Days after a report alleged Millie Bobby Brown filed an on-set bullying complaint against David Harbour, the co-stars appeared cheerful and united at the Stranger Things 5 premiere, with Brown stating, “He’s like my dad! I’m just so connected to him for life.”
November 7, 2025: The premiere of the final season of Netflix’s sci-fi phenomenon, Stranger Things, was dominated by a display of unity on the red carpet, as stars Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour publicly addressed and dismissed swirling rumours of a major on-set rift.
The buzz began earlier in the week following a report from the Daily Mail UK alleging that Brown had filed a complaint accusing Harbour, her on-screen father figure, of bullying and harassment before filming for Season 5 began.
An Off-Screen Father-Daughter Bond
Despite the serious allegations, the actors, who play the iconic adoptive father-daughter duo Eleven and Jim Hopper, appeared together and cheerful at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
In a direct response to the reports, Millie Bobby Brown (who has essentially grown up on the show’s set) shut down the talk of animosity in a chat with Access Hollywood.
Millie Bobby Brown (to Access Hollywood): “He’s like my dad! I’m just so connected to him for life.”
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, she further elaborated on their long-standing connection, saying, “I obviously have a really special bond with David because we have a father-daughter relationship, and we do every scene together, and you’ll really get to see that in Season 5. It’s been so special to have him along the journey for me.”
The Production Stands By the Cast
The show’s creators and executive producers also stepped in to defend the integrity of the set environment, though they avoided discussing the specifics of the alleged internal complaint.
Ross Duffer (Co-Creator): Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Duffer stated, “Obviously, you understand I can’t get into personal on-set 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.”
Shawn Levy (Executive Producer/Director): Levy went further in dismissing the allegations, calling them “wildly inaccurate.” He added that despite the “noise,” the crew and cast “as family… treat each other with respect, and that’s always been bedrock.”
While neither Netflix nor the actors have publicly confirmed or denied the existence of the formal complaint, their unified appearance at the premiere aimed to shift the focus back to the highly anticipated final season. The report alleging the complaint noted that it did not involve any sexual misconduct.
Stranger Things Season 5 is set to release in three parts: Part 1 on November 26, Part 2 on December 25, and the feature-length finale on December 31.