Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson
Yellowjackets premiered on November 14, 2021.
Distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Series Review
Yellowjackets is the kind of show that gets under your skin and stays there.
Blending survival drama with psychological horror, it tells the story of a girls’ high school soccer team whose plane crashes in the wilderness—and how the trauma follows them decades later.
What really makes the series stand out is how it shifts between the brutal fight for survival in 1996 and the haunting adult lives of the survivors in the present day.
The acting is phenomenal. Christina Ricci is terrifyingly brilliant as Misty, Melanie Lynskey brings depth and raw emotion as Shauna, and Sophie Nélisse perfectly captures Shauna’s younger self.
The mystery builds steadily, and by Season 3, things turn darker, more shocking, and even more addictive.
If you’re into thrillers with a twist and characters who feel real, Yellowjackets is worth the binge.
Ratings:
• Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
• Metacritic: 75%
• IMDb: 7.7/10
Yellowjackets Actors
Melanie Lynskey as Shauna Shipman (Adult)
DOB: May 16, 1977
Bio: Melanie Lynskey is a New Zealand-born actress who began her career at age 16 with a breakout role in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures (1994).
She went on to establish herself as a versatile performer in indie dramas like Hello I Must Be Going and HBO’s Togetherness, as well as mainstream series such as Two and a Half Men and Yellowjackets.
Lynskey has received critical acclaim for her emotionally rich portrayals of complex women.
Role: A suburban mother haunted by her teenage survival of the 1996 crash, Shauna’s carefully ordered life unravels when long-buried secrets resurface.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Emotional breakthroughs as she oscillates between fierce protectiveness and confronting the brutal choices she once made.
Favorite Things: Tending her native-fern garden, late-night chats with former teammates, true-crime book clubs.
Notable Works: Hello I Must Be Going, Togetherness, Candy.
Christina Ricci as Misty Quigley (Adult)
DOB: February 12, 1980
Bio: An acclaimed American actress who rose to fame as a child star in films like Mermaids and The Addams Family.
Known for her dark, quirky screen presence, Ricci successfully transitioned into edgier adult roles in projects such as The Opposite of Sex, Monster, and Black Snake Moan.
She has also starred in period dramas like Pan Am and the biographical series Z: The Beginning of Everything.
Role: Once the bullied equipment manager, Misty reemerges as a nurse-therapist with a disturbing fixation on control and true-crime.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Eerily calm manipulations, chilling reveals, and a masterful puppeteer pulling survivors’ strings.
Favorite Things: Midnight sketching sessions, curating vintage doll collections, volunteering on crisis hotlines.
Notable Works: Black Snake Moan, Pan Am, Z: The Beginning of Everything.
Tawny Cypress as Taissa “Tay” Turner (Adult)
DOB: August 8, 1976
Bio: An American actress born in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, and raised in the Bronx.
A graduate of the prestigious LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, she is known for her roles in Heroes, House of Cards, and Unforgettable.
Cypress brings emotional complexity to her characters, often portraying women in positions of authority grappling with inner conflict.
Role: From high-school soccer star to state senator, Tay projects confidence while wrestling with the savage truths of her past.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Public poise cracking into private panic; power plays laced with survivor’s guilt.
Favorite Things: Training for marathons, hosting political brunches, writing op-eds.
Notable Works: Heroes, House of Cards, Unforgettable.
Lauren Ambrose as Van Palmer (Adult)
DOB: February 20, 1978
Bio: an American actress and singer, best known for her Emmy-nominated role as Claire Fisher in Six Feet Under.
Raised in Connecticut, she studied voice and opera at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute and later attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
Her career spans television, film, and Broadway, with standout performances in The Affair, Servant, and My Fair Lady.
Role: The thoughtful counselor whose academic theology and wilderness survival collide, testing her moral compass.
Episodes: Seasons 2–3 (S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Spiritual reckonings turning to ruthless pragmatism as her calm exterior fractures.
Favorite Things: Mountain-top yoga retreats, wildlife photography, late-night philosophical debates.
Notable Works: Six Feet Under, The Affair, Servant.
