The Toxic Relationship That Made Millie Bobby Brown Quit TikTok - And How She Rose Above It

Millie Bobby Brown is one of the most famous teenagers around. Not only is she the star of Netflix’s hit show Stranger Thingsbut she has her own skincare and make-up brand called Florence By Mills. She awas nominated for and has won multiple awards including Primetime Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, People’s Choice Awards, MTV Movie + TV Awards, and Kid’s Choice Awards.

We expect a lot from such an influential young person. But the truth is, no matter how many achievements we have, we still make mistakes – especially at a young age. For Brown, one of her mistakes was getting involved with TikTok personality Hunter Ecimovic, also known as Hunter Echo.

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Being a self-made millionaire is a huge feat on its own, but the most impressive thing about Brown is how she handles herself both on and off-screen. When she took some time off social media, many wondered if she was alright and questioned what was happening behind the scenes.

What Happened Between Millie Bobby Brown and Hunter Ecimovic?

In 2020, Brown was in an “unhealthy situation”, as she referred to it, with TikTok personality Hunter Ecimovic. At the time, she was a minor and he wasn’t. In the first photos of them together, Brown was 16 and Ecimovic was 20.

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This toxic situation took a toll on Brown. “I felt very vulnerable,” she said to Allure, “Also, no one on the set knew I was going through this. So it was kind of nice to be able to just deal with that myself and no one else knew. Then it was harder when the whole world knew.” Considering her close-knit friendship with Noah Schnapp (Will Buyers), many were shocked to know that even he wasn’t aware of the situation.

In the same interview with Allure, she goes on to graciously call the relationship a “blip.” Although, Ecimovic has come out with harmful and dangerous statements about Brown. Ecimovic went on to host an Instagram live where he was graphic in his depictions of their alleged sexual relationship.

Was Millie Bobby Brown Being Groomed?

Hunter Echo claims to have been manipulated and “groomed," but Brown's team adamantly deny these claims. Part of the message read that “Mr. Ecimovic’s remarks on social media are not only dishonest but also irresponsible, offensive and hateful.”

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There’s a lot of speculation on the details of the relationship. It’s not hard to believe there was a level of manipulation considering the age gap between the two, but it’s also very possible that Ecimovic’s claims were simply to use Brown’s name in the media to bring attention to himself and his brand. Meanwhile, Brown felt humiliated by the whole ordeal. The humiliation didn’t stop her from making the choice she needed to pick herself up out of a situation she no longer wanted to be in.

“It was a year of healing,” She said, “When you get publicly humiliated this way, I felt so out of control and powerless. Walking away and knowing that I’m worth everything and this person didn’t take anything from me, it felt very empowering. It felt like my life had finally turned a page.”

How Millie Bobby Brown Reclaimed Her Life After A Toxic Relationship

Brown did not let this situation define her. Since 2020, she’s gone on to film and release Stranger Things 4 and solidify her role in Enola Holmes 2. Her career isn’t the only thing that Brown is focusing on. She’s an online student at Purdue University studying Human Services, learning how to help young people, something that we can see Brown is passionate about.

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Rather than letting this situation tear down her self-esteem and self-worth and stop her from achieving her dreams, she took it as an opportunity to grow and learn. She took a social media break and recuperated, coming back stronger. She tells her story in a way of triumph rather than defeat. She didn’t let Ecimovic and their toxic relationship limit her in her future endeavors, but rather as a motivator to complete the milestones that she was already aiming for.

Brown is a university student, an accomplished and acclaimed actress, and an advocate for young women. In fact, she is also continuing her work as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF with a focus on menstrual health and education. At only 18 years old, Brown is setting a great example for young women everywhere that there is no limit to what you can achieve.

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