Actor Jennifer Marshall, who appeared on Stranger Things as Max Mayfield’s mother, says her absence from the show’s fifth and final season had real-life consequences beyond the screen.
Marshall has revealed that returning to the Netflix series could have helped her secure union health insurance while recovering from cancer, according to the New York Post.
Marshall, 44, shared her concerns in an Instagram post this week, saying she was medically cleared and able to work when Season 5 was filmed.
“I had cancer, I get it,” Marshall wrote. “But I was in remission during the shooting of season five.” She added that participating in the production would “have helped me obtain my health insurance through the union.”
Familiar character missing in the finale
Marshall played Susan Hargrove, the troubled mother of Sadie Sink’s character Max, in Seasons 2 and 4. While the character was often portrayed as distant, fans noticed her complete absence in the final season, even as Max spent much of the storyline hospitalized.
{{/usCountry}}Marshall played Susan Hargrove, the troubled mother of Sadie Sink’s character Max, in Seasons 2 and 4. While the character was often portrayed as distant, fans noticed her complete absence in the final season, even as Max spent much of the storyline hospitalized.
{{/usCountry}}Marshall herself has openly questioned that decision.
In one Instagram post, she joked about her character’s parenting, writing, “Maybe they had too many characters, idk but obv Susan Hargrove is THE WORST MOTHER EVER LMAO.”
She has repeatedly asked where Max’s mother was during the show’s final events.
Cancer battle during filming years
The New York Post reported that Marshall was formally diagnosed with melanoma in January 2021, after an earlier battle with Stage 1 foot cancer, and publicly revealed in 2022 that the disease had progressed to Stage 3.
Despite undergoing treatment, Marshall completed filming for Season 4 of Stranger Things.
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While expressing frustration, Marshall has been careful not to accuse the show’s creators of wrongdoing. In a statement to People, she said returning for the final season would have helped her “financially” and provided a “mental and emotional uplift” after nearly two years of cancer treatment.
“Either way, no one is entitled to a role, cancer or not,” Marshall said. “My heart remains grateful.”