Lewis Hamilton expressed his admiration for , telling the young actress he was "so truly proud" of her following her explosive statement attacking recent news articles about her appearance.
The star and the 'Stranger Things' actress have been friends since Hamilton took Brown for a lap at the Circuit of the Americas in 2018. The Ferrari driver was not the only celebrity name to show his support for Brown after she took to Instagram on Wednesday to hit back at the negative media attention she's been getting of late.
In her heartfelt post, the 21-year-old said: "I want to take a moment to address something that I think is bigger than just me, something that affects every young woman who grows up under public scrutiny. I think it's necessary to speak up about this.
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"I started in this industry when I was 10 years old. I grew up in front of the , and for some reason, people can't seem to grow with me. Instead, they act like I'm supposed to stay frozen in time, like I should still look the way I did on Stranger Things Season 1. And because I don't, I'm now a target."
In the lengthy caption to the video, highlighted various headlines she's encountered regarding her looks, labelling the commentary as not "journalism" but "bullying." She also specifically condemned British actor Matt Lucas among others for "mocking" her appearance in an article which suggested she underwent a "mommy makeover."
Brown said: "We always talk about supporting and uplifting young women, but when the time comes, it seems easier to tear them down for clicks. Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not theirs. I refuse to apologize for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can't handle seeing a girl become a woman. I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself."
The actress concluded with a plea to the media, urging them to "do better" and suggested they focus on giving "a compliment" instead of resorting to a "knee-jerk reaction to say something horrible".
Hamilton responded to her statement with a sweet message, writing: "So truly proud of you Millie." The Stranger Things star also received support from several other celebrities, including singers Pixie Lott and Lily Allen and Sex And The City's Sarah Jessica Parker.
The F1 champion first met Brown when she was 14 years old and already a hit on Netflix's Stranger Things in the role of 'Eleven'. A keen fan of the show himself, Hamilton once jokingly asked the young star on her 15th birthday if she could speed up the release of the third season.
In a post on Instagram, he said: "Happy 15th Birthday Millie. So proud of you, dying for season 3 so tell the team to hurry up lol have an amazing day."
Brown, now married to Jon Bon Jovi’s son Jake Bongiovi, also received an apology from comedian Lucas, who had drawn comparisons between her and one of his Little Britain characters.
Lucas wrote "no but yeah but" in a comment on an X post featuring snaps of Brown, alluding to the character Vicky Pollard, famously portrayed by the 50-year-old in the hit show.
In a grovelling apology, the British comedian said: "Dear Millie, I just saw your post and wanted to respond, and provide some context. Nearly 25 years ago I co-wrote and appeared in a sketch show called Little Britain. There was a character in it called Vicky Pollard, who had blonde hair and always wore a pink top, and in the photo you had blonde hair and wore a pink top so I pointed out the similarity by posting one of her catchphrases."
"I thought you looked terrific and I was mortified when the press wrote that I 'slammed' you, firstly because that's not my style, and secondly because I think you're brilliant. I would not have posted it if I had thought it would have upset you but I realise it has and for that I apologise."
