Millie Bobby Brown spoke out in a Vanity Fair cover story about her film contracts leaking online. Reports surfaced in July 2022 that Brown was making $10 million for starring in and producing Netflix’s “Enola Holmes 2,” which would be the highest salary ever for an actor under 20 years old. Then came the constant “Stranger Things” salary leaks, including Brown earning at least $250,000 an episode starting in the third season. Brown did not confirm or deny the amount of these deals, but she did tell Vanity Fair that it’s dangerous for any contract for a teen star or younger to be made public like that.
While Brown stressed that she has always felt protected in her career by her parents and by Netflix (the streaming home for both “Stranger Things” and “Enola Holmes”), she noted that contracts she signed as a teen should never have leaked online and “should have been protected so that they’re not on the record.”
“It just puts children in a really dangerous situation,” Brown said. “I think everybody’s a little bit too lax about the way that children are brought up in the industry. I grew up with a lot of eyes on my parents, but I feel that those were the people that protected me the most.”
Brown credits her parents with teaching her “how to say ‘no’ at a very young age. I think it’s a very powerful word. My mom is very knowing and wise, and she advocates for herself. My dad has always been someone who pushes me to stand up for myself and never settle for anything less than what I deserve. The trust he’s instilled in me—the love and hope he’s instilled in me—has helped me go on sets or stages and fight for myself…in hopes that I can fight for others.”
“Stranger Things” launched Brown’s career when she was only 11 years old. She’s been open in the past about the tolls teen stardom took on her mental health, and she continued to speak frankly on the topic to Vanity Fair.
“I don’t allow many people into my life, and when I do, I think it should be super moderated,” Brown said. “I started this really young, and I felt that the press specifically was very, very harsh on me. And so I just like to make sure that I’m advocating for myself.”
Brown remembered that when she was 13 years old a member of the paparazzi snuck onto the set of a fashion shoot she was doing in Australia and took invasive photos of her.
“I didn’t have nothing [on underneath]…. It wasn’t too much, but it was enough for it not to be okay,” Brown said. “I think, just in general, there should be more laws with the media in terms of paparazzi in terms of exploitation.”
Brown will soon be back on Netflix opposite Chris Pratt in the Russo Bros.’ “The Electric State,” streaming March 14. Head over to Vanity Fair’s website to read her cover story in its entirey.