Millie Bobby Brown is opening up about her bond with David Harbour in the wake of a viral report earlier this month that alleged she had accused her Stranger Things co-star of on-set bullying. Despite the allegations, Brown and Harbour surprised many as they posed together with all smiles at the season five world premiere in Los Angeles on November 6th. A few days after the premiere, The Hollywood Reporter sat down with Brown and asked why it was important for the co-stars to show a united front amid the headline-making accusations.
"We've been doing that for the last 10 years," she responded with a firmness that belied the rumors. "We've always been united in our love for this show and our friendship, which we value more than anything."
The report, first posted by U.K. tabloid The Daily Mail, alleged that 21-year-old Brown filed a harassment and bullying complaint against 50-year-old Harbour before filming began for the final season. The report claimed there were "pages upon pages" of allegations, but specific claims were not detailed; however, no sexual impropriety was reportedly alleged. An internal investigation by Netflix reportedly lasted "for months," and as a result, Brown was also allegedly accompanied by a personal representative while on set for the fifth season before filming wrapped in December 2024. Netflix has not responded to queries about the report.
In the first few episodes of season five (mild spoiler alert), Brown's Eleven and Harbour's Hopper spend a considerable amount of time together onscreen after being reunited at the end of season four. Their characters had spent most of the previous season apart, as Hopper was imprisoned in a Russian labor camp and Eleven was trying to regain her powers with Dr. Brenner and Dr. Owens after moving to California with the Byers family.
Brown also told THR it was "so nice" and "really exciting" to be able to "come back together" with Harbour on the fifth and final season. "It was quite nostalgic because it reminded me so much of season two and three, where we were both kind of butting heads and she was growing up, trying to find her own voice while he was trying to parent," the actress added. "And I'm really excited for people to see that dynamic come back into play once again."
Though Brown hasn't directly addressed the alleged report, the Duffer Brothers were previously asked about the bullying claims at the L.A. premiere. Co-creator Ross Duffer told THR while standing next to his brother Matt Duffer, "Obviously, you understand I can't get into personal on-set matters, but I will say we've been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they're family and we deeply care about them. So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy."
Stranger Things director and executive producer Shawn Levy was also asked how production handles a bullying complaint on set. "You have to create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe, and so we did everything to build that environment," he replied. "And we're proud of the fact that we did so." Levy added, "I've read a bunch of stories, and they range from wildly inaccurate to...there's so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, always."
Volume 1 of Stranger Things season five is currently streaming on Netflix, with Volume 2 dropping on December 25th and the series finale on December 31st, which will also be playing in theaters.
