The moment Millie Bobby Brown almost gave up acting for good
In 2016, Netflix released Stranger Things, which swiftly became one of their most successful shows. This instant hit, created by the Duffer Brothers, captivated a wide audience with its blend of retro horror and science fiction. Since its debut, the series has added three more seasons, with a fifth one on the way.
Upon the fourth season’s release, Netflix revealed that it had been viewed for over 1.35billion hours in its first 28 days on the platform. As one of the most popular shows of all time, Stranger Things has naturally given a platform to its actors, launching them to widespread recognition.
Millie Bobby Brown, who was just 12 when she appeared in the first season, found her breakthrough with Stranger Things, playing the mysterious character Eleven. Initially possessing very few lines, Eleven becomes one of the most important characters in the series, known for her shaved head and nosebleeds caused by her psychic abilities.
Brown has been widely praised for her performance of the character, winning countless awards from institutions such as the MTV Movie & TV Awards, Saturn Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards and more. She has also been nominated for several other prestigious accolades, like Screen Actor’s Guild Awards.
Since then, Brown has appeared in several other shows and movies, such as Enola Holmes and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, although Stranger Things has been her primary focus over the last few years. The actor has also released her own beauty line, ‘Florence by Mills’, in 2019 and, most recently, published a book, Nineteen Steps.
It seems as though Brown is only set for more success as she continues forward with her career. Despite only having minimal credits to her name, she was one of 2022’s highest-paid actors, proving her star power. However, after a disappointing rejection, the actor almost quit acting when she was younger.
Speaking on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Brown explained, “I think I was just very disheartened by the rejection, which is something that I tell everyone — this industry is just full of rejection 24/7. You get ‘no’s, a lot of ‘no’s before you get a ‘yes.'”
There was one particular role that Brown tried hard to win but failed to secure. She revealed, “I then auditioned for Game of Thrones and I got a ‘no’ for that, and then that’s when I was like ‘Oh, this is really difficult’. I guess I really wanted that role.”
Game of Thrones, like Stranger Things, is one of the most popular and influential modern television shows. Luckily for Brown, by deciding to continue on with her acting career, she landed a role that changed her life for the better.