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MILLIE BOBBY BROWN: "I Had A Panic Attack For 3 Months"

84m 30s

MILLIE BOBBY BROWN: "I Had A Panic Attack For 3 Months"

In this conversation, Millie Bobby Brown discusses her journey from a child actor to a mother and wife. She highlights a key childhood memory of shaving her head at age 10 for a role, which taught her to prioritize her happiness despite bullying, thanks to her mother's guidance. Millie feels most fulfilled as a mother and wife, describing motherhood as giving her life purpose. She shares her extremely close bond with her mother, who inspired her to become a parent and remains her best friend. Millie also reveals getting a tattoo of the number "11" at 15, which her father didn't discover for years. Becoming a mother shifted her perspective, allowing her to appreciate life's small wonders, a trait she credits to her husband. She spent a year crafting her wedding vows, which included their shared love of nature on their farm. Millie explains that adoption has always been a part of her plan, leading her to study social work and later become a vet tech while running a dog rescue. She and her husband were aligned on adopting, and she took courses to understand different perspectives, making the process deeply meaningful for their family.

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English
I think we have to start by getting out of the way that you're a Liverpool fan. Yes. And I'm a Manchester United fan. Yes, I know. But we're going to have to put that aside. I've even been able to be a friend, Stephen Gerard. Wow, now you're showing off, OK? I know, there we go. Hey, it's Jay. I don't know what your day's been like, but I was just thinking about you for a minute. And I hope you're being a little patient with yourself because you deserve it. And yeah, I'll talk to you soon. [MUSIC] Millie Bobby Brown, welcome to On Purpose. Thank you for having me. It's so great to have you here. I was just telling you I've been waiting three years to have you in the sea. So it was so real. I don't know if I would have been as interesting three years ago. Well, that's great then. Everything always works out. Exactly. But you know, when you look at your life today, like, what would 11-year-old Millie be most surprised about or look at and be shocked about? I don't know. I was going to say, like, she'd be shocked how like vocal I am about like me in my life and the things I believe in and like, how vocal I am outwardly about that. But then I don't actually think about it. Probably I'm not that shocked about that because I think maybe I inevitably that was always going to come to me. Maybe that I have, like, I travel a lot in and I live in a lot of different places. I don't know if I necessarily thought that was going to happen to me, but it has and I'm very grateful for that. Going back to that 11-year-old Millie, what's a childhood memory that you have that you think defines who you are today or has had an impact on who you've become today? Is there one that stands out? I think the moment I shaved my hair off was a pretty like impactful moment. I remember when it was happening, I thought, wow, this is like, this is really like me showing my dedication to my job. Like, I was 10 years old. Your hair as a girl, who you're told is kind of like what defines you as being kind of a girl and pretty and, you know, whatever. And I just didn't care about that. I wanted to do what made me happy. And so for me, that was this job. And so shaving my hair off, I'd say, was a pretty defining moment, just as like a person. I was like, and I was 10. So I wasn't thinking that deeply about it, but in the moment, I guess I kind of was when I did it. And my mum was really like trying to just help me understand, like, you know, no matter what people are going to say about you, what they're going to think, you know, because she's preparing me. She's a logistical person. She's like, you did this because you wanted to do it and this made you happy. And that really helped me because she prefaced it because it did happen. Like for a year or two after, I definitely, I got, you know, bullied in person at a young age for having, you know, short hair. And I think had my mum not have prefaced it, maybe it would have hit her harder. Well, so you're saying that that actually protected you from that bullying? It did. Yeah, because I fully was like, really? That's what happened. And she's like, I know the world. You know, and so she was so right because you know, I'd been in many situations where I was made fun of, you know, for it. And, and then I just came back with what my mum and I talked about, which is like, what I did this because this made me happy and I got to, I'm getting to live out my dreams. Yeah, it's so much better. It sounds like when your parents actually tell you what's going to come rather than telling you, it's all going to be all right. Exactly. It's going to be okay. Don't lie to me. I was never the kid like, don't lie to me. I'd rather just know. Yeah. And I guess at that point when you're making those big, bold decisions, I guess you don't even know you're setting up yourself up for that. And it sounds like you've continued to do that. I mean, today you're an actor, you're a producer, you're a creator, you're a Florence by Mills, you have a farm, you're a mother like which of those roles do you feel most yourself in? I would say like, first or mother, and very close to a wife. Like they both kind of, you know, family, like a family member. Like I feel like that's my, that's my purpose. I always knew I wanted to be a mum and becoming a mum has been just the most purpose for important thing that's ever happened to me. And yeah, I always say, you know, Jake was the best thing to ever happen to me and my daughter was the best thing to ever happen to us. Yeah, I love him. That's so beautiful. Did you ever really close, and do you ever really close relation with your mum? Oh my gosh. Jay, my mum is like my bestest, closest friend. Yeah, she's everything to me. My mum and I talk 5,000 times a day about absolutely nothing. She is the first person I call when I wake up and the last person I call when I go to sleep. Like she's just my best friend. She understands me so much. And yet sometimes it's infuriating because I'm like, Mum, how do you know that? Like she could just look at me with one thing and she's like, Nope, she's not happy or she's anxious or she's stressed and she needs this or she needs that. My mum has treated me the same and not anything to do with fame, but just like my age. She's treated me like I'm her young daughter forever. And so I always felt like I have a mum that cares about if I've scraped my leg the same way I would if I was 3 now. You know, and like that is just, I've never had the kind of parents to be like, oh, you're 22 now, that's it. You know, it's just not that. Like they're like, they still very much care as if I was, you know, under 18. Yeah, even though you have your own baby as well. Yeah, exactly. No. Now it's like, you know, they care about me and then her. It's very much like walking into the room and being like, oh my god. You know, I like which one. That's so funny. Yeah. You know, women is that for me? Is it me or her thing, but it's always hard. Like she's, yeah, the light of every room. Yeah, she's winning now. Of course. Yeah. This episode is presented by State Farm. We spend so much energy becoming the best version of ourselves, building better habits, showing up more fully, embracing mindfulness. But sometimes the most purposeful thing you can do is just handle the thing you've been putting off. If getting your insurance sorted has been living on that list, State Farm is there to help you choose the coverage. That's right for you. Or online at statefarm.com or use the easily accessible app to get help from one of their over 19,000 local agents, like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Your reaction to my question of, are you close to your mom? I think she'd want to frame that. Like your reaction is just amazing. I was like, wow, like just the natural, instinctual response for the expression we just saw in your face. I was like, wow, that's really special. Yeah. I'm really great. I think I wonder if maybe there's a part of the relationship that I have with my mom is the reason I just wanted to be a mom. Like I watched my mom growing up and I was like, the love she has for all of her children. And just the dedication she's poured into being a mom and being such a present mom, all of my siblings, we could go to my mom about absolutely anything, anything at all. The good, bad, the ugly and my mom will take it and talk to us about it and she's hilarious. I mean, she's from the East End. So don't get me wrong. I'm getting a fun answer. But she's definitely the reason I wanted to be a mom. Like she's just, she's just like when you have somebody every day inspiring you, you know, it was like, oh, I just want to be like her. Yeah. What was the hardest thing you ever had to tell her? I got a tattoo, you know, quite young. How old were you? 15. Okay. I was 16 when I got my first tattoo. I got stuck out the house and I got my 11 tattoo. And I knew I wanted it. And the thing is, it's kind of ridiculous because I could have just told them and they would have probably been fine. But I was just like, I want to do it. And maybe it's kind of a part of me knew that like if 11 were to ever be killed off the show, like I need something to stand with me. Also, I had to put like a temporary tattoo on every day and it was ridiculous because I was like, I know I want to get this. So it might as well get it, you know, do it now. My mom, she was the best person to talk to growing up, especially when like dating and stuff like that. I'd be like, mom, I need oil. You know, like, was there ever time when she was like, millie, come on. Yeah. Oh my God, all the time. She'd be like, who? No, really this guy. You know, my mom's a really shy person, like really shy. So she actually used to have her mom break up with boys for her. She was like, no, she couldn't, yeah. And I'm the complete opposite. That's why I get it. You never asked her to do that. No. I'm like my dad in that respect. I show a lot of qualities like my dad, like my dad and I, like best friends, but my dad is me. And so I would just, I have no problem in telling people anything. Whereas my mom would be like, you know, mom, I need you to answer the phone and break up with this guy for me. I love that. That's hilarious. That's crazy. I mean, that would, my dad would. She don't want to see you anymore. Sorry. As simple as that. Yeah, exactly. You're not good enough. No, you don't want to fight with my, you know, my nanny Ruth. She was like, she was a powerhouse. That's so funny. I remember when I got my tattoo at 16. So I had this vision of, I loved rap music growing up. So I assumed I would have my whole upper body tattooed. And, and then I was told that the hardest place to get a tattoo is on your neck. Oh. And so I was like, okay, they said, if you can take it there, you'll be able to take it anywhere. I was like, okay, great. So I went out, got a tattoo on my neck, came back home, had blood dripping off the bottom of my, like, collarbone area. Oh, my God. And my parents had friends and family over from India. And India's very conservative. Yeah. Indian families and tattoos, not the one. And then they were like, what have you done? My mom was scared. It was infected. Like the blood was all over the place. The family was saying. You were going to immediately. I didn't at all. I was like, no, I'm the cool, like this is so cool. Like this is so bad. I was like, every- everyone in my family. - My