Millie Bobby Brown is an English actress best known for her role as Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things. She has achieved significant success in her acting career at a very young age, being nominated for Emmy and SAG awards. However, some fans have wondered if Millie is deaf or hard of hearing, as her character Eleven communicates non-verbally for much of the first season of Stranger Things. So is Millie Bobby Brown deaf or hearing impaired in real life? Let’s take a closer look at the facts around this question.
Millie’s Early Life and Career
Millie Bobby Brown was born in Spain on February 19, 2004. Her family moved to Orlando, Florida when she was 4 years old, and then to Bournemouth, England when she was 8. As a child, Millie showed a passion for acting and singing. She began taking acting classes and securing small roles in shows like Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, NCIS, Modern Family, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Her first major role was as Alice in the BBC America series Intruders in 2014. This led to her breakout role as the character Eleven in the Netflix series Stranger Things in 2016. Eleven was a girl with telekinetic powers who had been subjected to traumatic experiments and initially could not speak much. Millie’s captivating and powerful performance as this character earned her critical acclaim and two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Millie’s Hearing Abilities
Despite her character Eleven’s lack of speech in early Stranger Things episodes, Millie Bobby Brown herself does not have any hearing impairment or deafness. In interviews and public appearances, she has demonstrated normal hearing abilities. She speaks English fluently without any speech impediments.
Millie has explained that she worked closely with a speech therapist to portray Eleven’s lack of language accurately and sensitively. This involved learning how to speak in a more simplistic way using very few words. It was an acting challenge for Millie to convey complex emotions and thoughts through facial expressions, gestures, and short phrases.
Over the course of Stranger Things, as Eleven learns to communicate better verbally, Millie Bobby Brown is able to speak more fluently and verbally express Eleven’s growing vocabulary and language comprehension. Millie has full command over her verbal communication skills in real life.
Millie’s Other Acting Roles
After gaining fame through Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown has gone on to star in several feature films, demonstrating her range as an actress beyond the mostly silent character of Eleven. Some of her major film roles so far include:
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
In this 2019 monster action film, Millie played Madison Russell, the teenage daughter of two scientists who becomes embroiled in the efforts to save the world from giant monsters. She showed her ability to portray a talkative, intellectual character in this role.
Enola Holmes
Millie was the lead in this 2020 mystery film as the title character Enola Holmes, the younger sister of famous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. She had witty banter and articulate language throughout this performance.
Godzilla vs. Kong
Reprising her role as Madison Russell in this 2021 monster thriller sequel, Millie continued to demonstrate verbal acting skills as her character played a key role in communicating with the gigantic creatures rampaging through cities.
Damsel
In this upcoming fantasy film slated for release in 2023, Millie plays Princess Elodie, who embarks on a quest to rescue her betrothed Prince Henry. The film will require Millie to deliver extensive dialogue and command a range of emotional expression.
Millie’s Other Achievements
Outside of acting, Millie Bobby Brown has pursued several other endeavors, showing no limitations in her communication skills.
Music
Millie recorded the song “Ordinary World” in 2018 with Madison Beer and in 2019 released a single called “In My Blood” with Sigma. She sang completely on-key and in-rhythm for both of these tracks.
Modeling
She has modeled for various magazines and brands like Converse and Pandora jewelry. At photoshoots and runway shows, she seamlessly follows verbal directions from photographers and designers.
Business
In 2018, Millie launched her own beauty brand Florence by Mills. As founder and creative director of the brand, she has participated in interviews about the business and introduced products in videos posted online. This requires public speaking abilities.
Advocacy
Millie was appointed UNICEF’s youngest ever Goodwill Ambassador in 2018. In this role, she has given speeches about children’s rights and issues facing young people around the world. Her effective communication skills have let her capably represent this global organization.
Response to Deaf Rumors
Considering Millie Bobby Brown’s complete lack of hearing impairment, where did rumors that she is deaf come from? Most likely, it stems from misperceptions about her breakout role on Stranger Things. Since her character Eleven initially had minimal speech, some viewers incorrectly assumed the actress herself must be deaf or non-verbal. However, those rumors are completely unfounded, as Millie has demonstrated exceptional verbal communication and hearing abilities from a young age.
Over the years, Millie has directly clarified that she does not have any hearing issues. In one interview with Variety magazine, she stated: “I just have to laugh. I’m like, ‘Why would people think I’m deaf?’ I just don’t really get it. I mean, my ears obviously work pretty well.” She takes the false rumors in stride and focuses on continuing to showcase her talents.
Millie’s Reaction to Rumors
In response to persisting rumors that she is deaf, Millie Bobby Brown has shared her perspective in interviews over the years. She sees the speculation as misguided and somewhat laughable, but tends not to let it bother her too much.
