Stars, they’re just like us! “Stranger Things” star Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) is truly living like a Naples local, from visiting Regal Cinemas off Naples Boulevard to enjoying a meal at Waterside Shops.
After five seasons and nine years, popular Netflix series “Stranger Things” concluded on New Year’s Eve, Wednesday, Jan. 31, with a two-hour-long episode titled “The Rightside Up.” According to Variety, its final season has hit over 137.1 million views since Volume 1 premiered in November.
Two “Stranger Things” actors made appearances in the Sunshine State last week, with Brown and Gaten Matarazzo popping up in two separate parts of the state. Both actors appear to have enjoyed Italian meals in Florida.
(WARNING: Season 5 finale spoiler alert at the very end of this article!)
Millie Bobby Brown, ‘Eleven’ actress, surprises fans in Naples, Florida
After the final episode aired on New Year’s Day at Regal Naples, Brown surprised fans by walking into the theater.
“Fans like you. So thank you so much for coming out here and watching it,” Brown told fans. “I hope Eleven stays in your heart forever like she will mine. Thank you guys, have an amazing night.”
Brown and her husband, Jake Bongiovi, made headlines two years ago when they adopted a puppy from a no-kill shelter in Naples. Bongiovi is the son of iconic singer Jon Bon Jovi, who owns a $43 million mansion in Palm Beach.
Where did Millie Bobby Brown eat while she was in Naples, Florida?
One Naples local claims she saw the A-list actress dining at a familiar Italian spot in North Naples
After Naples Daily News reported that Brown had surprised Naples fans at the movie theater, reader Angie Robles left a comment on our Facebook saying, “Not only that but she also came in to eat at Brio in Waterside.”
Brio Italian Grille is a relaxed Italian eatery at Waterside Shops, serving up delicious pasta, chicken, steak, and seafood dishes with a Tuscan flair.
Brio’s parent company Bravo Brio Restaurants LLC recently filed for bankruptcy following the closure of Bravo Italian Kitchen in Mercato. Bravo was a longstanding Mercato restaurant, serving locals for more than 15 years before its closure on July 6, 2025. The Naples location was one of seven that Bravo Brio Restaurants LLC decided to close before filing for bankruptcy protection.
Brio Italian Grille is still open in North Naples and there has been no news of an upcoming closure. Find Brio at 5505 Tamiami Trail N. in Naples.
Is it Millie Bobby Brown or Millie Bonnie Bongiovi?
Speaking of the 21-year-old’s new last name, many on social media are wondering what her actual name is. Is it still just Millie Bobby Brown, or is it Millie Bobby Bongiovi? Maybe even Bobby Brown Bongiovi?
It’s actually none of those, according to a recent viral video featuring the star and “Stranger Things” co-star Noah Schnapp. She said she has dropped her middle and last name and added Bongiovi to the end.
“It’s just Millie Bonnie Bongiovi, that’s it. Millie Bon Bon,” she said in the interview with VT.
Do Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi live in Naples, Florida?
The celebrity couple seems to love Naples but do they live here?
A search of their names at the Collier County Property Appraiser website doesn’t show them owning a home. Celebrities often will create other names to hide such information from the public.
Or maybe not. Some on TikTok posted video and photos of Brown and Bongiovi driving in a light pink Ford Bronco in Naples in late 2025.
TikTok-er @achopojken posted a video and wrote, “A normal day in Naples.”
‘Dustin’ actor Gaten Matarazzo spotted in Jacksonville, Florida
Roughly 360 miles north, Gaten Matarazzo was celebrating New Year’s Eve at an Italian restaurant in Jacksonville.
In a Facebook post, Vito’s Italian Restaurant shared a photo of the actor with some of its employees, adding that he had also spent time with some of its team members.
Commenters on the post shared that they saw him that night and couldn’t believe it. Some even said they saw him around town earlier that day.
“Since Dusty was here, does that mean that Jacksonville is the Hawkins. I mean, we do have a strong military presence here, and lots of odd things take place all the time,” one commenter joked.
Where can I watch the ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 finale?
For the few who haven’t watched the series finale, you can watch it on Netflix. The first four seasons are already on the streamer.
The ending has been controversial among longtime fans, with some claiming that key storylines were not resolved. USA TODAY TV critic Kelly Lawler wrote that the finale “ends with more of a whimper than a bang.”
Does Eleven die in ‘Stranger Things’?
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
Eleven’s fate in the Season 5 finale is left ambiguous.
After defeating Vecna and helping destroy the Mind Flayer, Eleven remains in the collapsing Upside Down to ensure the portal between dimensions closes for good. Her emotional farewell to Mike suggests she understands this sacrifice is necessary to protect Hawkins and end the cycle of supernatural threats.
The scene shows the Upside Down imploding as the rest of the group escapes, implying that Eleven does not survive the collapse.
However, in the epilogue, Mike speculates that Kali might have used her illusion powers to help Eleven escape, and a brief shot shows Eleven walking toward a waterfall.
The image could be symbolic or a hint that she survived.
In a Jan. 4 spoiler interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, “Stranger Things” the Duffers confirmed they decided what “the truth” is regarding whether Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown, lived or died, which they have shared with Brown.
But neither the Duffers, nor Brown have plans to ever reveal it.
“She’s not going to tell you, either,” Matt Duffer said on the podcast. “Don’t waste your time.”
He added, “Millie swore herself to secrecy.”
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: ‘Stranger Things’ star Millie Bobby Brown spotted at Naples restaurant
Reporting by Dave Osborn, Kendall Little, Samantha Neely and Kim Luciani, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
