Jennifer Marshall, who played Max’s mom Susan Hargrove in seasons two and four of Stranger Things, has opened up about being absent from the show’s fifth and final season.
Fans noticed her absence as Max faced intense challenges, with one writing: “So you’re telling me for TWO YEARS this girl’s in the hospital and not once do we see her mom visit? Where was Max’s mom the whole season?”
Marshall, who was battling cancer at the time, addressed the situation on Instagram. She revealed she was in remission during filming and joked about the character’s fate:
“Shooting would have helped me obtain my health insurance through the union. Maybe they had too many characters, idk but obv Susan Hargrove is THE WORST MOTHER EVER LMAO.”
She also shared a video saying she thought about Susan’s absence “every day. Not all day, every day but every day.”
Fans flooded the comments expressing their disappointment. One wrote: “I was wondering about that. Figured there would be a hospital scene with you at some point.” Another added: “F**ksake. Justice for Susan Hargrove.”
Meanwhile, Millie Bobby Brown’s awkward expression in a pre-finale interview seemed to hint that even the cast felt the absence of some characters was noticeable.
Marshall’s post sheds light on the real-life challenges actors face behind the scenes—and proves sometimes the storylines we miss aren’t always the writers’ fault.
