<p><i>Editor’s note: This piece discusses the finale of Stranger Things, so there are obviously going to be spoilers. Consider yourselves warned if you are, like this author, a dork and plan to watch the show.</i></p>
<p>Stranger Things concluded its fifth and final season with a two-hour New Year’s Eve release, nearly a decade after the vanishing of Will Byers launched a new era of Netflix original programming.</p>
<p>Expectations for the final season rose to the heavens in the four years since the fourth season of Stranger Things. Fans were almost certain to be disappointed — and boy, were they.</p>
<p>Initial waves of criticism gave way to a truly strange mass psychosis wherein superfans have convinced themselves that the series finale was actually a fake, and that creators Matt and Ross Duffer were waiting to drop the <em>actual </em>finale in the coming days.</p>
<p>Those of us who did not develop a parasocial relationship with Gaten Matarazzo realized this was bunk from the start. But for those really pinning their hopes to these theories, Netflix has made it clear that Stranger Things is done. The finale we got was the finale we&#8217;re going to get. And yes, there are plenty of things to criticize with that episode, as with the whole final season: the bad dialogue, the continuity errors, the lazy acting.</p>
<p>But I don’t want to talk about any of that. I want to talk about Steve Harrington.</p>
<p>The fan-favorite character has gone on quite a journey. He began as a stereotypical 1980s jock, Nancy Wheeler’s unlikable boyfriend who bristles at her intelligence and beats up the nerds. The Duffer Brothers planned to kill him off at the end of season one, but they found themselves so charmed by Joe Keery’s performance that they reversed course.</p>
<p>And then they did more than that: they gave Steve warmth and depth unmatched by any other character. Over the course of the show, he not only accepts Nancy’s independence but also her relationship with Jonathan Byers, one of the dorks he once beat up. He becomes a friend and mentor to the younger children, constantly putting his life on the line for their safety. And he grows close with Hawke’s character, Robin, accepting her quirkiness without a second thought.</p>
<p>This character development was so effective that, in the run-up to the finale, fans made it clear that Steve’s death was the outcome they most feared. Fortunately for the legions of Harringtonians out there, Steve survives his final journey to a parallel dimension and makes it safely back to Hawkins.</p>
<p>But that’s where things go off the rails.</p>
<p>In the show’s penultimate scene, we see the cadre of older Hawkins kids reminiscing on the rooftop of the town radio station. Jonathan is making anti-capitalist films at NYU. Robin is dating girls at Smith. Nancy reveals that she’s dropped out of Emerson to work as a journalist full-time, and has a girlboss haircut and blazer to prove it.</p>
<p>And what of Steve? Did he settle down and start having the six children he’s been so vocal about wanting? Did his repeated encounters with the supernatural inspire him to seek out a change of scenery? Or did he join up with the Hawkins police department as Hopper’s deputy, harnessing the skills he honed defending the world from Vecna?</p>
<p>No, while all his friends move on to bigger and better things, Steve is still in Hawkins, coaching the high school baseball team. And lest it seem like Steve’s adventures with all those plucky kids had inspired him to pursue a career in education, the finale makes it clear: this is just the path of least resistance. Steve Harrington is a loser.</p>
<p>As he grabs another beer in his poorly-fitting suit, his friends mock the fact that, in addition to his coaching duties, Steve is also teaching sex education. Steve gives them plenty of fodder for their ribbing, noting that he has &#8220;a strict A policy, B if you’re a real knucklehead.&#8221;</p>
<p>There are jokes about him cycling through a series of vapid women, so clearly his plans for domestic bliss haven’t panned out. And lest you miss the point, he delivers this sad little monologue to all his posh friends in which he expresses his <i>utter disbelief </i>that they would ever want to leave Hawkins!</p>
<p>“Come on, I mean, look at this place!&#8221; Steve bellows while looking wistfully at the horizon. &#8220;The sunset, the view. Woo! You guys are seriously telling me you don’t miss any of this? The forest, the quarry? Family Video?&#8221;</p>
<p>This is the most unforgivable part. We’re meant to believe that after all this time — after years of personal growth and confrontations with mortality, to say nothing of countless trips to an alternate dimension — Steve Harrington is just another hometown hero who can’t fathom why anyone would want to leave the glory days behind.</p>
<p>The problem isn’t that Steve didn’t want to leave Hawkins, or that he wanted to become a coach. Those are both fine choices for a young man to make, and consistent with the character we’ve grown to know and love. It’s the myopia, the pigheaded jock mentality that makes everyone roll their eyes, that feels like a betrayal. Steve doesn&#8217;t like the community or the fact that Hawkins is his home. He likes the quarry and the video store, the two lamest and most generic things you could think to name. It’s a last-second reversion to Season 1 Steve, a fundamentally uncurious brute whose gaze extended no further than the Friday night lights at Hawkins High.</p>
<p>To the Duffer brothers’ credit, Steve’s ending isn’t entirely inconsistent with the show’s finale. The epilogue is very John Hughes, an effective tonal shift back to the 1980s nostalgia that launched the show, vibes that played second fiddle to the supernatural in later seasons.</p>
<p>But the return to authentic 1989 didn’t stop the Duffer brothers from showing two openly gay characters living easy lives, or a girl graduating high school despite having spent the past two years in a coma — to say nothing of, you know, the aliens. Disbelief can be suspended, it seems, so long as it serves the narrative. And that narrative can’t countenance the jock being anything other than kind of sad.</p>
<p>To be clear: I don’t think this is some grand neo-Marxist conspiracy to make kids eschew small-town life in favor of more degenerate pursuits like journalism. This is just another instance of a tiresome Revenge of the Nerds mentality we see all the time among creatives.</p>
<p>It doesn’t matter that the Duffer Brothers created one of the most popular shows of the decade, one that largely owes its popularity to the shocking transformation of its stereotypical jock character. They probably got bullied for making home movies in high school, and so the cool guy had to be a loser in the end.</p>
<p>Maybe it isn’t that malicious. Maybe the Duffers really did just get lazy, and making Steve a stereotype was just one of several ways they phoned in this final season. Either way, it’s a disappointing end to the best character arc in a mostly great show.</p>
<p>Steve deserved better, and so did we.</p>


