It is hard to remember a time when Millie Bobby Brown wasn't a household name. Seriously. Today, she’s a fashion mogul, a UNICEF ambassador, and a movie star who commands eight-figure checks. But back in 2016, she was just an eleven-year-old kid with a buzzed head and a massive amount of pressure on her shoulders.
Most people look back at millie bobby brown season 1 and see a lucky break. They see a "star is born" moment that felt effortless. But if you actually dig into what was happening behind the scenes in 2015 and 2016, the reality was way more stressful—and kind of heartbreaking.
The Audition That Saved Her Family
Here is the thing about Millie’s start: it wasn't glamorous. At all. Her family had basically gone broke trying to jumpstart her acting career in Florida and Hollywood. They actually had to move back to the UK and live with an aunt because the money had run out. Millie has been open about the fact that she grew up with "no money."
When she auditioned for the role of Eleven, she didn't just want the part. She kind of needed it. The Duffer Brothers weren't looking for a polished child actor who could recite lines perfectly. They needed a "movement specialist." They needed someone who could act with their eyes because, let’s be real, Eleven barely speaks in those first eight episodes.
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The Duffers told her to channel E.T. Not a girl, not a superhero—an alien.
What Actually Happened with the Shaved Head
One of the biggest myths about millie bobby brown season 1 is that she was totally fine with shaving her head from day one. In reality, her parents were the ones who were terrified. They were worried it would ruin her "look" or make her uncastable for other things.
It was the Duffer Brothers who had to show her a picture of Charlize Theron in Mad Max: Fury Road. They told her, "Look, she looks badass. You're going to look badass."
Once the hair fell, the character clicked. But for an 11-year-old girl in 2015, that was a massive social sacrifice. She’s since mentioned how people would stare at her in public, not knowing if she was a boy or a girl, or if she was sick. It was her first taste of the public’s weird obsession with her appearance—something that honestly hasn’t stopped even now that she’s in her twenties.
The Physical Toll Nobody Talks About
We see the cool telekinesis scenes. We see the van flip. But the actual filming of the sensory deprivation tank scenes was a nightmare for a kid.
To get Millie to float in that kiddie pool, the crew had to dissolve over 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt into the water. If you’ve ever had a paper cut and touched salt, you know how much that stings. Now imagine being an 11-year-old floating in a concentrated salt bath for hours.
On top of that, she had to wear a 70-pound helmet for the underwater sequences. 70 pounds. That’s nearly as much as she weighed at the time.
Then there was the Demogorgon. In season 1, it wasn't just a guy in a green suit or a CGI blob. It was a practical, animatronic beast built by Spectral Motion. It was terrifying. While the older kids could joke around, the toddlers on set—like the twins playing Holly Wheeler—were legitimately traumatized. Millie had to maintain this weird balance of being a professional lead actress while still being a child who was occasionally creeped out by the "monster" sitting in a lawn chair between takes.
The Paycheck vs. The Hype
There is a huge misconception that Millie got rich the second the show dropped.
The core kids, including Millie, Finn Wolfhard, and Gaten Matarazzo, were reportedly paid around $20,000 to $30,000 per episode for millie bobby brown season 1. When you account for taxes, agents, managers, and the cost of living in Atlanta for filming, that’s not "set for life" money. It was a solid middle-class salary, but it didn't reflect the billion-dollar franchise they were building.
It wasn't until the show became a global phenomenon that the "A-Tier" negotiations happened. Eventually, the cast got $60,000 bonuses once Netflix realized they had a goldmine on their hands. But during the actual filming of that first season? They were just kids on a "B-Tier" contract hoping the show wouldn't get canceled.
Why Season 1 Still Hits Different
If you go on Reddit or TikTok today, you'll see fans arguing that Millie’s best acting happened in 2016. Why? Because it was raw.
In later seasons, Eleven becomes more "human." She talks more. She has teenage angst. But in season 1, Millie had to convey:
- Extreme trauma
- Social isolation
- The literal discovery of what a "friend" is
- Protective rage
She did all of that while being mostly silent. Critics at the time, and even now, point to the scene where she finds the boys in the rain or the "Papa" confrontation as masterclasses in facial acting. She won the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor and bagged an Emmy nomination at age 13 for this work. That doesn't happen by accident.
The "First Kiss" Drama
Every fan knows the story, but it’s worth repeating because it’s so human. The kiss between Mike and Eleven at the end of the season was Millie’s first kiss. Ever.
Finn Wolfhard has joked in interviews that her reaction was "the funniest thing ever." As soon as the director yelled cut, she stood up and shouted, "Kissing sucks!"
It’s a funny anecdote, but it also reminds you that while she was playing this powerful, world-saving hero, she was still just a little girl experiencing normal childhood milestones in the weirdest environment possible.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Creators
If you’re looking back at millie bobby brown season 1 for inspiration—whether you’re a creator or just a fan—there are a few real-world lessons to grab from her trajectory.
- Less is often more: If you’re writing or acting, remember that Millie’s most iconic season featured her saying fewer than 250 words. Focus on the subtext.
- Commit to the "Ugly": Taking the risk to shave her head is what made the character iconic. Playing it "safe" rarely leads to a cultural breakthrough.
- The "Overnight Success" is a lie: Millie had years of failed auditions and her family literally went bankrupt before Stranger Things hit.
- Watch the eyes: Re-watch episode 3 ("Holly, Jolly") and pay attention only to Millie's eyes when she sees the pictures in the Wheeler house. That is where the character lives.
The legacy of season 1 isn't just the "011" tattoo or the Eggo waffles. It’s the fact that a kid who had nothing left to lose turned a silent role into the biggest television breakout of the decade.
To really understand the craft, go back and watch the scenes in the woods without the sound. You'll see exactly why she became a superstar. Look at the micro-expressions. Notice how she stays in character even when the camera isn't directly on her. That level of discipline at age eleven is what separates a "child actor" from a career professional.
Next time you see a headline about her latest business venture or her wedding, remember that it all started with 1,200 pounds of salt and a girl who was told she looked like an alien.