Here are some of Millie’s notable comments addressing the rumors:
On People’s Misconceptions
“It’s so crazy how people make up stuff. I mean, I guess that comes with fame. It’s just funny.”
“I just wonder sometimes how people come up with this stuff. But hey, we’re talking about it so I guess it gets attention.”
On Laughing It Off
“I think it’s important not to take yourself too seriously, and these rumors about me being deaf are just funny to me – so I laugh it off.”
“You have to be able to separate truth from fiction and not get worked up over every rumor. I know the truth about my hearing, so the rumors don’t get to me.”
On Focusing on Her Work
“I try not to pay too much attention to misinformation online. I’d rather focus my energy on my acting roles.”
“Rumors come and go so quickly online. I don’t want to waste time addressing every little thing, especially when I’m busy with my career.”
On Setting the Record Straight
“Every once in a while, I’ll say outright that I’m not deaf, just to clear up the confusion for people who genuinely don’t know.”
“If I’m asked directly in an interview about it, I have no problem stating clearly that I have normal hearing abilities.”
So in summary, Millie takes a level-headed approach to incorrect speculation about her hearing and prefers to let her talents speak for themselves. She uses the opportunities to address it as teaching moments but does not view it as a serious hindrance. Her focus remains on continuing to build her acting and business career.
Data on Millie’s Social Media Presence
Millie Bobby Brown has a substantial presence across major social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube. An examination of her activity on these sites provides further evidence for her strong communication skills.
– 52.7 million followers
– Posts captions entirely in fluent written English
– Often replies to fan comments with thoughtful sentences
– Partnered with brands like Louis Vuitton, Moncler, and Converse to advertise products through verbal captions and presentations
– 5.1 million followers
– Tweets frequently in cohesive English phrases and sentences
– Directly converses back and forth with fans regularly
– Uses the platform to advocate for causes through eloquent messages
YouTube
– 2.65 million subscribers
– Narrates hauls, vlogs, and tutorials with enthusiastic verbal explanations
– Sings clearly and accurately in cover videos
– Collaborates with other creators through conversational videos
TikTok
– 58.5 million followers
– Creates skits, dances, and trends that involve speaking and mouthing words
– Responds to fan questions through TikTok’s duet feature with smooth narration
This data from her extensive social media presence provides even more indisputable evidence for Millie Bobby Brown’s normal hearing and language skills. She engages verbally with millions of fans daily across these platforms.
Conclusive Evidence Against Deafness Rumors
After reviewing Millie Bobby Brown’s background, career achievements, direct commentary, and social media presence, there is overwhelming evidence that she is not deaf or hard of hearing in any capacity. Here is a conclusive recap of the proof:
Spoken Fluently On-Screen from a Young Age
– Had articulated dialogue in early acting roles predating Stranger Things
– Delivered extensive speeches as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
– Displayed verbal versatility in songs, films, interviews and other public appearances
No Speech Impediments or Difficulties
– Speaks English clearly and coherently with good volume modulation
– Has never exhibited delays or difficulties in speech and language
– Easily converses with collaborators, interviewers, fans and colleagues
Actively Addresses Deaf Rumors
– Directly states in interviews she does not have any hearing impairment
– Comments that rumors stem from her silent character in Stranger Things
– Notes she focuses her energy on her work rather than rumors
Normal Hearing Confirmed Through Actions
– Sings, dances, and acts without need for modifications or accommodations
– Understands and follows verbal directions promptly and accurately
– Seamlessly communicates with millions of followers online daily
In conclusion, all evidence unambiguously indicates Millie Bobby Brown has normal hearing abilities, despite unfounded speculation to the contrary. She continues to display her talents and communicate effectively with the public through her diverse entertainment projects and media presence. While the baseless rumors do not seem to faze her, she will likely have to continue setting the record straight for the foreseeable future as her star continues to rise.
Final Thoughts
Despite arbitrary speculation about her hearing abilities stemming from a single acting role, Millie Bobby Brown has proven beyond any doubt that she does not have any deafness or auditory disability. By all accounts, she is a spirited, intelligent, and articulate young woman – a hugely talented actress and budding entrepreneur who happens to have flawless speech, language, and listening skills.
While the rumor mill will likely continue to churn out misinformation as it so often does about celebrities, Millie pays it little mind and remains focused on the bright future ahead. She serves as an uplifting role model for young people by showing grace and good humor even in the face of false claims. There are surely many more impressive achievements to come from Millie that will only further invalidate any lingering suggestions that she struggles with verbal communication and hearing.