From the pilot’s initial moments, Yellowjackets has captivated audiences with its alluring hints at a sinister past among a group of women who survived a terrifying ordeal as teenage girls.
The thrilling drama series alternates between the past and present, showcasing the women’s struggle to come to terms with the traumatic events that altered the course of their lives forever.
But did you know that the show’s creators, Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, were inspired by real-life accounts of survival in extreme conditions? Specifically, they drew inspiration from the historic Donner Party of the 1800s and the 1972 Andes Flight Disaster.
(L-R) Lauren Ambrose, Melanie Lynskey, and Simone Kessell attend PaleyFest LA 2023 – “Yellowjackets” at Dolby Theatre on April 3, 2023, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
Yellowjackets sought to depict a group of primarily female survivors who are lost in the Canadian wilderness and forced to turn to cannibalism to survive.
The show’s title highlights the girls’ actions before, during, and following the plane disaster as a “hive-mentality,” focusing on who the “queen bee” is.
The barbarism displayed by the girls during their time in the forest, reminiscent of Lord of the Flies and Mean Girls, serves as a sobering reminder of the lengths people will go to survive.
So whether you’re tuning in for the gripping storyline or the talented cast, Yellowjackets keeps you on the edge of your seat. Here’s a rundown of the actresses that brought the characters into our screen and ranked them from tallest to shortest.
1. Courtney Eaton (Teen Lottie) – 5ft 10 in. (177.8 cm)
Courtney Eaton, who is 5ft 10 inches (177.8 cm) tall, plays the role of Lottie, the team’s resident affluent member. However, her character is far from that of a typical spoiled rich kid.
After the plane crash, Lottie runs out of her schizophrenia medicine, which leads to hallucinations and visions that start to impact the other team members.
Simone Kessell (L) looks short standing next to Courtney Eaton at PaleyFest LA 2023 – “Yellowjackets” at Dolby Theatre on April 3, 2023, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
The 27-year-old American actress and model originally auditioned for the role of Shauna in Yellowjackets.
Eaton is no stranger to doomsday scenarios, as Yellowjackets is not her first encounter with such a plot. She was formerly known for playing Cheedo the Fragile in Mad Max: Fury Road, where she starred as the youngest of cult leader Immortan Joe’s brides.
Portrayed by Courtney Eaton as a teen and Simone Kessell as an adult in the program’s second season, Charlotte “Lottie” Matthews is a character on the Showtime original series Yellowjackets (Credit: Showtime)
Additionally, Eaton starred in the 2019 thriller Line of Duty and the 2016 fantasy action movie Gods of Egypt. Interestingly, she also appeared in the direct-to-video film Status Update with Ross Lynch, a former Disney Channel star who she dated from 2015 to 2017.
2. Simone Kessell (Adult Lottie Matthews) – 5ft 7 ½ in. (171.5 cm)
The adult Lottie, who has been involved in some shady activities over the years, is portrayed by the talented actress Simone Kessell, who towers at 5ft 7 ½ inches (171.5 cm).
Simone Kessell (R) is the tallest among Lauren Ambrose (L), Melanie Lynskey (C), and herself, with a height of 5ft 7 ½ (171.5 cm), while Melanie is the second tallest at 5ft 6 ¼ (168.3 cm), and Lauren is the shortest with 5ft 5 (165.1 cm) (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
In the second season, viewers discovered what happened to Lottie after the cliffhanger ending of season one revealed that she was still alive.
Kessell, originally from New Zealand, has a range of impressive performances on her resume. One of Kessell’s most notable roles is in the HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.
For the second season of Showtime’s Yellowjackets, Simone Kessell (known for her role in Obi-Wan Kenobi) joined the cast as the adult Lottie Matthews (Credit: Showtime)
She starred in the short-lived Fox science fiction series Terra Nova as Lt. Alicia Washington, and in 2016, she acted alongside Ray Winstone in the ABC prime-time fantasy soap opera Of Kings and Prophets.
Recently, the 47-year-old actress appeared in the highly anticipated Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+, acting alongside Ewan McGregor.
