Millie Bobby Brown Says She Cried And Faced Depression After Stranger Things Farewell

Millie Bobby Brown has opened up about the emotional aftermath of wrapping up Stranger Things , revealing that she experienced a “slight depression” after the Netflix series ended and struggled deeply with leaving behind a role that defined her entire adolescence.

Speaking during a live recording of the Happy Sad Confused podcast at New York’s 92NY, Brown admitted that the end of filming hit her far harder than she expected after a decade playing Eleven . She described the experience as emotionally overwhelming, saying she felt like she was grieving a major chapter of her life.

The actor revealed that the impact of the show’s ending lingered for weeks, particularly around January, when she found herself in a low emotional phase while adjusting to life after the series. She added that she had to actively reconnect with cast members to maintain emotional balance after the show ended, as the group had effectively become her second family over ten years of filming.

Brown also shared that the final script readings were extremely difficult, recalling that she struggled to process the conclusion of Eleven’s journey. She said there was a strong emotional weight behind every scene because the character had grown up alongside her in real time.

A major revelation from the interview was the existence of a “secret pact” between Brown and the Duffer Brothers , under which only the creators and Brown know Eleven’s true fate after the finale. She said she has been strictly instructed not to reveal anything, and even her co-stars remain unaware of what actually happened to the character.

“There’s something to it, surely,” she said, noting that cast members themselves remain divided on whether Eleven survived, with some believing the character’s story is complete while others insist she is still alive. Brown added that the ambiguity is intentional and that even fan interpretations are part of what makes the ending powerful.

She also addressed the emotional split among viewers and cast reactions to the finale, revealing that she has seen audiences strongly divided over Eleven’s ending. Despite the uncertainty, she said she chooses to “believe” in a hopeful interpretation of the character’s future.

Brown, who first played Eleven at age 10, said saying goodbye after 10 years was one of the hardest transitions of her life, adding that she will miss the character “more than anything.”