Millie Bobby Brown is the test case for Netflix's star system

Key Points:

• Millie Bobby Brown has become Netflix’s flagship star, transitioning from her breakout role as Eleven in Stranger Things to lead roles primarily within the streaming platform, including the successful Enola Holmes franchise, which showcased her as a witty and feminist young protagonist.
• While Enola Holmes allowed Brown to grow with her character over three films, Netflix’s attempts to cast her in more generic and derivative roles, such as in Damsel and The Electric State, have limited her ability to showcase her range and maturity as an adult actress.
• The Electric State, despite promising source material, was critically panned for its misdirection and poor adaptation, leaving Brown with minimal character development and overshadowed by other elements, highlighting Netflix’s struggle to create original and fitting roles for her.
• At 22, Brown remains loyal to Netflix with upcoming projects like a rom-com and a spy series, but the article suggests that Netflix could better support her career by developing original, woman-centric stories tailored to her strengths rather than forcing her into conventional action roles.
• The piece advocates for Netflix to adopt a more strategic and personalized star-building approach, akin to classic Hollywood studio systems, to help Brown successfully transition from child star to adult actress and sustain her long-term appeal.