Millie Bobby Brown made quite the entrance at the Enola Holmes 3 afterparty in New York this week — turning up in a sheer mesh nude ensemble and turning heads for all the right reasons. But it was her candid words about husband Jake Bongiovi, delivered on a podcast earlier this month, that are still making waves.

The 22-year-old actress, who has played the sharp-witted Enola Holmes across three Netflix films since 2020, celebrated the upcoming release of the franchise's latest instalment at a star-studded bash following the world premiere at The Plaza Hotel. For the red carpet itself, Brown had worn a custom deep blue gown by Galia Lahav — notably the same designer behind her wedding dress when she and Bongiovi married in 2024 — finishing the look with an artfully undone loose braid styled by hairstylist Pete Burkill.

Bags, Babies and a Very Online Backlash

The premiere fun aside, Brown has had rather more pressing matters on her plate of late. Last year, photographs of the couple went viral after Millie was pictured laden with her daughter's car seat, two bags and a pram — all while Jake appeared to be walking unburdened beside her. The images sparked a wave of criticism online, with many questioning why her husband wasn't pulling his weight.

A man in a blue suit and dark tie holds the hand of a woman in a sheer nude lace top and skirt with a beaded headband as they descend stone steps outside a grand building.
Millie Bobby Brown and husband Jake Bongiovi at the Enola Holmes 3 world premiere at The Plaza Hotel, New York, on June 25, 2026. The film streams on Netflix from July 1.

Brown addressed the controversy head-on during an appearance on Kylie Kelce's Not Gonna Lie podcast, and her response was characteristically direct.

"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 explained that she had been three miles ahead of Jake — metaphorically speaking — having planned the logistics of the journey herself. Far from a man failing to step up, she said, it was simply a capable woman doing what she always does.

'Nobody Knows My Husband'

Brown was equally firm in defence of Bongiovi's character, pushing back against those who had drawn sweeping conclusions from a single set of photographs.

"Nobody knows my husband. My husband is the most polite, sweet, will-do-anything-for-me. But he also knows I'm capable."

It is a sentiment that will resonate with many — the uncomfortable bind that women often find themselves in when they are both praised for independence and criticised for exercising it. Brown, to her credit, named the contradiction plainly rather than simply defending her marriage.

Life With a New Daughter — and Plans for More

Millie and Jake announced last August that they had adopted a baby daughter together, a decision Brown said had always been part of her vision for her family. She also revealed on the podcast that she hopes to have a biological child one day too, but that adoption was never an afterthought — it was always something she wanted to do.

A man in a monogram jacket and a woman in a light blue hoodie walk along a city pavement pushing a large pink pram.
Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi out in New York City with their adopted baby daughter, who they welcomed in August 2025.

Brown has been notably open about navigating early motherhood alongside a demanding career, and the Enola Holmes franchise shows no sign of slowing down. The third film, in which she once again plays the teenage sister of Sherlock Holmes on a quest to find her missing mother, is set for release on 1 July — giving fans precious little time to wait.

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