Stranger Things’ Jennifer Marshall SNUBBED in Season 5 After Beating Cancer #strangerthings

Stranger Things” actress Jennifer Marshall — who played Max’s mom, Susan Hargrove, in Seasons 2 and 4 — has openly shared her surprise and disappointment at not being asked back for the hit series’ final season, Stranger Things 5. Marshall, who battled stage 3 cancer while filming earlier seasons and is now in remission, took to Instagram to explain that returning for Season 5 could have helped her secure union health insurance during her recovery. In a candid and sometimes jokey post she even quipped that maybe the show had “too many characters,” and jokingly called her character “THE WORST MOTHER EVER,” while still questioning where Susan was throughout Max’s hospital arc. Fans have reacted strongly to her absence, noting that while Max spends so much time hospitalized in the final episodes, her mother is nowhere to be seen — a choice that surprised many viewers as much as Marshall herself. Despite the snub, she emphasized she holds no ill will toward the creators and is grateful for her time on the series, while expressing that being included would’ve offered not only financial support but also emotional uplift after her health struggles.