Millie Bobby Brown's father under fire for 'demanding $100,000 from agents to represent Stranger Things star' 

• e-mail

Hawkins Lab threw everything it had to get its hands on Eleven.

And it seems stranger things are happening in the real world too.

Millie Bobby Brown's father has come under fire for reportedly demanding an upfront fee of $100,000 from any agent who wants to represent his daughter.

In demand: Millie Bobby Brown's father Robert (pictured with his daughter in 2014) has come under fire for 'demanding $100,000 from agents to represent Stranger Things star'

The 12-year-old break-out star of Stranger Things has been in huge demand since the Netflix series went stratospheric following its July release.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, five separate agencies have confirmed Robert Brown has demanded a 'sizable cash payment' for the privilege of signing the young actress, with two confirming they had been asked for $100,000.

While not illegal, one agency told the magazine it is 'completely unorthodox'.

It claimed that while reducing the standard ten per cent commission has been known to happen, an upfront fee 'would open a Pandora's box'.

Crank it up to Eleven: The 12-year-old break-out star of Stranger Things has been in huge demand since the Netflix series went stratospheric following its July release

'We just would never go there,' a source inside a major agency said.

A representative for the family confirmed Robert made the request, but said it was from 'ill advice from someone outside the industry that was said in jest'.

THR claimed Brown Snr is close to several sports agents in the UK, where payment for representation is common practice.

The magazine claimed Millie is expected to choose an agency in the next week, and sources say no money will exchange hands.

Strange: While not illegal, one agency told the The Hollywood Reporter it is 'completely unorthodox'. Millie is pictured in July

In an earlier interview with the Daily Mail, the young star spoke about the sacrifices her family made to support her acting career, coming to the brink of bankruptcy.  

‘It was very hard,’ she says. ‘There were lots of tears along the way.’

Millie’s parents sold everything to move to Hollywood to help the youngster fulfil her dreams. 

She quickly gained bit parts in NCIS, Modern Family and Grey’s Anatomy, but while she made the shortlist for ‘huge’ projects including Spielberg’s recent film The BFG, she kept missing out on the starring roles.

Things were so tight, Millie’s British-born manager Melanie Greene lent the family money to help them survive. 

‘My older sister left. She didn’t want to do it [America] any more,’ Millie says. ‘It was tears, tears, tears. We went through tough times.’

Hit: Eighties-set Stranger Things tells the story of a young boy who vanishes into thin air, his friends who set out to find him, the mysterious telekenetic girl they run into, the lab which is trying to reclaim her, and the extra-dimensional monster that is stalking the town

Last summer, the family admitted defeat when their money ran out.  They moved back to the UK so broke they had to stay with an aunt. ‘I was devastated. I wasn’t getting work. I thought I was done,’ Millie said.

Back in England, she hit her lowest ebb after an unpleasant experience with a casting agent: ‘She said I was too mature and grown up. She made me cry.’ Later that day, she auditioned for Stranger Things. 

‘I had to cry in the audition. My emotions were so raw, I hit it out of the park.’

Eighties-set Stranger Things tells the story of a young boy who vanishes into thin air, his friends who set out to find him, the mysterious telekenetic girl they run into, the lab which is trying to reclaim her, and the extra-dimensional monster that is stalking the town.

On August 31, Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes, to be released in 2017.

Support: In an earlier interview with the Daily Mail, the young star spoke about the sacrifices her family made to support her acting career, coming to the brink of bankruptcy