“Stranger Things 5” UK Special Screening – Arrivals

Steve Harrington Deserved A Better Ending Than Stranger Things Gave Him

Hollywood

Millie Bobby Brown

Netflix

Stranger Things

Television

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Stranger Things” actress Millie Bobby Brown just announced that she and her husband, Jon Bon Jovi’s son Jake Bongiovi, have welcomed a baby daughter via adoption.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 21-year-old celebrity shared the news via Instagram. &#8220;This summer we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption. We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy,&#8221; Brown wrote in the text-based post. &#8220;And then there were 3.&#8221;</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple has been criticized for getting married young. Brown and Bongiovi were dating for two years when he proposed in April 2023 when they were 19 and 20, respectively. They wed in a private ceremony in May 2024.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bon Jovi said he didn’t think their ages were a big deal.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t know if age matters,” Bon Jovi said at the time, as The Daily Wire previously </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jon-bon-jovi-approves-of-20-year-old-sons-engagement-to-millie-bobby-brown-19-i-dont-know-if-age-matters?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Jon+Bon+Jovi+Approves+Of+20-Year+Old+Son%E2%80%99s+Engagement+To+Millie+Bobby+Brown%2C+19%3A+%E2%80%98I+Don%E2%80%99t+Know+If+Age+Matters%E2%80%99"><span style="font-weight: 400;">reported</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “If you find the right partner and you grow together … All of my kids have found the people that they think they can grow together with and we like ‘em all.”</span></p>
<p><strong><a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">End of Summer Sale – Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a></strong></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Millie is wonderful,” he added. “Her whole family are great. Jake is very, very happy.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stranger-things-star-makes-very-surprising-pro-family-comment?author=Katie+Jerkovich&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Stranger+Things%E2%80%99+Star+Makes+Very+Surprising+Pro-Family+Comment"><span style="font-weight: 400;">discussed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> her thoughts on motherhood during a March episode of the “Smartless” podcast.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;My mom actually had her first child at 21, and my dad was 19. And you know, it&#8217;s been my thing since before I met Jake,&#8221; the actress said. &#8220;Since I was a baby, I told my mom, like, baby dolls. I wanted to be a mom just like the way my mom was to me.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And my nan, my grandmother is, she was a huge part of my life. And so, yeah, I mean, Jake knows how important it is to me and, of course, I want to focus on really establishing myself as an actor and as a producer, but I also find it&#8217;s so important to start a family for me personally,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;It&#8217;s a huge thing. Jake was like, we cannot do that until we get married. So that was his thing.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown said she and her husband both came from big families and wanted the same for themselves.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And my thing was, I really want a family. I really want a big family,&#8221; she said at the time. &#8220;I&#8217;m one of four. He&#8217;s one of four. So, it is definitely in our future, but, for me, I don&#8217;t see having your own child, you know, as really any different as in adopting.&#8221;</span></p>


Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi

Why 21-Year-Old ‘Stranger Things’ Star And Bon Jovi’s Son Have Adopted Their First Child

Adoption

Celebrities

Entertainment

Parenting

World

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Millie Bobby Brown definitely got everyone’s attention when she talked about how she can’t wait to become a mom and start a family with husband Jake Bongiovi.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the 21-year-old actress&#8217; appearance on the “Smartless” podcast, the “Stranger Things” star said that starting a family isn’t just important to her but to Jake as well, noting they both come from big families, </span><a href="https://people.com/millie-bobby-brown-says-its-so-important-to-her-to-start-a-family-with-husband-jake-bongiovi-11694191?taid=67cf4e29ccadfc0001d26c09&amp;utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People magazine</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reported. Brown and Bongiovi tied the knot in May 2024.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;My mom actually had her first child at 21, and my dad was 19,” Brown said. “And you know, it&#8217;s been my thing since before I met Jake. Since I was a baby, I told my mom, like, baby dolls. I wanted to be a mom just like the way my mom was to me.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And my nan, like my grandmother, she was a huge part of my life,” she added. “And so, yeah, I mean, Jake knows how important it is to me and, of course, I want to focus on really establishing myself as an actor and as a producer, but I also find it&#8217;s so important to start a family for me personally. It&#8217;s a huge thing. Jake was like, we cannot do that until we get married. So that was his thing.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;And my thing was, I really want a family. I really want a big family,&#8221; Brown continued. &#8220;I&#8217;m one of four. He&#8217;s one of four. So, it is definitely in our future. But, for me, I don&#8217;t see having your own child, you know, as really any different as in adopting. My home is full of love for anyone and anything, and so that is what we kind of stand by, Jake and I, our energy in the house is the door is always open, and we want everyone to feel really comfortable.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple started dating in 2021 and went Instagram official with their relationship in November of that year. In 2023, 19-year-old Brown announced she and 20-year-old Jake were engaged, and fans had mixed reactions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her Instagram post included a black and white photo showing her embracing her fiancé while she showed off her diamond engagement ring.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">There were many social media users who sent congratulatory messages to Brown and defended the actress from critics.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Shut up to all the people who [are] saying she’s too young she’s literally living the life she wants bro don’t forget that this isn’t [your] life and [you] don’t make decisions for her,” one person wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She’s technically an adult and can make her own choices,” another added. “I got engaged at 19 and was married at 19 and now almost 10 years later we’re still together, would I be okay with my kids getting married at 19? Eh probably not but still congrats to them!”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, there were a whole host of comments from people who felt the two were way too young to be engaged, </span><a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/04/11/fans-react-to-millie-bobby-browns-engagement-to-jake-bongiovi/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Page Six</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> noted.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Omgg too young,” one account posted.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“NO F***ING WAY,” another user added. </span></p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fans-have-mixed-reactions-to-stranger-things-millie-bobby-brown-engagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fans Have Mixed Reactions To ‘Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown Engagement</a></strong></p>


