Season 2 of Showtime’s hit genre series “Yellowjackets” is set for another dance at this year’s Emmys, after earning critical acclaim and breaking network records. Plans for interim submissions have changed slightly since the first season, Variety learned exclusively.
Breakout star Sophie Nélisse, who plays the teenage version of Shauna, will now join her adult counterpart Melanie Lynskey in the dramatic lead actress category, hoping to land a nomination. The pair will be joined by co-stars Tawny Cypress and Juliette Lewis, who portray the adult versions of their characters, Taissa and Natalie, respectively.
The thriller tells the story of a girls’ soccer team as they struggle to survive in the woods after their plane crashes on their way to a tournament. The story goes back and forth between two periods: the first, the aftermath of an accident, the surviving members fending for themselves; the other, in their adult life 25 years later, as they come to terms with the trauma of that experience.
Melanie Lynskey as Shauna in YELLOWJACKETS Season 2. Photo Credit: Kimberley French/SHOWTIME.
Courtesy of Kimberley French/Showtime
As the grown-up version of Misty, actress Christina Ricci earned a much-deserved nod to the supporting actress for her terrifying portrayal. She’ll be looking for a nod again in the same category, serving as one of her two Emmy offerings. The other is for her work as Marilyn Thornhill on Netflix’s “Wednesday,” seeking to support acting comedy.
Ricci won’t be the only cast member of adult characters in the supporting category, with this season’s newcomers Lauren Ambrose (as goalkeeper Van Palmer) and Simone Kessell as schizophrenic cult leader Lottie, also vying for attention. Among them will be young cast members, including stars Jasmin Savoy Brown (Taissa), Samantha Hanratty (Misty) and Sophie Thatcher (Natalie), in addition to Courtney Eaton (young Lottie) and Liv Hewson (Van).
Also new to the set is veteran actor Elijah Wood, who plays Walter, a citizen detective whom Misty meets. He will be among the men proposed to support the acting theater, including Steven Krueger as one-legged assistant coach; Kevin Alves as young Travis, Natalie’s boyfriend; and Warren Kole as Shauna’s husband, Jeff.
The first episode, directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer, was Showtime’s highest-streaming debut episode, reaching nearly two million viewers across all platforms according to Nielsen, comScore and internal network data.
Details regarding specific episode submissions for writing, directing, and technical categories will be announced at a later date.
Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, the first season garnered seven Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Directing for Karyn Kusama. The series is produced by Lyle, Nickerson and fellow showrunner Jonathan Lisco; Creative Engine’s Drew Comins, Ameni Rozsa, Sarah L. Thompson, and Kusama.
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