Matthew Modine said he andMillie Bobby Brown would check in while filming "Stranger Things ."- The actor said that he and Brown would say "I love you" before difficult takes.
Matthew Modine said that he and Millie Bobby Brown would check in with each other before difficult "Stranger Things" takes, telling each other "I love you."
The actor, who plays Dr. Brenner — aka "Papa" — on the
"There were times this season when we would check in with each other, especially during scenes where we're being harmful to one another," Modine told Vulture. "We would begin by saying, 'I love you.' We would wink at each other before a scene started so we knew what we were doing, especially if it was saying something painful. It was a way to connect with one another and lift each other's game."
"Stranger Things" introduced Dr. Brenner in its first season as Eleven's Papa, the man who raised her and helped cultivate her powers in Hawkins Lab. However, the characters were in conflict after Eleven escaped from the facility, and Brenner was presumed dead after being attacked by a demogorgon at the end of the season.
That led to an emotional reunion in season four, where a miraculously alive Brenner helped Eleven regain her powers — but attempted to keep her captive once again.
Modine and Brown were early scene partners on the show, sharing many moments together in the first season. Modine said the best way to work with a child actor is to "leave them alone," and he tried to give Brown, who was 11 years old when the first season was filmed, space and support to "succeed" while also having conversations about their characters and dialogue.
"The gift that Millie has is a tremendous intelligence and understanding of what I was talking about and the ability to take a very specific direction," he told Vulture.