A recent report suggested that Millie Bobby Brown filed harassment claims against Stranger Things co-star David Harbour. However, a recent comment from Brown suggests an entirely different story, one that fans are already privy to before the allegations surfaced. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Brown only had great things to say about her onscreen dad.
Brown shared that she and the Thunderbolts* star connected on a different level when she starred on the show. She stated that she annoyed her co-star like “a daughter or a younger sister.” She shared (via @dailyharbour / Instagram):
David [Harbour, who plays Hopper] and I connected on another level. He always looked out for me, and I always annoyed him like a daughter or a younger sister. I was always trying to climb all over him and he was always rolling his eyes and laughing at me.
She further went on to say that the bond between Eleven and Hopper in the show mirrored the actual relationship they had in real life. She shared, “I think that’s kind of how the El and Hopper relationship really started to develop in the show – it was mirroring our actual lives and our actual relationship.”
It also appears that the two stars are still following each other on Instagram, despite the ugly allegations that were brought up against them. Some fans claimed that it was proof enough that there was never any real issue between Brown and Harbour.
So… case closed? 👀
Millie Bobby Brown and Davoid Harbour still follow each other on Instagram. Pretty much confirms there was never any real issue between them. https://t.co/bcpbLg4Nad pic.twitter.com/Ah9FDC1EYa
This account seems to contradict the report of the Daily Mail, whose anonymous source claimed that there were “pages and pages of accusations” where Brown accused Harbour of “bullying and harassing” her.
Millie Bobby Brown Reportedly Accused David Harbour of Bullying and Harassment
David Harbour plays ex-police chief of Hawkins, Jim Hopper, who adopted Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven in Stranger Things. The report from the Daily Mail claimed that Brown filed a complaint with the streamer ahead of the fifth and final season of the show.
Harbour was allegedly subjected to an internal inquiry after her formal complaint. According to the report, the outcome of this internal inquiry remains undisclosed, but it did not involve any s*xual misconduct. A source told the outlet:
Mille Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months.
The report emerged at a time when the streaming giant is looking to make Stranger Things into a big theatrical event. A source within Netflix told Daily Mail that the streamer wouldn’t respond to the allegations, adding that they were focused on the show’s finale.
They shared, “It will be a theatrical event. Nothing is going to overshadow this, not even the leading man’s private life.” Another insider with information on the matter told Daily Mail:
It’s unfortunate that Mr Harbour’s personal woes have hit the headlines at a time when Stranger Things fans were looking forward to a global celebration to mark the end of the groundbreaking show.
The outlet also reported that Harbour’s estranged wife, Lily Allen, supported him during the inquiry. The source shared with the outlet, “Lily supported him throughout it all. It was a brutal time.” This allegedly happened before Harbour and Allen went their separate ways last December.
It was also alleged that Brown had a personal representative on set throughout the filming of the fifth season. The first half of the season is set to drop on November 26, 2025. The second half will premiere simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix on December 31, 2025.
David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown’s Previous Relationship Had No Apparent Tension
David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown had only the utmost love and respect for each other during their public appearances off-screen. In 2019, Brown posted an artwork of Harbour’s character a day after the third season of Stranger Things debuted on Netflix (via Stuff). She captioned the photo, “Like father like daughter.”
In 2021, they had a funny interaction on Harbour’s Instagram live from the set of Stranger Things Season 4. Harbour was in costume during the live and shared with his fans, “I don’t think I’m supposed to be showing you these… Who wants to hear spoilers about season 4? Let me just read directly from the script” (via Seventeen).
He then saw Brown on his comment section, sharing, “Oh no, Millie. Don’t tell Netflix. Don’t tell Netflix that I’m doing Instagram Live from the set.” A few moments later, she appeared on the live to tell off Harbour. She yelled, “What are you doing?!” She laughed as she told him to go back to work. She said, “Get off of live and go back to work! You’re getting a phone call [from Netflix] right now.”
During a podcast appearance the same year, Harbour shared his fatherly feeling towards Brown. He shared on an episode of That Scene With Dan Patrick, “Millie and I have always had sort of a special relationship because I knew her when she was so young. I knew her before any of this big fame hit” (via EW).
He shared that he had “a real protective feeling for her.” He added, “I have a real, like, worry. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with. And I’ve just always felt this kind of deep fatherly affection for her.” It wasn’t the only time that he expressed concern for his onscreen daughter.
When Brown was forced to delete her X account due to bullying from online fans, Harbour commented on the struggles that his young co-star was facing. His comments came during a press conference after winning the Best Supporting Actor at the 23rd Critics’ Choice Awards. He shared (via PEOPLE):
I think she’s in the crosshairs of something extremely dangerous that nobody seems to be paying attention to. I think the developing mind, someone who gets this famous and has still a brain that is not fully developed, is an extremely difficult thing to navigate. I hope that she gets the help that she needs. I know that I try to protect her as much as I can.
Harbour’s remarks were posted in support of him on TikTok after the report of accusations emerged. The new scandal is a major headache for Netflix, especially during the grand finale of their show.
What do you think of Brown’s comments amidst the new disturbing reports? Let us know in the comments below!
Stranger Things Season 5 Episode 1 will drop on Netflix on November 26, 2025.