3. Jasmin Savoy Brown (Teen Taissa) – 5ft 7 in. (170.2 cm)
Jasmin Savoy Brown is an American actress and 5ft. 7 inches (170.2 cm) tall, who plays the competitive Taissa, whose doubts about Lottie’s purported talents are put to rest when she begins experiencing unsettling supernatural events.
The 29-year-old actress is known for her roles in the legal drama For the People on ABC and the mystery drama The Leftovers on HBO. She has also appeared in the slasher films Sound of Violence in 2021, Scream in 2022, and Scream VI in 2023.
Jasmin Savoy Brown, an American actress with a height of 5ft 7 (170.2 cm), has appeared in various TV series such as The Leftovers, For the People, and Yellowjackets, as well as leading roles in Sound of Violence and the upcoming films Scream and Scream VI, and also provided the voice and motion capture for Phin Mason / Tinkerer in the video game Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
In the 2020 video game Spider-Man: Miles Morales, she provided the voice and motion capture for the character Phin Mason/Tinkerer.
Alongside Liv Hewson, who plays one of her on-screen love interests in Yellowjackets, Brown co-created, produced, and hosted the podcast The Homo Schedule, later acquired by Netflix.
On the Showtime original series Yellowjackets, the character Taissa Turner is portrayed by Jasmin Savoy Brown during her teenage years, and Tawny Cypress as an adult (Credit: Showtime)
Additionally, she is a singer and has released two songs on YouTube, “Orange Wine” and “goddamnit,” with Hewson appearing in the latter’s music video.
4. Tawny Cypress (Adult Taissa Turner) – 5ft 6 ¼ in. (168.3 cm)
Tawny Cypress is 5ft 6 ¼ inches (168.3 cm) tall and portrays Taissa Turner, a former top player for the Yellowjackets who is now a candidate for state senate.
Her shared past with the team and her ongoing interactions with her “other half” threaten her political career, which she cannot allow.
Tawny Cypress, an American actress with a height of 5ft 6 ¼ (168.3 cm), has appeared in several television series and stage plays, including Heroes, K-Ville, House of Cards, and Unforgettable, and received critical acclaim for her role as Inez in the film Inez & Doug & Kira, and is currently starring as Taissa Turner on Showtime’s Yellowjackets since 2021 (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
The 46-year-old American actress gained recognition for portraying art dealer Simone Deveaux in the popular television series Heroes. In the critically acclaimed 2019 movie Inez & Doug & Kira, Cypress played the lead role of Inez.
She has also appeared in various TV shows, including Carly Heath on House of Cards, Ginger “Love Tap” LeBeau on Fox’s drama K-Ville, and Cherie Rollins-Murray on the second and third seasons of CBS’s Unforgettable.
Tawny Cypress, an American actress, plays the character of Adult Taissa Turner on Showtime’s Yellowjackets (Credit: Showtime)
In the 2022 docuseries Queer for Fear, Cypress acknowledged her attraction to women and even cited her Yellowjackets co-star Lynskey’s 1994 film Heavenly Creatures as an influence on her coming-out narrative.
5. Melanie Lynskey (Adult Shauna Sadecki) – 5ft 6 ¼ in. (168.3 cm)
Melanie Lynskey takes on the role of Shauna, a complex housewife who is trying to regain her autonomy while keeping the team’s dark secrets safe and also dealing with her marriage to the prom king, who happens to be Jackie’s ex-boyfriend.
Melanie Lynskey (R) is taller than Sarah Desjardins (L), with a height of 5ft 6 ¼ (168.3 cm), while Sarah’s height is 5ft 4 (162.6 cm) (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
The 45-year-old actress, who stands 5ft. 6 ¼ inches (168.3 cm), began her acting career at 16, debuting in the critically acclaimed movie Heavenly Creatures, where she portrayed New Zealand murderess Pauline Parker opposite Kate Winslet.
After receiving widespread critical acclaim for her role in the film, Lynskey later appeared in minor roles in various films such as Sweet Home Alabama, Coyote Ugly, and Ever After. Lynskey continued establishing herself as a character actress in movies like Shattered Glass, Flags of Our Fathers, Win Win, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
In the Hulu miniseries Candy (2022), Melanie Lynskey portrays Betty Gore, a housewife brutally murdered by her friend in Texas in 1980.
