Yellowjackets is a star-studded American thriller series that premiered on Showtime on November 14, 2021. It features an impressive cast led by Melanie Lynskey alongside Tawny Cypress, Ella Purnell, and Sophie Nélisse, among other talented actors.
Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets garnered critical acclaim. The first season's success led to its renewal for a second season. The series has received numerous nominations, including a nod for Outstanding Drama Series at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Everything about the cast of Yellowjackets
Yellowjackets revolves around the lives of a girls' soccer team from a New Jersey high school. While flying, their plane crashes, and they struggle to survive in the wilderness. The series also explores the team members' lives 25 years after the ordeal. Below are the details of the cast and characters in the series:
Melanie Lynskey as Shauna Shipman
Melanie Lynskey plays the adult character of Shauna Shipman in Yellowjackets. Shipman’s life in the show begins tragically—she has an affair with her best friend’s boyfriend, Jeff, and later becomes pregnant with his child. Lynskey portrays the adult version of Shauna, who is now married to Jeff but is unhappy in her marriage.
Melanie Lynskey is widely recognized for her work in independent films and television series. She has won one of the Critics' Choice Award nominations in her career.
Sophie Nélisse as teenage Shauna Shipman
Sophie Nélisse portrays the teenage Shauna Shipman, the leading character in the story. In the first part of Yellowjackets, Shipman navigates life after the plane crash in the wilderness and becomes friends with Taissa Turner. However, she discovers she is pregnant with Jeff's child and tries to keep that secret from Jackie, Jeff's girlfriend.
Tawny Cypress as Taissa Turner
Tawny Cypress portrays the adult character of Taissa Turner. A high school student, Turner, gets involved in the plane crash incident. As an adult, Turner, played by Cypress, is married to Simone and runs for the New Jersey Senate. While managing her political career, Turner struggles with her personal life. Cypress beautifully portrays the complexity of the adult Taissa Turner.
Jasmin Savoy Brown as teenage Taissa Turner
Jasmin Savoy Brown plays the teenage version of Taissa Turner, a soccer player involved in the plane crash incident. In the wilderness after the crash, Turner develops a relationship with Vanessa.
Ella Purnell as Jackie Taylor
Ella Purnell portrays the character Jackie Taylor in the soccer team, the Yellowjackets. Jackie Taylor is a team member and also Shauna's best friend. She is in a relationship with Jeff.
Shauna has an affair with her best friend's boyfriend, Jackie Taylor.
Warren Kole as Jeff Sadecki
Warren Kole portrayed the adult version of Jeff Sadecki in the series. This character is depicted as Shauna Shipman’s husband and the father of their daughter, Callie. As an adult, Jeff owns a furniture store.
Owen Gates as teenage Jeff Sadecki
Owen Gates played the teenage version of Jeff Sadecki. Jeff's teenage storyline mainly revolves around the complexities of his relationships. He was dating Jackie Taylor but was also having an affair with Shauna.
Steven Krueger as Ben Scott
American actor Steven Krueger plays Ben Scott, the head coach of the Yellowjackets soccer team. Ben was also involved in the plane crash incident and struggled to survive in its aftermath.
Christina Ricci as Misty Quigley
Christina Ricci plays the adult version of Misty Quigley. After surviving the plane crash, Misty works at a nursing home and is a member of a crime-solving club called Citizen Detectives.
Samantha Hanratty as teenage Misty Quigley
Samantha Hanratty plays Misty Quigley's teenage character. She is also known for her role as Chrissa Maxwell in An American Girl. Young Misty is a member of the soccer team and one of the survivors of the plane crash. She wanders in the wilderness, struggling to survive. Teenage Misty has a crush on her coach, Ben, and nurses him after he is injured in the crash.
Juliette Lewis as Natalie "Nat" Scatorccio
Juliette Lewis portrays the adult version of Natalie "Nat" Scatorccio. After surviving the plane crash, Nat struggles with her personal life and her relationship with Travis. Despite going to rehab, she continues to battle to maintain sobriety.
Sophie Thatcher as a teenage Natalie "Nat" Scatorccio
Sophie Thatcher played the younger version of Natalie. The young Natalie is involved in drugs and alcohol and is often harassed by her teammates. However, after the plane crash, she starts dating Travis while they both face the challenges of survival in the wilderness.
Simone Kessell as Charlotte "Lottie" Matthews
In Yellowjackets Season 2, Simone Kessell portrays Charlotte, known as Lottie Matthews. Lottie is a member of the soccer team involved in the plane crash. As an adult, Matthews manages a wellness commune named Camp Green Pine.
Courtney Easton as teenage Charlotte Lottie Matthews
Courtney Eaton portrayed the teenage version of Charlotte. Charlotte, also known as Lottie, is a member of the Yellowjackets team and suffers from schizophrenia. She comes from a wealthy family, and her parents organize the private plane for the team’s travel, which ultimately ended in a crash.
Lauren Ambrose as Vanessa "Van" Palmer
Lauren Ambrose appears as the adult version of Vanessa "Van" Palmer in the second season of Yellowjackets. She survives the crash and runs a video store. However, she struggles with her health, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Liv Hewson as teenage Vanessa Van Palmer
Liv Hewson played the young Vanessa in Yellowjackets. She is one of the survivors of the plane crash and struggles to stay alive in the wilderness. However, she is mauled by wolves in the series, which leaves her with a scar on her face.
Kevin Alves as teenage Travis Martinez
Kevin Alves plays the young Travis Martinez. The young Travis has hunting skills, and while surviving in the wilderness, he develops a relationship with Natalie.
Andres Soto as Travis Martinez
Andres Soto portrays the adult version of Travis Martinez in Yellowjackets. As an adult, he has a destructive relationship with Natalie. He commits suicide in the series.
Who are the other cast members of Yellowjackets?
Here are the other cast and characters of Yellowjackets:
- Sarah Desjardins as Callie Sadecki
- Alexa Barajas as Mari
- Keeya King (Season 1) / Nia Sondaya (Season 2) as Akilah
- Jane Widdop as Laura Lee
- Luciano Leroux as Javi Martinez
- Mya Lowe as Gen
- Jenna Burgess as Melissa
- Rukiya Bernard as Simone Abara
- Aiden Stoxx as Sammy Abara-Turner
- Rekha Sharma as Jessica Roberts
- Peter Gadiot as Adam Martin
- Alex Wyndham / Charlie Wright / Sean Martin Savoy as Kevyn Tan (adult and teenage versions)
- Nicole Maines as Lisa
- Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall
- Nuha Jes Izman as Crystal
- François Arnaud as Paul
- John Reynolds as Matt Saracusa
You can watch Yellowjackets on Netflix.
