While many Stranger Things fans were scratching their heads over where Max’s mom was during the final season, none were as confused as actress Jennifer Marshall.
The actress who appeared as Susan Hargrove in Seasons 2 and 4 of the Netflix series recently opened up about her journey with cancer, noting that a return for the final season could have helped her obtain health insurance via SAG-AFTRA.
“I had cancer, I get it. But I was in remission during the shooting of season five,” she wrote on Instagram. “Shooting would have helped me obtain my health insurance through the union.”
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Joking about fans’ curiosity over where the character was while her daughter was comatose in the hospital, Marshall added, “Maybe they had too many characters, idk but obv Susan Hargrove is THE WORST MOTHER EVER LMAO.”
Marshall told People that working on the Duffer Brothers show was “the opportunity of a lifetime,” adding that she “would have been ecstatic to return” for the fifth and final season.
“It would have helped me not only financially, but would have been a mental and emotional uplift after battling cancer for almost two years,” explained Marshall. “Either way, no one is entitled to a role, cancer or not. My heart remains grateful, and I will always give those involved in the decision-making the benefit of the doubt.”
On Stranger Things, Susan Hargrove was last seen in Season 4, struggling with alcoholism and trying to support Max while living in the local trailer park. Vecna took Susan’s form in one of Max’s dreams before she ultimately ended up in a coma.
Although Stranger Things has officially concluded, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the final season when it debuts Jan. 12 on Netflix.