Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour appeared side-by-side on the red carpet for the premiere of Stranger Things season five. The co-stars, who have worked on the show together for nine years, have been at the centre of a media storm with reports that Millie had filed ‘harassment and bullying’ claims against David, who plays her on-screen father, Jim Hopper.
This week, The Mail on Sunday alleged that Millie lodged formal complaints against David ahead of filming the final season of the show, claiming that an ‘investigation went on for months’ and that she requested a personal representative with her on set. In light of the reports, a video of Millie’s response to an interview question about David also resurfaced, but neither party has commented on the reports publicly. At the time of writing, Netflix has also refrained from commenting.
At the premiere in Los Angeles last night, The Hollywood Reporter spoke to co-creator Ross Duffer and asked about the ‘bullying’ reports. He responded: “Obviously, you understand I can’t get into personal onset matters, but I will say we’ve been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they’re family and we deeply care about them. So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy.”
The outlet also spoke to director and executive producer Shawn Levy, asking him how he ensures that everyone involved in the show ‘feels safe and respected’. He replied: “At the end of the day, that’s the job. You have to create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe, and so we did everything to build that environment. And we’re proud of the fact that we did so.”
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Adding that he is aware of the reports circulating, Levy added: “I’ve read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to … there’s so much noise around it. But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that’s always been bedrock.”
In a separate interview with ExtraTV, Millie was asked about seeing David for the first time since filming wrapped. She replied: “It’s been amazing. We’re so lucky to have each other. The show means so much to the both of us and to everyone here. This is like been the last 10 years of our lives. So, we’ve dedicated a lot of it and we’re so excited to see that come to screen.”
The first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 are now available to stream on Netflix.