14-year-old Millie Bobby Brown announces split from boyfriend of 7 months - but is it necessary?
Actor Millie Bobby Brown has announced her split from 15-year-old musician Jacob Sartorius. Calling it quits after seven months of dating, the rumours were confirmed when both teens posted similar statements to their Instagram stories.
“The decision with Jacob and I was completely mutual. We are both happy and remaining friends,” read Brown’s post.
Famous for her role in the Stranger Things series, Brown has received a lot of public attention in recent years.
Revealing their relationship in December, Brown and Sartorius updated their social feeds with sweet messages and couple pictures. Together for seven months, the mutual announcement has us wondering what it means when a 14-year-old needs to share her relationship publicly.
For one clinical psychologist, the announcement of a celebrity split is treated similarly to the discontinuation of a brand deal.
“In the world of celebrity branding, the phenomenon of co-branding has become more and more prominent in the media,” Dr. Lisa Orban, clinical psychologist and personal branding consultant, tells Yahoo Style UK.
“Once a celebrity co-brand breaks up, it can really shake the core of their fan-base, therefore these break ups need to be handled carefully and in a way that manages the reputations of both celebs.”
A post shared by MBB (@milliebobbybrown) on Apr 16, 2018 at 10:24am PDT
When it comes to Brown, her age is a topic of concern, regardless of celebrity status. Dr. Orban believes the pressure may affect her more as a teen.
“In the case of Millie Bobby Brown, the pressure to manage her own brand and any relationship in the spotlight can feel much more intense,” says the psychologist.
“While some young adolescent celebs are more mature and can handle the pressures of the spotlight better than others, it’s important to remember that this is a critical time for identity formation. By imposing high expectations that are well beyond their age, there’s a risk of instilling unrealistic self-expectations in young adults.”
im alright, but even better w u 🌊
A post shared by Jacob Sartorius (@jacobsartorius) on May 27, 2018 at 7:27pm PDT
When it comes to women in general, Dr. Orban admits there’s an added pressure to seem like the ideal role model, especially for someone in Brown’s position of influence.
“Young women of her age are much more susceptible to pressures and expectations that they ‘must’ be the perfect role model, in and out of relationships,” says the psychologist.
“There’s also a tendency to hinge one’s self-worth on relationships during adolescence, which only becomes more magnified when under the spotlight.”
Regardless of of age, it may be time for people to adjust their expectations when it comes to celebrity transparency because, in the end, they’re human too.
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