Mind Over Matter
MILLIE BOBBY BROWN, AKA ELEVEN, ON SUPER POWERS, STUNTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Will life ever be normal for eleven?
I don’t think Eleven will ever be human or normal, because she has powers. This season especially, she has a lot of fun with her powers – but she can’t live a normal life because the Mind Flayer is very aware of Eleven. The Mind Flayer is very aware of what she is capable of because they came face-to-face in the rift and he looked me dead in the eyes. That’s very scary for Eleven. The threat that he has on her and the threat that she has on him looms over them in season three.
What can you tease about the evil threats in season three?
There are definitely lots of threats in season three. It’s not only from the Mind Flayer. There are threats from characters, too. It’s always mind boggling to read the script and discover what’s going to happen. It’s fun to read what’s in store, but doing the scenes can be quite frightening. I can’t tell you too much about what’s going to happen, but there’s a very interesting dynamic in play this season – and it’s not just about the monster. Some of the characters are very, very threatening.
What physical challenges have you faced in playing eleven this season?
Eleven always has something physical to do. In the first season, she disappears and I have to scream. That was really physical for me. And let me tell you, my throat hurt so bad the next day. In the second season, she levitates into the air. That was very cool. I do know that there is a specific physical scene for Eleven, but I have to be a little secretive about it.
how do you prepare for the physical scenes?
You eat your chicken and black bean quesadillas. You have your orange juice. And then you go in there and do it!
Was there any stunt training involved?
Netflix worked closely with our production team to make sure that we do things that we’re capable of doing. Although the scene in question is not crazy, it’s definitely physical. We practise everything, obviously. And when I say that I ate those chicken and black bean quesadillas, it was definitely in my preparation.
What’s it like to work alongside Winona ryder?
Winona is an incredible person. She’s like my second mother. I go to her when I don’t know what to do with a scene, or when I have no idea how to get rid of my hiccups, and she always helps me. She would relate things from her childhood to mine, which would really help. She gets where I come from when I say that I need a break right now. She gets it when I say, “I need to get out of my headspace for a moment.” It’s really helpful having a [former] child actress to talk to.
how would you describe your working relationship with the Duffer Brothers?
The Duffer Brothers are fantastic to work with. In the beginning, I remember thinking, “These guys are twins, so I bet they’re going to disagree all the time. They’re going to be really difficult.” But I was wrong. When they work, they’re one person. They think the same things. If you stand by the monitors and watch them work, they both say things at the same time. It’s incredible. You’ll hear them both say, “The camera should go left,” or whatever. It’s wonderful.
What’s the best thing about working with them?
The Duffer Brothers are geniuses. As people, they’re amazing – but then you see them work together in real life and it feels insane to breathe in their energy. I don’t know how they do it. They’re very kind people, but they’re also like big kids. They love to hang out with the younger cast members and they understand us because they were those kids in the ’80s. That’s great to me. They’re great reference points, so they help us get into character easily.
What notes do you receive from the Duffer Brothers when you’re shooting the show?
What’s funny is that the main note I get is, “That was too human.” They’ll say to me, “You need to bring it down a little.” When people used to come on to the set in the first season and hear a note like that, they didn’t have a clue what was going on because they didn’t know anything about the character of Eleven. I’ve grown to learn the language of the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy, which helps you grow as an actor. Personally, I have learned so much on this show.
What movies did the Duffer Brothers ask you to watch to prepare for season three?
It’s funny you say that, because I shot a scene last night that was actually the same shot as a Natalie Portman movie. I looked quite scary in it, but I can’t remember the name of the movie!
Do you remember the day season one launched on netflix? What was life like back then?
I remember that day very clearly. It was July 15, 2016, and I was driving to Lake Tahoe from San Diego. I was in the car when the show came out and I remember looking at my Instagram followers on that day. I had 24 followers at that point, but three months later I hit nearly two million followers. It was a big change.
The day Stranger Things came out I had 24 Instagram followers. Three months later I hit nearly two million!