Millie Bobby Brown, the 21-year-old actress who rose to fame as Eleven in Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things, has allegedly accused her co-star David Harbour of bullying and harassment during production, according to a new report that has stunned fans.
The Enola Holmes star reportedly filed a lengthy complaint against Harbour before filming began for the fifth and final season.
Highlights
- Millie Bobby Brown allegedly accused co-star David Harbour of bullying and harassment on set.
- Sources say Netflix investigated the actor after Brown filed a “pages-long” complaint.
- The allegations surfaced amid Harbour’s rumored split and infidelity scandal with Lily Allen.
“Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season,” a source said. “There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months.”
Reps for Brown, Harbour, and Netflix have not commented on the matter, while the streaming giant has reportedly chosen not to confirm or deny whether an internal probe took place.
Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment campaign against co-star David Harbour just before shooting Stranger Things’ last season
Image credits: Theo Wargo/Getty
According to insiders, the complaint triggered a formal internal investigation into Harbour’s on-set conduct. Though the outcome remains undisclosed, the Daily Mail reported that the 50-year-old actor continued filming the series finale under scrutiny.
“Millie and I have always had sort of a special relationship because I knew her when she was so young,” Harbour said on a 2021 podcast, describing his paternal bond with Brown.
“I have a real protective feeling for her. I have a real worry. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with.”
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Image credits: Netflix
Brown, who was 12 when the show premiered in 2016, reportedly filmed her scenes for the finale accompanied by a personal representative on set. The outlet made it clear that Harbour was not accused of any intimate impropriety in Brown’s complaint.
In Stranger Things, Harbour plays police chief Jim Hopper, a father figure to Brown’s character.
The two have shared numerous emotional scenes throughout the series, portraying a bond between protector and child that went beyond the screen. The recent allegations, however, have cast a shadow over that dynamic.
Harbour's former wife, Lily Allen, has allegedly been supporting him through the investigation despite their issues
Image credits: Netflix
Harbour’s alleged behavioral issues reportedly came to light at a turbulent moment in his personal life. Just months earlier, the actor and his wife, British singer Lily Allen, had quietly separated after four years of marriage.
The pair married in 2020, but rumors of infidelity surfaced in early 2024.
In her latest album, West End Girl, released October 24, Allen appeared to reference her husband’s unfaithfulness.
Image credits: Netflix
Image credits: Netflix
In the track “Dallas Major,” she sings about a partner who lived a “double life” and “went astray” during what was meant to be an open relationship. Fans quickly speculated that the lyrics were directed at Harbour, who was rumored to have had an affair with costume designer Natalie Tippett.
Despite the marital strain, Allen reportedly remained by his side throughout the workplace investigation.
“Lily supported him throughout it all. It was a brutal time,” the source added.
The streaming giant is “refusing” to comment on the controversy to keep audiences focused on Stranger Things’ upcoming season
Image credits: Netflix
Despite everything the insider told the outlet, they made a point to reassure fans that the off-screen controversy will not impact the upcoming season of Stranger Things, set to debut in part on November 26.
“Nothing is going to overshadow this, not even the leading man’s private life,” the insider said, and explained that it was in the studio’s best interest not to comment on the controversy to keep audiences focused on the show’s highly anticipated finale.
Image credits: Kevork Djansezian/BAFTA LA/Getty
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For this reason, the same source said that Netflix will “never comment” on internal investigations, but noted, “The fact they’ve not denied it speaks volumes.”
“Stranger Things helped put Netflix on the map,” the insider continued. “Millions of fans around the world have been anticipating the finale. No one wants anything to take attention away from that.”
For now, the allegations remain unaddressed publicly, leaving fans torn between two beloved stars whose on-screen relationship once defined the heart of the series.
Whether the claims will ever be substantiated, or quietly disappear behind the glow of Netflix’s biggest franchise, remains to be seen.
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