Millie Bobby Brown became emotional during her final table read for ‘Stranger Things’ with co-star David Harbour, a moment highlighted in Netflix’s documentary amidst prior bullying allegations, underscoring the end of their long collaboration.
The table read, captured in the documentary ‘One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5’ released on January 7, showed Brown, 21, choking up as she recited lines where her character, Eleven, thanks Harbour’s character, Hopper, for raising her. Harbour, 50, was seen looking away emotionally after she delivered the poignant line, ‘You protected me, you raised me, you became my dad,’ blending real-life sentiment with the fictional finale.
This scene emerges after reports from the Daily Mail in November cited sources claiming Brown filed a harassment and bullying complaint against Harbour before filming the final season, leading to a months-long internal investigation. Harbour was not accused of sexual impropriety, but the allegations pointed to significant on-set tensions during the production of Season 5.
Despite the claims, Brown and Harbour presented a united front at the ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 premiere on November 6, posing together for photos and appearing friendly in public. However, a body language expert noted that their display might have been ‘overkill,’ suggesting potential underlying issues between the co-stars that contrasted with their public demeanor.
In subsequent interviews, Brown downplayed the feud, emphasizing her sense of safety and the value of her friendship with Harbour. She told Deadline that she ‘felt safe’ working with him, citing their ten-year history and close bond from playing father and daughter, and added, ‘We love this show with everything, and we value our friendship more than anything.’
Harbour has historically expressed a protective attitude towards Brown, whom he met when she was 12 years old. In a 2021 podcast, he said, ‘I have a real protective feeling for her. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with,’ highlighting their mentorship-like relationship that evolved over the series’ run.
The bullying claims and emotional table read have sparked broader discussions about workplace dynamics in Hollywood, particularly for child actors navigating fame. While the investigation’s outcome remains undisclosed, the documentary moment serves as a bittersweet capstone to their on-screen partnership, reflecting the complexities of blending personal and professional realms in entertainment.
As ‘Stranger Things’ concludes with Season 5, attention turns to the show’s legacy and the off-screen relationships that shaped it. Brown and Harbour’s experience illustrates the challenges of long-term collaborations in the industry, where enduring bonds can be tested by allegations, yet moments of genuine connection endure.