Hilary Swank as Melissa “Kelly” (Adult)
DOB: July 30, 1974
Bio: She is a two-time Academy Award-winning actress, best known for her transformative performances in Boys Don’t Cry and Million Dollar Baby.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, she began acting in the early ’90s before gaining critical acclaim for her ability to fully inhabit emotionally intense, physically demanding roles.
Outside of acting, Swank is a dedicated animal welfare advocate and a lifelong equestrian.
Role: Revealed in Season 3 as the “dead” survivor, Melissa’s new identity hides decades of ruthless will to live.
Episodes: Season 3 (10 episodes)
What to Expect: Poised calm masking a survivalist’s cunning—and the seismic fallout of her return.
Favorite Things: Equestrian vaulting, mentoring young filmmakers, crafting survival guides.
Notable Works: Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don’t Cry, Away.
Simone Kessell as Lottie Matthews (Adult)
DOB: August 19, 1975
Bio: She is a New Zealand-born actress with a diverse career spanning over two decades.
She gained recognition in international productions such as Terra Nova, Of Kings and Prophets, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, where she portrayed Queen Breha Organa.
Though early in her career she appeared in Australian and New Zealand television, she transitioned to Hollywood with roles in genre dramas and thrillers.
Role: From the group’s teenage spiritual guide to adult cult leader, Lottie’s charisma masks a dangerous zealotry.
Episodes: Seasons 2–3 (S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Hypnotic sermons, calm manipulation, and the dark side of communal faith.
Favorite Things: Moonlit rituals, leading retreats, brewing herbal remedies.
Notable Works: Terra Nova, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Of Kings and Prophets.
Jasmin Savoy Brown as Taissa “Tay” Turner (Teen)
DOB: March 21, 1994
Bio: Jasmin Savoy Brown is an Oregon-born actress known for her work in psychological thrillers and complex dramas.
She gained early recognition with her role as Evie in HBO’s The Leftovers, and went on to star in For the People and the rebooted Scream franchise (Scream 2022, Scream VI).
Role: Teen Tay, natural leader whose strategic mind and moral burden guide the survivors through terror.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Calculated tactics under fire, raw emotional honesty, and the heavy cost of leadership.
Favorite Things: Sketching survival maps, late-night strategy talks, fostering group unity.
Notable Works: The Leftovers, Scream VI, Yellowjackets.
Sophie Thatcher as Natalie Scatorccio (Teen)
DOB: October 18, 2000
Bio: A Chicago-born actress and musician, Sophie Thatcher trained at Chicago’s prestigious Steppenwolf Theatre before breaking into indie sci-fi with Prospect (2018).
She gained mainstream recognition in The Book of Boba Fett and has released a folk-punk-inspired EP in 2024.
Role: Wild-spirited rifle expert whose impulsive violence earns her respect—and foreshadows a darker destiny within the group.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Unfiltered aggression tempered by flickers of vulnerability—leadership born of necessity.
Favorite Things: Solo foraging, punk-rock playlists, boundary-pushing moral tests.
Notable Works: Prospect, The Book of Boba Fett, Yellowjackets.
Sammi Hanratty as Misty Quigley (Teen)
DOB: September 20, 1995
Bio: A native of Scottsdale, Arizona, Sammi Hanratty began acting at a young age, earning early recognition in An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong and The Greening of Whitney Brown.
With a background in both classical piano and television drama, she’s known for portraying characters who mask vulnerability with eerie cheer.
Role: Teen Misty starts as the Yellowjackets’ overlooked equipment manager—her trauma-fueled need for control blossoms into manipulative survivalism, laying the foundation for her adult self.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Eerie calm shattered by emotional volatility, calculated survival tactics, and early glimpses of psychological unraveling.
Favorite Things: Chopin nocturnes at dusk, star-mapping from cliff edges, crafting harmony tracks.
Notable Works: American Girl, The Greening of Whitney Brown, Yellowjackets.
Courtney Eaton as Lottie Matthews (Teen)
DOB: January 6, 1996
Bio: Born in Bunbury, Western Australia, Courtney Eaton began her career as a model before making her film debut in Mad Max: Fury Road.
Trained at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), she brings intensity and depth to complex roles. Off-screen, she’s passionate about ocean conservation and an avid surfer.
