‘Stranger Things’: Shannon Purser Quits Her Day Job, Will Barb Be Back On Season 2? [Spoilers]
Shannon Purser, aka Barb Holland of Stranger Things fame, has surprisingly taken the world by storm. In a recent Glamour interview, Purser revealed she quit her day job because of her notoriety on the popular Netflix series.
Apparently, it isn’t always easy being a breakout star. Shannon made the decision to leave her movie theater job after some of her biggest fans found out she was working there. However, she’s still taking online classes at Kennesaw State University. In this case, studying at home eliminates the possibility of being recognized on the street.
We need more Barb! Shannon Purser reacts to the fervor around her #StrangerThings character. https://t.co/b6IE3gXLQU pic.twitter.com/0G4dHedZE5
— EntertainmentTonight (@etnow) August 20, 2016
Purser explained that she didn’t get recognized right away. It started happening all of a sudden. Fans would give her sideways glances, trying to decide whether or not to approach her. The Stranger Things actress went on to say that the whole experience is surreal and definitely something she never expected.
Shannon recalled her audition as being an “awesome experience,” even though she was extremely nervous at first. She loved the script right from the beginning. Part of the audition required Purser to scream. She did an excellent job, and the rest is history.
In the same Glamour interview, Shannon Purser talked about what she thought happened to her character Barb. As she put it, there was an air of secrecy about Episode 7 of Stranger Things right from the beginning. By Episode 3, Purser realized things weren’t looking good for her alter-ego. There is good news, however. She also said that if the Duffer brothers wanted to bring Barb back from the Upside-Down, the actress was all for it.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the country is obsessed with Stranger Things. Read more about the four reasons fans seemingly can’t get enough.
Spoiler Alert: if you haven’t watched Season 1 of Stranger Things, you probably won’t want to keep reading. On the other hand, if you just can’t wait to find out if Barb will be back on Season 2, take the plunge and read on.
#StrangerThings‘ Shannon Purser and Natalia Dyer dish on Barb and Nancy’s ’80s wardrobe: https://t.co/CSBB50FKVT pic.twitter.com/EGYRN2GVGg
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) August 19, 2016
When IGN spoke with Matt and Ross Duffer, you can probably guess that Barb’s fate was one of the first subjects that came up. Although the second season hasn’t been officially announced, it looks like lovable Barb won’t be back! You read it right. Grab a tissue. Nancy’s BFF is no more. This is what Matt Duffer had to say about this casting decision.
“I can’t see it happening. But Barb will not be forgotten. We’ll make sure there’s some justice for Barb. People get very frustrated, understandably, that the town doesn’t seem to be really dealing with Barb. That stuff is all happening. We’re just not spending any screen time on it.”
Duffer took the time to explain the situation further.
“It’s not like her parents are like ‘Oh Barb left. She died!’ Season 1 actually takes place over the course of six or seven days – it’s a really short period of time. So part of what we want to do with hypothetical Season 2 is to explore the repercussions of everything that happened.”
Even though this comes as extremely sad news, Stranger Things fans can find some solace in the fact that the death of Shannon Purser’s character will not be in vain. At the end of the day, justice will be done in Hawkins, Indiana.
If you have a few minutes and can’t get enough of quirky Barbara Holland, the following video is worth watching. The title says it all! While it’s true she didn’t play a major role in Stranger Things, this character certainly made a huge impression.
Since 19-year-old Shannon Purser’s claim to fame is relatively recent, fans won’t find scads of information on her. Hopefully, her successful experience with Stranger Things will encourage her to pursue additional film opportunities. Because it’s no secret that Shannon’s fans want to see more of her.
If it isn’t Barb, who is your favorite Stranger Things character? What do you hope to see in Season 2? Feel free to leave your comments about Shannon Purser and Barbara Holland below.
[Image via Netflix]