dad didn't know about the 11th tattoo for like four years. - How did you, what, you just walked around like this? - I always had it on because of work. So he couldn't tell if it was real or a temporary tattoo. Sorry dad, but I think one day I was like doing another job and then they were covering it up. And then he was like, oh, like he put it together. I was like, yeah. - What did they say when you had it got attached to? Did your mom and dad have a reaction? - I mean, they were kind of like, if you were already gonna always get it done, like, you know, but they were definitely like, you should have told us. And also we should have come. But I mean, I was like, sometimes if you're gonna do what you're gonna do, you know? And I was like, it was always in the plan for me to get it. And it meant so much to me like this role changed my life forever. They knew that, they knew that like this role was so, so meaningful to me. And so this was a part of 11's character and this was a part of almost my character in a way. So yeah. - Yeah, I love hearing about all this background because I wanted to ask you about, you recently said that becoming a mother made your life feel like you went from black and white to color. And I thought that was such a beautiful transformation to talk about. What felt black and white before and what was the color? - Yeah, it's funny because my husband and I always say that. And it's like, my life is beautiful before. It was amazing. Like, Jake and I, we built a very strong relationship foundation. I have an amazing family. I'm very close to his family. But something about my daughter, it's just life changing. It's not about the day to day changing the diapers. You know, taking them for walks, taking them to classes, feeding them. It's not about that. That's not the color. The color is like the life and light in her eyes when you look at her and she's thinking and she's putting two and two together and she's seeing flowers or smelling flowers for the first time or reacting to the sun in the morning. Like, that is the color. Like, it's seeing somebody enjoy and love life for the first time in the most pure stunning way. That is what makes it worth it. I don't know if that makes any sense. - That's so beautiful. - I'm like really in awe. - You know, it's obviously life changing because you wake up and you take care of this human being, but it's seeing her love and enjoy life for the first time. It's just, it makes changes everything. - Yeah, no, that's spectacular. I was saying to someone recently, I made a friend who looks at like a flower as if they just found a million dollars and it just changes your view on life. - And that's my husband when it was actually in my vows, but like my husband or he notices every sunset, he notices every rainbow. He'll look out at the plane and be like, look at that clack, he sees things for the first time too. And it's the most amazing way to look at life. I will not lie, I became a bit ungrateful for the very, very small things because I was a child actor. I traveled a lot. I would go to cities and not enjoy the sunsets because I was working or I was doing this and doing that and focused on what fans are taking pictures of me and who's chasing me in a car and I wasn't able to enjoy and sit still for a moment and meeting my husband changed all of that. Now I'm the first person to be like, look at the shoot, look at the stars, look at the shooting stars, or like look at the moon, we take pictures of the moon all the time. So I've become that slowly and I think he's just made me realize how stunning the world is. - Wow, how long did it take you to write your vows? - I would say a year. Like I drafted it. I revisited in six months mid-planning, amended the things that I was starting to like, you learn every day about that person, so I was adding and amending. And then the day before I just double-checked and made sure everything was up to date. That's primarily just talking about dogs and making sure it doesn't say four instead of eight. (laughing) 'Cause we might have doubled. But yeah, then I just like the night before. And I think Jake, I think it didn't take him as long. I think he was like, I kind of knew what I wanted to say. That's the new standard. Takes a year to write vows. You've ruined it for everyone. I'm sorry. - I'm sorry. - At the point of the way, this isn't every day. But I just did like regular check-ins just to make sure I still like, you know, there were certain things that I would see certain poems and things like that. And I wanted to add that all into it if I saw something that inspired me. - Was there anything else that you remember from your vows that you could share with us? - I definitely mentioned the fact that he enjoys every, he's taught me to enjoy every rainbow. And that's because of his mom, like his mom's also very similar to that enjoys like just very observant and present in the world. I've mentioned how much I love the grass. And like how much we both enjoy looking at our grass, like in the farm, we're always like, look at the grass. And like, look how it's like, look how it's cut. Like we love like fresh. And we love seeing that the animals eat the grass. Like we always, and he mentioned it in his vows. And I thought, wow, that's so odd that we both talked about that because it's such a mundane thing. And yet we were like, you know, we love to sit on our porch and watch the animals eat the grass. And like in the summertime, the grass in Georgia is just like a bright green. So we both mentioned that. And then I think he said some amazing quote, which I won't be able to remember now, but just about soulmates and twin flames and how like we were separated, but then we were able to kind of be one again. - Well, sounds so special. Oh my gosh, I was sobbing the whole time. (laughing) Yeah. - I have to really hold back when I go to a wedding. I've had the fortune of officiating around three weddings at this point. And any time I'm doing that, I literally am in my head going, don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. You're gonna hold it together. - Everyone was crying. I also cry every wedding. Like yeah, I such an emotional, beautiful thing to be able to, you know, declare your love for someone, whether that be, and we do that every day, but in one, I think it's all those people watching you that have like helped to raise you and it's kind of amazing. - Yeah, you've spoken about always knowing that adoption was gonna be a part of your journey. And I think I read someone, you can correct me from wrong around how at some point you studied social work and you were looking into just what the process looked like and you learned about it. Like walk me through that journey because I think it's so refreshing and unique. - Yeah. - And it's not like people want to be mothers, but not everyone wants to adopt. Like walk me through that and how that became a part of your journey and your life. - I guess a lot of adopted friends growing up. I was someone who, I don't know, again, always wanted to be a mom, always, that was always a goal, but for me, adoption was like kind of the first thing I always wanted to do. And I don't necessarily think I have some amazing elaborate answer, but when it's in your heart, it's just in your heart, like that was something I, I just thought that's gonna be a part of my journey. I didn't necessarily know when, but then I studied social work for two years and I loved it and was learning primarily about adoption which was where I really peaked in interest and learning from the social worker's perspective, which I think is very interesting. And, you know, kudos to all social workers and what they do and I think it is so amazing and unbelievable and changing the trajectory of children's lives forever is a beautiful thing. So my hat's off to you. So learning about that was amazing. And then I started my dog rescue simultaneously and kind of by accident, like I just started like fostering dogs and things like that. And then I changed my degree to a vet tech because I started vaccinating and microchipping these rescue dogs. And I was like, I feel like I need to learn more about that right now in my life because it's very present in my life. So then I kind of changed my degree and went to that and proved to be very fruitful. And now we, you know, I have a dog rescue. It's one of my biggest passions. So that gave me a lot of perspective. Then I just started reading a lot of books. I took a lot of courses, various different courses in different perspectives, especially when it comes to adoptive mothers and birth mothers. And then we kind of started our journey. I would say Jake was like kind of in from the jump. He was like, you know, that's think of why maybe I married him. It's just like the kind of person he is is like, we were just so aligned. You know, sometimes you have to be with someone, you have to like show them how you are and they show you how, but we were like aligned. Like it was like, this is, oh, this, it wasn't really no explanation needed. We both kind of was like, yeah. And it's kind of great to be able to just know that we wanted to start a family. Still rooted in love, but through adoption. And I think that's just, it's such a special thing. Talk to me on the process like for someone who doesn't know, what does that process look like? And then talk to me about the moment that you found out your door was coming home and how that feels. The process is long and rightfully so. It's a very, it's a great process. And, you know, in fact, it's very thorough. That's probably the longest part is just getting through all of that. And then getting the call. I mean, I will never forget it. It was the most surreal feeling. And yet we both knew in that moment like that was, that we had found each other. Like, you know, and it was just like, I have a picture of him and he has a picture of me. And it was just like, oh my goodness, this is our girl. Like 100% no doubt. And we were talking to someone another dog. of mother and it's like there are two ways to have a baby one through your stomach and one through your heart. My girl was through my heart and you know it was just the most magical phone call and no questions asked. I was like, "Newly had found our baby and she found us." Do you have that conversation recorded? No. And I think there's something so special about it because my whole life's recorded. You know, like I could look back on any moment and be like, "Oh, I remember when I was there and I was that and doing that." And something about that, my husband and I will never forget those words where we were, what we were doing, the feeling. And I think in so many ways, that is why that shouldn't be recorded. It's almost like you had to be there. It's too sacred. Yeah. Yeah. What did they say on the call? How does that even go? It's a deep and intense conversation one that I was kind of like very present for, but just like, "I need, I need to go." I need to go. You know, it's like, you know, and we both feel like that. So it's a long conversation, but when you know you know, so it's kind of like, you listen and you talk, but you're very much like one track minded. Yeah. You just need to get, I need to get to her. Yeah. You've spoken so beautifully about your parents love for you. What's a lesson that they taught you or an experience that they gave you that you can't wait to pass on and share with your daughter? I was walking down the street the other day and my daughter was in the, the prime and she was like, "Rah, rah, rah, rah." Like, like really, you know, and I was like, I did it back and I did it kind of as loud as she did and as passionate as she did, she kind of looked at me and she was like, "Hmm." And I