On the Showtime original series Yellowjackets, Shauna Sadecki (née Shipman) is played by Sophie Nélisse as a teenager and Melanie Lynskey as an adult (Credit: Showtime)
She gained recognition as a prominent figure in the American independent film community with lead roles in Happy Christmas, The Intervention, and I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, which led her to larger projects like Don’t Look Up.
Lynskey’s career took a turning point after her starring role in Hello I Must Be Going, where she played a depressed divorcee. On television, Lynskey played Rose in Two and a Half Men from 2003 to 2015 and appeared as a furious revolutionary leader in The Last of Us in 2023.
6. Juliette Lewis (Adult Natalie Scatorccio) – 5ft 6 in. (167.6 cm)
Juliette Lewis is 5ft 6 inches (167.6 cm) tall, and she portrays Natalie Scatorccio, a punk rocker still dealing with the aftermath of the plane crash and struggling with addiction.
Natalie may appear tough on the outside, but she opens up about her struggles with Shauna, Taissa, and Misty.
Juliette Lewis looked stunning in an Olivier Theyskens dress, styled by Dani + Emma, at the season 2 world premiere of Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” held at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on March 22, 2023 (Credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock)
The 49-year-old actress gained fame as a teen in the 1990s with roles in movies such as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Natural Born Killers, and Cape Fear, for which she received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.
After starring in movies like August: Osage County and Ma, Lewis shifted her focus to television, appearing in shows such as The Act, Queer as Folk, and Welcome to Chippendales.
The Showtime original series Yellowjackets features a character named Natalie Scatorccio, also known as “Nat,” who is played by Sophie Thatcher during her teenage years and by Juliette Lewis in her adulthood (Credit: Showtime)
In her personal life, she has had high-profile relationships with actors Brad Pitt after meeting on the set of Too Young to Die? and Leonardo DiCaprio, whom she met in the production of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
7. Sophie Thatcher (Teen Natalie) – 5ft 5 in. (165.1 cm)
Sophie Thatcher is a 5ft. 5 inches (165.1 cm) tall American actress who plays teenage Natalie, a talented soccer player with a penchant for troublemaking and a loud personality that sets her apart from the rest of the team.
Thatcher’s portrayal of teenage Natalie is intentionally distinct from Juliette Lewis’ performance of the character as an adult.
Sophie Bathsheba Thatcher, an American actress who stands at 5ft 5 (165.1 cm), is known for her roles as Natalie in Showtime’s Yellowjackets and in The Book of Boba Fett, as well as her debut in the 2018 science fiction film Prospect (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
Born and raised in Chicago, the 22-year-old actress started in theater and has appeared in productions of famous plays like The Secret Garden, Oliver!, A Christmas Carol: The Musical, and The Diary of Anne Frank.
Her breakout role was in the 2018 indie sci-fi film Prospect, which earned her critical acclaim for her performance as a young girl accompanying her father, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, on a mission to mine for precious gems on a remote alien moon.
The character Nat, also known as Natalie Scatorccio, appears in the Showtime series Yellowjackets, played by Sophie Thatcher in her teenage years and by Juliette Lewis in her adult years (Credit: Showtime)
Thatcher’s performance as a cyborg leader in Disney+’s The Book of Boba Fett has gained widespread recognition, and she is set to showcase her acting chops again in the upcoming horror film, The Boogeyman.
8. Lauren Ambrose (Adult Vanessa Palmer) – 5ft 5 in. (165.1 cm)
Lauren Ambrose towers at 5ft. 5 inches (165.1 cm), and she takes on the role of Vanessa “Van” Palmer, an adult survivor of the wilderness ordeal.
In the show’s first season, Van starts dating Taissa, one of her former teammates from the Yellowjackets soccer team.
Van is played by Liv Hewson during her teenage years, and in the show’s second season, she is portrayed by Lauren Ambrose as an adult.
Lauren Ambrose, an American actress and singer, stands at the height of 5ft 5 (165.1 cm) and is best known for her role as Claire Fisher in the HBO series Six Feet Under, as well as for her appearances in Torchwood: Miracle Day, Servant, and Yellowjackets, and her stage performances in productions such as My Fair Lady (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
The 45-year-old actress recently finished her role on the suspenseful Apple TV+ series Servant, which M. Night Shyamalan directed.
