Matthew Modine recently revealed that he did not give Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi a wedding gift following their nuptials. During a candid interview with Page Six to promote his new show, Zero Day, the Stranger Things star explained why he didn’t feel the need to gift the young couple.
Modine shares why he bought no gift for Brown
In the interview, Modine elaborated as to why he did not buy Brown and Bonjiovi a present for their wedding. He said, “She doesn’t need anything,” adding that he believes that possessions are just things and “things give you no gratification.” The 65-year-old further explained his decision by referencing the phrase “the pursuit of happiness” from the US Constitution, noting that to him, “happiness” is not about receiving gifts but about striving to “be kind” and “be the best citizen you can [be],” as reported by Page Six.
Despite his stance on material presents, Modine gave Brown a far more meaningful and memorable gift by officiating her wedding. Brown and Bongiovi tied the knot in a lavish Italian ceremony in October 2024, just months after a quieter, more intimate exchange of vows.
Presiding over the celebration was a deeply meaningful experience for Modine, who was later overheard sharing his excitement about the event with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa. An insider told the media outlet, “He let him know he’d just gotten back from Italy, and how much fun he had doing it. He seemed really proud, and into it.”
While Modine plays the sinister “Papa” to Brown’s character in Stranger Things, in real life, he’s also known for being a father figure to those close to him, offering support and guidance in a more personal capacity. The emotional weight of officiating the ceremony only added to the special bond he shares with Brown.
Modine on playing evil characters on screen
Modine has kept busy with projects outside of Stranger Things, including his role as a corrupt Senator in Zero Day. However, playing morally ambiguous characters is not something he particularly enjoys. He expressed, “I don’t enjoy playing venal characters at all,” after he revealed that his father was employed as a drive-in theatre manager, adding, “I don’t enjoy playing venal characters at all,” as reported by Page Six.
He elaborated that while playing a bad guy “your body doesn’t know it’s acting so if you’re doing something that’s rather toxic, you’re kind of poisoning your body…your body’s going through a kind of trauma and I don’t enjoy that.”