was like, "You've met your match." And there's something about that that my parents taught me, which was like at the dinner table, if we're talking about something and I usually had a different opinion, difference of opinion, it was very much encouraged and asked about and laughed at like, "Oh my God, okay. Well, if you think that, then what do you think?" And it was like, my sparkle was never dulled. Like they were just like encouraging me to always speak my mind. Hence why I might be in the press of it too much. But I believe what I believe, you know, and like nobody can really change my mind on that. I'm learning every day and I'm happy to be challenged. I love to learn. But like my rooted core values, I believe what I believe in. And if somebody is unkind or mean, like I just, you can't justify that to me, you know, it's like I just, I don't care. Like I really feel strongly about those things and that is rooted in my parents, my parents. You know, they just really, I don't know what they did and I don't know if it's some secret sauce they had. But like, I just knew right from wrong very early on. And I was really encouraged to speak my mind and sometimes lose and sometimes win. And like the feeling of that, you have to kind of really judge and understand. And so for me, I think I've just really tried to pass that down because I want more vocal girls in the world. I want girls to be able to feel like they can speak their mind. So any young girl I meet, you know, somebody who's watched one of my films or I meet in the street or, you know, somebody on online, like I'm always very much just like, if my characters make you want to speak up and speak loud, like do it, go for it. Yeah, we need that for sure. Yeah, well, we have enough men doing it, you know, for sure. For sure. No, I couldn't agree with you more. I grew up with a younger sister. Yeah. And for me, when you grew up with the younger sister, she's four and a half years younger than me, watching her grow up and become a woman. And again, she's opinionated. She's strong will. She has drive, she has a clear sense of meaning and values and belief and it's all I could ever want for anyone's sister, daughter, mother, friend, person. Yeah. Because you're like, wow, there have been times in history and even now sadly placing the world where that just doesn't exist. No. And you're like, well, what would the world miss out on? Yeah. And what would the people around you miss out on? I agree. And if I didn't have a younger sister, would I have felt that way? Would I have experienced that? Yeah. I have a younger sister too and it gave me a lot. I think that also, sorry, falls back into the whole motherhood thing. Like, I just loved being a big sister, but I felt very maternal toward her. And that all leads into that kind of like feeling of protection and family and it definitely made me go, I want one of her. You know. That's awesome. How does she feel now being an aunt? Oh my god. She's amazing. The daughter is obsessed with her. Like I don't think there's anyone in my life that my daughter reacts to as well as she does. My younger say, it's, she must know something. You know, you say they must have some kind of kindred alliance, but they are, they're, they're thickest thieves. Yeah. I mean, you were referring to it just now. Like you took on an extraordinary amount of responsibility at such a young age. What part of it do you think was really positive and has helped and what part is still challenging or you still wrestle with? Well, I think motherhood and marriage, they're typically very traditional things. And so I don't want to kind of come on here and be like, you know, that's my story. That's my journey, but it's not everyone else's and I'm very aware of that, you know. So I'm not somebody who's like, I know people like to say I'm a tradwife and it's like all ha ha ha. But I don't think anything is traditional about my life at all. Yeah, that a great bit. You know, and maybe if you do think that, maybe you just don't know me because I'm not, I wouldn't say that. And I don't think it's also bad to be traditional. Like I hate that there's like a bad thing like, but I don't know if that's my life, but I mean if that's what people think, you know, so be it. But I didn't grow up in LA. I'm not a part you go. And again, nothing wrong with my part you guys love that for you. But there's traditionally quite a thing about child actors and that kind of world. And that was just not ever my story or journey. I, we moved to Georgia. My parents raised me, you know, I was homeschooled and I was taken out of the spotlight despite being in the spotlight. So my parents were like, you can go to places and be that person. But when you're here, you're not. Maybe that's why I'm just not jaded by what the industry is because I don't, I just don't feel like I just say it's not my everything. Yes. And I, and I think it's good that it's not your everything. You know, I'm so grateful for my work. I love my craft. Like I'm deeply grateful for that. But it's a part of my world. It isn't my world. And I think that that's probably something that really helped me in terms of taking on responsibilities and things like that. The things that didn't help me my goodness. How long do we have? I know, right? It's like, I would say obviously public perception doesn't help growing up, hearing, you know, the way people think about you constantly. But then I think I just hit a point where I was like, I really don't care. Like I think I was like 15 when people started saying like, I looked like a six-year-old woman and what am I wearing? And I would wear a big heel and people would say, am I going to who does she think she is? But then I would wear, you know, a suit. And people would like rip me apart for looking too old. So, you know, it's not necessarily, I realized, oh, you're just all walking contradictions. Like you literally, none of you actually have an opinion. And when I realized that, I was like, oh, you're all kind of like robots, you know? And I probably, I was, let's say 16 or 17. And then I had a pretty big thing happen to me when I was 17. That felt like it changed the way I saw the world. And then I took social media off of my phone and I was like, no, this isn't for me. Maybe I'm not the right kind of person to be on social media in that way. And I, yeah, I just, I don't know. I'm maybe public perception I could have gone without. But then again, it's also made me who I am today. Because that now I feel like I'm, it's almost like my life's mission to just protect young people in the industry from, from that. In anywhere I can. Yeah. When your parents are amazing. They are. This episode is brought to you by Ultra, making space for ourselves matters, having time and room to try new things. Our feet benefit from more space too. That's why ultra running shoes feature ultra fit design, giving toes more room for comfort and balance, helping feet feel stronger. These aren't just running shoes. They're perfect for walking, hiking, any pace, any level. They feel right from the first step. Go to ultra running dot com forward slash on purpose and use code purpose 10 for 10% off. That's a L T R A running dot com forward slash on purpose. Stay out there. I love what you said about this idea that you knew who you were when the lights and cameras were turned off. And I feel like for anyone who's in the public eye, that seems to be the biggest thing. I remember, I remember when I was doing the podcast, I'd become friends with one of my clients who'd been very successful and famous for multiple decades. And I got to know her offline. And I said to her, I'd love to have a conversation with you about some of this stuff. And she said to me, she said, Jay, I don't know if I'm interesting beyond my character. Is that's all I have to offer from what the world's, I think she's fascinating. But that's her perception of herself because anytime she's been on a talk show or anytime she's been on camera, it's always been playing a character of that character and never really been allowed to be herself because everyone was so obsessed with who she was. And I think women get this even more, more than men where they can kind of play multiple roles. Yeah. But she just kind of felt like, well, no, if I'm not playing that role, then I might do even belong. Or if I'm, am I allowed to be? And it sounds like you're like, well, no, I always knew who Millie was. Yeah. Beyond the camera and the screen because my parents really protected that space. Yeah. And I, and I also think like the things I find interesting might, yeah, they might sound boring to one, but to me, they are really interesting. Like I love the fact that like I shared my sheep on Monday and like I, you know, I've been starting to make my own butter and like how insane that is or like how, I don't know, I'm starting a garden and I can't figure out why this tree keeps starting. Like I'm like, I do think there's things of fun and interesting. Like I don't know. I'm, and me being on here or me doing Fallon or, you know, there was all great and interesting things, but I have too many normal friends. So I'm the odd one out in my friend group to say I'm doing Fallon on Thursday, what are you doing? As opposed to a friend group full of people in the industry and that being just a normal thing to do. And I don't have that. So for me, I kind of, I lose out on the details of those things and just talk about the normal things. Like, oh my god, I went to this bar the other night and, you know, they played this song. So I got up on the table and it's like, like that's my, that's my friend group of talking about just like the normal things in life. And that might be because my parents just raised me a certain way. I do think things are interesting. That might not be to the people in the industry. But I do try to just maintain the same who I am because I, when I go on to talk shows or do this or do that, like I am myself again leads me to the point of maybe that's why I'm in the press a lot. But it's just because I think you're talking to a real person. Like I'm not, but nothing to hide here. And I'm not playing a character. I'm really not. And I think people, hopefully people can actually see that. Yeah. And you have goats called Eminem and Cardi B. Yeah. So that I do. I was like, that's pretty cool. Yeah. All of my, all of my goats are named after rappers. And yeah. Any others? Biggie Smalls and SlickRick. Why the choice is War Custard? Is that your top score? So I love SlickRick. Okay. Like I grew up just listening to SlickRick. Biggie Smalls icon. Yeah. Then Cardi B. I love Cardi B. And then Eminem. I love Eminem. I mean, I rather love Eminem. Yeah. And then Thalma and Louise are two goats that escaped their farm. And we're found on the side of the road. So my animal control called me and said, Millie, we can't figure out where these goats belong. We've called everyone. What do you want to do with these goats? I said, just bring them over. So they brought them over and Thalma and Louise are like these two cute pygmy goats and they just live here now. And I have a lot of animals on the farm that were bullied out of their farm. So like the herds just kind of chose, we'd hate that donkey. So then that donkey comes to me. Oh, what? So I have about a lot of outcasts. Yeah. Yeah. You got all the misfits. Exactly. They're all there together. I know that's where exactly where I belong. Yeah. That's awesome. Talk to me about what it was that finally made you actually want to get off social media. Like what was the criticism that felt? Okay, now I actually need some space. I think it was a huge invasion of privacy at one point in my life that I felt like the overlap might have been too much. You