Millie Bobby Brown on Enola Holmes: “It was telling the Sherlock Holmes story but through a woman’s eyes”

The star of the Sherlock Holmes spin-off talks about her latest acting-producing venture, why she identifies with her titular character, and her favourite parts from the film

The latest of the many era-defining gems that the 2020 cinema scape has given us, is a spin-off of a Victorian-era cult-classic reincarnated through a feminist, youth-driven lens. Netflix’s new original, Enola Holmes repurposes the story of our all-time-favourite sleuthing star, Sherlock Holmes, to focus on figures that have been conspicuously absent in the many retellings of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canonical series—women. While Holmes was busy driving his detective career in London, his teenage sister Enola and brazen mother Eudoria have been having their own girls-only private party in the English countryside—learning jujitsu, consuming literature, conducting scientific experiments, and honing every unladylike trait a ‘proper’ Victorian woman was expected not to have, to prepare themselves for the real world.

The feisty characters of Enola and Eudoria are portrayed brilliantly by two women who are known for their unconventional roles—Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown and a stalwart of the fantasy genre, Helena Bonham Carter. Based on an eponymous six-part novel series by Nancy Springer, the historical coming-of-age drama underscores the messages of female solidarity and empowerment, all while seeing a corset-clad Brown take on weapon-wielding villains, escape a finishing school for young ladies, and rescue an on-the-run young marquess—as she sets out on a hunt for her missing mother.

The youth icon has been outspoken about the need for her scripts to have strong messages. That she chose to also co-produce Enola Holmes, then, comes as no surprise given the film’s roots in feminism and youth empowerment. “The story of Sherlock Holmes was always so male-driven, and surrounded by men. There’s absolutely no disrespect to that because those stories are iconic, they’re part of literature and historical. But I really loved this film because it was telling the Sherlock Holmes story through a woman’s eyes. Sherlock lived in a world where he didn’t understand why women were mistreated so much, and I like how he understands it more in this story. He becomes more heartfelt and understanding of the sexist world that he lived in,” exclaims Brown.

From the young actor’s commonalities with her wild, new character to her favourite scene to film, the 16-year-old opened up about why this iteration of Sherlock Holmes needed to be spotlighted, in a quick rapid-fire session exclusive to Vogue.

Who do you resonate with more—Eleven or Enola Holmes?

Enola.

Your favourite character in the film, apart from yourself?

Eudoria [Enola’s mother, played by Bonham Carter].

Name three things you have in common with your character in the film.

Her humour, her vulnerability, and her honesty.

Your favourite scene to film?

The scene where I’m in the boarding school with Sherlock, and I say, “You’re being emotional, it’s understandable but unnecessary.”

The hardest stunt you've had to perform wearing the Victorian underskirt and corset?

The corkscrew—wearing a dress and doing that in heels was very difficult.

If you had to encapsulate the movie’s one takeaway message, what would it be?

Our future is up to us.

Which format do you feel more at home with—dystopian sci-fi or historical coming-of-age drama?

Historical coming-of-age dramas.

What cause is closest to your heart—youth empowerment or feminism?

That’s too difficult. Feminism is something that we’re still trying to fix and youth empowerment is something that I’m actually part of just because I am so young and I’m in an industry where young people have to stick together. So, pass—both.

One actor, you look forward to sharing screen space with in the future?

I would love to work with Angelina Jolie. Leonardo Di Caprio would be amazing too.

You love music and singing—what songs are you currently jamming to?

I’m presently listening to the entire Mamma Mia! soundtrack!

This article originally appeared on Vogue.in