As Stranger Things said goodbye in its final season, one familiar face was quietly missing — and the reason goes beyond story choices. Jennifer Marshall, who portrayed Susan Hargrove, the mother of Max Mayfield, in Seasons 2 and 4, has now spoken about why she was not part of the finale. In an exclusive interview with People, Marshall revealed that she was in remission from stage three cancer during filming but was not asked back. She said that returning, even for a brief moment, would have carried deep emotional meaning after years defined by treatment, recovery, and survival.
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According to Marshall, her health was stable during the production of the final season, and she was medically cleared to work. She explained that she never expected a major storyline, but felt that appearing alongside her on-screen daughter during the series’ final moments would have carried emotional weight – both for the character and for herself.
Rather than framing the situation with anger, Marshall described the feeling as one of disappointment and missed opportunity. She told People that being included in the finale would have been “uplifting” following her cancer journey, especially after the isolation that often accompanies long-term treatment. The actress was first diagnosed in 2022 and has since shared parts of that experience publicly.
Marshall also acknowledged the realities of Stranger Things as a massive ensemble series by its final season. With dozens of characters competing for screen time, she recognized that difficult narrative decisions had to be made. Still, she admitted that the absence of Max’s mother during key emotional scenes stood out to her as a viewer as well as a performer.
Beyond the emotional impact, Marshall has also spoken about the practical realities faced by working actors recovering from serious illness. She noted that continued employment can be closely tied to access to health coverage, making missed opportunities more consequential than they may appear from the outside.
Netflix and the show’s creators have not commented publicly on Marshall’s remarks. However, her interview has sparked renewed discussion among fans about the quieter, off-screen stories behind the final season – and about the people whose contributions shaped the series even when they were no longer visible.
All five seasons of Stranger Things are currently streaming on Netflix, where the series continues to attract global audiences well after its conclusion.