Role: Teen Lottie ushers in early spiritual rituals that evolve into a dangerous cult mentality.
Episodes: Seasons 1–3 (S1:10, S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Gentle guidance spiraling into eerie devotion; leadership that slowly fractures the group.
Favorite Things: Dawn surfing, carving driftwood talismans, whispering collective prayers under moonlight.
Notable Works: Mad Max: Fury Road, Gods of Egypt.
Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall
DOB: January 28, 1981
Bio: Born in Cedar Rapids, Elijah Wood became a global icon as Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
A lifelong champion of indie cinema, he’s starred in psychological thrillers (Maniac), offbeat comedies (Wilfred), and lent his voice to acclaimed animated features.
Role: The obsessive amateur detective whose modern-day sleuthing into the 1996 crash threatens to expose deadly secrets.
Episodes: Seasons 2–3 (S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Nervous enthusiasm morphing into steely determination; archive digs yielding explosive discoveries.
Favorite Things: Spinning rare jazz vinyl, late-night archive raids, conspiracy-podcast binges.
Notable Works: The Lord of the Rings, Maniac, Wilfred.
Nicole Maines as Lisa
DOB: June 7, 1996
Bio: Hailing from Portland, Maine, Nicole Maines made history as TV’s first transgender superhero with her breakout role as Nia Nal in Supergirl.
A powerful voice for LGBTQ+ rights, she serves on GLAAD’s advisory board and has been the subject of a landmark legal case on transgender rights.
Role: Van’s steadfast confidante and professional partner, Lisa’s empathy and moral clarity anchor the group amidst paranoia.
Episodes: Seasons 2–3 (S2:10, S3:10)
What to Expect: Calm interventions, courageous boundary-setting, and unwavering loyalty when trust shatters.
Favorite Things: Brewing artisanal teas, organizing LGBTQ+ youth workshops, journaling under oak trees.
Notable Works: Supergirl, The L Word: Generation Q.
More Actors
Season 1 (2021)
• Juliette Lewis as adult Natalie “Nat” Scatorccio (died at end of S2)
• Sophie Nélisse as teenage Shauna
• Alexa Barajas as Mari Ibarra
• Jane Widdop as Laura Lee
• Keeya King (S1) / Nia Sondaya (S2–3) as teenage Akilah
• Peter Gadiot as Adam Martin (adult)
Season 2 (2023) Addition
• François Arnaud as Paul, Coach Scott’s boyfriend
• Jenna Burgess as teenage Melissa, new wilderness survivor
• Nia Sondaya takes over teenage Akilah role in S2 onward
Season 3 (2025) Addition
• Joel McHale as Kodiak, a wilderness guide
• Ashley Sutton as Hannah, frog researcher and teen mother
• Silvana Estifanos as teenage Britt
• Anisa Harris as teenage Robin
• Vanessa Prasad replaces Mya Lowe as teenage Gen
• Nelson Franklin as Edwin, frog scientist
FAQ – Yellowjackets Series
What happened to Coach Ben?
Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) burned the cabin toward the end of Season 2.
His fate remains uncertain, but he could be vulnerable in the flashback timeline.
Will Season 4 be made?
The creators have mapped a five-season arc, and following renewed ratings and fan interest, Season 4 is expected—even if not yet officially confirmed.
Is Yellowjackets a true story?
No, Yellowjackets is not a true story.
While the series feels disturbingly real and emotionally grounded, it is entirely fictional.
Who is the villain in Yellowjacket?
The true villain in Yellowjackets isn’t just one person.
It’s a mix of psychological trauma, survival instincts, and the mysterious supernatural forces in the wilderness.
Conclusion
Yellowjackets is far more than a survival story—it’s a haunting exploration of trauma, identity, and the darkness we carry.
With a sharp blend of suspense, horror, and emotional depth, the series stands out for its exceptional performances, nonlinear storytelling, and ability to keep viewers constantly guessing.
As each season peels back more layers of the mystery, we’re reminded that survival isn’t just about making it out alive—it’s about facing what comes after.
Whether you’re here for the eerie cult clues, the intense character dynamics, or the psychological tension, Yellowjackets delivers a thrilling and unforgettable ride.
It’s a must-watch for fans of smart, dark drama.