know, like, it's like this right now. This is my visual diagram I'm making. And at that point, it was like this. Like it was too much. I was like, they know too much and it's all lies. And I don't have enough time to sit here and explain. So I'm just like, I need to, I need to not, I need to not see it. And I took myself out of the equation. I not only had to do that, but I cut out all soda in my life. I took like a whole pledge where I was like, I just like took away a bunch of things that I felt maybe I just like did very small habits, but things that I wanted to take out of my life. So I did it all at the same time. I'm a big cold turkey girl. I don't, I do not do things. I'm not somebody who's like, let's just like do everything in moderation and take it out. No, not me. I'm the same. I get it. I cut things out my life immediately. So what went soda, social media? I was like, I'm spending too much time like doing work that I needed to pick up a hobby. So I picked up a hobby. I started bedazzling, mason jars. For hours like my, like my boyfriend, but my husband now, who is like, male, like I genuinely, I can't like watch you bedazzle one more thing. I was like, I'm bedazzling this whole mason job because I have to. And I think I was pouring my anxiety into that. I would say I had anxiety for about three months. And I had to still go to work. And I just went to work and was just very, very, very, very anxious. Definitely not myself. But yeah, I would say like that, that's hard when you're having anxiety and, and, and for me, my anxiety doesn't come on a Monday and maybe a Wednesday. My anxiety, if it was to come, something big needs to happen. And then it will probably last for two months every day. So minus cycles, my not, my not every other minor cycles. And then I need to do something to change this. Like I need, it's almost like I need to do something at the end of it to change the cycle. I know it's been happening for too long. So one of my longest cycles must have been three months. And it was, yeah, something I got, I got chased by somebody in, in a place. And, and it sent me into a three month long anxiety panic attack where I had to do all of this stuff. And actually I went to Japan and I sat with these monks and it was the most amazing experience. And I got, I'm getting teary, I'm talking about it. But it took me out of the cycle, I needed it. So yeah, and it's funny because it didn't mean anything to them. What I was telling them, like about what sent me into this. But they were able to, and my, we sat in this garden and, and it was also, my husband said, I always saw you, like this weight just lift off of you. But it was just such a, yeah, anxiety is the worst thing ever. And I knew I needed to get, I needed to heal. And I needed to figure out my anxiety before starting a family. Like I needed to understand what was happening. And then I did finally, and I'm still figuring out now, but I'm now like, I have all these techniques I use and they work. Do you know what I mean? Like, you know, when people are like, yeah, I started this medication to, it's a great, like I'm, I'm so happy for you. But like, for me, I needed other techniques. I needed techniques that I could, right now it's happening. What do I do? Because it would come at the craziest, hardest times. Like sometimes I'll look back at red carpet things of me and be like, I was having a full blind panic attack in that moment. And it's crazy. It's crazy to, all of its document, but yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I know, I just, I don't even know how we got there, but sorry, you're very good. No, you don't need to be sorry at all. I feel like, I feel like you just took us, like deep into your mind. My psyche. Yeah. Get out. No, but as you know, I could feel that it was so palpable to feel just how much that three months of anxiety was all encompassing. Yeah, yeah, it's, it's crazy because I'm, I have, I have health anxiety. I'm really bad. So like if I go to a doctor or if I go to the hospital, I have to tell them before I have health anxiety. So whatever you're going to tell me, I'm going to. I'm rationalizing my head. I'm going to make it seem so much worse. So I need you to tell me things like I'm a three year old because there are certain things now that I know trigger me, like deeply, deeply trigger me. So I've been able to just work out what's going on and slowly accommodate my needs because then it's not going to go away. Like it, and it could one day, it could and I would wake up and great, but I need to be in the mindset of like, it's probably not. So let's just accommodate what needs to be done here. I can't stop my life. I'm not going to, but I need to like, I need to work around it. And I think I figured out pretty great techniques to work around it. My mum being one of those people, like my mum is just the first person that can talk me down out of that space. How did you discover you had health anxiety? Well, it started like for this trip to Japan. And if for me, it's like, if I, if I feel something in on my neck or if I, I start to feel, you know, I start to spiral really, really bad to the point where I could actually get myself sick. So like for me, like I have given, I lose visions. Sometimes I can get a fever. I get myself sick really quickly. I could like, if I have an anxiety attack at night in the morning, I'll have 102 fever. Like that's my body responds like kicks in to fight a flight. The hardest thing is that I, I don't know when my body's like tricking me or not because my anxiety gives me physical symptoms. So I never want to be the boy who cried, cried wolf because my, but my husband's one of those people, he, he just never questions. He's like, you're telling that this is your truth. Even if this is your anxiety, you're still feeling it. It's still happening to you. So I try now. I'm really good at being able to understand if it's a, if it's this is a temporary thing, or do I actually think this is a real thing? So for instance, on a No La Three. I got really, really ill during production, like really bad. And I knew it was a moment where I know this is not anxiety. I was able to compartmentalize and go, this is not anxiety. This is something that needs to be, I need to go to the hospital right now. I used to not be able to separate and be like, could this be, could this be now? I know. I'm pretty certain. I'm pretty good with it. And it's just a lot of, for me, knowledge is power. So I do a lot of reading about like, and I don't know. So if it's like before I would just be like, oh, I'm feeling this pain, could this be this? But now I'm like, no, it couldn't be that because that would show in this way. It's like, I actually think I need to know more about the situation and the world than not because actually the lack of knowledge is what gave me the most anxiety. Like the feeling of being, you know, not in control because I'm in control of everything else in my life. But you can't be control of that stuff sometimes, you know? Yeah. Thank you very explaining that to us. And there's so many people who probably feel that way and don't even know it. No. And then think, actually, I want to stay away from information and not realizing that more knowledge equals more power, equals more ability to have a sense of what you're actually experiencing. What was it during those three months that made you go to Japan to meet monks? I got chased by these people and it was, it was really traumatising like, I would say 20 minutes. Like 20 minutes. I just couldn't. It was very, very intense and very scary. After the 20 minutes, I got into an elevator and I, my team who's probably watching this right now, I like faced the corner of the wall and I was just like, I actually feel like I shut down and I shut down for three months. Like that is like, in that moment, I like something switched off in my mind. And so I did all of these events and I believe I had like, I did like my engagement party and I had like all these really my dad's birthday. I had a bunch of stuff and I started getting really ill and I had pneumonia and I had like all of these problems and I probably had three or four things and I got strapped and I had strapped for like three weeks or something and then I went undiagnosed and therefore untreated. So then I got to Japan because I wanted to go, I really wanted to go. Not thinking it would be some spiritual journey. I thought, this is just going to be a really great time. And I got there. I was like, I still, I still really felt anxious. I couldn't like, for instance, sometimes we get to a restaurant and I'd say to my husband, I can't go in. We used to go back and he'd be like, okay, welcome back. And that's the thing. Like, I never had to explain myself to him. He knew he got it and then we would do like my tapping and just like, you know, and then I went to Kyoto and I went to this garden with these monks and I met him, this one amazing gentleman who was like, just so calm and almost felt like he saw me. Like he was like, and I was in the height of my anxiety at this point. It was like he knew that I was kind of broken. So he was acting normal with me, but then when we got to the garden, he was like, we need to meditate. And I was like, okay, meditation hasn't ever been anything that's worked for me because of my mind and how I've not been able to shut out the thoughts. But we meditated in this garden, which was for five minutes and I meditated with 50 people. Like it was not just us. There was a bunch of tourists like us and we all sat in this garden. We knew who I was and if they did, they didn't care in that moment. And it was amazing and I will never forget the feeling. And then we went into this kind of Samaritan house and it was like the coolest experience. And then they brought out these singing bowls and we sat there for another hour. And I left being, it was my husband's birthday and I remember being like, I'm sorry, I feel like it's my birthday. Like I just got given the biggest gift of all, like finally peace in my heart and my husband literally said like it would like you radiated this light after and it just, it was exactly what I needed. And I do think that I'm a big believer in like divine intervention and I think that was a moment where God was like, you need to, you need to take a break and you need to like sit there and figure out kind of what's going on in your head. And I didn't figure it out necessarily but I did figure out that I needed to sit in silence for a bit. And yeah, and I think that really healed me in a lot of ways. It healed a lot of me. Have you been back? I have not. And I'm dying to especially take my daughter. We made a promise to this temple that there and so we are going to go back because they said you need to come back at the specific time, this year, this time. So that's kind of my husband said like we are going to go back. And when we were there, we said we're going to bring our kids back. So we knew we were on the right track. Yeah. Wow. Thank you so much for sharing that. I feel like when you hear about moments like that and your belief in divine intervention and just finding the right thing at the right time and us being open to that happening to us because I think whether we're skeptical or whether we're not believers or whether we just live in a busy, logical world, which we all do. Sometimes the greatest gifts are quite otherworldly and happen by surprise and aren't things that we plan or measurably choose. Yeah. I think like I'm around a lot of people who are like not skeptics, but they're just they live in a very realistic world. They're like that wouldn't happen because of this or this. Yeah. I agree to a certain point and then I'm like, you can't explain certain things that happen to you. You just can't. Like coincidence is just sometimes for me I can't. You could see them as coincidences or you could see them as fate. And for me, I just believe things of I just believe in fate. