15 Things You Didn't Know About 'Stranger Things' Star Millie Bobby Brown
Stranger Things was definitely the show of the summer no question about it! Did you binge watch it with all of your friends? Well, if you didn't, you need to go do that right now, because you're seriously missing out. Stranger Things is the perfect mix of horror, comedy, and nostalgia. It will take you back to simpler, more innocent times but it will also give you nightmares. That's part of what makes it so addicting. But the real reason that Stranger Things became such a phenomenon is because of its incredible cast. It's amazing that these actors have so much talent at such a young age. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, totally steals the show in every scene she appears in. Even though she's young, she's incredibly talented, and she's absolutely perfect for the role. Can't wait for Season 2? For now, here are 15 things you didn't know about Millie Bobby Brown.
15 She Can Rap Like Nicki Minaj
So, we all know that Millie is obviously a great actress. There's definitely no way to deny that. She's pretty much the star of the show, even though she doesn't get as much screen time as some of the other characters. But did you know that she has some other hidden talents that she doesn't get to show off in Stranger Things? For example, would you ever guess that this girl can actually rap? Yup, it's true Millie is actually a pretty good rapper! In fact, she showed off her talents on The Tonight Show, when she rapped Nicki Minaj's verse in “Monster.” Everyone was seriously impressed, and the audience loved it! She may not look like she could do it, but she totally killed the verse. It's unlikely that she'll ever get to show off that particular on the set of Stranger Things, but there's a time and place for everything!
14 She's From England
Stranger Things takes place in a small town in Indiana not very exotic. In fact, you might know a town just like it, or even live somewhere that feels the same. It's basically the definition of small town, Midwest America. But did you know that Millie is actually from England? It's true this girl has a British accent. But this never comes out on the show. You would have to watch a few of her interviews to hear it. But Millie was born overseas and lived in England when she was younger. She was actually born in Barcelona, and then grew up in the United Kingdom before her family moved to America. In fact, she was actually living in England when she got the call to audition for Stranger Things! Sometimes, you have to go far to pursue your dreams and Millie clearly wasn't going to let anything hold her back from this role!
13 She Was On 'Modern Family'
So, what was Millie doing before Stranger Things? Since so many people first got to know her as Eleven, it's pretty tough to imagine her doing any other role. But when Millie first got to Hollywood, she didn't immediately start landing major roles, and Stranger Things wasn't even an idea yet! However, she did land some small roles on major TV shows. Who knows, maybe you actually saw her on screen before Stranger Things, and you didn't even know it? One of the first roles that she landed was a character named Lizzie on Modern Family. She appeared in an episode called “Closet? You'll Love It!” Unfortunately, this was only a bit part, and Millie had very few lines. But it was a start. Clearly, the roles she was landing at first were very different than her role as Eleven, it took a while to find the perfect character for her.
12 She Was Also On 'Grey's Anatomy'
Millie didn't just appear in Modern Family before landing her role as Eleven. In fact, she appeared on another very popular TV show. Millie actually landed a small role on Grey's Anatomy before Stranger Things. She played a character named Ruby in an episode of the 11th season of Grey's Anatomy (“I Feel the Earth Move”). There aren't many clips of this episode floating around on the Internet, so if you're interested in seeing it, you'll probably have to turn to Netflix (of course, you might get distracted by rewatching Stranger Things, totally understandable). But once again, this part was only for one episode, and it wasn't a major breakthrough for Millie. It would be a while before she found that perfect character to play. But keep an eye on those guest appearances on your favorite shows you just never know who might end up being a big star some day!
11 She's Only Twelve
Many times, actors are older than the characters they play. This is more and more common the younger the character is supposed to be. Remember Gossip Girl? Everyone was supposed to be in high school, but all of the actors were well beyond their high school years and it was super obvious! But this is not the case with Stranger Things. Maybe that is why the way they portray the younger characters feels so real. The actors are in the same stage of their lives. Honestly, more casting directors should keep this in mind before they cast a 25-year-old to play a high school student! Millie is only twelve-year-old, but she is just as talented as the adults in the cast. In fact, it is surprising that she is actually around the age her character is supposed to be! She clearly has years of awesome roles ahead of her, so get ready!
10 She Really Did Shave Her Head
In Stranger Things, Eleven has a shaved head. Spoiler alert: this is because she was experimented on. The shaved head is basically part of the whole aesthetic she was treated as a lab rat. Lots of people assumed that Millie just wore a bald cap for filming. After all, that would be a lot more convenient, right? And it would be a lot easier for her to deal with than actually shaving her head. But apparently, on the set of Stranger Things, nothing is done halfway. That's right, Millie actually had to have her head shaved for the role! And what makes it an even bigger risk? She had to get it done before she even knew she had the role! That's how dedicated Millie was to the show and how badly she wanted the chance to play Eleven. She was willing to shave her head to prove that she was totally committed.
9 Her Performance As Eleven Was Inspired By E.T
You know how Stranger Things has a very nostalgic feel? The creators of the show captured the very real feelings that we all experience while growing up, but they also captured the essence of the era that the show is set in, the 1980s. They drew their inspiration from many different older films in order to do this and really create an atmosphere that felt realistic for the time period and the character's ages. It was clearly no easy feat! So what inspiration was behind the character of Eleven? Well, did you ever watch E.T. as a kid? E.T. was the weird but lovable alien who ended up befriending a few kids on Earth. Oddly enough, Eleven's character was actually sort of modeled off E.T. She was meant to be a hesitant outsider who was trying to figure out where she fit in the real world, not so different from an alien.
