Here's something you don't expect from a Netflix superstar: Millie Bobby Brown still mooches off her parents' streaming account. The 21-year-old "Stranger Things" actress, who's reportedly worth $20 million, hasn't bothered setting up her own Netflix login. Why would she? Her parents are paying, and in her mind, she's still part of the family plan.
"I'm still using my parents' account," Brown explained on the British music show "Capital" back in March. "I kind of refuse to pay for the subscription because my parents pay, and I'm still a child in my eyes, and in their eyes. So yeah, I'm part of the family deal."
You might think starring in one of Netflix's most-watched shows globally would come with at least a free account. It doesn't. Brown confirmed she gets no complimentary subscription from the streaming giant, which means she's actively choosing to save that $7.99 a month (or more, depending on the plan). Those are the exact charges most young adults reluctantly take on once they move out. But Brown, despite growing up faster than most people ever will, isn't rushing to cut the digital cord.
A Money Mindset Rooted in Real Struggle
Her frugality isn't some quirky celebrity act—it comes from lived experience. On the "Call Her Daddy" podcast earlier this year, Brown opened up about her family's financial past. "We had no money" at one point, she said, and they couldn't even afford a home. That kind of history doesn't just disappear when the paychecks start rolling in.
"I have a money thing where I'm very conscious about money," Brown explained. "When I do spend money on something, I have to call my parents, I have to think about it, I don't just buy it right away."
Her first big splurge as a rising star was a pair of Chanel sunglasses, and even that only happened after her parents encouraged her to treat herself. The moment didn't turn her into a carefree spender. If anything, it reinforced just how strange it felt to spend without worry.
Target vs. Prada: A Marriage of Opposites
Brown's money habits became even more apparent after she married Jake Bongiovi, son of Jon Bon Jovi, in 2024. Their shopping philosophies couldn't be more different. "I'll be like 'Oh, I need socks,' and he'll be like 'Let's go to Prada,'" she joked to "Call Her Daddy" host Alex Cooper. "And I'm like 'Let's go to Target.'"
She also laughed about Bongiovi's refusal to pack suitcases—he'd rather buy everything new once they arrive at their destination. Meanwhile, Brown sticks to "Amazon basics" and price tags that don't require a second thought.
It's an odd pairing that somehow works. Fame gave Brown financial security. Her upbringing gave her caution. And that's why, despite the mansion-level income, she's perfectly content staying logged into the family Netflix plan—not because she has to, but because it feels right.
Staying Grounded in Georgia, Not LA
That grounded streak traces back to how her parents raised her. When "Stranger Things" exploded in 2015—just as her character Eleven was busy saving the world—Brown's real parents were focused on saving her from the Hollywood bubble. They kept her in Georgia, far from the LA scene. Brown told Cooper they wanted to protect her from the chaos that often swallows child actors. So while fans treated her like a superstar, she was still living under her parents' roof, surrounded by family rules and real-world boundaries.
That arrangement lasted until she turned 18. By then, the animal situation had become untenable. "At that point, I had like two dogs in my room and a rabbit, and my parents were like 'No more animals.'" Brown, fully aware of her own tendencies, knew that wasn't going to work. So she bought her first home—right next door. Independence, but only a driveway away.
The Power of Staying Connected
Brown played a kid with extraordinary telekinetic abilities on screen. In real life, she'd rather hold onto something more ordinary: the comfort of knowing her parents are still right there when she needs them—or at least when she needs a login code to refresh the app.
It's a remarkably normal instinct for someone who helped drive one of streaming's biggest global franchises. And maybe that's the point. Brown didn't just survive Hollywood—she survived it on her own terms, with her family intact and her financial sense sharper than most people twice her age.