting director’s harsh words temporarily shattered her spirit, Millie Bobby Brown showcased remarkable resilience in the face of adversity. Now, as she continues to evolve as an actress and individual, Brown deserves our respect and admiration not only for her talent but for her unwavering spirit.