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What are you other techniques now that I hope and you said speaking to your mom is one of them speaking to my mom. My husband's a big one. Like if my husband's not with me is my mom, my mom's not with you know, so that the and I think you are find your people that understand you and that know the vocabulary to use around you in those moments, right? It's not you're okay. Everything's fine. It's not that Jake takes me through a step by step. Okay, you were just here. This is what just happened to you. You were not in a situation where you know, you could have breathed in that smoke and therefore you got this. You know that he will take me through what happened and that is great. And then my mom also is similar. She'll tell it. Take me through a statistic. There are 22, you're absolutely fine. She kind of tells me who I am. Another technique I use is like grounding. So I will talk about the room I'm in, the sea, I'm sat in, things like that. And then the third one tapping, I love tapping. Singing bowls are a big one. I have a lot of those in my house. Used to be my phone. So funny. Now it's not. That doesn't work for me anymore. Singing is a big one. Took me a very long time to realize it was singing. Right before I got nervous to go on do things I would sing. And then when I was in Japan and years years later I was learning all about my Vegas nerve and humming. And I thought, whoa, I sing every time I'm nervous. So I'm basically just vibrating my Vegas nerve and in turn, you know, calming myself down but without noticing. And so I did that as a young child. So something in me as a young child knew I needed to be soothed, you know. And so I do that a lot now. What would you sing? Oh, just like anything. Like you could put on anything and I will sing to it even if I don't know the words. But a lot of musical theatre, a music I like, music that like I love meaning. I love music and my husband and I both play music a lot in the house. And yeah, I would just say like singing is a big one. It used to be really into journaling but my life became a little bit crazy and it's hard to stay up. But that's so I do a lot of prompts and gratitude journals instead. Yeah, I would say that's pretty much it. That's a lot. Yeah, like I'm trying to think because I had to, I had to because I would have one thing I would do and it wouldn't work. So it's like, okay, you need to figure out like a plan. You know, if this doesn't work, let's do this. So that's where I'm at. Yeah, you have a full toolkit. Yeah. Yeah. And you're so right. I think we're often like, oh, this is my one thing and the reality is that life's throwing so many things our way that you need a plan B and a plan C and a plan D and knowing that the people who are closest to you and love you the most are you a mom and your partner, Jake, like they're able to actually understand what you need in that moment. Yeah. And you can actually educate them. I think that's such a big foundational point for healthy relationships where it's like, you don't want the person panicking around you trying to figure it out. You want to give them the tools to succeed for you. Yeah. 100%. I'm, my dad is like amazing. My dad, like, but he's like me in that we think very similar. So for me, I'm like, if it's not this, it's going to have to be this and if it's not that, it's going to have to be that. I'm very, I'm very black and white. And my, my mom and my husband are very similar. My dad and I were so my dad's like, okay, what if you were there, then maybe it was that. And so I'm like, dad, no, no, we're thinking too similarly. You know, like, I'm out. I'm out. So yeah, it's great that they're able to be very different. I need, I need them for very different things. Yeah. I wanted to talk a bit about Jay. You've been talking about him the whole time, which is beautiful. But I wanted to dive into it a bit because you said that, you know, we built a really strong foundation. And even a few moments ago, you were saying, you know, we just, we just knew like we were aligned. Talk to me about what it means to build a strong foundation. I think so. many people want to have healthy, deep, meaningful relationships that not only look great, but actually feel great and feel great on a daily basis beyond the big moments of a wedding or vows or all of that. What do you think it takes to build a strong foundation with Jake and what have you both done to really build that? When you meet someone young, you have habits from either previous relationships or just like your trauma, your fight or flight response, very much like me. You have to work through how each other communicates and works. I definitely did that. We both did that. I was very much like, "Okay, this is how he responds to things and this is how I respond to things," and then figuring out what that looks like. I think that took us about a year to understand how to communicate. Trust was never like, it was like, met him and, well, I spoke to him on the phone for like 20 minutes. I called, called him. That's how we kind of met. I hung up and I said, "I'll be around on this to my mum and dad." And I said, "That's how they're going to be the groom at my wedding or my maid of honour." But I trust this man. I don't know what it is, but it's just, I don't know. It was the way he answered the phone to me. It was like, "No one ever is that." No one has ever answered the phone like that. He was just like, "Hey girl." And I was like, "Hi." Wasn't, didn't care about who I was, just saw me. It felt like. So yeah, I think it took a lot of work because we learned how to communicate. I'm a big, I love to read books. I love to do courses. I am so. I mean, got men, I just studied all the methods of all the methods. I want to learn. And there are plenty of things that I've learned I don't like or apply to my life. And then there are things that I do. But I learn from either space, you know. And so Jake is big on that too. So we both did that. I would say for all of our relationship, that's what we do. We just try different techniques, try different methods of different things. And now we're like, I would say, it's been like two years of like, "Oh, this is just like how we do things." And it's been pretty. Like, we were just like, we want to be, we're choosing each other. We want to be together. So we do all the work to get there. But never have we tried to change each other. I think that's a big thing. I've been in past relationships where you're trying to morph this person into who you want them to be. And you're kind of waiting for them to change. And there was not one thing I wanted to change about Jake. Like, I saw. Like, it was just like, "Oh, this is, this is, I'm going to embrace you for every part of you because this is who I want in my life." But that was the difference of feeling. I was like, I'd been with other people, you know, it's like, "Oh, like, I need you to step up and be this and be that." And it's like, "No, why am I waiting?" I also like, I don't want you to change either. This is might just be who you are too. Whereas with Jake, it was like, don't change anything. Yeah. What do you think Jake understands about you that most people get wrong? I do speak my mind. And with my friends, I feel like I tried to be a really good friend, but I didn't go to school. So socializing for me is very new, very new in my last three, four years. Like, I feel like this is my year of friendship. Like I'm really trying to help nurture those friendships and like be true to them. But I'm a very honest friend. And so if something's going on, or if I feel something is needed to be said with them in their life, if I'm observing something, I tell them. Because I say to Jake, if I don't, I'm not a good friend. And he says, yes, but sometimes you also need to let people ride the course of what they're going through, you know? And I'm like, but they need to know. Like they need to know. And he's like, he'll never tell me no, but he's like, just think about the way you'll say it and then think about it. But I always have to end up saying it because it's who I am. It's just I have to. I have to be like, hi, like are you okay? Like something feels, something feels off. Did it? What's going on? Let's talk about it. Because I'm a very honest friend. And Jake knows I mean well. Other people sometimes I'm sure could probably read it as like your rude, your mean, I am never trying to come across as that. I'm actually in fact, I'm trying to be the most present and loving friend and all I mean is being what I all I want for you is to succeed. Like all I want. Like I'm a big I want my friend, all of my friends to succeed in love. But I need to be the person that they look at and go, thank you for telling me that. Because I was surrounded by people sometimes friends growing up that wouldn't tell me those things. And that's worse. I needed them too. You know? And so I'm like, I need to feel like I need to show up for my friends in that way because I maybe didn't have friends like that growing up. Do you think you have a balance right now? I've got a balance. Yeah. Because now I know to take time, take a breather, okay? Maybe they don't need to hear this right now. So I've taken a bit of Jake and what he knows. But if I feel that there's a cry for help, I have no problem in stepping in and just saying, you know, I'm here for you. I love you. I'm your friend. If you need me. I never force anyone into like talking to me, but I want you to know that I see you. Because I've been there. Yeah. What do you believe defines a good friend? I think loyalty. Loyalty because I have a lot of friends that I'll speak to or not see over years and years and years. And then see each other and things are completely back to normal. And, you know, great. And my life is hard. I can't maintain friendships in the fact that like I can't maybe reach a dinner or go to that birthday party or do this because my life's hectic and vice versa. And a lot of my friends have busy lives too. But loyalty to each other, like knowing that we've known each other for a very long time. And so we need to owe it to each other to remain friends, to nurture the friendship, to stay in touch, to be there for each other, to support each other when you can be. I think that's a big one. I don't enjoy people in my life or have met people in my life that are just down to drop a friendship. Because it's like, to me, I value them as much as relationships. Like, we've been doing this, you know, I have my best friend Noah. We've been friends for 10 years, you know. But we know our loyalty lies within each other. Like, we will always nurture and honor the friendship. Yeah. That's a beautiful answer. I love that. Yeah. What's the best thing about watching Jake become a dad? His heart melts anytime she does anything. And so does mine. But he literally is like, I can just see her wrapped around her finger. Like, it's hilarious. I can already tell certain things who's like, oh, like in the morning, he wakes her up, he gets in the bed. And he wakes her up with a song. And she opens her eyes and he says like, she looks at me as if to go, you've been here the whole time. Oh yeah. And they just cuddle. And I'm like, when I look here on the little camera, I'm like, that's the person I chose to marry. Like that little girl will never go a day without knowing that her dad is there for her and her mum. But dads are really important. Dads are really important. I had an amazing dad growing up, very, very