Why Millie Bobby Brown apologized to 'Stranger Things' cast after finale

Edward Segarra, USA TODAY Thu, June 25, 2026 at 2:21 PM UTC

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Millie Bobby Brown doesn't need telepathy to tell the world how she feels about the end of "Stranger Things."

The actress and former child star, who played superpowered teen Eleven on Netflix's sci-fi drama, got candid on the fate of her character and her relationships with her costars following the series' finale in December.

In the show's action-packed conclusion, Eleven seemingly dies after sacrificing herself by staying behind in the Upside Down. A time bomb set by Murray (Brett Gelman) and Hopper (David Harbour) later goes off, and viewers see Eleven get swept away into dust.

However, Eleven's mortality is thrown a bit of a curveball in the finale's final moments when Mike (Finn Wolfhard) tells a story about how Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) may have helped Eleven fake her death and that she escaped somewhere with three waterfalls.

Millie Bobby Brown attends the 2026 Netflix upfront at Sunset Pier 94 Studios in New York City on May 13, 2026.

Brown, 22, weighed in on the murky ending during a live recording of the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast on Wednesday, June 24. Although the Emmy-nominated actress knows the status of her character, she said she was sworn to secrecy by "Stranger Things" creators, the Duffer Brothers.

"They were like, 'Do not tell anyone. Because we made it a secret kind of pledge,'" Brown told host Josh Horowitz, according to Variety. "No one else knows. It's just us three. And what we do with that information, it'll be up to them."

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Brown, who said she experienced a "little bit of a slight depression" following the series finale's release, remained optimistic about Eleven's future.

"All people say now is, 'Do you believe?' And of course I believe," Brown said. "I have to believe, honestly – otherwise January will come around again."

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Millie Bobby Brown wanted to 'mend' relationships with 'Stranger Things' cast

During her appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, Brown also spoke about navigating her friendships with the "Stranger Things" cast as the series came to an end.

The actress, who played Eleven for nearly a decade, said she reached out to her costars in January to check in on their relationships and address any personal issues.

"They probably thought I was crazy," Brown said. "I was like, 'We're still friends, right? Like, you're not going to stop talking to me anymore?' I was like, 'I'm sorry if I ever upset you' and was just trying to mend anything. 'It's been 10 years, and I really want to be friends. You're my sibling.' And then I was on the beach, it was beautiful, and I just sat there crying. It was a very hard time for me."

"Stranger Things" stars Jamie Campbell Bower, from left, Caleb McLaughlin, Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo and Finn Wolfhard attend the "Stranger Things" FYC event at Netflix Tudum Theater in Los Angeles on Nov. 8, 2025.

Brown's remarks come seven months after media speculation emerged that she and onscreen adoptive father David Harbour had a falling out. The Daily Mail reported in November that Brown had allegedly filed a harassment and bullying claim against Harbour before filming on the final season began.

Brown later downplayed rumors of a feud during press for the show, telling The Hollywood Reporter that she and Harbour "value our friendship more than anything." In a Variety profile earlier this month, Harbour described the situation with Brown as a "simple rupture-and-repair thing" that they worked out once they talked to each other.

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"No one will ever understand it," Brown told "Happy Sad Confused" of the personal impact of "Stranger Things," adding, "I started the show when I was 10, and this character was me, and these people were in my life more than my own family."

"I saw these people more than going home and eating dinner with my family," Brown said. "Saying goodbye to that after 10 years was a very, very emotional thing, and I'm going to miss Eleven more than anything."

Contributing: Kelly Lawler, Pamela Avila and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Millie Bobby Brown talks 'Stranger Things' death, costar relationships

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