Since the Netflix’s Stranger Things made its debut and became the binge worthy culture phenomenon hit that it is. The actors and actresses have found themselves tossed into the spotlight. In little over a few weeks most of them, Wynonna Ryder not included, have gone from unknown to being twitter memes.
Shannon Purser is no exception. Her character Barb was a breakout star of the show, Instantly relatable, as the the outcast girl who refuses to be anyone but who she is. So relatable that she got her own hashtag, #WeAreAllBarb.
For Shannon, this all a really amazing dream. This is her first real role. The 19 year old was a senior in high school when she landed the role of Barb.
Vulture recently interviewed Shannon about her role in Stranger Things and the buzz it has created.
If I’m not mistaken, this is your first role. How did you get cast as Barb?
I had grown up doing a lot of theater and really liked acting. As I got older, I fell more in love with movies and thought it would be incredible to someday be in one. So I kind of got discovered by an agency through an acting group I was with and spent a couple of years auditioning, doing the regular thing: sending in self-tapes, going in to meet casting directors, that sort of thing. Then one day I got an email about Stranger Things. I sent in a few self-tapes, and then they wanted to meet me in person, so I read for the Duffers. It went amazing. They were amazing. I love them so much. Then I booked the role. That was probably one of the craziest days of my life, for sure.
Tell me about that day. How did you get the news?
It might have been less than a day after that audition when they told me I booked the role. Which was amazing because I expected to wait at least a few days, you know, if I even got the part. I remember I went to the movie theater with my mom and we were sitting and watching a movie and I checked my email and there was an email that said I had booked the role. I just didn’t even believe it was real.
Check it out in full here. Warning there are spoilers if you haven’t finished all of the episodes.
