Stranger Things reveals how Millie Bobby Brown transforms into El for Season 4

She doesn't shave her head!

Stranger Things Season 4 - Eleven
Author: Anna Sky MagliolaPublished 6th Jun 2022

The record-breaking series Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 dropped just over a week ago. Since then, fans have been rushing to binge-watch the season before all the spoilers are revealed, with Sadie Sink, who plays the role of Max, calling it the 'most bizarre' season yet.

Warning: This article contains spoilers from Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1

As many will know, the new season starts off with Joyce, Jonathan, Will and El in their new home of Lenora Hills, California. Set a year after the events of Starcourt Mall, on Will's birthday, Mike comes to visit his girlfriend El, but when El ends up in a fight and being arrested, their Spring Break together doesn't quite go to plan.

As El is being transported to a detention centre, she's broken out and taken to a hidden, underground unit, where Dr Martin Brenner and Dr Sam Owens are working with the teenager to help her regain her special powers, after losing them in Season 3.

Stranger Things Season 1 - Eleven

Now, as fans will know, back in Season 1 of the popular Netflix series, Millie Bobby Brown's portrayal of Eleven was documented, as the 12-year-old was filmed having her head shaved to play the iconic part.

So, with El's shaved head making an appearance again, many have been asking if the actress had to shave her head once more for the part of Eleven.

Take a look at our full recap of the first three seasons right here.

Did Millie Bobby Brown shave her head for Stranger Things Season 4?

No, Millie did not have to shave her head again for Season 4, as a recent video shared by the TV show reveals. In the video, it shows how Millie undergoes a full transformation into character, with a wig that looks like shaved hair, and filling in her earring holes with make up.

Millie talks through the transformation: "They put this wrap on to help diffuse dry the hair gel..."

How old was Millie Bobby Brown when she started in Stranger Things?

Millie Bobby Brown was just 12-years-old when she first appeared in Stranger Things. Millie was born on 19th February 2004.

Who plays young Eleven in Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1?

In Stranger Things Season 4 Volume 1 young Eleven isn't a trick of CGI or old scenes filmed with Millie Bobby Brown, it is in fact great casting. Martie Blair, has been revealed as young Eleven by the Stranger Writers Twitter account, who shared two photos from the set.

Now take a look through some Stranger Things facts you might not know:

1)

To help sell the show, the Duffers edited a mock 'trailer' combining clips from over 25 feature films, including E.T., Nightmare on Elm Street, Super 8 and Halloween.

2)

The composers of the Stranger Things soundtrack (Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon) were two members of an Austin synth band called SURVIVE; their music was featured in the soundtrack of the film The Guest.

3)

Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon have written over 13 hours of music for the show.

4)

Winona Ryder wanted her hairstyle modeled after Meryl Streep's hair in Silkwood.

5)

The title sequence was inspired by the work of Richard Greenberg, who designed a number of classic 80s title sequences including Alien, Altered States, Superman and The Goonies - which starred a young Sean Astin, who later appeared in Stranger Things as Joyce's boyfriend Bob Newby.

6)

Winona Ryder and Matthew Modine (Dr. Martin Brenner) have appeared together once before, in the music video for Roy Orbison's 'A Love So Beautiful'.

7)

Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) and Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) have both acted on Broadway. Gaten played Gavroche in Les Miserables and Caleb played Young Simba in The Lion King. The two boys knew each other but they didn't become close friends until after working on Stranger Things.

8)

Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers) and Millie Brown (Eleven) are both from the UK. Charlie is from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, and Millie is from Bournemouth, Dorset.

9)

To help sell the show, the Duffers created a 'look book' which was designed in the style of a vintage Stephen King novel.

10)

Gaten's voice changed so much by the time production ended that the sound team were unable to use him for additional dialogue recording.

11)

Although the show was shot digitally on the RED Dragon, a layer of real film grain was applied to help achieve a more vintage look.

12)

It was Caleb's request to wear a camouflage bandana in the show; he wears it for the final three episodes.

13)

The monster was achieved through a combination of prosthetics, animatronics, performance and CG.

14)

The toddlers on set were very scared by the 'monster', but they were calmed when told that he was just like the monsters in Monsters Inc.

15)

Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler, is a film buff and wants to be a director when he grows up. He is a particular fan of Sam Raimi's early work.

16)

The gang really did create a salt bath, and Millie Bobby Brown actually floated - there were no effects used! To get Millie to float in a kiddie pool, twelve hundred pounds of epsom salt were dissolved into the water.

17)

Before starting the show, the writers all watched (or rewatched) a large list of films, including E.T., Stand By Me, The Goonies, The Thing and A Nightmare on Elm Street.

18)

Millie had to shave most of her hair off for the show and as can be expected of any 11­-year-old girl this was a terrifying prospect. The Duffers showed her how cool Charlize Theron looked in Mad Max: Fury Road after which Millie agreed to it.

19)

The Duffers had all the boys audition with scenes from Stand By Me.

20)

Hopper's trailer was purchased by the art department for $1.

21)

For some of the laboratory scenes, Millie (Eleven) was fully submerged in an underwater immersion tank. She was able to breathe by wearing a Sea Trek helmet, which weighs approximately 70 lbs above water; it weighs 15 lbs beneath the surface of the water. The helmet was designed for shallow 'underwater walking'.

22)

To direct Millie while she was underwater, the Duffers communicated with her through a small radio in her ear.

Now read:

22 facts you probably didn't know about Stranger Things

Stranger Things: Everything you want to know about the series

Stranger Things Season 4 breaks Bridgerton record

Stranger Things fans notice a heartbreaking reason Will is so upset in Season 4 Volume 1

How to listen to Downtown Radio:

Tune into Northern Ireland's Home of Great Music, Downtown Radio on FM, AM, DAB Digital Radio, online, on our Rayo app and by asking your smart speaker to 'Play Downtown Radio'. Gary & Glen kick things off every weekday morning and Neal McClelland brings you home on Downtown Drive.