Millie Bobby Brown is opening up about one of the biggest dreams she has carried since childhood: becoming a mother through adoption. The “Enola Holmes 3” star got candid during an appearance on “Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce,” where she reflected on building a family with husband Jake Bongiovi and why adoption was always part of her vision for the future. Brown and Bongiovi first announced in August 2025 that they had welcomed a baby girl through adoption, later asking for privacy as they entered parenthood.
For Brown, adoption was never a backup plan. In fact, it was something she dreamed about from an early age.
“Always, always wanted to adopt,” Brown shared on Thursday’s podcast episode. “It was always part of my childhood dreams. Every time I was at home and I was, you know, 5, 6 years old, my parents were like, ‘You had your baby dolls.’ They were all adopted. I never had any of them myself. And I never pretended I was pregnant.”
At the same time, Brown clarified that she still hopes to carry children of her own someday. “It’s not because I don’t want that. Hopefully one day that’s in my future,” she explained.
Still, the actress emphasized how deeply 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 journey would look like before growing their family.
Before pursuing acting full-time, Brown shared that she initially studied social work, later switching her focus to veterinary medicine, a path that further shaped her perspective on adoption. “I loved the aspect of adoption in my social work courses… so meaningful and important,” she said.
The actress explained that learning more about birth mothers and the adoption experience helped shape the couple’s approach.
“I also learned what it, you know, speaking to, and reading a lot about being a birth mother and what that journey is,” Brown shared. “So for me, my husband and I took a lot of time to focus on what that story and what that journey looks like. And then we embarked it.”
The Couple Has Kept Their Daughter’s Life Private
Since welcoming their daughter, Brown and Bongiovi have intentionally kept much of their family life out of the spotlight. The pair have not publicly revealed their daughter’s name or shown her face online.
When 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 beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in peace and privacy.”
Brown Says Her Mom Has Become Her Parenting ‘911’
As Brown continues adjusting to life as a mom, she recently admitted that parenting has come with plenty of unexpected moments, and a few panicked calls to her own mother. The “Enola Holmes 3” actress opened up about motherhood in a UNICEF video shared June 1 as part of the organization’s “My Parenting Journey” series.
Brown, who serves as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, revealed that some of her biggest parenting worries come when her daughter does something unfamiliar. “They are doing something and you’re like, ‘Is that normal? Do they do that?’” Brown shared.
Like many first-time parents, the actress admitted she often turns to family for reassurance. “And you know, I’ll call my [mom]. She’s just like my 911. ‘[Mom], did I do this? Did my siblings do this?’” Brown said.
Thankfully, her mom usually has a calming answer ready. “And she is like, ‘Oh, that’s completely normal. They do that all the time.’”
Millie Bobby Brown Says Motherhood Has Brought Unexpected Judgment
While Brown has embraced motherhood, she admitted the experience has also come with criticism from other women.
“I was like, ‘This is vicious. You are vicious,’” Brown said of some reactions she has received since becoming a mom. “And I don’t have time for angry women that just need to feel like they need to bring you down, especially when it comes to motherhood. I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
The actress previously reflected on her first Mother’s Day while speaking to Extra in May, emphasizing that every kind of motherhood deserves celebration.
“We’re all mothers, and no matter if we’re adoptive mothers, birth mothers, or you know, whatever, like a maternal figure,” Brown said. “Everybody should be celebrated. Everybody is raising beautiful children, hopefully, and we’re raising the next generation. So, of course, women should be celebrated in every way and every day.”