Unlike the reputation Brits have about being tight-lipped, teen actress Millie Bobby Brown is eager to share things.
During a video interview, the 16-year-old brightly told StarLifestyle that she has a very tight dress on, resulting in her “trying to catch her breath here and there”.
Another time during this 20-minute session with the Asian journalists, the bubbly youngster went from answering her question to suddenly blurting out: “I just had a fly on my neck and I think I could have screamed out loud. I just passed out in my head.”
She didn’t scream out loud at all. Except for the two outbursts, she seemed very invested in answering all the questions in detail even though she could’ve answered them over and over again as she fielded questions with different groups of reporters regarding her latest project, a Netflix film titled Enola Holmes.
When she started fumbling over a word, she apologised saying: “You guys are one of my last interviews. So, you’re really getting the worst of me.”
It is easy to be charmed by the exuberance Millie showcases in person. This dynamic personality is also apparent in Enola Holmes, a project that Millie not only stars in but also produces.
Based on the book series by Nancy Springer, Enola Holmes focuses on Sherlock Holmes’ younger sister. Like the famous detective – played by Man Of Steel’s Henry Cavill in the film – Enola is smart and knows how to observe and deduct. She is also extraordinary in the sense that she is unlike other girls in England, in the year 1884.
For one, she doesn’t know how to embroider but she knows how to take down a grown man with her fighting skills.
At the start of the story, Enola – who has been brought up single-handedly by her mum (Helena Bonham Carter) – finds her mother has disappeared, leaving no clue whatsoever.
Enola contacts her famous brothers – Sherlock and Mycroft (Sam Claflin) Holmes – only to discover the two men are more concerned with how she has been brought up rather than what happened to their mother.
Hence, Enola decides to venture out from her country home to London and find their mother. Along the way, she meets another runaway (Louis Partridge) and learns a thing or two about the ways of the world and, of course, gets entangled in a mystery.
According to Millie – who became famous after starring in the hit series Stranger Things – she became interested in the film’s lead role as there isn’t a character out there like Enola Holmes.
She explained: “You know, growing up, I didn’t have a young female British lead to look up to. If I did have an inspiration, it was Hannah Montana. But then again, she was American and she didn’t sound like I did.... You have Hermione Granger from Harry Potter, but she wasn’t the lead, you know?
“I didn’t get to have that inspiration as a child. So, this was my inspiration; reading this book, I thought, oh my goodness, so many young girls are going to love Enola as much as I do.”
What is immediately obvious with Millie playing Enola as well, is that the Spain-born Brit is speaking with her own accent for a change.
“Yeah, I have never played a British role before. When I had, it was a very small part in a small TV show. This is definitely a moment for me to shine with my British accent.”
With Enola Holmes too, the Emmy-nominated actress gets to shine as one of the producers of the film. It’s an opportunity that Millie confessed she was happy to take on as she had always wanted to be part of the production side of the film industry.
She elaborated: “I was really excited about producing this film. It’s always been kind of a quiet passion of mine. While filming Stranger Things, I was wanting to be part of the production, the storylines and the casting. I always found it really interesting.
“So, having to do it on this film was obviously a whirlwind of a ride.”
Besides producing and starring in the lead role, another new thing Millie tried for Enola Holmes was breaking the fourth wall, whereby her character often gives a knowing look to the camera or make a remark intended for the audience.
When asked what it was like to be breaking the fourth wall, Millie answered: “It’s something I’ve never done before. So, I was definitely very excited to throw myself in. I always loved the idea of talking to the camera, and I was excited having the audience come on with Enola on the adventure.
"It’s kind of like she’s 2020’s best blogger. Because there’s a certain level of nerves that you go through, you know, going into it.
"But, once I got very comfortable, I almost got too comfortable.
“I actually had a dream that while I was filming Stranger Things, I won’t be able to stop looking at the camera.
“And I called the directors of Stranger Things (about the dream), and they were like ‘Millie, like that’s ridiculous.’ So when I went back to filming a different project of mine, I was kind of peeking at the camera like, ‘I’m not looking. I’m not looking.’ So, it got into my head... that’s how much I enjoyed doing it.”
Through her performances as Eleven in Stranger Things and in her film debut, Godzilla King Of The Monsters, and now Enola Holmes, there is no denying Millie is a talented actress.
Asked her if there is a method in how she prepares for a role, Millie said it is all instinctual.
Millie, who started acting as a nine-year-old, said: “Everybody always says, ‘So how did you prepare for a character like Eleven?’ And it’s like, well, I kind of didn’t and I wish I had a story.
“I think that’s just the way I work. I go into set, and I never know my lines until I get into the makeup trailer. I read it over, I memorise it – which, you know, I’m very grateful for my grandfather who had a photographic memory – so, I can kind of read it and know it.
“Then I go onto set and I just try all new things.
“Sometimes you can be afraid of messing up and looking stupid, but don’t be afraid of that because I try. I went all out on this film. And, you know, some parts were cut and some parts were added.
“Of course I take my work very seriously and I will obviously prepare myself, but there’s a perspective that I kind of go into it, thinking, ‘Let’s just do this instinctually and see what happens’.”
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