David Harbour Sets The Record Straight On His Millie Bobby Brown Comment: It Was Never Meant To Hurt
Netflix is rocked by controversy as the Daily Mail reports Millie Bobby Brown has lodged harassment allegations against her Stranger Things co-star David Harbour — with the outlet citing dozens of pages of accusations — just as a resurfaced video of Harbour talking about protecting Brown lights up social media.
Well, this is messy. Netflix is dealing with a wave of headlines after a report claimed Millie Bobby Brown filed harassment and bullying allegations against her onscreen dad, David Harbour, during production on the final season of Stranger Things. And right as that blew up, an old clip of Harbour talking about protecting Brown made the rounds again, which only added to the noise.
What the report actually claims
The Daily Mail says Brown submitted 'pages and pages' of accusations to Netflix before filming Season 5, accusing Harbour of bullying and harassment. According to the outlet, Netflix launched an internal inquiry that lasted months. The reported result of that inquiry has not been disclosed, and the piece makes a point of saying no sexual misconduct was involved. The same report also says Brown had a personal representative on set throughout Season 5.
Netflix, per a source quoted by the Daily Mail, isn’t planning to respond to the allegations and is focused on the show’s sendoff, which they’re framing as a major theatrical-style rollout. Another source quoted in the piece called the timing 'unfortunate' as the series heads into its grand finale. A lot of fans online are openly skeptical of the story and are calling it fake, which is why you’re seeing so many old clips and quotes popping back up to argue one way or the other.
The resurfaced Harbour clip, in context
The video bouncing around is from a press conference after Harbour won Best Supporting Actor at the 23rd Critics' Choice Awards. It circulated via People back when Brown was driven off X by fan harassment. In it, Harbour talks about the pressure on someone who got famous that young and says he tried to look out for her. If you’ve only seen the snippet, here’s the gist of what he said back then:
'I think she’s in the crosshairs of something extremely dangerous that nobody seems to be paying attention to... I hope that she gets the help that she needs. I know that I try to protect her as much as I can.'
He also said his hope was for Brown to grow as an artist and someday swing by his nursing home with her Oscars, while warning about the pitfalls of chasing likes in the social media era. Fans are now reposting those comments as a character reference amid the new allegations.
How this collides with Stranger Things and Netflix’s plans
The report landed right as Netflix is gearing up to turn the Stranger Things finale into an event. The plan, per the Daily Mail, is a two-part release with a theatrical component for the back half:
- November 26, 2025: First half of Stranger Things Season 5 hits Netflix
- December 31, 2025: Second half premieres simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix
That’s ambitious under any circumstances. Add a cast controversy on top of it, and you can see why the streamer might be keeping its head down.
The Lily Allen angle
Because this story apparently didn’t have enough threads, the Daily Mail also folds in Harbour’s split from his ex-wife, Lily Allen, which went public last December. Her latest album, 'West End Girl', digs into their breakup and includes a track called 'Madeline' that reportedly references a woman Harbour allegedly cheated with. The outlet names New Orleans-based costume designer Natalie Tippett as the supposed inspiration and says the lyrics nod to texts exchanged behind Allen’s back.
Separate from that, the Mail’s sources claim Allen supported Harbour during Netflix’s internal inquiry before the couple split, calling that period 'brutal' for him. Another source says Allen processed a lot of pain privately, channeled it into the record, and isn’t chasing revenge now that the album’s out and connecting with fans.
Where things stand
To be super clear: none of this has been publicly confirmed by Netflix, Brown, or Harbour. Right now, it’s a stack of claims sourced to the Daily Mail, with an undisclosed internal outcome and a fandom trying to read the tea leaves off viral clips and old quotes. The one thing that is locked: Stranger Things still plans to close out in late 2025. Also tossed into the mix: Harbour is attached to 'Avengers: Doomsday' per the report, which means Marvel may be watching this closely too.
It’s a lot, and it could get louder. If any of the principals say something on the record, or Netflix breaks its silence, I’ll update.