With Stranger Things nearing its much-anticipated conclusion, a controversy involving two of its lead actors, Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour, has surfaced, raising questions about tensions behind the scenes of Netflix’s blockbuster sci-fi drama.
According to a Daily Mail report, Brown, 20, who plays Eleven, had filed a formal complaint accusing Harbour, 50, of bullying and harassment before filming for Stranger Things 5 commenced. The allegations reportedly spanned “pages and pages”, and while serious in nature, did not involve sexual misconduct, sources clarified.
An insider told the outlet that Netflix conducted a months-long internal investigation following Brown’s submission. “Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations. The investigation went on for months,” the source was quoted as saying.
While the streaming giant has not issued an official statement, reports suggest that the company aimed to ensure the matter did not derail production or affect the show’s grand finale. Another source remarked that Netflix wanted nothing to “overshadow” the final chapter of the cultural phenomenon: “It will be a theatrical event. Nothing is going to overshadow this, not even the leading man’s private life.”
Adding to the off-screen drama, Harbour’s personal life has also drawn attention. His ex-wife, singer Lily Allen, recently accused him of cheating during their marriage. The 40-year-old filed for divorce in September 2025, ending their four-year marriage. In her upcoming album West End Girl, Allen alludes to Harbour’s alleged infidelity within what she described as their “open” marriage.
The woman Harbour was allegedly involved with has been identified as Natalie Tippett, a costume designer who collaborated with him on Netflix’s 2021 film We Have a Ghost. Tippett is reportedly a single mother to a two-and-a-half-year-old daughter.
Despite the personal turmoil, Allen was said to have stood by Harbour during the tense period when the harassment allegations surfaced. “Lily supported him throughout it all. It was a brutal time,” a source told the Daily Mail.
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things premiered in 2016 and became one of Netflix’s most successful original series, lauded for its nostalgic 1980s backdrop, supernatural themes, and coming-of-age storytelling.
The final season, featuring the return of Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Brown, and Harbour, is set to be released in three parts. Volume 1 on November 26, 2025, Volume 2 on December 25, 2025, and the finale episode on December 31, 2025.
As of now, the outcome of Netflix’s investigation has not been made public, and both Brown and Harbour have remained silent on the controversy. Despite the behind-the-scenes turbulence, the streamer appears determined to deliver a powerful send-off to one of its most iconic shows.