Having acted since she was a child, she is best known to fans the world over as Eleven on Netflix megahit Stranger Things.
But Millie Bobby Brown has now stepped into her greatest role of all after revealing she has adopted a baby daughter with her husband Jake Bongiovi.
The couple announced the adoption in an Instagram post which read: ‘This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption.
‘We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy. And then there were three. Love, Millie and Jake Bongiovi.’
While many were surprised by Millie’s baby announcement, the star’s plan to become a young mother has been in the works for quite some time.
Millie Bobby Brown has now stepped into her greatest role of all after revealing she has adopted a baby daughter with her husband Jake Bongiovi
Having acted since she was a child, Millie is best known to fans the world over as Eleven on Netflix megahit Stranger Things
Millie, like many child stars before her, has grown up fast. She made her professional acting debut at the age of nine when she appeared in two episodes of the ABC fantasy series Once Upon A Time In Wonderland.
She has worked steadily ever since, appearing in other shows like Intruders, NCIS and Modern Family before landing the role on Stranger Things that would change her life forever.
Her early career start means the actress did not have a regular childhood.
Raised in Bournemouth, she moved to Orlando, Florida with her parents at age 8 and began acting soon after.
She briefly attended a regular school but left due to bullying and was homeschooled during her teen years.
Millie was happy with being homeschooled on set, saying it ‘worked well’ for her and she liked ‘the one-on-one experience and the flexibility’, noting she would often stay up until midnight to finish her homework after working during the day.
But her unorthodox upbringing didn’t come without its challenges as Millie told Vanity Fair growing up on the Stranger Things set impacted her social development.
Millie made her professional acting debut at the age of nine when she appeared in two episodes of the ABC fantasy series Once Upon A Time In Wonderland
Millie was happy with being homeschooled on set, saying it ‘worked well’ for her and she liked ‘the one-on-one experience and the flexibility’ (pictured in 2016)
But her unorthodox upbringing didn’t come without its challenges as Millie told Vanity Fair growing up on the Stranger Things set impacted her social development (pictured in 2014)
‘I don’t have many friends, because of who I am,’ she said. ‘I didn’t go to school, so I don’t have the best social skills when it comes to people my own age and friendships… I missed out on a few things. But I’m working through them.’
Millie did find love young however, as she began dating her now husband Jake in 2021 when she was 17. The couple announced their engagement two years later and married in a private ceremony in May 2024.
Millie has previously spoken of her desire to be a young mother, noting her own mother Kelly had her first child – Millie’s sister Paige – at 21.
‘This has been my thing since before I met Jake. My mom actually had her first child at 21, and my dad was 19,’ she said on the Smartless podcast in March.
‘I wanted to be a mom just like the way my mom was to me. Of course, I want to focus on really establishing myself as an actor and as a producer, but I also find it’s so important to start a family for me personally.’
Millie also told how Jake – who is the son of rock star Jon Bon Jovi – told her they couldn’t have children until they were married.
Millie did find love young however, as she began dating her now-husband Jake in 2021 when she was 17 (pictured in February 2025)
Millie has previously spoken of her desire to be a young mother, noting her own mother Kelly had her first child – Millie’s sister Paige – at 21 (pictured in February 2025)
‘So that was his thing,’ she explained. ‘And my thing was, I really want a family. I really want a big family. I’m one of four. He’s one of four. So, it is definitely in our future.
‘And so that is kind of what we stand by, Jake and I. The energy in our house is the door is always open.
‘We are always going to [want] to start a family, and it doesn’t matter in what way or when, but it will happen for sure.’
Those comments came a few weeks after she had opened up to Vanity Fair in February about how she and Bongiovi, who she met through mutual friends, were ‘pretty united’ on major topics before their marriage.
‘We talked about our political views, what kind of family we want to build, the kind of home we want to live in, the kind of relationship we’re looking for, the kind of careers we want,’ she said.
