Why Millie Bobby Brown Decided to Stay in Georgia After ‘Stranger Things’ Ended

Millie Bobby Brown is pulling back the curtain on her decision to put down permanent roots in Georgia.

Brown, 21, originally found a home in the Peach State when she landed her iconic role as Eleven on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things when she was just 10 years old. 

The show — which was primarily filmed around the Atlanta area — is officially ending with its fifth season later this year, and Brown is taking a moment to reflect on her connection to Georgia in British Vogue’s December cover story.

“I grew up here, you know? This is the longest place I’ve been consecutively in my life because of Stranger Things. For me, this is my home,” she says of her decision to stay in Georgia with husband Jake Bongiovi, 23, with whom she tied the knot in May 2024. 

The Enola Holmes star — who was born in Spain and raised in England before her family relocated to the U.S. — says creating a home base in Georgia stems from her parents’ decision to protect her from Hollywood while she was growing up.

“They didn’t want me to grow up in that world,” she says, noting that she “loves” acting but she doesn’t want it to “define” her either. 

“You have a sense of purpose within your own personal life,” she adds. The outlet notes the actress has built her own community in the Atlanta area, filled with an “unstarry” group of friends.

Brown has also been inspired to pursue other passions since starting her new chapter in Georgia, where she lives on a farm with her husband. She’s currently taking online classes at Purdue University to receive her veterinary technician degree, which goes hand-in-hand with her love of animals.

Together, the couple shares 40 farm animals on their property, which Brown says feels similar to a “petting zoo.” 

“I had a 200-pound sheep in my house at one point,” she told the outlet. “He was ripping my curtains down.” 

They also have four cats and 11 dogs, with Brown noting that rescue dogs are her weakness and she would often let them sleep in her and Bongiovi’s bed.  

“We had to stop at one point because there were just so many,” she said. “It was like we weren’t even sleeping because they were getting such good rest!”

In addition to their many animals keeping them busy, the couple welcomed a baby girl through adoption this past August, which Brown announced on Instagram at the time. 

Following her announcement, an exclusive source told PEOPLE about the star’s “special family life” she and Bongiovi have created. 

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“She’s so young, but so focused. And she has the biggest heart,” the source told PEOPLE at the time. “There’s no doubt that she’s a great mom. Pretty much everything she sets her mind to, she crushes.”

The insider also added, “They have really worked on creating this special family life in Georgia. She loves her farm — it’s going to be such a special place for the baby to grow up. Even before they were married, she often spoke about her wish to be a young mom. And Jake was always on the same page. They’re in it together.”