Millie Bobby Brown has offered a rare glimpse into her family life, speaking candidly about motherhood, adoption, and her hopes for more children. The 22-year-old Stranger Things star, who typically keeps her personal life private, revealed that she and husband Jake Bongiovi adopted a baby girl in 2025.
Adoption Was Always Part of Her Dream
Brown explained that adoption had been part of her vision for the future since childhood. "One hundred per cent, always, always, always wanted to adopt. It was always part of my dreams," she said on the podcast Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce. "My parents are like, 'you had your baby dolls, they were all adopted.' I never had any of them, I never pretended I was pregnant."
She emphasized that adoption is a form of love that lasts forever. "It's not because I don't want that. Hopefully one day that's in my future. But for me adoption was always part of my future. Adoption is love. Adoption is forever," she added.
Motherhood: From Black and White to Colour
Describing the transformative impact of becoming a mother, Brown said: "Me and my husband say it all the time it's like going from black and white to colour. Everything feels complete and perfect in every way."
She takes the responsibility of raising a daughter seriously, especially given her own experiences growing up in the spotlight. "It's a huge responsibility raising a daughter specifically... I take it very seriously to raise a girl that can be proud of who they are and be confident and embrace it," she said.
Brown added: "Coming from my experience specifically, it was my goal to provide a world where she feels really safe, and loved and nurtured. That's what my parents did for me and that's why I am the way I am."
Navigating Parenthood with Support
The actress revealed that she relies on other mothers for advice rather than turning to the internet. "My husband says, 'Mills don't be a Google warrior' and I am like, 'you're right, you're right,'" she laughed. "Use mums as your Google. If you have mum friends just say it to them and they'll be like, 'oh my God that happened to me,' or something weirder happened."
Brown enjoys attending music classes with her daughter and chatting with other parents, calling it a highlight of her week.
The Adoption Journey
Brown and Bongiovi prepared extensively for adoption, taking multiple courses. "I took so many courses, like so many courses on adoption and what it looks like on every other end of the spectrum. My husband and I took a lot of time to focus on what that story and what the journey looks like and then we embarked on it," she shared.
The waiting period was the hardest part, she admitted. "Waiting for the call is the hardest part. It's something I prayed for every night, and I am just very thankful that our journey and our baby was out there and we found each other."
When the call came, Brown felt an immediate connection. "For me my gut was like, 'yep, that's it, that's my girl.' My maternal instincts kicked in and I was like, 'I will protect this baby at all costs.' And so meeting her I was like, 'this is everything to me' and the bond immediately kicks in. For me anyway, it really did."
Facing Criticism
Brown also addressed criticism she faced for becoming a mother at 21, telling detractors they can "put a sock in it."
