Millie Bobby Brown has responded to recent allegations of bullying involving David Harbour on the set of Netflix’s Stranger Things, amid an already turbulent period marked by Harbour’s divorce from Lily Allen. The claims, which center around Millie Bobby Brown bullying claims, come as the highly anticipated fifth season of Stranger Things debuts, drawing heightened attention to the cast’s on-set dynamics.
Disputed Allegations Surface During a Challenging Time
The controversy emerged after The Daily Mail reported that Brown had accused her co-star David Harbour—known for his role in “Avengers: Doomsday”—of harassment and bullying on set. According to the outlet, Brown was allegedly accompanied by a personal assistant whenever she interacted with Harbour, and Netflix reportedly conducted a months-long internal investigation into the matter. Although the allegations did not include any claims of sexual misconduct, the story risked diverting attention from the imminent Stranger Things Season 5 premiere.
The timing of the report led some to speculate that details about the investigation might have been leaked by Lily Allen’s team. Regardless, the media coverage quickly placed the cast’s private interactions under public scrutiny, raising questions about the atmosphere behind the scenes of one of Netflix’s most successful series.
Brown and Harbour Present a United Front
In the wake of the headlines, Brown and Harbour attended a red carpet event together, appearing to display solidarity in response to the controversy. When questioned about the significance of this public gesture following the accusations, Brown explained:
“We’ve been doing that for the last 10 years,”
— Millie Bobby Brown, Actress
“I mean, we have always been united in that. We love this show with everything, and we value our friendship more than anything.”
— Millie Bobby Brown, Actress
Brown emphasized her excitement to work with Harbour again for the show’s final season, describing the renewed collaboration as a nostalgic experience that mirrored earlier seasons:
“It was quite nostalgic because it reminded me so much of season two and three, where we’re both kind of butting heads, and she’s growing up, she’s trying to find her own voice, and he’s trying to parent, and that dynamic definitely comes back into play once again.”
— Millie Bobby Brown, Actress
Cast and Crew Reflect on On-Set Relationships
Brown also expressed enthusiasm for viewers to witness the continued evolution of the characters Eleven and Hopper, noting:
“I’m really excited for people to see that,”
— Millie Bobby Brown, Actress
“And I think some of people’s favourite scenes of Eleven are Ele and [Hopper], so I’m really excited to have that come to screen once again.”
— Millie Bobby Brown, Actress
With speculation about the situation still swirling, Stranger Things co-creator Ross Duffer commented on the general approach to set management, stating:
“Obviously, you understand I can’t get into personal on-set matters, but I will say we’ve been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they’re family and we deeply care about them. So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy.”
— Ross Duffer, Co-creator
Director and executive producer Shawn Levy also addressed the importance of creating a positive work environment:
“You have to create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe, and so we did everything to build that environment. And we’re proud of the fact that we did so.”
— Shawn Levy, Director/Producer
Levy observed the spectrum of public narratives surrounding the production and offered his own perspective, concluding:
“I’ve read a bunch of stories, and they range from wildly inaccurate to…there’s so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that’s always been bedrock,”
— Shawn Levy, Director/Producer
Outlook for Stranger Things Season 5
Despite recent reports and the assumptions they generated, Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour continue to share crucial scenes in the latest episodes of Stranger Things, highlighting their ongoing professional relationship. Disagreements among actors are not uncommon on long-running productions, and the comments from both cast and crew suggest that the recent allegations may not fully reflect the day-to-day reality on set. Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 is now available on Netflix, as audiences continue to anticipate further developments both on and off the screen.
