PAPER magazine has landed the interview of the year! They recently sat down with Shannon Purser, the young actress who plays the instantly iconic BARB in the Netflix hit Stranger Things.
Below, an excerpt where she discusses her ’80s wardrobe, studying ’80s culture, and why she thinks the character struck such a chord with the gay community. Then scroll down to see what she looks like OUT of her Barb drag!
PAPER: How has life been in the past few weeks?
SHANNON: It’s been incredible and unbelievable. I was definitely not expecting this kind of overwhelming response to the character; I mean definitely to the show, the show is incredible. Here we are, and the curiosity and acceptance from the fans has been wonderful.
Why do you think Barb has struck such a cultural chord?
Yeah, I think it’s amazing how people have taken a hold of her and see themselves in her. And I love that there’s a hashtag going around #WeAreAllBarb. I think people are attached to her and care about her so much because they do relate to her and she’s an easy person to relate to. We all at some point in our lives have felt that we weren’t at the top of our social circle, or that maybe we needed our friends more than they needed us, and feeling overlooked. I think a lot more people feel a little bit insecure and a little bit hungry for love and acceptance. It’s definitely something I relate to personally and I’m really glad that the fans feel the same way about her.
The costume design for the show was pretty unbelievable. And Barb’s outfits were iconic throughout, and should be preserved in a museum. Did they have that all planned out for her or did they mold her style based on your personality?
Yeah, the wardrobe and costume team for the show were just so incredible and talented. And I know that they spend so much time looking for vintage, authentic pieces. And really wanting to go the extra mile to find the perfect piece. I remember being in the fitting room and trying on possible outfits; definitely for all the ones you saw there was a ‘Oh this is it’ kind of moment. It was amazing, I love her outfits. And it’s cool to see how all the fans love the clothes.
Did you watch a lot of movies from the 80s, like E.T. and The Goonies to prep?
Yeah, absolutely, I love that whole decade. John Hughes, I think, is wonderful, I love The Breakfast Club, and E.T. made me cry! Steven Spielberg is a genius. I could not be happier with how lucky and privileged I am to be in this show, which is something I would want to watch even without being in it.
So now that you’ve already seen all the fan art and the tributes and the mural thing; it’s wild. How has it been to kind of see yourself become a meme?
It’s been totally surreal. I love it! The fan art is definitely one of my favorite things that have come up from the show. I’m an artist, I draw a bit, and I just love creativity and all forms of art. I love that people were inspired by the show and the characters and just inspired to create. I think that’s what good art does. It breeds more creativity. I can’t even explain how crazy it feels to have your own face being drawn over and over. It’s absolutely incredible.
I think the gay community has really responded to Barb. Myself, and other gay men have been wild about her on social media. I think that she represents an alienation familiar to all queer people.
Oh, definitely. As a person, I’ve always been really passionate about being really inclusive and letting people know that they are loved. And I think there really is an inherent feeling of isolation in the LGBT community, because often times, they can’t really fit in the way they’d like. I’m so thankful that LGBT people have related to the character. If I can help anybody with my character, or feel loved or less alone, that is the best feeling.
Read the whole interview here.
And check out how gorgeous she is IRL!
There’s no nonchalant way to caption a selfie.
A photo posted by Shannon Purser (@shannonpurser) on
A photo posted by Shannon Purser (@shannonpurser) on
