‘Stranger Things’ star Shannon Purser slams body-shamers after Season 5 premiere



Nobody puts Barb in the corner. 

Shannon Purser, best known for playing Barb on “Stranger Things,” is speaking out after attending the Season 5 premiere on Nov. 6. 

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“Literally my entire career, anytime I get any amount of attention, a little gaggle of trolls crawls out of the woodwork to try to fat shame me,” Purser, 28, wrote in an Instagram Story on Nov. 13.

The actress added, “But I’ve noticed no one denies that the face card never declines.”

“Face card” is slang meaning that somebody has a pretty face.

Shannon Purser at the premiere of “Stranger Things” Season 5 in Hollywood on November 6, 2025. Getty Images
Shannon Purser’s Instagram Story. shannonpurser/Instagram

Purser first rose to fame in 2016 on Season 1 of “Stranger Things,” playing Nancy’s (Natalia Dyer) ill-fated friend, Barb, who got killed by the sinister monster from the Upside Down, the demogorgon. 

After the other characters seemingly didn’t care enough about her death, the fans campaigned for “justice for Barb,” which became a viral online phenomenon. 

The sensation was enough to earn the actress an Emmy nomination in 2017 (she lost to Alexis Bledel for “The Handmaid’s Tale”). 

In 2018, Purser tweeted about her insecurities, noting she’s been at “war” with her body since age 11.

Shannon Purser at the Los Angeles red carpet premiere of Netflix’s ”Stranger Things” Season 5. Billy Bennight/ZUMA / SplashNews.com
Shannon Purser as Barb in “Stranger Things.” Netflix

“Please do not ever make comments about my weight or tell me that I look good or bad because of it. I look good now. I am happy. I don’t need you to approve my body. Thanks,” she wrote at the time. “My war with my body started at age 11 and soon all I wanted was to be thin. I’ve struggled with that insecurity almost every day since. I still have bad days, but I’m much better now. I hope one day we’ll learn to be kind to our bodies and teach our kids to do the same.”

Purser was only in Season 1 of “Stranger Things,” but still attended the Season 5 premiere in Los Angeles. 

Barb’s body will reportedly be shown in Season 5, according to Time, but Purser exclusively told The Post that she wasn’t on set to film it. 

“It’s my body, but it’s not me. I think it’s like the corpse that they made for Season One,” she told The Post. 

Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, and Shannon Purser in “Stranger Things.” Netflix
Shannon Purser in an Instagram photo from April 2025. shannonpurser/Instagram

“I guess they still have that,” the “Riverdale” actress added. “It’s so weird just to know that my fake dead body is like hanging around in Atlanta, somewhere.” 

During the Season 5 world premiere, “Stranger Things” stars Millie Bobby Brown, 21, and David Harbour, 50, also posed together, following reports that Brown accused Harbour of harassment and bullying on set. 

“I’ve obviously had a really special bond with David because we have a father and daughter relationship, and we do every scene together,” Brown told Entertainment Tonight. 

“Stranger Things” Season 5 will have 8 episodes, dropping on Netflix in three volumes, releasing on Nov. 26, Dec. 25, and Dec. 31. 




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