Millie Bobby Brown makes dramatic u-turn on creepy stalker Joe from Netflix smash hit 'You'
When people dream of the perfect boyfriend, they rarely imagine a guy who stalks and murders his way through life. Or so you would think, anyway.
When Joe Goldberg hit our screens in Netflix's new show You, many viewers out there admitted that, despite his creepier qualities, they still fancied the hell out of him.
One of these people was Stranger Things actress, Millie Bobby Brown, who spurred outrage after insisting that Joe was merely "in love" with his victim, Guinevere Beck.
But now, the 14-year-old has backtracked on her comments, claiming she jumped to conclusions too fast.
Credit: Netflix/You
In an Instagram Story, Millie said she had only watched the first two episodes when she romanticised Penn Badgley's character and she understood why she was wrong now she had completed the hit series.
"I just finished You," she told fans. "The other day, I made a video. I was on episode 2. I guess I gathered an analysis too quickly. I watched episode 10 – most definitely he's a stalker. But it was a really great show, so I'm really excited for season 2. My bad if I upset anyone. [sic]"
Many fans will be glad the teenage star has apologised; her initial conclusion that Joe was "not creepy", just in love, sparked controversy, with hundreds of people taking to Twitter to attack her.
"Just heard about the Millie Bobby Brown/YOU thing and I’m just so horrified I don’t have words. Stop romanticizing and normalizing abusive, unhealthy behaviour, [sic]" one person wrote.
Another added: "millie bobby brown saying the guy from you is “cute” and “doing nothing wrong” because he’s “in love” actually scares me jfc he’s literally a disgusting predator and she’s 14 someone protect her help" [sic].
Others defended the young actress though, with one Twitter user arguing: "sorry but the calling out and ‘cancelling’ of literal 14-year-old millie bobby brown for having a naive and immature view on a tv show makes me uncomfortable. shes 14 you imbeciles what she needs is educating and time to grow" [sic].
Millie isn't the only person to have a crush on the fictional book shop owner though. After the series was released, hundreds of people online admitted they found him attractive.
The posts became so incessant that the star of the show, Penn Badgley, found himself forced to step in on social media.
On Twitter, the former Gossip Girl actor retweeted posts from people who were crushing on Joe and reminded viewers that they should not be romanticising a murderer and stalker.
When one fan tweeted "Okay but @PennBadgley was sexy as Dan but lord Joe is a whole new level," Penn replied saying "...of problems, right?"
In addition, when another viewer tweeted of the parallels between Joe and the abusive boyfriend who lives across the hall in the show, the 32-year-old star told them they were "not biased" just "right".
Hopefully, Penn and Millie's posts will help lovers of Joe rethink the qualities they desire in a boyfriend.