Millie Bobby Brown Faces Fresh Backlash

Millie Bobby Brown has been facing fierce backlash online, with many calling her a Zionist and asking people to boycott her new movie.

On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking another 250 as hostages. Israel declared war on Hamas, firing airstrikes into the neighboring Gaza Strip, where the group is based. Supplies of food, energy, fuel and medicine into the area were suspended before a ground offensive was launched in late October.

As of February 19, over 29,000 people in Gaza have been killed, the Associated Press reports, with a further 68,000 injured, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Since Hamas launched the shock attack on Israel in October, several celebrities have faced backlash for speaking out about the conflict or for remaining tight-lipped.

Brown, the Stranger Things actor, who stars in the Netflix movie DAMSEL, is yet to share a statement on the issue, which has left a lot of people unhappy. Many have taken her silence to mean she supports the atrocities that have unfolded in Gaza.

When a new trailer for the film, premiering on the streaming platform on March 8, was posted by a variety of X accounts, formerly Twitter, people took to the comments to criticize Bobby Brown, accusing her of being a Zionist.

A Zionist is someone "supporting, belonging to, or relating to a political movement that had as its original aim the creation of a country for Jewish people, and that now supports the state of Israel," per the Cambridge Dictionary.

People have taken to X to share their frustration with the actor. Newsweek contacted Bobby Brown's representatives via email Tuesday for comment.

One person reshared the movie's trailer and wrote: "reminder to not support her. MILLIE BOBBY BROWN IS A ZIONIST. she's said she'd love to visit israel, has a zionist fiancé, has a zionist best friend, is actively ignoring boycotts like starbucks, refuses to talk about palestine despite posting regularly+being a UNICEF ambassador."

"Millie Bobby brown is a Zionist. Not watching the movie. Nope," posted another X user.

"Isn't it ironic when psycho pro-genocide actors play roles like rebels and heros. These people rear the script and understand nothing. What a waste of talent and a waste of story on this zionist," a third person wrote.

A fourth added: "She's Zionist... Boycott Millie bobby brown."

Someone else posted, "here comes the zionist allegations!!" before adding: "not as bad as a noah tweet would get bc [because] millie isn't jewish, but she's a zionist by association, and that is very evil!! ok."

This post references the fact that Bobby Brown is friends with fellow Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp. He has made headlines repeatedly in recent months for his remarks on the Israel-Hamas war, leading to cancellation calls and fans threatening to boycott the upcoming fifth season of the sci-fi show.

However, other people online have defended Bobby Brown.

"You do realise nobody is obligated to participate in a boycott if they don't want to. I've bought a Starbucks sometime within the past few months, because I was thirsty and wanted one, does that make me a Zionist? nope," one person posted.

"I don't think she's a Zionist, she's a beautiful, most talented woman in the world, and a incredible actress, i love Millie Bobby Brown," commented another X user.

A third person wrote about Brown's new movie: "this looks good we will be streaming."

These posts come after the actor celebrated her 20th birthday on Monday.

In DAMSEL she plays Princess Elodie, a young woman who is duped into marrying a prince, only to be sacrificed to a dragon, in accordance with a long-standing custom. The young bride battles for her life in the hope of putting an end to the deadly practice.

This unique take on a fairy tale also stars famed British actor Ray Winstone, alongside Angela Bassett and Robin Wright.