Summary

Welcome to a new episode of Collider Ladies Night with Yellowjackets star Sarah Desjardins.

During her Ladies Night conversation with Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, Desjardins looked back on her experience making Impulse with Maddie Hasson, and ahead to her work on the upcoming Tron movie, Tron: Ares.

And, of course, Desjardins dug into the latest episodes of Yellowjackets, covering what draws Callie to Lottie, what it was like seeing Melanie Lynskey deliver that line in Episode 3, and more.

[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Yellowjackets, Season 3, Episode 3, “Dislocation.”]Raise your hand if you judged Callie way too soon during Season 1 of Yellowjackets. Callie is the only teenager in the present day timeline, and she often acts like it. She’s moody, rarely listens to her parents and, in Season 1, Episode 5, crossed a major line by wearing Jackie’s (Ella Purnell) Yellowjackets jersey as a Halloween costume. Sure, one could label that bratty, if not cruel behavior, but as Sarah Desjardins pointed out during her Collider Ladies Night interview, we can’t forget that Callie is a child, and she’s a child that’s been subjected to quite a few head-spinning and disturbing situations courtesy of her parents’ (Melanie Lynskey and Warren Kole) twisted past and present.
While Callie appears to be keeping it somewhat cool at the start of Season 3, there’s no doubt there’s a lot bubbling up underneath because, as Jeff explains, Callie just witnessed her mother’s friends wearing animal masks chasing her through the woods with knives, she shot one of them, and then saw Natalie (Juliette Lewis) die. Sure, they arrived at Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) wellness center with “five Dateline’s worth of problems,” but the problems they added to that list while there changed the game big time for Callie. In the first few episodes of Season 3, we start to get a sense of how.
With the first three episodes of Yellowjackets Season 3 now available to stream on Paramount+, Desjardins swung by the Collider Ladies Night studio to explain how she took the character from a seemingly stereotypical bratty teenager, to a highly determined – and often manipulative – young adult who’s been heavily shaped by her mother’s mysterious past and will stop at nothing to get answers.
Callie Is So Much More Than a “Stereotypical, Bratty Teenager”

“They made it very clear to me from the beginning that that’s not the intention or where we’re gonna land.”

If you’re a big Yellowjackets fan, there’s a good chance you’ve gone down the Reddit rabbit hole or investigated the wealth of theories and spicy opinions circulating social media. One especially hot topic of conversation? Not liking Callie because she’s a “stereotypical, bratty teenager.” Turns out, the showrunners were well aware they might spark that kind of reaction with the character, but, in true Yellowjackets fashion, they had some surprises up their sleeves that would not only ultimately justify that behavior, but tee Callie up to be an especially strong force in the present day timeline.
Desjardins explained:

“Something that I’ve really enjoyed is getting to know [Callie] as we go, which I know isn’t fully maybe my job description, but our talented writer-showrunners really like to keep things secret and they like to surprise us with, ‘Oh, I did that?’ Or, ‘Oh, I didn’t realize that was part of the backstory. Okay, let me work that in,’ which is also a fun challenge as an actor. But I remember before we started Season 1, they did tell me, and we were very much on the same page of Callie not just being a stereotypical, bratty teenager. Part of that is my own cross to bear with looking like a child and being a 30-year-old woman [laughs]. But, they made it very clear to me from the beginning that that’s not the intention or where we’re gonna land. So it was fun to have the dialogue be what it was and find the nuances in that, and also protect her sometimes when new directors would come in and it’s like, ‘Yeah, we think Callie would be on her phone in the scene,’ and I’m like, ‘Maybe not every scene.’”

In addition to Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, and Jonathan Lisco having the character’s back in the writing and development phases, someone else also swooped in to reassure Desjardins that it was only a matter of time before her character would have her moment. Desjardins continued:

“When I signed onto the show, the first thing that happened was I got on a Zoom with our director and Melanie and Warren, and I got to meet my parents for the first time. Melanie, being the precious creature that she is, she was like, ‘Sarah, I just want you to know that I’ve talked to Ashley, Bart, and Jonathan, and I really want you to know that you’re here because of your talent and that they have every intention to bring this character to life slowly in a much bigger way.’ And I didn’t know at the time if that would materialize or not, but she was like, ‘I just want you to know that that’s their intention with this character, and they really wanted to find someone who they felt was capable of bringing the complexity to her, and that’s why you’re here.’ Also, can we just acknowledge, for Melanie to say that to me as one of the first things made me feel immediately at ease and more confident. Such a beautiful gift.”

Related

‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 Review: The Wilderness Returns With a Twisty Mystery That Will Leave You Hungry for More

‘Yellowjackets’ Season 3 premieres February 14 on Showtime.

Lyle, Nickerson and Lisco very much made due on that promise, but first, Desjardins would have to power through being one of the more polarizing characters at the start of the show.

