Millie Bobby Brown talks about one of her biggest dreams since childhood: to become a mother through adoption. The Enola Holmes 3 star was candid during an appearance on Not Gonna Lie With Kylie Kelsey, where she reflected on starting a family with husband Jake Bongiovi and why adoption has always been part of her vision for the future. Brown and Bongiovi first announced in August 2025 that they welcomed a baby girl through adoption, later asking for privacy when they became parents.
For Brown, adoption was never a backup plan. In fact, it was something she had dreamed about since early childhood.
“Always, always wanted to adopt,” Brown shared Thursday’s podcast episode. “It was always part of my childhood dreams. Every time I was at home and I was, you know, 5 or 6 years old, my parents would say, ‘You had dolls.’ They were all adopted. I never had any myself. And I never pretended to be pregnant.”
At the same time, Brown clarified that she still hopes to give birth to her children someday. “It’s not because I don’t want to. Hopefully one day it will be in my future,” she explained.
Nevertheless, the actress emphasized how meaningful adoption remains to her: “Adoption is love, adoption is forever.”
Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi took their time with the process
Brown also revealed that she and Bongiovi carefully considered what the adoption path would look like before adding to their family.
Before pursuing acting full-time, Brown said she first studied social work and then switched to veterinary medicine, which further shaped her perspective on adoption. “I loved the adoption aspect of my social work courses…so meaningful and important,” she said.
The actress explained that more information about her mother’s birth and adoption experience helped shape the couple’s approach.
“I also learned that it’s, you know, talking and reading a lot about being a birth mother and what a journey it is,” Brown shared. “So my husband and I spent a lot of time focusing on what this story is and what this journey looks like. And then we started it.”
The couple kept their daughter’s life a secret
Since greeting his daughterBrown and Bongiovi have deliberately kept much of their family life out of the public eye. The couple has not publicly revealed their daughter’s name or shown her face online.
Announcing the adoption last year, the couple shared a heartfelt statement. “This summer we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” they wrote at the time. “We are so excited to begin this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in peace and privacy.”
Brown says her mom became a 911 caregiver
As Brown continues to adjust to life as a mother, she recently admitted that parenting has come with a lot of unexpected moments and a few panicked calls from her own mother. The “Enola Holmes 3” actress talked about motherhood in The UNICEF video was published on June 1 as part of the “My Parenting Journey” series.
Brown, who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, said some of her biggest concerns as a parent come when her daughter does something unfamiliar. “They do something and you think, ‘Is that okay?’ Do they do that? “, Brown shared.
Like many first-time parents, the actress admitted that she often turns to her family for reassurance. “And you know, I’m going to call my (mom). She’s like my 911. (Mom), did I do it? Did my siblings do that?”’ Brown said.
Luckily, her mom usually has a soothing answer ready. “And she’s like, ‘Oh, that’s totally fine. They do it all the time.”
Millie Bobby Brown says motherhood has brought an unexpected verdict
While Brown has embraced motherhood, she admits the experience has also drawn criticism from other women.
“I thought, ‘This is vicious.’ You’re vicious,” Brown said of some of the backlash she’s received since becoming a mom. “And I don’t have time for angry women who just need to feel like they need to beat you up, especially when it comes to motherhood. I’ve never felt anything like it.”
Earlier, the actress reflected on her first Mother’s Day during a conversation with Extra in May, emphasizing that every motherhood deserves to be celebrated.
“We’re all mothers, and whether we’re adoptive mothers, birth mothers, or you know, whatever, as a mother figure,” Brown said. “Everyone should be celebrated. I hope everyone is raising beautiful children and we’re raising the next generation. So of course women should be celebrated in every way and every day.”
