The Star of Sierra Burgess Is a Loser Is No Stranger to Netflix (Pun Intended)
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Netflix's rom-com domination continues with the delightful Sierra Burgess Is a Loser. The film finds the central character accidentally catfishing the boy of her dreams when he texts her by mistake. What follows is a teen rom-com for the technological age that asks serious questions about perception, self love, and romantic connections. But who is playing the titular Sierra Burgess? The one and only Shannon Purser, a young actress who is best known for stealing everyone's hearts on Netflix's hit series Stranger Things.
Purser's breakout role is undeniably Barb. The puffy-jacket-rocking, no-nonsense best friend of Nancy on Stranger Things wasn't long for this world, but in just a couple of episodes, Purser made a lasting impression. Barb is every nice, nerdy kid who got stuck waiting outside at a pool party while their pal was inside hooking up. As a result, her death led to an outcry from fans who pleaded for "Justice For Barb," which the character thankfully gets in season two of the Netflix favorite, thanks to Nancy.
Since her role on Stranger Things ended, Purser has become a certified Hollywood up-and-comer, with roles on Riverdale and the short-lived NBC series Rise. Before you watch her super-relatable Sierra fall hard for To All the Boys I've Loved Before's Noah Centineo, take a look back at all of the other beloved characters that the talented Purser has played so far.
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Stranger Things
As hard as it is to believe, Purser only physically appeared as Barb in the first two episodes of Stranger Things. It's a testament to her talents and the character's instant adorkableness that Barb's legacy continues to endure. After Barb is pulled into the Upside Down by the Demogorgon, it feels like everyone in Hawkins, IN, just moves on — and the fans were not OK with that. The #JusticeforBarb meme was born, and it was clear that Purser had arrived.
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Wish Upon
Purser costarred in the deliciously campy horror film Wish Upon alongside The Kissing Booth's Joey King. In the movie, King's character is gifted a wish-granting music box that comes with deadly repercussions. Things go about as well as you would expect from there, but even though the movie is predictable, it's worth watching to see Purser and King playing BFFs before the Summer of Netflix's rom-com boom was even a thing.
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Riverdale
As Ethel Muggs, Purser gets to play one of the most interesting members of the Riverdale crew. In season one, Ethel finds friendship with Betty and Veronica after being slut-shamed by Chuck. She becomes an official member of the gang after that, and is even invited to Jughead's birthday party. Things take a bit of a turn in season two though, as Ethel nurses a vendetta against Veronica and her family that leads to some underhanded maneuvers to make Veronica's life miserable.
Since Purser's characters tend to be lovable underdogs, it's exciting to see her take on a role that allows her to play a character with a little bit of a dark side.
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Rise
NBC's short-lived musical drama Rise gave the world Purser as Annabelle, a lovelorn, awkward teen. Her character is another "nice girl" archetype that always gets the short end of the stick. Interestingly, Annabelle is the most like Sierra, but in the Netflix movie, Purser finally gets to be the hero. And she might just get the guy, too.