Millie Bobby Brown’s bullying claim against David Harbour sparks Netflix investigation before 'Stranger Things 5' hits screens

Highlights:

• Reports say the complaint included “pages and pages” of details.
• Netflix allegedly launched an internal investigation before filming Season 5.
• Allegations are not sexual in nature, sources clarify.
• David Harbour’s old remarks about Brown have resurfaced online.

Millie Bobby Brown has accused her Stranger Things co-star David Harbour of bullying and harassment, according to the Daily Mail. They state the 21-year-old filed a long complaint before shooting began on the final season. It ran for “pages and pages,” according to one source.

Netflix is believed to have carried out an internal investigation into the matter, though the outcome hasn’t been shared publicly. The report adds that none of the allegations were sexual in nature and that Brown had her personal representative present on set for support.

Stranger Things tension erupts as Millie Bobby Brown accuses David Harbour of bullying and harassment on set Getty Images

Why the harassment claim has made headlines

The claims have sparked intense discussion as the show gears up for its global return later this month. Harbour, who plays Chief Jim Hopper, a father figure to Brown’s Eleven, reportedly faced internal questioning after the complaint was submitted.

A source told Daily Mail: “Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months.”

Netflix hasn’t said a word about it. Neither have representatives for Brown or Harbour.

David Harbour under fire after Millie Bobby Brown’s harassment report surfaces weeks before 'Stranger Things' finaleGetty Images

David Harbour’s past comments resurface online

Not long after the story spread, an old interview clip of Harbour started doing the rounds online. It is from 2021, and in it, he talks about Brown and how close they were when the show first took off.

“Millie and I have always had a special relationship because I knew her when she was so young,” Harbour said then. “I have a real protective feeling for her. I worry about her and the fame and all that she has to struggle with.” The clip has now been reinterpreted in light of the current allegations.

The on-screen bond, now under strain

People have always loved the father-daughter warmth between Hopper and Eleven. It’s been the heart of Stranger Things from the start. But off camera, that bond sounds far less simple. What played gentle on screen may have been tense behind it. Their bond, built across four seasons, is central to the show’s story, from the labs of Hawkins to the fight against Vecna.

But with Brown’s formal complaint and Harbour’s silence, the off-screen dynamic appears far from the closeness fans once celebrated. Reports say the situation was serious enough for production to quietly involve senior staff to ensure a comfortable work environment.

Millie Bobby Brown files harassment and bullying claim against Stranger Things co-star David HarbourGetty Images

What happens with Stranger Things next

Netflix will still release Season 5. The first part comes out on 26 November and the next on 25 December, Christmas week. The show’s fifth season is being billed as its last, the big finish for Netflix’s biggest success. Brown’s complaint, and the silence around it, hang heavy as the cast moves towards the end.