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The “Stranger Things” season 5 premiere is still weeks away, but the cast already has people talking. On Sunday, Nov. 2, the Daily Mail published a report in which a source claimed that Millie Bobby Bobby Brown filed a complaint against David Harbour before “Stranger Things” began filming its final season last year. Brown, who plays Eleven, allegedly had “pages and pages of accusations” detailing harassment and bullying from Harbour, who plays her adoptive father, Jim Hopper. The report noted that there were no accusations of sexual harassment in the alleged complaint. There has been no confirmation of the Daily Mail’s report. NJ.com reached out to Harbour, Brown, and Netflix for comment at the time, but hasn’t heard back. Harbour, 50, and Brown, 21, seemingly quashed the rumors at the world premiere of Stranger Things’ fifth season on Thursday, Nov. 6. The costars posed for photos together on the red carpet and were seen hugging, smiling, and joking around together. There were no visible signs of bad blood between them at the Los Angeles event. Brown even told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet that she and Harbour “obviously had a really special bond” while filming “Stranger Things” because of their characters’ father-daughter relationship. “We do every scene together. You really get to see that in season 5,” she said. Harbour, for his part, told the outlet that he “adore[s]” Brown. Harbour and Brown didn’t directly address the alleged bullying complaint, but “Stranger Things” co-creator Ross Duffer and executive producer Shawn Levy were both asked about the matter at the premiere. READ MORE: Behind the scenes: Is there drama with the ‘Stranger Things’ cast? “Obviously, you understand I can’t get into personal on-set matters, but I will say we’ve been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they’re family and we deeply care about them,” Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter. “So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy.” Levy told the outlet it’s part of his job to “create a respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe” and he’s “proud of the fact that we did so.” The producer went on to say that some of the stories he’s read about the alleged bullying are “wildly inaccurate.” “There’s so much noise around it, but the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, so we treat each other with respect, and that’s always been [the] bedrock,” Levy said. So, was there any truth to the Daily Mail’s report? Was it partially true but overblown? A publicity stunt? Part of a smear campaign against Harbour? Unless Harbour or Brown addresses the claims, we may never know. The pair putting on a united front at the “Stranger Things” premiere suggests that they want to put the story to rest, whether it’s true or bogus. Harbour has also kept quiet about his estranged wife Lily Allen’s new album, “West End Girl,” which paints a portrait of Harbour as a philanderer who broke the rules of an open marriage that Allen reluctantly agreed to. Allen told British Vogue that while not everything on the record is “gospel,” it’s “inspired by what went on in the relationship” with Harbour. Whether it’s the end of a marriage or an issue with a costar, there are two sides to every story. Whatever has or hasn’t gone on between Harbour and Brown in the past, they seem to be on the same side now: the side of promoting the final season of their hit TV show with smiles on their faces. Part 1 of “Stranger Things” season 5 will hit Netflix on Nov. 26. Parts 2 and 3 will premiere on Dec. 25 and Dec. 31, respectively. Past seasons of “Stranger Things” are available to stream on Netflix.
