Shannon Purser

Shannon Purser (born June 27, 1997) is an American actress. She made her acting debut as Barb in the Netflix drama series Stranger Things (2016–2022), for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Purser made her film debut in the supernatural horror film Wish Upon (2017), and starred in the romantic comedy Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018). She also portrays the recurring role of Ethel Muggs in the CW teen drama series Riverdale (2017–2023). Early life Purser was born on June 27, 1997, in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2016, Purser was attending Kennesaw State University. She formerly worked at a movie theater in her hometown of Roswell, Georgia, but quit in order to focus on acting. Career Purser made her acting debut in the Netflix science fiction drama series Stranger Things. She portrayed the character Barbara Holland, an intelligent and outspoken girl, who is the best friend of Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer). Despite her only being a minor character, several outlets called Barb one of their favorite characters. This role brought Purser to international fame, and earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.