Millie Bobby Brown has slammed the media for “bullying” her over her appearance.
On Monday, the “Stranger Things” star addressed the negative comments from internet trolls and journalists. One recent Daily Mail story, for example, said the 21-year-old is “aging so badly.”
Brown, who debuted blonde tresses last month, called out individual journalists who have dissected her looks by name in a clip shared on Instagram.
In the clip, the actor emphasized how she grew up facing scrutiny in the industry while explaining how the criticisms affect “every young woman.”
“I started in this industry when I was 10 years old,” Brown said. “I grew up in front of the world, and for some reason, people can’t seem to grow up with me.”
She continued, “Instead, they act like I’m supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on “Stranger Things” Season 1, and because I don’t, I’m now a target.”
Brown went on to cite a string of news articles that criticized her looks and accused her of going under the knife.
“This isn’t journalism. This is bullying,” she said. “The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it’s disturbing. The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Even worse.”
Brown then blasted publications that seemingly insult women to generate more clicks, saying, “We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks. Disillusioned people can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs.”
Elsewhere in the clip, she said she “refuses” to “fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can’t handle seeing a girl become a woman.”
Wrapping up her message, Brown added, “Let’s do better. Not just for me, but for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing.”
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The “Enola Holmes” star’s pointed message to her critics comes after she shared a British Vogue article with the headline, “No One Cares How Old You Think Millie Bobby Brown Looks,” on her Instagram Stories late last month.
In her Instagram Stories, the British actor thanked the outlet for shutting down the discourse that she looks older since switching her hair from brown to platinum blonde.