similar to Jake. And Jake has an amazing dad, very, very similar to Jake. But just like in many ways, they play maternal and paternal figures, you know, like I do too. And I think it's really cool to be able to, you know, I don't like the whole narrative of like the mum does this and the dad does this. It's like, no, Jake does both. And so do I. And so you have two parents that you can come to. For almost everything. That mum can do it too. But also dad can. Dad can, dad, I've taught Jake how to braid hair and all the things, you know, because I want dad to know how to do it too. Yeah. What's the quality of Jake's that you hope that she developed? All of it. His, oh, he's so calm. He's so calm and he sees through everyone's perspective. I'm like, most is the way I think. As you can tell, I'm sure you're like, oh, yeah, I got the gist of you now. But I'm very much like, why would you do that? Why would you say that? Like, no, this is, you know, and Jake's like, well, maybe they were going through something or maybe it's this or maybe it's that. And I'm like, oh, okay. So I hope she is able to see through different lenses and understand the world in that way. And different people. Jake has so much patience for everyone. I am the most impatient person. And I think I take after my nanny in that my nanny Bruce, like, she was very stubborn. I'm very stubborn. And Jake is not stubborn or Jake will forgive and forget like that. I mean, so I hope she takes after him. Yeah. And this is also a bit of my ficed that everyone needs. Absolutely. I think. Yeah, you don't want to lose that? No. No, absolutely, absolutely. And he probably loves that part of it too. He probably loves seeing that with girl dad energy. Like, just, you know, the other day she like, sighed out at him and she, and she's also saying, no, no, no, no. And Jake's like, she's you. Yeah. You know, you were talking about earlier, the, the, the tried wife comments or whatever that means and, and that kind of perception. And even though the reality doesn't really afford any of that definition to even feel true, but it sounds like you and Jake have created a real, almost unit and team between you both to deal with all of them. of that noise, whether it's age or how you choose to get married or when or adopting a child or whatever, all of this stuff. Like talk to me about why that's so important and how you do that where it's like, we're a team. This is our decision. How you keep that conviction when there is so much noise. Yeah. I think Jake grew up kind of out of the spotlight despite his family. Like I think Jake, his mum is amazing and they just lived a very normal life. Very similar to me in that I also tried to live a very normal life despite my environment or job. And so Jake's very used to blocking out the noise because he's literally had to do it from day one. Same to me, but not day one. Like I was at least eight or nine. But you know, young enough that we're very both used to it. So it's not like this has just happened in our life. And now it's all of a sudden we have to learn how these how to cope with this. Like we came into this relationship knowing what this is, what we're probably going to get. Like people, but again, I always tell Jake I'm like, everybody's a walking contradiction because, you know, you get married at twining or two young, what you doing? Oh my god. Like people are praying on the downfall. And then it's like, you're forcing or not married. What are you doing? Twice the worst. My god. How dare you? She's crazy. Like she needs to get married soon. She's not having a baby at that. See? Like that's, you know, well, taking time. Like come on. You got to have your baby. Like you want to adopt. Why? How could they let you? You know, it's like these questions. It's bizarre. And you're again, you all are walking contradictions. If we all, if I lived my life following the rules of these random people, I would probably live the most boring, mundane or for miserable life because these decisions, I'm going to base them off of these random robots on the internet. Absolutely not. Like I am doing what makes me happy, what feels right to me. And I would consider myself a person who does, I am smart. And I do like to think everything through. But I do believe in fate going back to the world. I do believe in that. I think it was fate that I, you know, met Jake and I do think that I believe in like the invisible strength area. I think we would never have met. We would never have been in the same world. So I always think like, well, you there at this point, we were there. But we weren't in the same world at all. Like he was a boarding school and then he went to college. Like we were not in the same world. I think we were meant to be together. So I think we both just talk about it like no one can do right for doing wrong. Like it just used look on the internet every day. Somebody else is getting slaughtered for something random. And you're just like, why? That's why I don't listen to those things. I'm not, I'm not like, I don't care enough. And I'm always like most of the time it's not true. So if I was like, have you ever heard about this person getting, having this? And you're like, it's probably not true because a half of the shit that's how there is not true for me. So well said. I feel like that all the time. Like I know so many people in the public eye and when there's reports about them and the news and you actually know what's going on and like, this is amazing. These are exclusive sources. Like who is this person? Yeah. Unnamed friend. I love it. I'm never met you. Literally never met you. It's so funny. I remember that you, what you just said right now was so powerful. And I want to, you know, I want to make sure that people hear it clearly. And it reminded me of this great speech that Taylor Swift gave out a billboard award a few years ago. And she was just like, you know, I think she said something and she says it much better than I will. But she said it along the lines of, you know, I was writing songs about breakups and then they said, oh, I was just couldn't get over my axis. Like a score. Yeah. So then I started writing songs about my friends and then I was like, oh, she's having too much fun. Yeah. And then so I started writing songs that I wrote back in the day and then they said, oh, she's trying to go backwards. And it's almost like no matter what you do. There's a version of it that people will spin it to be. And the way you just put it out there right now about whether you're 20 and getting married or whether you're 40 and unmarried and divorced or whether you're 30 and you don't have a baby. I mean, that was so well put because none of you win. No, no one wins because women don't win because we don't get to win. Like we don't get to just be in peace. It's the crazy scrutiny. Like, and I, I've, you know, I grew up on a show with four boys that I am not taking away their experience. They, they, they got their fair share of things. But what the girls got on that show, like what felt my experience as well was like the scrutiny and pressure that gets put on you was, was insane. You don't, you didn't, I never heard about any of my cast members, boys, slash men about what they're wearing on the carpet and what they look like or what their hair looks like or what their makeup looks like or what they're saying. I never heard those weren't the headlines and it was about how amazing they were, how successful they were, how are I mean, you know, and they are amazing. They asked, they do get to get, you know, written about like that. But I do too. Like my headline shouldn't be tearing me down and other young girls down. And I hold a lot of, you know, I try to, it's hard. I get very annoyed about it because I just feel very protective of the girls that are coming up into the industry that that's what they, you know, that's their, that's their storyline. But that doesn't need to be their storyline. So I've kind of rearranged my storyline. That's why I have no problem in calling like journalists out by their name. So I mean, you need to learn a lesson. Like go back to school, like learn your bedside manners. What is wrong with you? Like what is wrong with you? Who, who, I just don't get it, especially somebody so young. And I don't think it's right at any age, but young people and them trying to figure out their mental health. Nobody knows what I'm going through. Nobody knows what I don't need to hear at a certain time. So that to me is very important. Like just trying to, to harness the power to just let that go in a way because I do hold a bit of resentment against that. You know, it's like, I just, I don't feel I received the same treatment. And it's not a pity party. Like I don't need to be sat here and be like, you know, I really feel bad for me. But I, I just hope it never happens to anyone else. No, and I think the resentment's fair. You are so young as well and going through all of that. And it's hard to, it's easy to look back and be like, okay, what, you know, this is how it works and this makes sense. But when you're actually going through it, people are so busy as well. No one's really paying attention whether it's your classmates or everyone around you. And I was wondering like, what would your advice be to young women coming up in the spotlight right now? How do they do that? How do they navigate it? Do it? Maybe do they even approach you? Do you have younger musicians and actors and actresses all approach you as well for insight? Every kind of young person, I really try to reach out. I befriended Ella Bright who, who is just in that new show off campus and she's not that much younger than me. But she's amazing. And I reached out and just like, here's my number. The avenue to call me. I'm here, even if it's just about the most random things, like I've probably been through it. Same with my co-star like Louis Partridge. I feel like kind of not responsible, but like just very much a part of his journey. And I just feel like I'm here for him. You know, there's a lot of public perception about his life and everything. And I just feel like I feel, you know, I just want to make sure everybody feels protected and supported. And I want to be able to be that friend to also be honest, you know, and be like, okay, you, but also like where the crazy thing, you know, like do the crazy, do the fun has to like don't have any regrets. Like it's just like why why play it safe all the time. And then also Owen Cooper, who is in adolescence and who has had such a kind of rise and right. So he's unbelievable. But I did, I did meet him through a mutual friend and I said, here's my number. Anytime you need me, you know, call me. And so sometimes they'll call me and say, Mill, you know, they want me to just magazine. I'm really tired. I don't do it then. Yeah. Don't do it. Don't do it. It's not necessarily like. So like sometimes we'll have those conversations where, so how are you feeling? Are you tired? Do you feel it? You're doing too much today. And he'll be like, I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm like, okay, like if you need a breather, like just, you know, just tell someone like and he is amazing. And he's an amazing family. But I feel like I've just been there as a kind of nine-mom one if he needs me. But he doesn't. He's already so smart and brilliant. That's amazing. That's so great that you're doing that. I mean, I can't imagine what, uh, what, uh, what the wisdom you have and the fact that they can call you up and reach out. Did you have anyone that you could do that with yourself? Yes, I did. I had a lot of people that I was able to do that with. A lot of musicians and actors, I feel, I remember meeting Natalie Portman and