
Talking to Shannon Purser feels a lot like what talking to Barb Holland, her beautifully bookish character on Netflix's "Stranger Things," must be like.
Both young women are relatable, empathetic, and remarkably self-possessed. In her phone interview with Revelist, it was easy to imagine Purser, much like her onscreen persona, doling out life advice and good-naturedly calling you on your bullshit (a la "Is that a new bra?").
It's a comparison the 19-year-old, Georgia-native actress embraces. After all, it's not exactly an unfavorable one. In the last few weeks since the Duffer Brothers' show debuted, Barb has become something of a cultural phenomenon, inspiring everything from spin-off theories, to murals, to thematic pizza slices (seriously), a fact Purser finds "completely surreal." A quick Twitter search of #WeAreAllBarb, and it's clear — people just can't get enough of this character, despite how briefly she's actually seen on the show.
Purser, who describes herself as "very much a Barb in real life," spoke to us about what makes Barb — her first-ever onscreen role — so deeply relatable to so many people.
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