The creators of Stranger Things have responded to claims that Millie Bobby Brown had accused co-star David Harbour of bullying and harassment.
Last night’s season five premiere was the first time that anyone related to Netflix or Stranger Things had addressed the controversy that has engulfed promotion for the end of the show.
Bobby Brown and Harbour made a clear statement at the premiere, however, being photographed together and sharing a hug and a laugh.
This then led to the pair speaking highly of one another in interviews, with Bobby Brown saying: “I’ve obviously had a really special bond with David because we have a father and daughter relationship, and we do every scene together. You really get to see that in season 5.”
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With the first five minutes of the show having been released by Netflix and the first four episodes set to release in just a few weeks time, the move was a major one by the cast to pour water on the fire brewing suggesting there was a feud between two of its stars.
The Daily Mail had alleged in a report earlier this week that the Eleven actor had made a claim against Harbour alleging bullying and harassment, stating that there were ‘pages’ of allegations.
The paper went as far as to claim through anonymous sources that Bobby Brown always had a personal representative on set as a result of the investigation.
Creators of the show Matt and Ross Duffer addressed the allegations at the premiere, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter.
The showrunners said: “Obviously, you understand I can’t get into personal onset matters, but I will say we’ve been doing this for 10 years with this cast, and at this point they’re family and we deeply care about them.
“So, you know, nothing matters more than just having a set where everyone feels safe and happy.”
Shawn Levy, an executive producer and director on the TV show, also addressed the allegations, speaking more openly about them.
Levy stressed the importance of creating a ‘respectful workplace where everyone feels comfortable and safe’, stating they were proud that they had achieved this.
He went on to add: “I’ve read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to… there’s so much noise around it.
“But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that’s always been bedrock."
The upcoming season is hotly anticipated, and widely expected to be one of Netflix’s most watched shows ever.
The episodes are set to release in three batches, with season 5A releasing November 26 with the first four episodes.
The following three episodes will release Christmas Day, with the two-hour finale then coming out on New Year’s Eve.
When asked about the final season and what answers it may provide, Matt Duffer told EW: “So much of the season was built around the idea of coming full circle, answering many of the questions that were posed all the way back in season.
“I think the two biggest questions that we didn’t really answer in season 1 that we do answer this season is ‘what is the Upside Down, truly?’ and ‘why was Will taken?’”
Topics: Stranger Things, Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Netflix, TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin