REBECCA CRAMER [RC]: What
aren’t filming?
do you do for fun when you
SHANNON PURSER [SP]: I love to read, and write (mostly) fiction [Shannon is currently working on a book]; try different makeup looks; watch scary movies [her favorite? The Shining], sing, and play with any dog I can find. I’ve taken up meditation recently, which I really enjoy. It does wonders for my anxiety, and yoga, when I can get up the motivation to do it. My favorite thing is to get a massage every now and then. Music helps me get into character, as does getting away from everyone else and sort of forcing myself into the headspace of the character. [RC]: What
sort of music do you listen to? [SP]: The Smiths are a good band to chill to. [RC]: If you weren’t in film and television, what would you be doing? [SP]: I initially went to school for psychology and I think I’d have enjoyed being a therapist one day. [RC]: Which characters that have been most like you, and which have been the least or hardest to play? [SP]: There are elements to all of them that occasionally remind me of myself. I guess Barb and I are pretty similar. I’m not as blunt as her, though. Ethel Muggs is a complicated woman. She’s a very good and forgiving, but there’s a darkness to her. I suppose she’s difficult to play sometimes because I haven’t completely figured her out yet either.
…At the 2017 San Diego Comic Con, Stranger Things creators, Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross) and conspired by hiding Shannon amongst the other Stranger Things fans to pose the question of her former cast mates: “Will Barb make it into season two?”… [SP]: The
surprise was the Duffer’s idea, but none of the cast knew I was coming! It was really fun to surprise everyone and see them all again. None of the cast knew I was coming and everyone was pretty shocked when I just popped up! I think it took fans a little while to figure out it was me but when they did, they all started screaming! The cast couldn’t hear anything I was saying to them. It was hilarious and such fun. [RC]: Was this your first year (at Comic Con)?
[SP]: It was! I only got a very small taste of it, but I’m sure I’ll get the chance to go back someday. [RC]: Do you consider yourself a fangirl? If so, what for? [SP]: I’d say I could most assuredly be a fangirl. My number one allegiance is to Harry Potter. I’m obsessed with everything about that series. Before I fell in love with movies, I was in love with books. I used to daydream about being the characters and having great and amazing adventures to go on. Then I began to watch more and more movies and tv and sort of realized that I could be in stories as an actor! There’s this incredible catharsis and freedom I feel when I’m able to completely lose myself in a character or story and I’m so glad I somehow landed the coolest job in the world. [RC]: Which book and character were your favorites; can you describe yourself in that fandom? [SP]: I think Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite book of the series and my favorite character is probably Remus Lupin. He’s incredibly compassionate, kind, and brave. And, I’m pretty sure I’m a Hufflepuff, though there is a bit of Ravenclaw in there, too. I feel like (career-wise) maybe I’d work with Magical Creatures or be a professor. [RC]: In addition to the HP series, what other books and authors have inspired you? [SP]: Some of my favorite authors are Rainbow Rowell (read Landline and Eleanor & Park), Brian Jacques (I LOVED the Redwall series) and Markus Zusak (The Book Thief and I Am the Messenger). [RC]: How about favorite movies, or maybe any particular favorite artists you would like to work with? [SP]: Oh dear. That’s such a hard question to answer. I do think The Princess Bride has to be one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. [RC]: Princess Bride, epic. Do you have a favorite line or quote from it?
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