“I’ve thought about it a lot because, also, of course, it brings out how much I care about her. My brain goes, ‘Oh no, you guys! You don’t get it.’ [Laughs] I’m like, ‘You guys, you don’t get it. She’s acting this way because she just wants her mom to love her. She doesn’t feel loved.’ And that’s what I would hold onto when her more petulant sides would come out. Because also, we’re not judging our characters, [so] I’m like, ‘Also, remember Sarah, you are an adult. She is not an adult, and she’s just looking for some form of connection, from her mom, more specifically.’ Again, I’ve really enjoyed how they’ve shown in the show, and as it’s continued on, that Callie does have a bit more of that connection with Jeff, with her dad. They have a bit more of the emotional relationship. But I’ve also loved how it’s been developing with Shauna in an interesting way.”

Whether She Likes It or Not, Callie Is a Chip off the Old Block

“Callie is more like her mom than she thinks.”

Image via Paramount+

One particularly curious way that Callie and Shauna mother-daughter relationship is evolving? It’s proving that Callie is much more like her mom than anyone ever realized, even Desjardins herself.

“I remember reading in our [Season 3] premiere that the first time we see Callie after [Season 2], she’s smoking in her room and then her mom comes in and she’s just trying to get ready for school, and Shauna is almost seemingly confiding in me and looking for comfort from Callie, and [Callie] being like, ‘Are you serious? All of this stuff happened and you’re getting mad at me about the dishes because I’m not holding space for you?’ That was a reminder to me that the trauma of what Callie witnessed and experienced is all there, and it’s all underneath. But I think there’s moments that happen early in the season that I’m like, ‘Oh, part of it that Sarah needs to remember is that Callie is more like her mom than she thinks.’ And sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh, Callie is more like her mom than I think, than Sarah thinks.’”

Does this mean we’re doing away with the theory that Callie is essentially Shauna’s present day Jackie? Desjardins confirmed, “I’ve read about this. It is really interesting. I know everyone is like, you’re a love child.”
While there’s no denying that Callie’s exhibited some Jackie-like behavior, as the show progresses, it’s becoming quite clear that Callie is far more like Shauna. In fact, when I asked Desjardins which of the two she thinks Callie aligns with more, she said, “My gut reaction to the question is that, when it comes down to it, I’m more like my mom.” She added:

“And also, that makes sense. It’s the whole nature versus nurture. And also, I came from her, so her DNA is coursing through my veins. But I do think that it’s so ironic. It’s like the universe did its job to make Callie’s personality on the surface be a bit more like Jackie, just to really twist the knife for Shauna.”

Here’s Why Callie Is Gravitating Towards Lottie

“Lottie is someone that is a bit of a question mark for Callie.”

Image via Showtime

In addition to the evolution of the Shauna and Callie dynamic, Season 3 also sees a new relationship spark – one between Callie and Lottie.
In Episode 2, the Sadeckis get a surprise visitor – Lottie, fresh out of the psychiatric hold and needing a place to stay. While Shauna’s eager to kick her to the curb, Callie insists they give her a chance and, because of that, we get the sleepover trio we never knew we needed – Callie, Lottie, and Misty (Christina Ricci). It’s a delight for viewers, and also a dream acting opportunity for Desjardins. “There were moments of like, Sarah, let’s be present and not be freaking out about the fact that this is our life and happening.” She also added, while acting opposite two powerhouses, “It was so cool for me to be like, Callie’s in control.”
And that right there is one of the biggest takeaways from that sequence. Callie can be a highly manipulative person. Desjardins noted, “Misty is terrifying as a character. She’s so unpredictable, but, as we know, Misty has her vulnerabilities, and for Callie to sense that and know what to do to manipulate her, as Sarah, I’m like, ‘I’m manipulating Christina Ricci right now. How is this real?’”
Yes, clearly Callie is a skilled manipulator, but that ability winds up sparking a question that makes Callie one of the most curious characters to track. When is Callie being honest, and when is she doing what’s necessary to push others in a particular direction? You might have caught an example of the former in Episode 3 when Callie is shopping with Lottie, and Lottie dismisses a dress that Callie likes.

“I’m very hard on myself and I can be so critical of performance, but there are so many moments this season where I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m so much more connected to Callie than I even realize,’ because I’m watching it and I feel hurt, or I feel for her, and that was one of those moments when I watched it for the first time where I was like, ‘I don’t even remember really doing that,’ and I was like, ‘Aww!’”

Desjardins then dug into the Callie and Lottie connection a little further:

“I think that, when we end Season 2 and there’s that moment in the compound when I shoot Lottie, where she says, ‘This is your daughter? She’s so powerful.’ Callie hears that. She doesn’t know what it means, but she does hear it. And then this season, as we’re talking up to Episode 3, Lottie is someone that is a bit of a question mark for Callie, but she also feels drawn to her in a certain way. I think because Lottie, being connected to some things within the wilderness, maybe that some of the other girls are less connected to, I think that Callie senses a certain openness of some kind with Lottie. Callie is really on a journey of searching for answers this season and can sense that maybe this is someone that she can get that from. But, in a way, she also looks up to her. So that was kind of that moment for me of like, she’s kind of looking up to Lottie and she’s like, ‘Oh, will this be the thing?’ Just to feel completely shot down and self-conscious for a minute.”

