Millie Bobby Brown Left 'Depressed' From Body Shaming Comments Saying She Looked Older: 'I Was Crying Every Day'

Earlier this year, Millie Bobby Brown made tongues wag following her blonde transformation and Y2K looks, but the talks were far from positive. 

Her style included a '90s blowout paired with retro-inspired outfits as she stormed the red carpet, yet critics claimed she looked older than her age.

While Brown initially shut down the conversations, she has now opened up about how she truly felt during that period.

In a recent interview, the “Enola Holmes” star got candid about the emotional toll of the harsh comments about her appearance.

Reflecting on her press tour for “The Electric State,” Brown revisited the backlash that followed a series of headlines labeling her as “aging badly.”

She began by mocking the writers' remarks about her looks before making it clear that while she respects journalism and enjoys reading, targeting someone is unacceptable, as she condemned it.

“It is so wrong and it is bullying, especially to young girls who are new to this industry and are already questioning everything about it,” Brown cautioned. 

Sharing that she had been excited for the movie's promotional tour, Brown explained that her makeover for the red carpet was meant to be fun. However, the negative coverage left her deeply hurt.

“I was depressed for three, four days. I was crying every day,” Brown confessed to British Vogue, adding that the sad feeling stayed with her even as she traveled to London to present an award to Sabrina Carpenter at the BRIT Awards.

She added, “I was crying while I was getting my hair and make-up done. I was even welling up when I saw her backstage.” 

After receiving comfort and advice from Carpenter to ignore the negativity, Brown released her viral video the very next day, responding to those who had criticized her.

In the clip she shared back in March, later covered by The Blast, Brown spoke about the backlash from her looks, reminding viewers that while she grew up in the public eye, many people still treat her as though she hasn't aged or evolved.

Brown directly called out several media outlets and writers who had published articles about her face, including "Why Are Gen Zers Like Millie Bobby Brown Ageing So Badly?" by Lydia Hawken and "What Has Millie Bobby Brown Done to Her Face?" by John Ely.

The 21-year-old condemned the tone of these reports, calling them harassment rather than journalism. She stated that such action isn't reporting but “bullying,” highlighting how damaging this kind of coverage can be-especially for young women in the spotlight.

While expressing her frustration over the constant judgment she faces, Brown asked a vital question about society's growing tendency to criticize rather than uplift others.

"Why is the knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible rather than just say something nice? Brown asked. "If you have a problem with that, I have to wonder —what is it that actually makes you so uncomfortable?"

She ended with a call for change, urging, "Let's do better-not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without being attacked for simply existing. Thank you."

Following her online callout, Brown echoed a similar sentiment about the media's fixation on her appearance during an interview on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast.

As The Blast reported, Brown told host Alex Cooper that it's only natural for her appearance to change over time, noting, “I'm 21 now, it's been ten years. I've matured-my face has changed. What else would anyone expect?”

However, Brown emphasized that with her present age, she has learned to accept herself as she is. She said, "Yes, my accent changes, and my face has matured." She added confidently, "I wear a lot of makeup-that's simply who I am."

As Brown continued to speak out about the media's treatment of her, new reports emerged alleging that her “Stranger Things” co-star, David Harbour, had harassed her.

According to The Blast, Brown reportedly filed a lengthy formal harassment complaint against Harbour, who portrays her on-screen father in the hit Netflix series.

While details of the investigation's outcome remain unclear, the insider confirmed that the probe, which lasted several months, did not involve any claims of sexual misconduct.

Neither Netflix, Brown, nor Harbour has publicly addressed the allegations and has focused on promoting the show's upcoming fifth season, set to premiere in December.