Millie Bobby Brown is looking back at the unusual side of growing up on one of Netflix’s biggest shows.
The 22-year-old actress said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that spending her childhood on film and television sets affected the way she connects with people her own age.
Page Six reported that Brown named socialization as the major life skill she feels she missed while growing up on Stranger Things.
Brown began playing Eleven on the Netflix series as a child and spent much of her adolescence working on sets instead of moving through a traditional school environment.
Brown Said She Missed Traditional Socialization
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Brown was asked whether being a child star caused her to miss any milestones or basic life skills. “Well, I didn’t go to public school, so maybe a bit of socialization,” she said, according to Page Six.
BuzzFeed reported that Brown said she sometimes struggles with how to react when fans or people her own age approach her. She said the issue is not dislike, but unfamiliarity with casual peer interaction.
“I love people, but sometimes when people my age come up to me, I don’t know how to react because I haven’t had that experience,” Brown said, according to BuzzFeed.
She Grew Up Around Adult Crew Members
Brown said she spent much of her early career around crews made up mostly of adult men. People reported that she described growing up “primarily with men on crews” who were often older than 40.
She said that shaped the conversations she became comfortable having as a child actor. Brown joked that she can talk for hours about camera lenses, framing and production details, but feels less natural in casual conversations with people her own age about restaurants, bars or typical early-20s social life.
“I heard a lot of adult talk growing up,” Brown said, according to People. “I didn’t really talk about the things you’re meant to talk about as a kid.”
Jake Bongiovi Helped Her Become More Social
Brown said her husband, Jake Bongiovi, has helped pull her into a more social chapter. People reported that she described Bongiovi as a “social butterfly” who had attended boarding school and college before they married.
Brown and Bongiovi married in May 2024. Page Six reported that the couple announced in August 2025 that they had welcomed a baby girl through adoption.
Brown has kept that part of her life private, but she told the podcast that Bongiovi has helped her learn to be more comfortable socially.
She Still Keeps Distance From Social Media
Brown also said she deleted social media in 2021 and now has someone manage it for her mental health. Page Six reported that Brown still writes her own captions so fans can hear from her directly, but she does not handle the accounts herself.
The actress has also been speaking about the end of Stranger Things. Page Six reported that Brown said she experienced “a slight depression” after filming wrapped and later called cast members to repair any unresolved issues before moving into the next chapter of her life.