Which actress portrays Barbara "Barb" Holland in Stranger Things?

Shannon Purser portrays Barbara “Barb” Holland in Stranger Things.

Barb is Nancy Wheeler’s intelligent, outspoken best friend in the first season. She accompanies Nancy to Steve Harrington’s house for a party, where she becomes separated from the group and is pulled into the Upside Down. Her disappearance becomes one of the season’s emotional mysteries and helps expose the danger surrounding Hawkins Laboratory.

Purser’s performance made Barb memorable despite the character’s limited screen time. Barb appears in three episodes, but the audience’s strong reaction to her fate turned her into an early breakout character from the series. Purser received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for the role.

Natalia Dyer, one of the wrong options, plays Nancy Wheeler rather than Barb. Chelsea Talmadge plays Carol, while Aimee Mullins appears as Terry Ives. Barb’s full name is Barbara Holland, and her friendship with Nancy is central to the first season’s investigation.