Millie Bobby Brown is a British actress, producer, model, writer, and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She turned 21 on February 19th, and it is because of her young age that she is often the target of criticism.
Social media users are often discussing the fact that Millie looks much older. Such comments often include disparaging remarks about her appearance. “I had to double check that she turned 21 the other day, not 40,” says one particularly vicious post. “You look older than ever!!” writes another user on X.
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In fact, this situation is not new – talk about the actress looking older began at the beginning of her career. Ever since Brown first appeared in the role of Eleven in the Netflix series “Strange Miracles” in 2016 (for which she was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series), she has been the center of constant discussion about her persona. She has been ridiculed for her accent, early marriage (she married Jake Bongiovi in 2024), style, behavior, and even hairstyles. There are entire threads on Reddit dedicated to her appearance and possible cosmetic procedures. Even famous plastic surgeons have commented on her aesthetic decisions in national newspapers. In short, it has turned into a fair of slander.
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This text is not intended to argue that being a celebrity is an unbearable burden. Of course, there are downsides: constant attention to the most difficult moments of life, broadcast to the whole world, a complete lack of privacy. But there are also upsides – not least of which is the crazy money. However, it is difficult to agree with the idea that celebrities should serve as our personal punching bags on the Internet. The publicity of their work does not mean that they should put up with dehumanization.
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It would be interesting to ask the internet trolls what they think happens after such shameful comments. Does the actress think this is her personal failure? And what should she do about it? Our brains are so bewildered by the constant presence of social media that we actually start to consider it our inalienable right to express our worth to other people based on a few red carpet photos. But if the troll himself were put under the same harsh microscope, even the strongest self-confidence would quickly crack.
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Obsessing over women and their age is a form of misogyny. Millie Bobby Brown is an award-winning actress with several blockbuster roles. In a perfect world, she would simply be applauded for her achievements and talent. And remembered as a child when the world's attention fell on her, instead of being mercilessly dissected for her appearance.
Rumor has it that Brown could play Britney Spears in an upcoming biopic about the singer who suffered a breakdown under tabloid pressure in the 2000s. This story wasn't new twenty years ago—and unfortunately, it remains so today.
Text: Morgan Fargo
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Based on materials from: Vogue.co.uk