Lately, Millie Bobby Brown has been busy promoting her first book, Nineteen Steps. The romance novel revolved around an 18-year-old woman, Nellie, who lived in London. Nellie, the protagonist, worked as a secretary for the mayor of Bethnal Green and fell in love with a US Air Force pilot. The book promises a cathartic experience that will ignite a sense of longing and melancholy. The novel is also a love letter to her grandma, who had a tremendous influence on Brown’s life. 

The 19-year-old author dedicated her first book to her grandmother’s experience in London during World War II. Amidst the hype surrounding her authorial debut, an old interview, where Brown denied being an avid reader, sparks a slew of questions. 

Back when Millie Bobby Brown addressed her indifference to books

Brown, who carries herself as a jack-of-all-trades, made a name for herself in various domains. From having a successful acting career to becoming the youngest UNICEF ambassador, the Stranger Things star rose to prominence at a very tender age. She even took center stage in the Netflix mystery flick Enola Holmes, alongside legendary actor Henry Cavill. While talking about her journey in Enola Holmes, the actress revealed in a 2020 Apple podcast Skip Intro with Krista Smith that she has never been an avid reader. 

Directed by Harry Bradbeer, the movie is an adaptation of the popular novel The Enola Holmes Mysteries. In light of this, the interviewer sought Brown’s opinion on what drew her to be a part of a book adaptation. To which the now 19-year-old said that the script was what made her say yes to the film. Expressing her indifference to books and literature, the actress further went on to say, “Reading has never been my thing, except for scripts”.

Post her book’s release, Brown also received a lot of hate for indulging in the culture of ghostwriting. 

Brown took heat from her fans for using a ghostwriter 

Brown released her book on 12th September, which followed a flood of promotional posts on her Instagram. Among them, a post where the Godzilla actress shared a picture with Kathleen McGurl received a lot of attention. Brown captioned the post saying, “a HUGE thank you to my collaborator”, inviting a ton of criticism from fans. Netizens took offense to the fact that the Florence By Mills owner did not give McGurl her due credit. 

They expressed how Brown should have mentioned the ghostwriter’s name on the cover as well. While Brown is not the first to use a ghostwriter, she definitely stood apart by revealing her collaborator’s name. And a considerable portion of fans appreciated Brown’s gesture to publicly acknowledge McGurl’s involvement. While the internet is divided over Brown’s debut novel, the $14 million actress is planning to turn the book into a feature film.

What do you think about Millie Bobby Brown’s 2020 interview? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.