‘Stranger Things’ Star Millie Bobby Brown Talks About Life After Fame and Finding Peace on a Farm

Just 11 when she first played Eleven on the Netflix megahit Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown had no idea how her life would change.

“I never wanted to be famous,” the 21-year-old told Vanity Fair. “That was never my thing. I just love acting.” As the sci-fi show heads into its final season, the newlywed told the mag she’s bereft that it’s over and opened up about some of the major downsides of early fame, including feeling isolated from her peers because she grew up and went to school-on set. “I don’t have many friends, because of who I am,” she said, admitting that her social skills are lacking.

She’s learned to protect herself from online haters and intrusive fans who sexualized her from a young age. Deleting social media was a no-brainer, she said. “I was like, oh my goodness, this is making me feel horrible about myself.” No wonder she’s opted to live on a Georgia farm with husband Jake Bongiovi, preferring her critters to people: “It is a very vibrant place.”