Millie Bobby Brown's Stunning Hair Transformation

Believe it or not, Millie Bobby Brown has over a decade of work experience despite only turning 21 this year. Oh, and the star isn't just a seasoned actor who's spent five seasons portraying Eleven on Netflix's "Stranger Things"; she's also the mastermind behind her own beauty brand, Florence by Mills, and a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. To be completely honest, just reading about Brown's resumé might have you questioning your life choices, but don't worry, you're definitely not alone.

Luckily, we're not here to pore over Brown's accomplishments. Nope, today, it's all about her well-groomed tresses. Over the past decade, we've seen the actor rock almost everything in the hair realm, including various lengths and colors that range from a short, brunette pixie to bombshell blond locks. And if there's one thing that the "Enola Holmes" actor's hair evolution has taught us, it's that your hair is basically your personal reset button — so why not use it?

While Millie Bobby Brown made her acting debut in 2013 when she played young Alice in two episodes of "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland" — an "Alice in Wonderland"-themed spin-off of ABC's hit fantasy series "Once Upon a Time" — it wasn't until the world saw her as Eleven on "Stranger Things" that she caught everyone's eyes. And a big reason why her character was instantly memorable was Eleven's buzz cut. In fact, Brown ended up shaving her hair off for the role, something she didn't mind at all.

"I reacted to it quite fine, it was my mom that didn't react very well," Brown told People in 2016. "My dad reacted fine, but my grandfather... nope! Everyone was saying, 'No,' but I didn't. My friends didn't want me to do it either, but my best friend told me I should definitely do it," the young actor revealed. "I'm keeping the pixie," she added. "I hope I inspire people... it's really cool to have short hair." All throughout 2016 and 2017, Brown rocked her short pixie — a haircut that she could perfectly style for any occasion. For red-carpet events, she often wore it in a deep side part that helped create the illusion of side-swept bangs.

As the end of the 2010s approached, Millie Bobby Brown parted ways with her signature pixie for a more sophisticated and versatile haircut. During 2018 and 2019, the Netflix star rocked a bob haircut that eventually grew into a lob. To accompany the hair change — and perhaps accentuate the fact that she wasn't a tween actor anymore — Brown added some lighter color to her look with a subtle balayage.

However, even though she wasn't shaving her hair anymore, Brown was still known for the haircut that made Eleven famous. Reflecting on the day she shaved her head in a now-deleted Instagram caption from 2018, Brown revealed just what her big hair move felt like. "The day I shaved my head was the most empowering moment of my whole life," the actor wrote (via W). "The last strand of hair cut off was the moment my whole face was on show and I couldn't hide behind my hair like I used to... As I looked at myself and couldn't see my old self, I realized that now; I have a job to do and that is to inspire other girls that your image or exterior part is not what I think is important." While she was no longer wearing this haircut, it clearly still meant a lot to her, which is a common thread throughout her hair transformation.

In 2020, Millie Bobby Brown starred as the lead in Netflix's mystery film "Enola Holmes," and by then, it was clear that she was not only growing into a true Hollywood staple but also a major fashionista. In fact, Millie Bobby Brown's stunning style transformation only grows more awe-worthy with time.

While she was excited about exploring fashion more, Brown was also drawn to a drastic hair change: super-long locks. The actor most likely used extensions to achieve this length in such a short time, and to make the transformation even more dramatic, Brown decided it was time to say goodbye to her balayage highlights and embrace a dark-brown shade that closely resembled her natural hair color. Oh, and just like the rest of the world, Brown was obsessed with the high Ariana Grande-esque ponytail — a look we saw her sport quite a bit at the time. If you have long hair but haven't given the popular style a shot yet, now's a good time, as Ariana Grande's hairstylist shared the secret to her perfectly flipped-out pony.

Millie Bobby Brown turned 18 in 2022, and with adulthood, the star embraced a more unpredictable hair routine. In fact, as she confidently strutted through the last years of her teens, we never knew what hair color she was going to give us next. One day, we'd see her with her signature brown locks, and the next day, she'd be sporting platinum-blond hair with dark roots.

However, one thing seemed to be sure: Brown was loving her long hair. And who could blame her? After shaving her hair off years earlier, the actor deserved all of the glory that comes with super-long locks. During this period, the "Stranger Things" star also often rocked a sleek updo with a middle part and a slightly messy bun — one of the most iconic hairstyles from the '90s that had a major revival moment in the first half of the 2020s.

Today, Millie Bobby Brown is all about blond hair. The star has experimented with lighter hair colors in the past, but she'd never given us proper platinum blond, roots included, until 2025. While promoting the Netflix sci-fi film "The Electric State," which she stars in alongside Chris Pratt, Brown decided that the world was ready to see her all grown up, and platinum-blond hair definitely helped her shed some of that remaining teen-star image.

However, we don't expect Brown to stick to her super-long platinum-blond hair for long, as she seems to be someone who loves switching up her hairstyle. In fact, during an appearance on Alex Cooper's "Call Her Daddy" podcast in 2025, Brown revealed that she plans to shave her hair and rock a buzz cut again. "For my first baby, I wanna shave my hair off," the actor admitted. "I don't know. I just feel like it was really liberating. Would suggest it for anyone, any girl... Maybe like right before I'm about to give birth. Because I just think hair is such an ordeal anyway to deal with," she added. "Why deal with my hair? I think it's such a liberating experience, like to be a woman is. And I felt like I had that experience as a girl, but I'd like to have that experience as a woman."

Now, while we wait to see just what Brown's next hair move will be, check out Emma Stone's dramatic hair transformation.