'She looks 40'. 'Stranger Things' star Millie Bobby Brown addresses body shaming, hurtful public scrutiny

'Stranger Things' star Millie Bobby Brown said she is constantly facing criticism for her looks in comparison with her age and shared her struggles as she faced constant scrutiny for being a public figure. Recently, the actor had taken to Instagram to speak about the news articles that kept targeting her for looking more than her age. The 21-year-old also spoke about her concern during an episode of the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast with host Alex Cooper, where she said she was fed up with comments like, 'Oh my God, she looks like 40." She said there were also criticisms regarding her American accent, despite being a British actor.

Here is her Instagram post: "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. 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?," she concluded.