Millie Bobby Brown hit it big when she starred as Eleven in Netflix’s Stranger Things. The actress was only 12 years old when she headlined the sci-fi fantasy series. Since then, she has grown to be one of the most recognizable actresses in the world, starring in films like Enola Holmes, Godzilla: King of Monsters, and the upcoming The Electric Slate.
Not many know but Bobby Brown revealed that she was deaf in one ear. The actress was reportedly born with a partial hearing loss and after a few years, the sounds faded away. Despite these obstacles, Millie Bobby Brown seems to have put it out of earshot and has steadily grown in her career.
Millie Bobby Brown Opened Up About Her Partial Hearing Loss
Beginning her career at the age of eight, Millie Bobby Brown was one of those finds that impressed millions of fans with her role in Stranger Things. The actress was just twelve when the show premiered on Netflix and became a pop cultural phenomenon. Along with the rest of the child stars, Bobby Brown became a star.
In an interview with Variety, Bobby Brown revealed that she was deaf in one ear and that she was born with the condition. The Damsel star reportedly mentioned that she was born with partial hearing loss in one of her ears, which gradually became permanent after years of tubes. However, she seemed to be unfazed by her condition.
The actress revealed that she had a passion for singing and her condition did not affect her interest in it at all. She said to Variety,
I just started to sing, and if I sound bad I don’t care, because I’m just doing what I love. You don’t have to be good at singing. You don’t have to be good at dancing or acting. If you like to do it, if you genuinely enjoy doing it, then do it. No one should stop you.
Her condition has not stopped her from being one of the most recognizable Hollywood stars and the founder of a beauty line. She is also a published author.
How Did Millie Bobby Brown Film Stranger Things With Her Condition?
Millie Bobby Brown had her breakout role in the Netflix series Stranger Things. The sci-fi fantasy series set in the ‘80s followed a group of school kids who encounter Eleven, an isolated child with telekinetic powers. Bobby Brown played Eleven and immediately became a pop cultural sensation.
While filming the series, Bobby Brown had already lost parts of hearing in one ear and she opened up about how the sets of Stranger Things accommodate her condition. She mentioned in an interview with Studio 10 Live that she would struggle with her condition whenever someone had to communicate things to her. She said,
Filming stranger things was hard because I would have ADs or PAs near me to say ‘action’ because they’d have to say it really loud or like make a sign so that I could watch them. Because I would never be able to hear them.
The actress mentioned that the series’ creators, the Duffer Brothers, would say ‘action’ in a very calm way which made it difficult for her to hear. But with executive producer and director Shawn Levy, who would reportedly say ‘action’ loudly, it was easier.
Other Celebrities That Have Hearing Loss Like Millie Bobby Brown
With her diagnosis, Millie Bobby Brown joined the list of celebrities in Hollywood who have partial or total hearing loss. The actress’ deafness in one ear has become an inspiration to many aspiring actors to go for their dreams despite setbacks, just like these other celebrities who went on to achieve impressive feats.
One of the most prominent celebrities with partial hearing loss is Sir Paul McCartney. The former Beatle is still going strong as a musician and tours and performs across the world. While giving an interview with The New Yorker, the actor’s hearing aid reportedly fell off and he nonchalantly picked up the device and put it back on (via Daily Mail).
Actress Jane Lynch, who is known for her roles in Glee and more recently in Only Murders in the Building reportedly lost her hearing in the right ear as a child. The actress speculated that she lost her hearing after having a high fever as an infant (via Daily Beast).
Oscar winner and X-Men star Halle Berry revealed to People Magazine that she lost hearing in one ear after being hit by an abusive ex-boyfriend. She reportedly told the magazine that her boyfriend was a well-known man in Hollywood and he hit her so hard that she lost 80% of her hearing in one ear.
