Actress and producer Millie Bobby Brown announced her engagement to fianceé fellow actor Jake Bongiovi today. The couple have been in a relationship since 2021, and Brown posted photos of the joyful occasion on Instagram. Several of the couples’ respective co-stars congratulated them. The photos were aptly captioned with lyrics from Taylor Swift’s “Lover.”
Brown told Wired that in typical Gen Z fashion, she met Bongiovi over Instagram. The pair were friends before they began a romantic relationship. They reportedly spent the holidays together in 2022.
Internet Reactions
Brown’s close friend and fellow “Stranger Things” star Noah Schnapp commented “OH MY GOD CONGRATS!” Jamie Campbell Bower, who famously played the infamous “Stranger Things” villain Vecna, commented a series of heart emojis in support of the couple’s engagement.
While friends and family continue to celebrate, elsewhere the internet is shocked. Brown is 19 years old while Bongiovi is 20 years old. Since Brown rose to fame from her roles as a child star, viewers can’t help but be shocked that their favorite child super-hero is growing up.
she's 19.. https://t.co/AEkb0gZKmr pic.twitter.com/s7M8QlRmhI
— jock strap ???????? (@muscledyke) April 11, 2023
Millie Bobby Brown got engaged and everyone’s saying she’s 19, but I thought she was Eleven pic.twitter.com/q4UqQhCpyh
— lea chin-sang (@bigfatmoosepssy) April 11, 2023
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The Background
Brown’s fans were quick to defend the criticism of her engagement. When she was 16, a previous relationship’s alleged abusive nature came to light. The alleged perpetrator was then 21-year-old TikTok creator Hunter Echo, who repeatedly made graphic remarks about Brown online in front of a wide audience. In light of today’s news, fans encouraged the internet to be kind to Brown about her engagement, as both Brown and Bongiovi and their respective friends and families have spoken highly of the relationship.
“she’s 19” yeah and Millie was 16 when she was being abused and y’all mocked her when that abuse came to light pic.twitter.com/18PzCix1LM
— Principal Ava Coleman stan (@1ux1isbon) April 11, 2023
Others noted that criticism from young marriages is typically born out of a lack of stability, and such might not be the case for this pair. Bonjiovi’s father, rock star Jon Bon Jovi, continues to offer support and entertainment industry wisdom on his acting career. Brown’s roles in “Stranger Things” and the “Enola Holmes” franchises have already paved way to countless other opportunities in the entertainment industry.
yall saying how Millie Bobby Brown is too young to get engaged cause she's 19 while saying that's why your marriage failed
she's rich, your broke ass isn't and probably ran away from home with no support afterwards
there is levels to this pic.twitter.com/ED3nNbaKmK
— Jamius (@freelanceburner) April 11, 2023
The Hollywood Relationships Conversation
Meanwhile, others offered support while pointing out how different life looks for people that fall in the 19-21 year old age range. One TikTok user pointed out that while Brown is a rising star and engaged at 19, they were still taking “what celebrity am I” quizzes and procrastinating homework.
she’s 19 and engaged and i’m 18 and doing ‘what celebrity am i?’ quizzes when i’m supposed to be doing my assignment https://t.co/Gb61FlWXvv
— emma is going to the eras tour (@rheesroses) April 11, 2023
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Elsewhere, Twitter users pointed out that while the couple are both young, they are nearly the same age and have been dating for several years. Recently, an ongoing age-gap conversation surrounding the entertainment industry began circulating following the criticism of actor Aaron Taylor Johnson’s engagement to his now wife Sam Taylor Johnson when he was freshly 18 and she was 45.
the replies on this r so weird. it’s a normal relationship, they’ve been dating since she was 15 and he was 16 and now she’s 19 and he’s 20. ppl r acting like shes 19 and he’s 40 https://t.co/wLfAiMvIOp
— rhi ???? (@harryismyfr1end) April 11, 2023
Brown and Bongiovi have not announced further wedding plans at this time, and it is unclear how long the engagement will be. Despite the initial shock, the internet is slowly realizing that they’ve seen stranger things.