Photocall For Netflix’s “Stranger Things” Season 3

‘Stranger Things’ Star Makes Very Surprising Pro-Family Comment

family

Motherhood

Movies

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chris Pratt has received praise for proving gentlemen still exist in Hollywood, after he helped shield a fellow actress, wearing a short skirt, from press cameras.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During a recent <a href="https://x.com/PicturesFoIder/status/1897289152929964204" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press event</a> for their Netflix movie “Electric State,” “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown &#8212; who was wearing a patchwork jacket and mini skirt combo &#8212; </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">struggled to get up from her chair when Pratt showed how a real man acts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the video that’s since gone viral, the 21-year-old actress appeared to lean over and share her dilemma and the 45-year-old “Guardians of Galaxy” star rushed right in and stepped in front of her, completely blocking her from possibly being exposed to the cameras close by. He also as gave the actress an arm to steady herself with.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was this act of chivalry that got everyone&#8217;s attention, with one person after another commenting on what a great guy he was, </span><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-14469709/Chris-Pratt-protects-Millie-Bobby-Brown-wardrobe-issue.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daily Mail</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> noted.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Chris Pratt is just a good dude,” one person wrote. Another added, “A real and respectful man.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A third person wrote, “&#8217;Chris Pratt is a real one. I’m just going to say thank you to the guy for being a gentleman!!!”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another user on X wrote, “Gentlemen still exist.”</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chris Pratt is overhated. <a href="https://t.co/D7SM9oGoHp">pic.twitter.com/D7SM9oGoHp</a></p>
<p>— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) <a href="https://twitter.com/PicturesFoIder/status/1897289152929964204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One post captioned the viral video, “Chris Pratt getting in front of Millie so she can stand up while wearing a [short] dress. A MAN.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another person noted that Pratt is “overhated” due the criticism he’s faced in the past for talking about faith and his Christian values.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During a past interview, </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratts-mothers-day-tribute-post-divides-social-media-followers"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pratt</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encouraged couples who have found their “great partner” to “rush” and start a family, acknowledging that his message contradicts the advice many young people are given about not being in a hurry to have children.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Marvel star talked with </span><a href="https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/chris-pratt-being-father-better-actor"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Men’s Journal</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, about fatherhood’s “incredible” joys and being a dad to his kids.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People say all the time, ‘Don’t rush to have kids,&#8217;” Pratt said. “I personally disagree. Rush. Have them. Of course, make sure you find a great partner but don’t wait. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I was talking to Adam Sandler a while back and he said, ‘Every day you wait is a day they don’t get to have you in their life.'&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The younger you have kids, the more time they get to have with you,” he added. “It’s wild. Having kids is incredible. The things you normally take for granted in life are new.”</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratt-encourages-couples-to-rush-and-start-a-family"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pratt</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was previously married to actress Anna Farris, and the two welcomed a son in 2012. In 2018, the couple got divorced after nearly ten years of marriage. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2019, Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger tied the knot and the couple share three kids.</span></p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chris-pratt-encourages-couples-to-rush-and-start-a-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Pratt Encourages Couples To ‘Rush’ And Start A Family</a></strong></p>


Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt Goes Viral After Proving Gentlemen Do Still Exist In Hollywood

U.S.

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Legendary </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/music" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">rock star</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Jon Bon Jovi recently reflected on his son’s engagement, indicating he disagreed with criticism that the 20-year-old was too young to </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">get married</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jake Bongiovi recently announced his engagement to 19-year-old “Stranger Things” actress </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/millie-bobby-brown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Millie Bobby Brown</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bon Jovi <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WuzJv8fEl0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussed</a> the upcoming nuptials during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “Radio Andy.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cohen mentioned how Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, were high school sweethearts and have been married for 34 years. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When your almost 21-year-old says, &#8216;I’m getting engaged,&#8217; do you worry for them that they’re too young or because you were so young when you were with Dorothea, you weren’t engaged that young, but do you worry as a dad about how old or how young they are?” Cohen asked.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t know if age matters,” Bon Jovi said. “If you find the right partner and you grow together &#8230; All of my kids have found the people that they think they can grow together with and we like ‘em all.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Millie is wonderful,” the rocker said of his future daughter-in-law. “Her whole family are great. Jake is very, very happy.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown and Bon Jovi’s son </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq5EuqHLDJM/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">announced their engagement</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> last month after two years of dating when Brown shared a photo of them with a line from a Taylor Swift song, “I’ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want ’em all.” The couple </span><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/fans-have-mixed-reactions-to-stranger-things-millie-bobby-brown-engagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">faced criticism</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from fans saying they were too young to marry.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But others came to their defense, sharing their own stories of young marriages that lasted decades. </span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Congrats! My mom got married a week before her 19th birthday, everyone said her marriage would never work because of her age, but my parents still have the most beautiful lovely marriage I’ve ever seen!” one commenter wrote on Instagram.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People still talk about age? Also, I don’t believe she asked for anyone’s opinion or advice. Move along,” another fan wrote.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This should be normalized,” a third person shared. “My Fiancé (19) and I (21) are getting married in 21 weeks. Getting married young means we get to grow up together and experience a fuller life with each other. Tradition may have a stigma but that doesn’t make it any less reliable and trustworthy. I admire you Millie!”</span></p>


Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi Approves Of 20-Year Old Son’s Engagement To Millie Bobby Brown, 19: ‘I Don’t Know If Age Matters’

Jon Bon Jovi Approves Of 20-Year Old Son’s Engagement To Millie Bobby Brown, 19

Marriage

<p>Fans have expressed mixed reactions to Millie Bobby Brown&#8217;s announcement that she and her boyfriend Jake Bongiovi are engaged.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/millie-bobby-brown">19-year-old</a> &#8220;Stranger Things&#8221; actress <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cq5EuqHLDJM/?hl=en">shared</a> the news on Tuesday that the 20-year-old son of Jon Bon Jovi asked her to marry him after the two had been dating for two years. She captioned her post with a line from a Taylor Swift song, &#8220;I&#8217;ve loved you three summers now, honey, I want &#8217;em all.&#8221;</p>
<p>The post included a black and white photo showing her embracing her fiancé while she showed off her diamond engagement ring.</p>
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<p>There were many social media users who sent congratulatory messages to Brown and defended the actress from critics.</p>
<p>&#8220;Shut up to all the people who [are] saying she&#8217;s too young she&#8217;s literally living the life she wants bro don&#8217;t forget that this isn&#8217;t [your] life and [you] don&#8217;t make decisions for her,&#8221; one person wrote.</p>
<p>&#8220;She&#8217;s technically an adult and can make her own choices,&#8221; another added. &#8220;I got engaged at 19 and was married at 19 and now almost 10 years later we&#8217;re still together, would I be okay with my kids getting married at 19? Eh probably not but still congrats to them!&#8221;</p>
<p>While another account shared, &#8220;For everyone upset about her being engaged, it&#8217;s not her saying she&#8217;s getting married RIGHT AWAY, it just signifies that it&#8217;ll happen and they made their love for each other official. Just be happy for her at the end of the day it&#8217;s her life.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, there were a whole host of comments from people who felt the two were way too young to be engaged, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/04/11/fans-react-to-millie-bobby-browns-engagement-to-jake-bongiovi/">Page Six</a> noted.</p>
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<p>&#8220;Omgg too young,&#8221; one account posted.</p>
<p>&#8220;NO F***ING WAY,&#8221; another user added. While a third asked, &#8220;Isn&#8217;t she only 19 years old?&#8221;</p>
<p>Another posted, &#8220;Child marriage should not be happening.&#8221; While another predicted, &#8220;Divorce coming in 1.5 years.&#8221;</p>
<p>The couple started dating in 2021 and went Instagram official with their relationship in November of that year. Since then, Brown has shared numerous snaps of the couple&#8217;s adventures and joint appearances on the red carpet.</p>
<p><strong>Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mazel-tov-ben-shapiro-reacts-as-couple-gets-engaged-at-daily-wire-backstage-event">&#8216;Mazel Tov!&#8217;: Ben Shapiro Reacts As Couple Gets Engaged At Daily Wire Backstage Event</a></strong></p>


Mille Bobby Brown-1

Fans Have Mixed Reactions To ‘Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown Engagement

