[Editor's note: The following contains spoilers for Yellowjackets Season 1.]Yes, Yellowjackets may have main characters, but one of the standout qualities of the new Showtime series is that no matter the size of the role, every character makes an impression and contributes significantly to the group dynamic, especially in the 1996 material.
Jackie (Ella Purnell) and Shauna (Sophie Nélisse) are often front and center, Taissa (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Van (Liv Hewson) are consistent scene stealers, and literally every single thing Misty (Samantha Hanratty) does is fascinating to track, but then we’ve also got characters like Jane Widdop’s Laura Lee. No, Laura Lee isn’t in the spotlight as much, but Widdop ensures her presence and the importance of it is always felt.
During my Collider Ladies Night interview with Yellowjackets’ Melanie Lynskey, we started to riff on how impressive every single member of this ensemble is and how they all manage to make their roles their own. That’s when Lynskey revealed a curious detail about Widdop’s character. Turns out, that role was initially meant to be far smaller.
“Jane, who plays, played Laura Lee, they were supposed to have one line in the pilot and then they were so good — or like two lines or something. It was a little part — and then, I don’t know if this is public knowledge, but they were not supposed to make it past the plane crash and were so impressive in the table read and in the pilot that then they were brought along.”
While it wasn’t much of a surprise to hear that Widdop made such a big impression during the table read that the writers decided to add to her role, it was a shock to learn that there was ever a point when Laura Lee died in the initial crash given how heavily she influences what follows. Laura Lee is a kindhearted soul dedicated to her faith who often keeps her teammates in check. She steps in to put a stop to the séance, keeps Lottie (Courtney Eaton) stable, and is a major player in stopping the team from turning to darker tactics for survival. Laura Lee’s death in Episode 8, “Flight of the Bumblebee,” essentially kicks off the group’s extreme downward spiral.
When I mentioned as much to Lynskey, she noted:
“That character became indispensable. But that’s just testament to how strong every single one of those actors are. They’re all so good. Every time it switches to a scene I was like, ‘Oh, a Coach Ben scene. Oh, I’m excited! Oh, a Misty scene. Oh, I’m excited! Oh, an Akilah scene.’ Every single one of them I’m excited to watch. There’s never a character where I’m like, ‘Alright.’ They’re all so good.”
That right there is one of many things that’s wildly impressive about Yellowjackets. Even with such a big ensemble, there are no lulls. While one may have a favorite character, everyone’s journey is engaging and rich. So even when the show moves from one's favorite character to another, the eagerness to see what happens next never dissipates. Lynskey also added, “I’m just amazed by every one of them. I feel like a proud mom.”
Looking for more Yellowjackets insight from Lynskey? There’s so much more from where that came from! Be sure to give our uncut 45-minute conversation a listen in podcast form below: