The 21-year-old took to social media last night with a lengthy message to her 63.2 million followers, claiming that she has become a ‘target’ for online bullying, after some articles commented on her appearance during the press tour for her latest film, The Electric State.
Brown went as far as naming the journalists who wrote about her appearance, with the British actor holding back no punches in a scathing message to reporters.
The almost three-minute video on Instagram mentions how she’s been in the eye of the media since her breakout role on Stranger Things.
She prefaced the message by saying that the issue is ‘bigger than just me’, adding that it’s an issue that faces all young women in the public eye.
Describing the issue as ‘necessary’ to speak about, she explained: “I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow with me.
“Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I don’t, I’m now a target,” the Damsel star claimed.
She went on to read out some of the headlines.
“Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown ageing so badly?” reads one title, while another asks: “What has Millie Bobby Brown done to her face?”
Another headline reads: “Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new ‘mommy makeover’ look.”
The actor has criticised articles picking her appearance apart (Instagram/milliebobbybrown)
Labelling the writing as ‘bullying’, she explained that it was ‘disturbing’ that adult writers took time to pick at her appearance, which could easily affect someone’s mental health.
“The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse. We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks,” she pointed out.
Brown took a stance, refusing to apologise for growing up, and powerfully claiming: “I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself.”
She also added that it’s easier to be critical than pay a compliment in today’s society.
Brown has called out society for how they view young women in the public eye (Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images for Netflix)
Concluding, Brown stated: “Let’s do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing. Thank you.”
The actor was recently very honest about her unorthodox upbringing in an interview with Vanity Fair, admitting that she doesn’t ‘have many friends’.
“I didn’t go to school, so I don’t have the best social skills when it comes to people my own age and friendships. I struggle with that quite a bit. I missed out on a few things. But I’m working through them,” she explained.
Brown has also admitted in the past that she deleted social media in 2022 after being sexualised online for years, resulting in issues with her body image.
