Millie Bobby Brown calls out "frustrating" comments about her accent changing

11 March 2025, 11:09 | Updated: 11 March 2025, 11:23

By Katie Louise Smith

"I don’t do it intentionally, and I’m sorry if it offends you, okay?"

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Millie Bobby Brown has something very important to say about all those comments about her changing accent...

In case you haven't noticed, Millie's accent has become quite a bit of talking point on social media in recent years. In 2024, several interview clips went viral because of her switching between a British and American accent and similar clips continue to go viral to this day.

The Stranger Things star is an English actor, but she's lived and worked in the U.S. for the majority of her life. On top of that, she's played several American characters throughout her career so far.

As a result, Millie often finds herself switching between accents depending on who she's talking to and which country she is promoting her work in. Gillian Anderson does exactly the same thing! It's not that deep!

But apparently, that accent quirk seems to have annoyed some social media users, and they've accused her of 'pretending to be American'.

Millie first addressed the discourse while promoting her film Damsel and now she's speaking out again.

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Is Millie Bobby Brown British or American?

Millie Bobby Brown calls out media for criticising her appearance

Appearing on the SmartLess podcast ahead of the release of her new Netflix film, The Electric State, Millie addressed criticism she’s faced for switching between British and American accents in interviews.

Explaining why her accent changes, Millie said: “That was such a huge thing for a minute. I actually call it the ‘accent-gate’ because it’s so frustrating because that was everywhere. Like for a second, everyone was talking about my accent, and they had a real problem about it. And I was like, ‘Guys, I’m married to an American.'”

Millie is, of course, married to model, actor and son of rock legend Jon Bon Jovi, Jake Bongiovi. Millie added: "When I’m around [Jake's] family, I immediately go into an American accent. But then I was just in England, and then the second I hear my mom and dad’s accent, I just go right back."

She ended by saying: “You want me to play these characters, but you expect me not to morph into people. What I hear is what I do. It’s all part of it."

Is Millie Bobby Brown British or American? Picture: Getty

Millie first issued a brilliant response to the comments about her changing accent in an interview with British TikToker Max Balegde in 2024. Chatting to Max for her Netflix film Damsel, Millie addressed the conversation surrounding her changing accent.

After Max defended Millie’s accent, Millie wanted to set the record straight herself. "Let me just speak to that real quick," she started, before launching into a full defence of her accent. "I grew up in the public eye. I grew up in America. I come to set and I’m an actor and I adapt, and so I want to mimic other people!"

Millie then continued: "I can’t help that when I'm around my fiancé, or when I’m with people like Jimmy Fallon who have a very American accent, I wanna replicate it!"

"And now I’m in England, I wanna replicate that [accent]! I don’t do it intentionally, and I’m sorry if it offends you, okay? But listen, I’m trying my best! I’m trying my best!"

Since moving to Florida with her family at the age of just eight years old, Millie has spent most of her life living and working in the US. As mentioned above, she's also married to Jake Bongiovi, who is American, and spends the majority of her time surrounded by people who speak with an American accent.

To echo Max's words: "She's Millie Bobby Brown, she can speak however she wants!"