Stranger Things actor calls out series after revealing 'real reason' she was missing from season 5

Nearly a decade after we first dived into the Upside Down for the nostalgic nightmare of Stranger Things, Netflix's sci-fi staple has finally come to an end.

We say it's come to an end, but with an animated spin-off on the way, and the Duffer Brothers already working on a live-action segue, the IP is far from done.

Then again, with it being one of Netflix's biggest hits, can you really blame the streaming giant for milking this one for all it's worth?

There have been plenty of complaints aimed at season 5, but away from allegations of 'queerbaiting' fans and supposed 'missing' episodes, there have been some real-world dramas unfolding behind the scenes.

Netflix has been on damage control amid accusations about David Harbour's behaviour, while there's been an uncomfortable fan reaction to Holly actor Jen Fisher.

Now, there are questions about whether one star was cut from the final run of episodes.

Known for playing Susan Hargrove in season 4, Jennifer Marshall has taken to social media to reveal the 'real' reason the mother of Max (Sadie Sink) is MIA in season 5.

Posting on Instagram, Marshall started things when she wrote: "Okay folks! It’s over…but where was she? What kind of mother isn’t there for her child while she’s in the hospital? Give me all your theories…"

As things started to take off with theories about Susan's whereabouts, Marshall revealed that she was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer at the age of 39. Now aged 44, Marshall wrote: "I had cancer, I get it. But I was in remission during the shooting of season five.”

More than this, she goes on to add: “Shooting would have helped me obtain my health insurance through the union. Maybe they had too many characters, idk but obv Susan Hargrove is THE WORST MOTHER EVER LMAO.”

She also included the hashtags of #cancersucks and #butwhy, leading to an outpouring of support from fans of the show.

Marshall says she was undergoing stage 3 melanoma treatment when she filmed a hospital reunion between Susan and Max around the time of season 4, going on to claim that it was ultimately cut.

Saying that she needed those work hours to remain eligible for SAG-AFTRA health insurance, Marshall implies that she was left without medical help due to Susan's return being axed. Elsewhere, Marshall maintains that her scene was removed due to fears she would 'die' in real life before it could be aired.

Another of Marshall's complaints is that it simply looks like Susan walked away from her daughter, suggesting that she's a bad mother.

It's important to note that neither Netflix nor the Duffer Brothers have addressed Susan Hargrove's absence, nor is it clear where the scene was supposed to air. Offering their support to Marshall after one person on X referred to it as 'sinister' and 'disgusting', someone else said: "Knowing you could make the effort to include a character even if for a few minutes of a show just to help the actor get insurance to cover their cancer treatments puts a whole different perspective on the job."

Another added: "This is genuinely so disgusting and makes me 100 times more angry about EVERYTHING."

A third concluded: "Okay yeah this is really gross. There’s no reason she should have not been in the season. It also literally makes sense when you consider how important Max’s mom is to her character."

UNILADTech has reached out to Netflix for comment.