Stranger Things may have officially closed the door on Hawkins, but one lingering question has left fans scratching their heads — and now, Max Mayfield’s onscreen mom is weighing in.
Jennifer Marshall, who portrayed Susan Hargrove in seasons 2 and 4 of Netflix’s hit series, is opening up about her character’s surprising absence from the two-hour series finale, which dropped on December 31. Despite Max (Sadie Sink) spending much of season 5 in a coma, Susan was nowhere to be seen — and Marshall made it clear she noticed, too.
“Okay folks! It’s over… but where was she,” Marshall, 44, wrote in a January 1 Instagram post alongside an image of Max in the hospital. “What kind of mother isn’t there for her child while she’s in the hospital? Give me all your theories…”
While fans quickly jumped in with speculation, Marshall confirmed the decision wasn’t hers. In a Jan. 7 statement to People Magazine, the actress shared that returning to the show would have meant more than just screen time.
“Portraying Max’s mom was the opportunity of a lifetime,” she wrote, adding that while she doesn’t know why Susan wasn’t included in the final season, she “would have been ecstatic to return.”
“It would have helped me not only financially, but would have been a mental and emotional uplift after battling cancer for almost two years,” Marshall continued, referencing her stage three melanoma diagnosis in 2021. Still, she was careful to strike a gracious tone. “Either way, no one is entitled to a role, cancer or not. My heart remains grateful, and I will always give those involved in the decision-making the benefit of the doubt.”
In a follow-up post on January 6, Marshall clarified that her cancer was not the reason she was absent from season 5. “I had cancer, I get it. But I was in remission during the shooting of season five,” she wrote. “Shooting would have helped me obtain my health insurance through the union.”
She even added a bit of humor to the situation, joking, “Maybe they had too many characters, idk but obv Susan Hargrove is THE WORST MOTHER EVER LMAO.”
Marshall appeared in seasons 2 and 4 but did not return for the final season, which notably featured the Hawkins kids’ graduation — complete with several parents in attendance. Fans were quick to point out the inconsistency. One commenter joked that Ted “Do Nothing” Wheeler made it to the ceremony while Susan didn’t. “He’s so funny tho lol,” Marshall replied.
The actress later told TMZ that she never expected her comments to go viral and emphasized that she wasn’t criticizing producers Shawn Levy or creators Ross and Matt Duffer — even if being “ghosted” hurt. She also revealed that, following her posts, she was warned by a cast member and crew members that speaking out could risk her being blacklisted in the industry. “She doesn’t care,” the outlet reported.
Marshall also shared that she initially kept her cancer diagnosis private until rumors circulated on set during season 4 that she was using drugs. Once she explained her health struggles, she said there were no concerns raised about her ability to work.
Ultimately, Marshall says she still doesn’t know why she wasn’t brought back — but she’s not wrong about one thing. Fans definitely noticed.
