> At a Glance
> – Jennifer Marshall, who plays Max’s mom Susan Hargrove, was absent from Stranger Things‘ final season
> – Marshall says the role would have helped her secure health insurance during cancer remission
> – She clarified her stage-three melanoma diagnosis was not the reason she didn’t film
> – Why it matters: Highlights how acting work ties directly to healthcare access for performers
Jennifer Marshall, the actress behind Susan Hargrove on Stranger Things, is asking fans what happened to her character after she vanished from the show’s last episodes.
The Missing Mom
Marshall posted on January 1, wondering why Susan wasn’t bedside while Max lay in a coma. “What kind of mother isn’t there for her child?” she wrote, inviting fan theories.
She stressed the absence wasn’t her choice. A return would have:
- Qualified her for union health insurance
- Provided financial relief
- Offered a mental boost after nearly two years of cancer treatment
Health & Work Tied Together
In a statement to News Of Los Angeles, Marshall called the role “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
> “It would have helped me not only financially, but would have been a mental and emotional uplift after battling cancer for almost two years. Either way, no one is entitled to a role, cancer or not.”
She confirmed she was in remission during season-five filming and even shot a brief hospital moment that ultimately went unused.
| Season | Susan Hargrove Status |
|---|---|
| 2 & 4 | Appeared |
| 5 | Not featured |
Fan favorite Ted Wheeler still showed up at graduation, prompting Marshall to joke that Susan must be “THE WORST MOTHER EVER.”
Key Takeaways
- Marshall’s cancer was diagnosed in 2021; she finished treatment before season-five shoots
- She remains grateful to the Duffer brothers and co-star Sadie Sink for their support
- Her exit underlines how actors often rely on ongoing gigs for healthcare coverage
Despite the snub, Marshall says her “heart remains grateful” for the Stranger Things experience.
