The dark mystery continues to unfold in multiple time lines in the third season of YELLOWJACKETS
As the second season of Yellowjackets reached its final moments on Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) cult grounds, past and present seemed to converge. A ritual hunt for Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) broke out, and the chaotic event culminated in the shocking accidental death of Natalie (Juliette Lewis) at the hands of Misty (Christina Ricci). Back in 1996, where, after a mirroring hunt, the girls appeared to have once and for all embraced cannibalism as their means to survive in the wilderness, their shelter then burned to the ground. But was this the universe punishing them for their unorthodox tactics, or did Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) set fire to the cabin after losing faith in the girls’ humanity?
Having tied up many of the peripheral storylines at the end of their sophomoric season, Yellowjackets is now free to take an even more profound look into the psyches of those still standing. One of the characters facing a different side to herself is Shauna’s teenage daughter Callie, played by Vancouver native Sarah Desjardins. As she saw Lottie chasing Shauna, Callie was forced to shoot Lottie in the shoulder to protect her mother. “There’s this energy taking over that is unfamiliar to Callie,” says Desjardins. “It’s very telling that, in that moment, Lottie sees me and says, ‘She’s so powerful.’ Hearing those words, I think Callie is a little confused.”
For Shauna and Callie, the increased awareness of her mother’s past and more primal self presents — at least in theory — an opportunity for the two to grow closer. “Callie, while she seems like a typical teenager and very moody, it’s really coming from a place of a lack of connection to her mother. That’s something that she’s really longing for,” says Desjardins. But that desire is also mixed with trepidation. “What Callie witnessed at the compound was very eye opening. In a lot of ways, it affirmed the fear that Callie does have about her mother. And it begs the question, what pieces of that are in her?”
Shauna, it appears, is out of her depth in trying to explain her complex past spent in the Canadian wilderness to her teenage daughter. “We jump back into regular life and Callie’s not really having it,” says Desjardins. “Callie’s journey for this season is all about discovering the depths of her mother.” And when Shauna fails to provide her with answers, she looks for them elsewhere. “Callie is sensing an openness in Lottie,” says Desjardins. “Lottie is clearly connected to something else, that perhaps Callie is wrestling with. She recognizes that energy within Lottie that she is trying to piece together if any of that is inside of her. And I think that Lottie represents an opportunity to have some of those questions answered.”
Thematically, the third season continues to explore how the present is affected by the events of the past. “We’re delving deeper into the effect of trauma and how it bleeds into our everyday lives,” teases Desjardins. Viewers will also be introduced to two new characters, played by Hilary Swank and . “I really wish I could say anything about it. I will say that I think the audience will be really excited for the characters that they play and how they impact the show.” What Desjardins will say is that, “in season two there was a lot of time spent separated, but season three definitely involves everyone being together a lot more.”
For Desjardins, the most recent season marks her first as a series regular, having been a recurring character in the first two. “Melanie was kind enough to tell me, the first time that we met, that there were always bigger plans for Callie,” says Desjardins. “Of course, I’ve always been grateful to be the part of the story that I have been. I’ve been so grateful to develop her with [creators] Ashley [Lyle], Bart [Nickerson] and [showrunner] Jonathan [Lisco], and to have their trust in my capability to do that. There are such complexities to Callie that we really get to delve into this season, and it’s been an honour to get to bring that to life and be more enveloped in the fabric of the show.”
The actress’ favourite scenes are those where the true feelings of this feisty teenager are more exposed. According to Desjardins, those moments are a result not just of the writing, but the off-screen relationships between the actors. “It makes me think of a scene I had with Warren Kole, who plays [Callie’s father] Jeff, in season two, where I asked him, ‘Am I like mom?’ From what I recall, it wasn’t scripted that I get super emotional, but it came so naturally to me because I’m looking at Jeff, but I’m also looking at Warren, my friend who I feel so safe with,” she recalls. “That’s such a gift to have in our job. When we feel really safe and connected to the people that we work with, everything comes a lot more effortlessly and it provides a beautiful space to be vulnerable.”
The season premiere of Yellowjackets begins streaming Friday, February 14, on Paramount+