having this moment where, you know, I kind of was just like, wow, like I really feel like she understands me. And I was at a watcher. I was very busy, but I do feel like in that moment, I was like, I really feel like we could have, we would have been friends. Like if we're the same me, you know, like, and I want to be friends with you Natalie. But, um, but like if we were child stars at the same time, same with Drew Barrymore, I feel like, you know, yeah, Drew's amazing. She's amazing. And, um, I really felt seen by her. Oh, I love that. Yeah, it's so important. And I'm so glad that you're, you know, actually reaching out and sending your number and yeah, it's so needed because you're the only person that can relate to what they're going through truly. And everyone's journey is different. Of course. So when certain people say, oh, I'm feeling this, I'm like, okay, I didn't feel that. However, I knew somebody that did. So that's always really helpful because coming from a boy's perspective, it's very hard for me to understand sometimes. However, I grew up around boys who went through the same thing. So I'm like, okay, I get, I kind of get where you're coming from. Yeah. What's a belief that you hold that you think everyone disagrees with, but you die on the hill for? Speaking your mind. Yes. I mean, it might be my problem, but I like think be respectful. Always be respectful. We have a too many men in this country right now speaking their mind. But be respectful. Just try to see everyone at like, just have a conversation. That's the one thing I try to do is like, even though I might speak my mind and have my perspective, I always am down to have a conversation. I really, really value that. So I love to hear what other people, you know, think and we can kind of reach to an conclusion or whatever. But I think speak your mind. I wouldn't ever say like, by, by your tongue, because she was always going to wish you didn't. You're always going to wish you, I should have fucking said that. You know, I wish I said that. I should have said that. I personally, I'd rather have said it. And people know where I stand on it, because I think I had to bite my tongue a lot as a child. People said so much about me and I was just like, I just didn't say anything. And then I felt like I've reached an age where I was like, no, I'm not going to settle for this anymore. What was that turning point for you? You're like, probably I was 18. Just, yeah, it's ages, isn't it? It's age. Yeah, I felt like I was like, no, I'm an adult now. And like, you can't treat me like this anymore. Yeah, it was easier to stay quiet younger because it's like, it gives them less to talk about. But now I'm a bit like, I don't really want to give them more to talk about. But I do, however, want to hold people accountable. Yeah, it can be hard when you feel like people are just taking shots and shooting arrows at you and you just kind of have to stand there. I don't care if it's like one time, two time, but sometimes it's felt incessant, like back to back to back to back. Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah. Millie, I could talk to you for hours and you've become my new favourite person in the show. Like, for sure. Without a doubt, this conversation is incredible. We have a game that we called the Jake game for you. Oh my gosh. And so you have to finish these sentences. So I'm going to read them out for you and then you complete them. Jake's favourite thing about me is. Jake's favourite thing about me is my humour. I'm really silly. Is it? What would you? I think it could be my humour. I mean, I think, you know, he would say something very romantic, but I think like I really make him laugh and I think he always says like, I always wanted a girl to really make me laugh. Like, you know, and then he makes me die laughing. Even the other night, this like we were in a bar and this girl came over and was like, how do I play darts? And Jake gave this long-winded explanation about how to get in the line for darts. But it was the way he said it was his tone. I lit. She was like uncontrollable five minutes and I was just like, and he was very silly. He's like a really silly person. He'll do funny accents around him people. He's just like one of those people that really makes me laugh and then I'm the kind of person to start dancing really ridiculously in the store and he's just like wants to die. But he loves that. So I really think like we make each other laugh. So hopefully it's my humour. I love it. Make would say my most annoying habit is that I hate to hear people chew and swallow. Like it makes Jay. There's something clear. It's called me so phone, phonia I think, but it's a real thing and I can't like every on my team knows like I just can't hear people chewing food. It's just the thing I have. And is he a really loud girl? No, no, I got it. But he would think that's annoying about me. Yes, got it. When I have to say to people like, I'm so sorry, like I have to leave the room and I'll just wait until Jay's like, melee. Oh my God, you know, Jay would say the household chore I'm worst at is making the bed, like making the bed and like I do pick up after myself. But oh, I do like if I'm making a tea or like I do leave things out. Got it. I'm big on that. And he's caning up. Yeah. He puts things away. If he's going to make something he'll and they put everything up. I'm a little bit more like just because I think I just see like something sparkly and I go that way. But I'm being more intentional. Got it. Jake, I'm just helping you out. This is, this is all to help you out. Jake would say my most unnecessary purchase this year was. Maybe like a goat shed. Like I didn't need the shed, did I? But the goats love it. But I know. When they called, was it raining? No, I just thought it was cute. Also I knew chicken coop, but he doesn't think it's unnecessary. I feel like he'd know that that's like, I don't really buy unnecessary things. But I think that's maybe what he would say if he were to be like, did we really need another shed? Like, yes, we did. Is it a shed or is it like MTV cribs because it's forward? It's a shed. No, it's a shed. It's a booting shed. No, it's not booting. It's like wooden. It's really cute shed. But it's for the goats. Right. That or like I just built a swimming pool for my foster dogs. Amazing. Yeah. And he's like, why? And I'm like, because they get taught. And it's summer. And I wanted to learn how to swim so that when they get adopted, they can swim. I love it. J. Gritzey, I take too many photos of the animals. Like I put thousands of animal pictures on my phone of like the sheep, like nose right up against the camera. And J. It's like, that's not even a pit. I'm like, yes, it is. It's a great picture. That's a great picture. Yeah. I love it. J. Gritzey, my love languages. Mine to him. Yeah. I'm both the draws. Okay. Mine to him is words of affirmation, slash affection. Mine is affection. I think mine is affection. And like slowly becoming a mother, not acts of service. But less about like, I don't need you to like do like them, they're like, you know, grab this, grab that or like, clean the kit. Like that's it's more like, oh, you made me a tea. Like it's like the cute little things. I guess it's not service. It's more gift giving, I guess. But it's just more like thoughtful surprises. Yeah. I love that. J. Gritzey, I could talk for three hours about dogs. Dogs. Dogs and like like, like children's, like development. Like I love baby, like development. And Jake's favorite thing about being married to me is like a built in best friend. I think we both feel that way. Like thank God we found each other in this life. That's so beautiful. Millie, we end every episode of on purpose with a final five. These questions asked every guest on the show. They have to be answered in one sentence maximum. Okay. Millie, Bobbie Brown, these are your final five. The first question is, what is the best advice you've ever had or received? Matthew Modi said, everything you put on your face goes into your bloodstream. Which changed my, which changed my relationship with my skin. Great answer. Do you want to share more? No, I mean, that's really it. Question number two, what is the worst advice you ever received? You know, children should be seen and not heard. Question number three, the one reason people should watch in Ella. It's a great family film, a great easy watch on a Friday or Saturday night. Yeah, and it leaves you feeling good. Yeah, tell me a bit more about what characteristics you share with Inola. I feel like there's a lot. There's a lot. Yeah. She obviously speaks her mind. She is a changemaker. She really, she tries to be, she's a bit stubborn, very witty. And I'm not saying I am witty, but I don't fast. I really do pick up on things pretty fast. If somebody's saying something, I'm like, I know, I know the kind of person you are, you're very observant. But yeah, very, I would say, yeah, very stubborn. My co-star would say stubborn. Yeah. Yeah. Is, is Millie Bobby Brown aspiring to be in Ella Holmes? Or is there no Ella Holmes aspiring to be Millie Bobby? I'm aspiring to be in Ella. Yeah, for sure. Nice. A lot of it. Question number four, complete the sentences about overthinking, complete the sentence. I think, I think too much about. I think I think too much about being a mum. Yeah. In the best way possible. In the best way possible, but you know, as a mum, you just overthink about everything. I feel mum guilt is probably the hardest guilt that exists. It really is terrible. Yeah. And then it feels like everyone has a version of how to be the best mum too. So then you're getting everyone's opinions and what do you do? Yeah, that's another thing you block out the noise on that. I always just try to be there for other mum's and vice versa. So surround yourself with your, with a mum group, but don't compare yourselves to each other because that's where you, you'll just start to feel inadequate, but you're not. But mum guilt is a real thing, especially as a working mum. And fifth and final question, we ask this to every guest who's ever been on the show. If you could create one law that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be? I guess, gosh, I, my initial instinct, but I don't know if this is like, I find me even saying this right in terms of like, an answer to the question. Like, if someone is mean or cruel to animals, they should never be able to have an animal again. Is that? Yeah, that's a good lot. That's a great look. I feel like that's like, I, yeah, it's like I feel like people don't shouldn't get second chances on that. Like, but yeah, I don't know. I just think I like, I've been in the animal world for, you know, a minute now. And I've just seen a lot of animals that I feel like, yeah, like you don't get second chances on that. You've changed an animal's life forever. And yeah, I just wish more people showed kindness to animals. And I've seen it on both ends of the spectrum where I have people adopting my dogs and loving them and nurturing them and great. And then I've also seen dogs come to me that have burns and scars all over them. And, you know, I've seen the other end of it. So for me, I just think, yeah, you, I don't have time for people that don't have time the animals. Yeah. Well, we'll be around. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. - You're awesome, this is wonderful. - It's such a great time. I hope you got to share everything you wanted to. - I really did. - That's what I was looking for. - I was honestly nervous coming into this, just 'cause I'm very much so kind of person to forget the cameras are there and just stop blabbering, but I've had the best time. - Thank you, man, thank you. - Thank you.

