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Sophia Bush Gushes About 'Stranger Things' Starlet Millie Bobby Brown: 'She's a Tour de Force'

"It was impossible for me to hide how excited I was for Millie Bobby Brown. I was really trying to play it cool," Bush said about Brown at the SAG Awards nominations on Wednesday

Published on December 14, 2016 04:45 PM

Sophia Bush took the podium to announce the SAG Awards nominees on Wednesday morning, and there was one actor she was especially happy to see nominated: Millie Bobby Brown!

Although the Chicago P.D. actress has yet to meet the Stranger Things standout, she recognizes the visible talent that the 12-year-old has — and regards her as “a tour de force.”

“It was impossible for me to hide how excited I was for Millie Bobby Brown. I was really trying to play it cool, but I think she’s such a tour de force in this tiny young lady, and I’m just thrilled that she’s being recognized alongside the greats like Nicole Kidman, and Viola Davis, Uzo Aduba,” Bush, 34, told PEOPLE at the SAG Awards nominations about who she was elated to see recognized.

Prior to her name being announced at the early morning nominations, Bush gushed about the young actress to fellow actor and friend Aaron Paul and his wife Lauren, both of whom spent time with the Stranger Things star and are also “obsessed” with her.

“[Millie] recently met two of my best friends, Aaron and Lauren Paul. He interviewed her. All he and I did basically through the entire airing of the show was tweet about being obsessed with it,” Bush said.

RELATED VIDEO: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Millie Bobby Brown Wants Her Short Hair to ‘Inspire’ People

“Elle Magazine had him do this very cool thing — he’s a cult TV show icon and she’s a cult TV show icon — so he interviewed her, and then he and his wife, Lauren, took her and her family out to dinner. They literally were sending me Snapchats the whole time,” said Bush, who added, “I was like, ‘I can’t handle it. I love her so much.’ So I know by proxy that she is as dynamic, and kind, and smart as you would imagine here to be.”

On Wednesday morning, Brown was one of five actresses announced as nominees for outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series SAG Award. She is up against Claire Foy (The Crown), Thandie Newton (Westworld), Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) and Robin Wright (House of Cards) for the stone statue.

The 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will air live on Sun., Jan. 29, 2017 at 8 p.m. ET. on TNT and TBS.