Gen Z Icon Millie Bobby Brown

kittens #1: how one of the world's most influential people is utilizing her fame to lead by example

There’s something about Millie 💖

Most of you already know who she is, but for those who don’t, the 21-year-old British actor—real name Millie Bonnie Brown (now Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi since getting hitched last year)—shot to fame in 2016 as the breakout star of Stranger Things.

The Netflix smash is one of the streamer’s most popular shows ever. When Season 1 came out, my ex’s then-eight-year-old son (now 17), asked me to watch it with him. I thought there was something unique about the child actor with three names (not to mention her very cool character name, ‘Eleven’), her buzzcut and psychic abilities. As the only girl in the friend group, she also had the most interesting backstory.

I didn’t get past Season 2 (because my relationship with his dad came to an end), so Millie Bobby Brown didn’t enter my psyche again until earlier this month when I saw some low blow headlines criticizing her appearance, pointing out how old she looked (a 21-year-old!)

Personally, I think she looks fire, and totally dig the outfit: Annie’s Ibiza

The battering was so intense that Millie felt compelled to post a video on her IG calling out specific journalists (by name!) for bullying, generating even more headlines. That’s when she really got my attention. I thought, You Go Girl!

On a much smaller scale, I’ve had some horrific things written about me in mainstream media—mostly in British tabloids—and I would have loved to flip the narrative by naming and shaming those journalists who contributed to my implosion. Luckily, a lot of that rubbish was before the digital age, but the memories of how it all affected me will last a lifetime.

MBB’s statement in full:

I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny. I think it’s necessary to speak up about this. 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.
Let’s talk about the articles, the headlines, the people who are so desperate to tear young women down.
‘Why are Gen Zers like Millie Bobby Brown ageing so badly?’ by Lydia Hawken.
‘What has Millie Bobby Brown done to her face?’ by John Ely.
‘Millie Bobby Brown mistaken for someone’s mom as she guides younger sister Ava through LA’ by Cassie Carpenter.
‘Little Britain’s Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown’s new “mommy makeover” look’—written by Bethan Edwards, amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman’s appearance. This isn’t journalism. This is bullying. The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse.

Quick aside, I wrote a whole post on this topic, in case you missed it:

MBB’s statement continued…

We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks. Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman. I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. We have become a society where it’s so much easier to criticize than it is to pay a compliment. Why is the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than to say something nice? If you have a problem with that, I have to wonder—what is it that actually makes you so uncomfortable? 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.

Bam!

Hats off to you, Mrs. Bongiovi.

I have so much respect for any person who has the confidence to be unapologetically themselves in this judgmental world.

Among all my subscriptions to newspapers and magazines, there’s only one publication left that I have both a digital and print subscription to: Vanity Fair. May the oldest glossies die hard (or, preferably, not die at all).

When I opened my mailbox the other day, the latest issue popped out: on the cover, a fierce-looking girl wearing sunglasses that looked very much like the first designer shades I treated myself to with my modeling earnings back in the 90s.

Who’s that? I thought before seeing her name blazed across the bottom:

The dope shades are by Louis Vuitton. (Mine were Gucci—as in Gucci by Tom Ford—in case you were wondering.)

Naturally, I was interested to hear what else Millie had to say after her bold video statement on Instagram. This smart young lady has made some very canny choices since catching the fame bug back in 2016. Unlike other ingenues whose stars shoot, crash, fade, fizzle and burn out, this one ran with hers and soared her way to superstardom.

MBB has packed a helluva lot of work and play into the last nine years, and that’s on top of her continuing role on Stranger Things. Her resume is as impressive as it gets, and let’s not forget — she’s only just 21.

Aside from all her acting and modeling work, what I admire most about her is that she is the youngest person ever appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill ambassador. MBB isn’t just an influencer; she is hugely influential, the ‘It’ girl of her generation. After learning so much about her, I couldn’t help noticing a few things we had in common, save one fundamental difference (and no, it’s not the age gap).

Millie was born in Marbella, where I spent a lot of time as a child. She started acting when she was 10, whereas I was signed up with an acting agent at 12 (but I was far too shy, so that didn’t go anywhere). Millie wrote and released a novel at 19. So did I, but mine dragged on til I was 21, and I only showed it to one agent. When she said no, I didn’t have the guts to show it to anyone else, so it has been sitting on a shelf for over 20 years.

MBB’s great-grandmother was named Florence, whom she named her Gen Z beauty brand after. My grandmother was also named Florence (but was known by her middle name, Celia.) Millie knew she wanted to get married young like her parents, and she did. I also knew I wanted to get married young (20 was the age I had in mind), but alas, it only took me another 20 years.

MBB met her husband on social media. Although I met my husband IRL back in the 90s, we lost touch for many, many years and only reconnected because of social media. So we, too, have Instagram to thank for that. Millie had two weddings, whereas my husband and I eloped. If I had been her age, I would have had a big wedding too.

Millie is obsessed with dogs. Same here. She has 25 farm animals, 10 dogs, 4 cats, and 23 foster dogs. She is happiest at home on her farm in rural Georgia, tending to her husband and family of animals. She is a self-proclaimed trad-wife. I wouldn’t call myself one of those, but like her, I am living my dream.

When I look at MBB’s full life, I can’t help but see what might have been for me were it not for that fundamental difference I mentioned. This is not a compare and despair situation. My life now is better than it’s ever been: I’m a full-time writer (which is the only thing I ever wanted to do), living in New York, married to the love of my life.

To contextualize, I was in the dark for about three decades (interspersed with fleeting fragments of light), and not so long ago, I was almost underground. Ashes to ashes. I have only just found my way back to the light, and it has taken a tremendous amount of work to get here.

The difference between us is that MBB has one thing in spades that I never had: Confidence. That vital feeling of believing in oneself is nurtured by and within the family of origin. From what I’ve read, Millie has a super tight, supportive family who instilled strong values in her. This was not my experience. I had to learn the hard way, and as a result, I am a late bloomer. (Better late than never, eh?)

Through learning about MBB, I started to understand more about Gen Z. Aside from being introspective, outspoken, and prone to anxiety, I did not realize how obsessed they are with the 90s. No wonder so many of them want to get back to basics and live simple lives as trad-wives.

The trend turnover sounds exhausting and overwhelming. Before social media, magazines were my source for what was in or out, and even then, I remember thinking new issues once a month were too fast a pace to keep up with.

I was bemused to find out that this look from 1993 (I was 12 when these were taken) is very much on trend for Gen Z circa 2025, though I doubt the Walkman is making a comeback.

For all the leading figures Gen Z has to look up to, MBB is an exemplary role model. She is conscious, caring, self-assured, tough, and highly intelligent. She genuinely wants to make a positive impact on the world, and in less than a decade, she has already achieved so much. With her youth, authenticity and supreme confidence, this star is here to stay.

Keep on shining, Mrs. Bongiovi!