Takeaways:
- Millie Bobby Brown found shaving her head for Stranger Things to be a liberating experience.
- The actress is considering shaving her head again when she has her first child.
- She initially embraced the look but later struggled with insecurity due to societal expectations.
- Brown has since grown to appreciate the experience and remains open to doing it again.
Millie Bobby Brown on Her Shaved Head: A Bold Look She’d Love to Revisit
Millie Bobby Brown made headlines when she first appeared as Eleven in Stranger Things with a shaved head. The bold look became iconic, and now, years later, the actress is considering embracing it again—this time, for a very personal reason.
The Enola Holmes star recently revealed on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she plans to shave her head when she has her first child, describing the experience as “liberating.”
Why Millie Bobby Brown Wants to Shave Her Head Again
At just 12 years old, Brown didn’t hesitate when she had to shave her head for her breakout role in Stranger Things. Now, at 21, she sees it as a powerful symbol of transformation.
“I always tell Jake [Bongiovi], for my first baby, I want to shave my hair off,” she shared. “It was really liberating, and I would suggest it to anyone.”
Brown explained that maintaining hair can be an “ordeal” and feels that during such an important life transition—like becoming a mother—she’d rather focus on nurturing her child than worrying about her hairstyle.
“I think it’s such a liberating experience,” she said. “To be a woman is— and I felt like I had that experience as a girl, but I’d like to have that experience as a woman.”
Her Initial Experience Shaving Her Head for ‘Stranger Things’
When Brown took on the role of Eleven, she embraced the transformation with confidence.
“I honestly did not care,” she recalled. “I didn’t have anxiety. I wasn’t sad when they shaved it off. I just thought, ‘Cool. Now this is what I’m doing.’”
However, as the Stranger Things filming schedule required her to keep her head shaved for continuity, she began to notice the social implications. Around the age of 11 or 12, she started feeling self-conscious—especially when her peers began forming crushes and she felt overlooked.
“The boys started liking girls, and I was kind of like, ‘Why are boys not liking me?’” she admitted. “I started feeling insecure.”
Dealing With Insecurities and Public Reaction
As a young girl in the spotlight, Brown faced bullying, both from her peers and the public.
“In public, people would make comments,” she shared. “I did get really, really bullied.”
To cope, she experimented with wigs and different hairstyles. Despite the challenges, she remains grateful for the experience and has no regrets.
“I still, to this day, loved the experience, and I would do it again,” she said.
The Significance of Shaving Her Head in Hollywood
Brown’s experience highlights a larger conversation in Hollywood about beauty standards. Many actresses have shaved their heads for roles, including Natalie Portman (V for Vendetta), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther). For Brown, the decision to do it again on her own terms is a testament to her confidence and self-empowerment.
As she continues to navigate her career and personal life, it’s clear that Brown embraces change—whether on-screen or in real life.
