"Stranger Things" Actor Shannon Purser Got Real About How "Fat Actors" Are Cast In Hollywood

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If you're a Stranger Things fan, you definitely know Shannon Purser. She played infamous internet fan-favorite Barb in the Netflix hit's first season.

Barb in "Stranger Things"
Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection

And you've probably also seen her appearance in Riverdale, too.

Shannon Purser in "Riverdale"
Diyah Pera / CW Network / courtesy Everett Collection

Earlier this week, Shannon took to Twitter to talk about Hollywood's casting practices, and who gets left out in the process.

Closeup of Shannon Purser
Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images for The 24 Hour Plays

In the tweet, Shannon said that Hollywood doesn't hire "fat actors for iconic fat characters because they want a big name star."

"There are almost no fat big name stars because fat actors aren’t allowed upward mobility," she wrote.

Closeup of Shannon Purser
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

"We aren’t allowed upward mobility because the industry sees us as two-dimensional set pieces."

Closeup of Shannon Purser
Presley Ann / Getty Images for Free The Work

While Shannon didn't issue any further comment on the subject, it's likely her tweet was inspired by Emma Thompson wearing a fat suit in the upcoming Matilda movie musical. You can watch the trailer below:

Actors wearing fat suits for roles is a practice that's come under scrutiny in recent years. In particular, Sarah Paulson faced backlash last summer for her portrayal of Linda Tripp in Impeachment: American Crime Story.

Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp in "Impeachment: American Crime Story"
Tina Thorpe / FX Networks / courtesy Everett Collection

"It’s very hard for me to talk about this without feeling like I’m making excuses," she told the Los Angeles Times. "There’s a lot of controversy around actors and fat suits, and I think that controversy is a legitimate one."

Sarah Paulson and Beanie Feldstein in "Impeachment: American Crime Story"
Tina Thorpe / FX Networks / courtesy Everett Collection

Read more about the controversy here.