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Out of all the child actors on the Netflix sensation “Stranger Things,” Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, is one of the most admired. The British actress has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for her portrayal of the girl with telekinetic and telepathic powers.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now the 18-year-old star is speaking up about alleged sexualization she experienced during her career when she was younger. Brown discussed the sexualization of children in Hollywood during an appearance on “The Guilty Feminist” </span><a href="https://guiltyfeminist.com/episode/?episode=376"><span style="font-weight: 400;">podcast</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;I deal with the same things any 18-year-old is dealing with, navigating being an adult and having relationships and friendships, and it&#8217;s all of those things,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;Being liked and trying to fit in, it&#8217;s all a lot, and you&#8217;re trying to find yourself while doing that. The only difference is that obviously, I&#8217;m doing that in the public eye.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &#8220;Stranger Things&#8221; star mentioned how she’s noticed “definitely been dealing with [being sexualized] more within the last two weeks of turning 18 — definitely seeing a difference between the way people act and the way that the press and social media have reacted to me coming of age.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;I believe that shouldn’t change anything, but it’s gross and it’s true. It’s just a very good representation of what’s going on in the world and how young girls are sexualized,&#8221; Brown said. &#8220;So, I have been dealing with that, but I have also been dealing with that for forever.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She went on to elaborate on incidents from the past after becoming an overnight sensation thanks to the success of “Stranger Things.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As one example, Brown said she was “crucified” for wearing a low-cut dress when she was only 16. &#8220;I thought, &#8216;My, is this really what we’re talking about? We should be talking about the incredible people that were there at the award show,'&#8221; she recalled of the incident.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2022/04/12/millie-bobby-brown-criticizes-press-hollywood-sexualization-young-age/7297647001/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">USA Today</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the “Stranger Things” star mentioned how she was included in W magazine&#8217;s list of &#8220;Why TV Is Sexier Than Ever” at the age of 13. She discussed how people online have been commenting on her looks for years, including much older men. Then there was the 2016 GQ profile describing her as a &#8220;very grown-up child&#8221; and discussing how her legs looked.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown addressed this all previously in an Instagram post when she was 16.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&#8220;The last few years haven&#8217;t been easy, I&#8217;ll admit that,&#8221; the teen wrote. &#8220;There are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization and unnecessary insults that ultimately have resulted in pain and insecurity for me.&#8221;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Brown will return to her role playing Eleven in “Stranger Things 4,” which is scheduled to launch May 27 on Netflix. The actress is also slated to appear in the “Enola Holmes” sequel coming to Netflix later this year.</span></p>


‘Stranger Things’ Star Millie Bobby Brown Reveals She’s Been ‘Sexualized’ From A Young Age: ‘It’s Gross’

Children

<p>Natalia Dyer, who plays Nancy Wheeler on the hit Netflix show &#8220;Stranger Things,&#8221; believes that her younger castmates on the show have been oversexualized by the broader culture.</p>
<p>Speaking with <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/natalia-dyer-interview-stranger-things-yes-god-yes-religion-sex-a9678001.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Independent</a>, Dyer said that the broader media reaction to the show, primarily its framing of star Millie Bobby Brown, was an over-sexualization of her co-stars, and she feels protective of them.</p>
<p>&#8220;I generally feel like, to me, it’s oversexualizing them,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I feel protective over the younger kids even though they’re not kids anymore, they’re teens. They’re all great people and all having to grow up in very crazy circumstances. As a private person, I just feel like, leave people alone – unless you’re talking about their work or what they want to talk about. It’s a very tricky and complex issue.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;There must be a bigger concept behind it as to why. Just let people be the people that they are, without any judgment,&#8221; she added.</p>
<p>The Independent provided a brief history of the media&#8217;s sexualization of Millie Bobby Brown, such as when W magazine said she was one of the reasons TV is “sexier than ever&#8221;:</p>
<blockquote><p>Spilling spoilers is not the only concern the young<em> Stranger Things</em> cast had to contend with. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, was listed as one of the reasons TV is “sexier than ever” by <em>W</em> magazine when she was just 13, among a group of much older actors including Nicole Kidman and James Franco. She subsequently spoke out against the “inappropriate comments and sexualisation” she was subjected to as a child actor. Finn Wolfhard, too, has complained publicly about receiving suggestive messages from adult fans when he was 14.</p></blockquote>
<p>Earlier this year, upon her 16th birthday, Millie Bobby Brown lamented the “sexualization” and “insults” she has endured over the past few years while hoping that a change can happen for the next generation.</p>
<p>“16 has felt like a long time coming,” began Brown. “I feel like change needs to happen for not only this generation but the next. Our world needs kindness and support in order for us children to grow and succeed.”</p>
<p>“The last few years haven’t been easy, I’ll admit that,” she continued. “There are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults that ultimately have resulted in pain and insecurity for me. But not ever will I be defeated. I’ll continue doing what I love and spreading the message in order to make change.”</p>
<p>The streaming giant Netflix recently found itself at the center of controversy when it released a poster for the movie &#8220;Cuties&#8221; that featured pre-teen girls in sexually suggestive poses. The company apologized after severe online backlash.</p>
<p>“We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for ‘Cuties.’ It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film which premiered at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description,” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/netflix-apologizes-for-inappropriate-cuties-poster">Netflix said</a> in a statement.</p>
<p><strong>RELATED:<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stranger-things-star-millie-bobby-brown-turns-16-laments-sexualization-and-insults"> ‘Stranger Things’ Star Millie Bobby Brown Turns 16, Laments ‘Sexualization’ And ‘Insults’</a></strong></p>