That Shocking ‘Yellowjackets’ Scene with Shauna, Lottie & Callie in Episode 3

“I have goosebumps.”

Image via Paramount+

Callie’s plan to get answers from Lottie comes to a screeching halt in their next scene.
After their shopping (stealing) spree, Callie and Lottie return home to make dinner for everyone. The vibes are quite joyful until Shauna spots Callie’s necklace – it’s Jackie’s necklace. When Callie tells Shauna she got it from Lottie, Shauna sees red and, in one of the most searing line deliveries of the season thus far, tells Lottie, “Get the f*ck out of my house!” After referencing the moment, Desjardins said:

“I have goosebumps. I remember reading the script and being like, ‘I’m going to witness Melanie Lynskey yelling like this? What is that gonna feel like?’ Melanie, as a person, is so soft, gentle, loving, nurturing. The only way I can describe it, which I think also, thankfully, is also how Callie is feeling in that moment, is disbelief.”

Not only was this an unforgettable moment for Desjardins as an actor, but there’s no doubt that seeing her mother this furious will make a major impression on Callie going forward.

“It’s the first time that Callie is really witnessing her mom let things out that way. Obviously it’s not the first time the audience has seen it. Honestly, there’s so many layers for Callie. I think it’s feeling scared of her mom, confused as to why this is the interaction. And again, there’s an undercurrent for Callie that kind of becomes more apparent at the end of Season 2 and is carried through Season 3 of, ‘How much am I like her? I’m kind of afraid to be like her,’ witnessing this thing.”

A ‘Yellowjackets’ Showrunner Got Emotional Over Sarah Desjardins’ Work

“Ashley took some time to say some things about me and my portrayal of Callie and got very emotional.”

We’ve already seen some showstopping performances in Yellowjackets Season 3, but given Desjardins’ answer to the final Collider Ladies Night question, there’s no doubt that things will intensify for Callie. And, based on Ashley Lyle’s reaction to her work, Desjardins likely soared with that opportunity.
Here’s what she said when asked for something she did while making Yellowjackets Season 3 that she can look back on and say, “I’m so proud of what I did there.”

“I think that I was really hard on myself this season in general. My brain is such an interesting place. It’s like, ‘Oh, my part keeps growing,’ so you would think you would go, ‘That must mean I’m doing a good job,’ and my brain can go, ‘Don’t mess it up. Don’t mess it up.’ At the end of the season, when we wrapped, Bart and Ashley were there. Warren and I got to wrap out the whole season. We had the last scene, which I loved, and I loved doing it with him. I guess I would just say that Ashley took some time to say some things about me and my portrayal of Callie and got very emotional, which I wasn’t expecting. Part of me hates to admit it, but it was just exactly what I needed because there was no way for my brain to go, ‘She’s just saying that,’ because she was getting emotional. So that was a beautiful gift that she gave me, and I let her know that, as well. I was like, ‘You have no idea how much that means to me.’”

The compliments didn’t stop there. Desjardins went on to revisit an unforgettable phone call she had with Jonathan Lisco after filming.

“There’s a particular scene later in the season that I wouldn’t say is any of the crazy pivotal ones, but that I was like, ‘That scene was my worst by far. I think I struggled the most in this scene.’ Again, when we wrapped, Jonathan wasn’t with us on the last day, and I just wanted to call him, so we were having a chat. I’ve also valued so much getting to have a deeper relationship with all of them this year, and he was just like, ‘Sarah, I have to tell you, this one scene in particular, you did so good.’ And it was the scene that I thought was my worst by far. There are so many moments this year that I’m so grateful for of like, ‘Sarah, one, we’re working on the way we see ourselves, but also I think we’ve got a bit of impostor syndrome going on.’ It was very valuable to me this year to have so many moments of, ‘We’re not seeing ourselves clearly, so maybe when we have those moments we can be a bit more removed from it and be like, that doesn’t mean it’s reality.’ I think what I mean to say is there are so many moments that I’m like, ‘Oh, I guess there are so many moments to be proud of this year,’ that I didn’t even quite realize. So that was a beautiful thing to realize and also get told by my bosses. We love that.”

A mere three episodes into the new season and it’s already quite easy to echo the showrunners’ enthusiasm for Desjardins’ work.
Looking for even more from Desjardins about her Yellowjackets journey and more? Be sure to check out our entire conversation in the video at the top of this article, or you can listen to the full interview in podcast form below.

Yellowjackets

Release Date

November 14, 2021

Network

Showtime, Paramount+ with Showtime

Showrunner

Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, Jonathan Lisco

Directors

Benjamin Semanoff, Daisy von Scherler Mayer, Deepa Mehta, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Liz Garbus, Scott Winant, Eva Sørhaug, Jamie Travis

Writers

Liz Phang, Sarah L. Thompson, Ameni Rozsa

The first three episodes of Yellowjackets Season 3 are available to stream on Paramount+.
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