After expelling Black House members Justin Pearson and Justin Jones for taking a stance against gun violence, Tennessee Republicans sought to expand their power on Monday. By a 75-21 margin along party lines, the Tennessee House voted to expel Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin, the only Black actor on the show, from future episodes.

Tennessee Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton explained the vote: “When we saw him kiss Sadie Sink in Season 2, it was more than we could handle. As a result, we decided to remove him from the cast. If he wants to act again, he’ll need to start his career over.” 

Netflix responded to McLaughlin’s expulsion by announcing that it will film the next season of Stranger Things inside the Tennessee Capitol building. “We won’t need any props or costumes given how scary it already is inside that place,” said Netflix President Ted Sarandos.