Millie Bobby Brown makes rare admission of 'slight depression' after 'Stranger Things' wrap

Millie Bobby Brown even reached out to the cast to clear things up, telling them, “I’m sorry if I ever upset you,” as she tried to mend their bond
Millie Bobby Brown opens up about her experience on 'Stranger Things', reflecting on her character Eleven, the emotional impact of the show (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)
Millie Bobby Brown opens up about her experience on 'Stranger Things', reflecting on her character Eleven, the emotional impact of the show (Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Millie Bobby Brown recently opened up about how she felt after 'Stranger Things' ended, saying she slipped into a “slight depression” once the Duffer Brothers’ (Matt and Ross Duffer) series wrapped. 

She even reached out to the cast to clear things up, telling them, “I’m sorry if I ever upset you,” as she tried to mend their bond. She also explained why the ending affected her so deeply and shared her love for her iconic character Eleven.

Brown was just 11 when she auditioned for Eleven and turned 12 right before filming 'Stranger Things' began. Over the course of the series, she literally grew up on screen, ending her decade-long journey as Eleven at the age of 21.

Millie Bobby Brown attends the Damsel World Premiere at The Plaza on March 01, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)
Millie Bobby Brown attends the Damsel World Premiere at The Plaza on March 01, 2024, in New York City (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix)

Millie Bobby Brown opens up about her 'slight depression' after 'Stranger Things' ended

As per Variety, the actress shared that the feeling came from her deep attachment to her character Eleven, which she played for 10 long years. Growing up on set, spending most of her time with the cast, and living through nearly every phase of life on the show made it a major part of her identity. 

When the series wrapped, she found herself in a kind of denial, which led her to reach out to the cast in an emotional attempt to reconnect. She even recalled how her messages may have come across at the time.

“They probably thought I was crazy,” Brown said Wednesday night during a live recording of 'Happy Sad Confused in New York'. “I was like, ‘We’re still friends, right? Like, you’re not gonna stop talking to me anymore?"

"I was like, ‘I’m sorry if I ever upset you,’ and was just trying to mend anything. ‘It’s been 10 years, and I really want to be friends. You’re my sibling.’ And then I was on the beach, it was beautiful, and I just sat there crying. It was a very hard time for me.”

She further reflected on how deeply the experience shaped her life. “And no one will ever understand it,” she continued. “I started the show when I was 10, and this character was me, and these people were in my life more than my own family."

"I saw these people more than going home and eating dinner with my family. Saying goodbye to that after 10 years was a very, very emotional thing, and I’m going to miss Eleven more than anything.”

Millie Bobby Brown also spoke about Eleven’s fate in the series

Brown revealed that the future of the character is still a tightly guarded secret and only a few people truly know what happened behind the scenes. “When asked about Eleven’s fate, Brown says only she and the Duffer brothers know what really happened to her character."

Still of Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in 'Stranger Things' (Image Source: Instagram | @strangerthingstv)
Still of Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in 'Stranger Things' (@strangerthingstv/Instagram )

"After the finale aired, the co-creators texted her to remind her not to reveal Eleven’s fate to the rest of the world." “They were like, ‘Do not tell anyone. Because we made it a secret kind of pledge,” Brown said. “No one else knows. It’s just us three. And what we do with that information, it’ll be up to them.”

Alongside this, she also reflected on how deeply connected she was to the role, having played Eleven for years and grown up with the series.

GET BREAKING U.S. NEWS & POLITICAL UPDATES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Jenna Ortega is learning to set boundaries with fans after years of feeling responsible for making every interaction special
2026-10-25T04:05:24.000Z
Sasha Farber described Selma Blair as family and recalled their lasting bond after they competed together on Season 31 of the dance competition
2026-10-25T03:26:35.000Z
Lewis Hamilton said spending time with North, Saint, Chicago and Psalm had brought him joy beyond the racetrack as his bond with them grew
2026-10-25T02:39:49.000Z
Noel Gallagher revealed he was so impressed by Matthew McConaughey at a friend's wedding that he bought a life-size cutout of the actor
2026-10-25T02:26:06.000Z
Blake Lively took to Instagram to wish Ryan Reynolds a happy birthday on Friday, October 23
2026-10-25T02:00:31.000Z
Joe Keery reveals that the 'Stranger Things' cast still keeps in touch through a group chat nearly a year after the Netflix finale
2026-10-25T01:44:01.000Z
In an Instagram post, Harry Styles’ fan clarified that the headlines misrepresented the incident, admitting that he was the one who lost his cool
2026-10-24T07:11:27.000Z
Nicole Kidman praised 22-year-old Adela’s songwriting talent, saying she wanted to encourage emerging artists and their creative pursuits
2026-10-24T06:41:29.000Z
'I loved you completely. And you loved me the same. That’s all. The rest is confetti,' Lacianne Carriere wrote
2026-10-24T06:18:47.000Z
Jamie Lee Curtis described Rob Reiner as a 'cherished legend' and her 'beloved Meathead,' referencing his role in the sitcom 'All in the Family'
2026-10-24T05:25:03.000Z