The Stranger Things 5 world premiere in Los Angeles was expected to be a celebration of the series’ final chapter, but instead, it ignited a firestorm on social media.
Fans were stunned—and divided—after Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour, at the center of recent harassment allegations, appeared together on the red carpet, smiling, chatting, and even laughing, prompting questions about whether the reported tensions were ever real or simply a Hollywood publicity maneuver.
The controversy began earlier this week when RadarOnline reported that 21-year-old Millie had filed a formal bullying and harassment complaint against her 50-year-old co-star, David Harbour.
According to the outlet, Netflix even conducted an internal investigation before filming for the fifth season began. “Millie Bobby Brown filed a harassment and bullying claim before they started shooting the last season. There were pages and pages of accusations,” an insider said.
“The investigation went on for months.” The report quickly spread, fueling speculation about on-set tension and dividing fans online.
Then came Thursday night at the TCL Chinese Theatre premiere. Millie and David stood side by side for the cameras, with Harbour wrapping an arm around Brown as they shared a brief conversation and broke into laughter—moments captured by photographers and widely circulated across entertainment pages and fan accounts.
Their friendly interaction immediately reignited debate: how could two people allegedly in conflict appear so effortlessly cordial in public?
Fans quickly weighed in, with some arguing that the duo were simply being professional for the sake of Stranger Things’ global publicity push. Others suggested Netflix and the stars may have orchestrated the drama to generate buzz for the show’s final season.
The most viral theory now circulating on social media is that the alleged feud and subsequent reconciliation narrative were carefully timed to amplify attention ahead of the series’ conclusion.
Whatever the truth behind the headlines, the cast is turning its focus to Stranger Things 5, the long-awaited conclusion to Netflix’s flagship sci-fi series created by the Duffer Brothers. Premiering in 2016, the show has become one of the platform’s biggest cultural phenomena.
The fifth season will release in three volumes: Volume 1 on November 26, Volume 2 on December 25, and the finale on December 31.
Alongside Millie and Harbour, the ensemble cast returning for one last journey to the Upside Down includes Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, and Charlie Heaton.