--- description: Stranger Things actress has a decisive explanation for Barb's death. title: Stranger Things: Actress Has a Scary Explaination for What Panpened to Barb image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1bd2d39c6e4df57d/6988a101cf40a8c87bc44536/barbs.jpg?branch=production&width=1440&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This _Stranger Things_ Actress Has a Severe Explanation for What Happened to Barb by [Ashley Hoffman](/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 3, 2016 8:39 PM CUT  Stranger Things Stranger ThingsCurtis Baker/Netflix by [Ashley Hoffman](/author/ashley-hoffman/) ## Ashley Hoffman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 3, 2016 8:39 PM CUT **Warning:** _Stranger Things_ spoilers ahead. The actress who played Steve’s malicious friend on [_Stranger Things_](http://time.com/4426157/10-questions-stranger-things-still-needs-to-answer/ "undefined") has [offered a theory](https://www.reddit.com/r/StrangerThings/comments/4v35iq/my%5Fname%5Fis%5Fglennellen%5Fanderson%5Fi%5Fplayed%5Fnicole%5Fin/ "undefined") during a Reddit AMA about why fan favorite character Barb had to go. Barb met her untimely and not so important death early on. And why did she? Was it punishment for Nancy’s pool party fun? With the exception of Nancy, everyone on the show was tied up with the Agenda to Find Will So [Winona Ryder](http://time.com/4380330/winona-ryder-comeback-stranger-things-netflix/ "undefined") Could Shower, but why couldn’t she be saved? Glenneallen Anderson, who starred as Nicole the mean girl who exposes Jonathan, has a decisive answer. --- > “” --- The facts may not support this notion. The [Duffer Brothers](http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/stranger-things-finale-duffer-brothers-interview-season-2-1201816664/ "undefined") officially said they had to lose Barb because they explained, “we wanted it to feel unsafe.” But perhaps Anderson’s saltier response is more in keeping with the high school setting. At least Barb’s immortalized in [pizza form](https://www.instagram.com/vinniesbrooklyn/ "undefined"). \[[Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StrangerThings/comments/4v35iq/my%5Fname%5Fis%5Fglennellen%5Fanderson%5Fi%5Fplayed%5Fnicole%5Fin/ "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4437552/stranger-things-barb-nicole/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4437552/stranger-things-barb-nicole/"},"headline":"This Stranger Things Actress Has a Severe Explanation for What Happened to Barb","datePublished":"2016-08-03T20:39:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:35:03.412Z","description":"Poor Barb","url":"https://time.com/4437552/stranger-things-barb-nicole/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Television","Internet","Stranger Things"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1bd2d39c6e4df57d/6988a101cf40a8c87bc44536/barbs.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ashley Hoffman","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ashley-hoffman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1bd2d39c6e4df57d/6988a101cf40a8c87bc44536/barbs.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"1","caption":"1","creditText":"Curtis Baker/Netflix","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4437552/stranger-things-barb-nicole/","name":"This Stranger Things Actress Has a Severe Explanation for What Happened to Barb"}}]}] ```