Millie Bobby Brown pushes back on claims about Jake Bongiovi’s parenting role
The actress defended her husband Jake Bongiovi after viral photos sparked criticism about their parenting
Millie Bobby Brown has spoken out in defence of her husband Jake Bongiovi after viral photos sparked online debate about their parenting roles and household dynamic.
The 22-year-old actress addressed the criticism during an appearance on Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce, where she responded to comments about images showing her carrying a car seat and multiple bags while with their daughter.
The photos, which circulated widely online in August 2025, prompted some social media users to question Bongiovi’s involvement in carrying their baby’s belongings. Brown and Bongiovi welcomed their daughter via adoption in the summer of 2025.
Responding to the discussion, Brown pushed back on the assumptions being made about their family life.
“Hi, I’m Millie Bobby Brown and I’m not gonna lie, when did women become incapable of holding their own bags, car seats and stuff?” she said.
She explained that the criticism stemmed from images of her managing luggage and baby items, adding that public perception did not reflect their reality.
“This stems from me holding all of my suitcases and bags and my kid and people are like, ‘Your husband doesn’t hold a single thing.’ And I’m like, ‘Because I’m three miles ahead. I have been planning this all night,’” she said.
Brown also highlighted what she sees as a contradiction in public expectations placed on women.
“We’re all about empowering girls and, ‘You got it’ and ‘You don’t need a man,’ but then when I’m like, ‘OK, I can carry my own things,’ people are like, ‘Where’s your husband?’” she said.
The Stranger Things star said she is fully capable of handling responsibilities on her own while also emphasising her husband’s supportive nature.
“Nobody knows my husband. My husband is the most polite, sweet, will-do-anything-for-me. But he also knows I’m capable,” she said.
Brown added simply, “I can also do it on my own.”
Her comments were met with support from podcast host Kylie Kelce, who praised Brown’s perspective during the conversation.
Brown and Bongiovi quietly married in 2024 before holding a second wedding ceremony in Italy later that year. The couple announced the adoption of their daughter in August 2025, sharing that they were embracing parenthood privately.
The actress’s latest remarks underscore her pushback against online narratives and her emphasis on independence within her marriage and family life.
