Is Millie Bobby Brown leaving ‘Stranger Things?’

Millie Bobby Brown‘s Eleven in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things is a character who is arguably the heart of the entire show. Without her, the nostalgia-infused sci-fi thriller would probably just feel like a shell of its former self. With that in mind, is it true that the actress may be departing the series for good? The answer is a little complicated but we’ll explain it the best we can.

In case you weren’t aware, Eleven is a character in Stranger Things who has psychic abilities, including telekinesis. She can also psychically travel to other locations with the aid of sensory deprivation, including to other dimensions. Using a combination of these abilities, in order to seal away a deadly threat in the past, Eleven inadvertently created a link to the Upside Down, an alternate reality mirroring our own that contains monsters, such as the Demogorgon. She was held prisoner by a secretive government program, MKUltra, in order for the U.S. to study psychic phenomena to get a jump on the Russians during the Cold War.

What did Millie Bobby Brown actually say regarding her future on Stranger Things?

When it comes to the rumor about Brown departing Stranger Things, there’s a sliver of truth to it and an element of misinterpretation happening all at once. In terms of the quote from the interview from Glamour that is likely the source of the confusion, Brown told the magazine:

“Stranger Things takes up a lot of time to film and it’s preventing me from creating stories that I’m passionate about. So I’m ready to say, ‘Thank you, and goodbye.’”

However, context is everything. And the context of this quote, which was derived from an interview conducted before the actors’ strike commenced, is that Stranger Things‘ upcoming season 5 was already planned by showrunners and creators the Duffer Brothers as its final run. In fact, the interview gives no indication that Brown won’t be participating in season 5. Rather, she is talking about looking forward to the pre-designated period at which Stranger Things will end. In another interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Brown likened the Stranger Things swan song to graduating high school, as we previously reported:

“I think I’m ready. It’s been such a huge factor in part of my life, but it’s like graduating high school, it’s like senior year, you’re ready to go and blossom and flourish and you’re grateful for the time you’ve had, but it’s time to create your own message and live your own life.”

So yes, there is a sliver of truth to the fact that Brown is leaving Stranger Things. However, that’s merely a consequence of the fact that the show is ending so it’s not as if she is leaving anyone else behind. In fact, she specifically told Glamour she plans to keep in touch with her co-stars, saying, “When it ends, I’m going to be able to still see these people.”

Stranger Things season 5 doesn’t have an official release date yet. However, Matt Duffer, co-creator alongside brother Ross, indicated last year he mostly has the story mapped out already. Given the ongoing actors’ strike and the recently concluded writers’ strike, we’re not expecting Stranger Things season 5 to hit Netflix until at least 2025.