At the London premiere of Stranger Things Season 5 on November 13, 2025, Millie Bobby Brown, 21, confronted a photographer's rude demand with unfiltered candor, turning a routine red-carpet moment into a viral emblem of boundaries in Hollywood. Dressed in a risqué Ashi Studio corset gown with a flowing tulle train—evoking boudoir elegance with its sheer panels and crystal embellishments—Brown was navigating the Leicester Square flashbulbs when a male paparazzo shouted, "Smile for the camera!" Her retort: "Don't talk to me like that. You smile!" The exchange, filmed by onlookers, lasted mere seconds but resonated as a clapback against gendered expectations.
A post shared by Millie Bobby Brown Fanpage (@milliebobbybrownbrasil)
Brown, who has portrayed Eleven since the Netflix series debuted in 2016, has long advocated for respect amid fame's glare. In a 2022 Variety interview, she discussed the toll of early stardom, including anxiety from invasive media. This premiere marked the final chapter for Stranger Things, with production wrapping in August 2025 after delays from the 2023 strikes. The event honored the cast's decade-long journey, featuring a Hawkins-themed setup with Demogorgon props and a live '80s synth band.
The gown, from Ashi Studio's Fall 2025 couture collection, was a bold choice: boned corset cinching her waist, paired with strappy heels and diamond earrings from Chopard. Stylist Samantha Burkhart curated the look to blend vulnerability and power, mirroring Eleven's arc from telekinetic child to empowered adult. Brown arrived with fiancé Jake Bongiovi, 23, son of Jon Bon Jovi, who proposed in 2023 with a ring designed by the singer.
Stranger Things Season 5, set for a July 2026 release, promises an epic finale. Creators the Duffer Brothers revealed in a November press junket that the eight-episode arc will resolve the Upside Down rift, with Vecna's defeat hinging on Eleven's full powers. New cast additions include Linda Hamilton as a government operative, while veterans like Winona Ryder and David Harbour return. Brown trained rigorously, incorporating MMA for fight scenes, as detailed in Netflix's behind-the-scenes docuseries.
The photographer incident sparked discourse on red-carpet etiquette. Fellow attendees, including Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schnapp, voiced support on social media, with Wolfhard tweeting, "Millie's got the right idea—kindness first." The event's organizer, Netflix UK, emphasized a "no-tolerance" policy for harassment, echoing 2024's SAG-AFTRA guidelines. Brown's poise aligns with her post-Stranger Things pivot: she launched Florence by Mills skincare in 2019 and stars in the 2025 rom-com The Gorge opposite Miles Teller.
Born in Bournemouth, England, and raised in Atlanta, Brown joined Stranger Things at 12, earning Emmy nods and a Time 100 spot by 17. Her memoir Twenty Questions (2024) chronicled bullying and loss, including her father's ALS battle. Philanthropy drives her too—through the Millie Bobby Brown Foundation, she's funded girls' education in Rwanda.