Podcast Summary

Key Points:

  1. Millie Bobby Brown reflects on shaving her head at age 10 as a defining moment of dedication to her career, despite facing bullying, and credits her mother's preparation for helping her handle it.
  2. She feels most herself in the roles of mother and wife, describing motherhood as giving her the most purpose and calling her daughter the best thing to happen to her and her husband.
  3. Millie has a very close relationship with her mother, who she talks to constantly and who inspired her to become a mother herself.
  4. She got a tattoo of the number "11" at age 15 without telling her parents initially; her father didn't find out for four years.
  5. Becoming a mother transformed her life from "black and white to color," helping her appreciate small, beautiful moments like sunsets and flowers, a perspective she learned from her husband.
  6. She spent a year writing her wedding vows, including references to their shared love of watching grass and animals on their farm.
  7. Adoption has always been part of her journey; she studied social work and later became a vet tech while running a dog rescue, and she and her husband were aligned on adopting from the start.

Summary:

In this conversation, Millie Bobby Brown discusses her journey from a child actor to a mother and wife. She highlights a key childhood memory of shaving her head at age 10 for a role, which taught her to prioritize her happiness despite bullying, thanks to her mother's guidance. Millie feels most fulfilled as a mother and wife, describing motherhood as giving her life purpose.

She shares her extremely close bond with her mother, who inspired her to become a parent and remains her best friend. Millie also reveals getting a tattoo of the number "11" at 15, which her father didn't discover for years. Becoming a mother shifted her perspective, allowing her to appreciate life's small wonders, a trait she credits to her husband.

She spent a year crafting her wedding vows, which included their shared love of nature on their farm. Millie explains that adoption has always been a part of her plan, leading her to study social work and later become a vet tech while running a dog rescue. She and her husband were aligned on adopting, and she took courses to understand different perspectives, making the process deeply meaningful for their family.

FAQs

Shaving her hair off at age 10 was a defining moment, showing her dedication to her job and her willingness to prioritize her own happiness over societal expectations about girls' appearance.

Her mother prepared her by explaining that people might judge her, but she did it because it made her happy. This preface protected Millie and helped her respond confidently when she was bullied for having short hair.

Millie feels most herself as a mother and a wife, stating that family is her purpose and that becoming a mother has been the most important thing to ever happen to her.

Millie describes her mother as her bestest, closest friend. They talk constantly, and her mother treats her the same as when she was young, always caring deeply about her well-being.

The hardest thing was telling her mother about a tattoo she got at age 15, the number '11' from Stranger Things. Her mother was understanding but wished she had been told and involved.

The color comes from seeing her daughter experience life for the first time—like enjoying flowers or the sun—in a pure, stunning way, which changed her perspective and made her more grateful for small things.

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