8 She Had To Watch Horror Movies As “Homework” For The Role
So, what other methods did the Duffer brothers, the show's creators, use to create the world within Stranger Things? How did they manage to create a show that feels so original, yet also brings those feelings of nostalgia? They came up with their own unique universe within the small town (The Upside Down), but they also drew a lot of inspiration from other, older horror films. In fact, when Millie landed the role, she had to watch several of these films! She called this her “homework.” Well, if you like scary movies, watching some classic horror films definitely sounds a lot better than the usual homework assignments, no math problems here! Some of these films included movies like Poltergeist and The Goonies. This totally makes sense when you watch the show, it's clear that The Goonies was a huge inspiration. This is why Stranger Things somehow feels both new and classic at the exact same time.
7 She Learned Her American Accent By Watching Disney Channel
Does it ever blow your mind that some actors are able to master so many different accents? How does a person event train themselves to do that if they don't live in another country or speak another language? It must take a lot of hard work, and this is the reason that many actors have voice coaches to help them master different accents for different roles. However, some actors learn to do different accents in more unconventional ways. How did Millie learn to master her perfect American accent? Well, the answer might surprise you. The truth is that Millie learned how to put on an American accent by watching Disney Channel! It's pretty creative, and it's probably a lot more fun than studying with a voice coach or doing any other kind of special training. Watching TV shows can be a fun way to learn a new accent or even a new language.
6 She Was Actually Spotted By A Hollywood Talent Scout
How do Hollywood actors get into their career? There are a number of ways that people can end up in Hollywood. Obviously, some people have family connections to the entertainment industry. Others attend prestigious schools and master the art of networking until they can finally claw their way to the top and land breakout roles. But do people ever just get “discovered” anymore? It might seem like a myth, but it's not impossible! If acting is your dream, you probably shouldn't count on this happening to you, as it's very rare, but it does happen sometimes. In fact, that's actually how Millie got into Hollywood. She was taking acting classes in Florida when a Hollywood talent scout visited her class and noticed that she was particularly talented. And the rest was history! Well, not quite, it was a long road to landing the role of Eleven in Stranger Things but it was a promising start.
5 She's Obsessed With Boxing
So, as you can see from earlier entries on this list, Millie has some unexpected talents. Not only is she a great actress, but she can also rap just like Nicki Minaj! But did you know she has other weird talents as well? Millie is also super into boxing! She works out a lot and boxes several times a week! You know how Eleven can move things with her mind, and she might look innocent but she's actually super powerful? Millie might not have real life super powers, but her boxing skills might just qualify as one. She says she needs to stay very active because she loves to eat! This is just one more reason that Millie is such a great role model for young girls. She's strong on screen and in real life, both physically and mentally. It's so refreshing to see that in a Hollywood actress these days.
4 The Hardest Part Of Playing Eleven Was The Lack Of Dialogue
There are lots of great quotes from Stranger Things. The show is really well-written, and the dialogue feels real and natural, not scripted. The kids talk like real kids talk! That is pretty rare in popular TV shows. However, if you were a big fan of the show, you probably noticed that Eleven did not have a whole lot of dialogue. She only opened up to people that she really trusted, and she was very reluctant to speak most of the time. In some episodes, it seems like you barely hear her voice! This was a challenge for Millie, but she obviously handled it well and pulled it off. Because she wasn't given as many lines as the other characters, she really had to make her character's personality and emotions obvious through her facial expressions and physical actions instead. This is a challenge even for older and more experienced actors!
3 Her Parents Basically Went Broke To Help Her Career
Obviously, working in Hollywood does not come without sacrifices. If you want to achieve something big, you usually have to give up some pretty big things in the process. It's a long, hard road to success. It may seem like Millie's success came pretty easily to her, she took acting classes, was discovered by a talent scout, and then she was whisked off to Hollywood to become a big star, right? Well, not quite. Wouldn't that be nice, though? But it's just not the reality. Millie's family basically went broke for a while so they could help her achieve her dream. Her parents sacrificed a lot for her. Moving around a lot, especially moving between countries, can really take a toll on a family's finances, and she has two siblings as well. After finally landing the role of Eleven and becoming a household name, things are certainly looking up for her and her family.
2 Winona Ryder Is Pretty Much Her Hero
Do you have anyone who you would consider a hero or a role model? Many times when we decide we want to pursue a certain career path, we begin to look up to other people who have already accomplished the things that we would like to accomplish one day. It can be inspiring to have a certain figure to look up to, especially when you feel like you're struggling. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to actually meet these people, or, if you were really lucky, to work with them? It would probably be an incredible experience that you would most likely never forget. Well, Millie got super lucky and got to find out on the set of Stranger Things. She had always looked up to Winona Ryder and considered her a role model, so getting to work with her on Stranger Things was basically a dream come true.
1 Her First Kiss Was On The Set Of 'Stranger Things'
When was your first kiss? Was it super awkward? It probably was! First kisses usually are, and that's totally fine. And do you remember how it felt when you had your first crush? You got butterflies in your stomach, your palms got all sweaty, and your cheeks were probably burning red, right? It probably felt kind of awkward the first time you had a crush on someone, too! Come to think of it, pretty much all of the important moments that you experience when you grow up and go through puberty are pretty awkward. But imagine experiencing all of that on the set of a popular TV show! Well, that's what happened to Millie. Her first kiss with Mike on Stranger Things was her first kiss ever! Honestly, that's pretty adorable. The two are good friends, and they've joked about it in interviews a few times. They're both so cute!