26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards – Arrivals

‘Stranger Things’ Star Natalia Dyer Laments ‘Oversexualizing’ Of Her Young Co-Stars

<p>Actress Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven on Netflix&#8217;s hit show &#8220;Stranger Things,&#8221; turned 16 on Thursday. In a lengthy post to Instagram, the young actress lamented the &#8220;sexualization&#8221; and &#8220;insults&#8221; she has endured over the past few years while hoping that a change can happen for the next generation.</p>
<p>&#8220;16 has felt like a long time coming,&#8221; began Brown. &#8220;I feel like change needs to happen for not only this generation but the next. Our world needs kindness and support in order for us children to grow and succeed.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;The last few years haven&#8217;t been easy, I&#8217;ll admit that,&#8221; she continued. &#8220;There are moments I get frustrated from the inaccuracy, inappropriate comments, sexualization, and unnecessary insults that ultimately have resulted in pain and insecurity for me. But not ever will I be defeated. I&#8217;ll continue doing what I love and spreading the message in order to make change.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Instagram post included a montage video of Brown throughout the years intercut with various media clips and Twitter hot takes that were critical of her.</p>
<p>&#8220;Let&#8217;s focus on what needs changing, and I hope this video informs you on the things that go on behind the scenes of the headlines and flashing lights. Don&#8217;t worry, I&#8217;ll always find a way to smile,&#8221; she concluded.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/B8v7J8YH_ZR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">https://www.instagram.com/tv/B8v7J8YH_ZR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link</a></p>
<p>Millie Bobby Brown has been subject to bizarre press coverage at times throughout her youth. At age 14, for instance, outlets like People and Page Six felt it somehow necessary and newsworthy to report on her breaking up with her boyfriend at the time, as if the relationships of 14-year-olds deserved any level of attention.</p>
<p>“Millie Bobby Brown Splits With Singer Boyfriend,” announced <a href="https://pagesix.com/2018/07/31/millie-bobby-brown-splits-with-singer-boyfriend/">Page Six</a>. “Millie Bobby Brown and Jacob Sartorius Split After Seven Months of Dating,” lamented <a href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/millie-bobby-brown-jacob-sartorius-split-after-seven-months/">US Magazine</a>. “Millie Bobby Brown and Jacob Sartorius Break Up After 7 Months of Dating,” decried <a href="https://people.com/tv/millie-bobby-brown-jacob-sartorius-break-up/">People</a>. “Millie Bobby Brown just broke up with her boyfriend in the most mature way possible,” wrote <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/08/01/milly-bobby-brown-just-broke-up-with-her-boyfriend-in-the-most-mature-way-possible/">The Mercury News</a>.</p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://people.com/tv/millie-bobby-brown-reflects-scrutinity-16th-birthday/">People</a>, Millie Bobby Brown faced a scolding on social media when someone told her to &#8220;act your age&#8221; when she posted a photo of herself in a form-fitting dress. “[I know] everyone on my last pic wants me to ‘act my age,’ but, quite frankly, it&#8217;s my Instagram and if I choose to post that picture and you don’t like it… scroll past it,&#8221; she said in response.</p>
<p>Millie Bobby Brown&#8217;s birthday post was largely met with positive responses from her fans and followers.</p>
<p><span class="">&#8220;Happy bday, Millie. This year is gonna be your year. AGAIN. Here’s to 16 years old!&#8221; wrote Brown’s &#8220;Stranger Things&#8221; co-star Noah Schnapp. </span></p>
<p>&#8220;I love you, Millie, happy birthday baby girl,&#8221; wrote Bella Hadid.</p>
<p>&#8220;You’re showing tremendous poise in this business that has such built-in scrutiny! Enjoy every facet of being 16. Trust me, it doesn’t stop even when you’re 35 like me. Ok, I’m NOT 35. But hang in there sweetie,&#8221; wrote actress Octavia Spencer.</p>
<p>&#8220;Send you so much love, angel!! Happy Birthdayyy!! Keep thriving and being exactly who you need to be,&#8221; wrote singer Lauren Jauregui.</p>


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