She gained widespread recognition for her performance as Claire Fisher on HBO’s Six Feet Under, which earned her two Emmy nominations.
Ambrose’s portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in the Lincoln Center Theater’s revival of My Fair Lady earned her a Tony nomination in 2018.
9. Liv Hewson (Teen Vanessa) – 5ft 5 in. (165.1 cm)
Liv Hewson portrays the teenage Vanessa “Van” Palmer in Showtime’s Yellowjackets, and she is 5ft. 5 inches (165.1 cm) tall.
Despite experiencing a gruesome accident following the plane crash, Van is known as the team’s “unofficial mascot” due to her optimistic outlook.
Liv Hewson, an Australian actor and playwright, stands at the height of 5ft 5 (165.1 cm) and is known for her role as Abby Hammond in the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Before Yellowjackets, the 27-year-old actress played Abby Hammond in the Netflix series Santa Clarita Diet and Claire Duncan in the fantasy web series Dramaworld in 2016.
The Australian also had recurring roles in the second season of Top of the Lake, the miniseries Marvel’s Inhumans, and the movie Before I Fall in 2017.
In the Showtime original series Yellowjackets, the character Vanessa Palmer, also known as “Van,” is played by Liv Hewson during her teenage years, and it has been announced that in the second season of the show, she will be portrayed by Lauren Ambrose as an adult (Credit: Showtime)
In 2020, the starlet was recognized with the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award for Hewson’s efforts to elevate LGBTQ voices in television, film, and theater.
10. Sophie Nélisse (Teen Shauna) – 5ft 3 in. (160 cm)
Sophie Nélisse stands at 5ft. 3 inches (160 cm), and she plays the teenage Shauna, one of the “lucky” survivors of the plane crash, and despite being previously unnoticed, she quickly adapts to life in the wilderness and forms a bond with Taissa.
To match the appearance of co-star Melanie Lynskey, Nélisse colored her hair brown and wore brown contact lenses.
Sophie Nélisse, a Canadian actress with a height of 5ft 3 (160 cm), has been recognized for her performance in Monsieur Lazhar, as well as her roles in The Book Thief and The Kid Detective, and currently stars as young Shauna in the Showtime series Yellowjackets (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Interestingly, the 23-year-old Canadian actress used to practice as a gymnast to compete in the 2016 Olympics, but she gave up the sport after landing the lead role in The Book Thief in 2013.
On the Showtime original series Yellowjackets, the character Shauna Sadecki (formerly known as Shipman) is played by Sophie Nélisse during her teenage years and by Melanie Lynskey in her adulthood (Credit: Showtime)
Nélisse has received recognition for her acting skills, including a Genie Award in 2012 for her performance as Alice in Monsieur Lazhar and is known as Caroline in The Kid Detective.
11. Samantha Hanratty (Teen Misty) – 5ft 1 in. (154.9 cm)
Samantha Hanratty portrays the role of Misty, the teen equipment manager of the Yellowjackets. Despite her cheerful demeanor and eagerness to please, Misty has a darker side that would stop at nothing to get what she wants.
For the 5ft 1 inches (154.9 cm) tall actress, playing Misty required her to access a different side of herself. She initially went through the audition process for the part of Natalie before landing the role of Misty.
Sammi Hanratty, an American actress with a height of 5ft 1 (154.9 cm), has played lead roles in films such as An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong and The Greening of Whitney Brown and currently portrays the young Misty in the Showtime series Yellowjackets (Credit: Faye’s Vision / Cover Images)
Hanratty is no stranger to television and movies, having acted alongside Lacey Chabert in various films and shows, including the 2006 ABC Family original Hello Sister, Goodbye Life.
The 27-year-old star’s breakthrough role was Chrissa in the 2009 movie An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong. She also played Holly, a regular character on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in 2006, and appeared in the Stephen King film Desperation on ABC that same year.
The Showtime series Yellowjackets features the character Misty Quigley, played by Sammi Hanratty during her teenage years and by Christina Ricci in her adulthood (Credit: Showtime)
In addition to her other roles, Hanratty appeared in episodes of popular television shows such as Pushing Daisies. Before her role in Yellowjackets, Hanratty appeared in the Showtime television series Shameless as Carl’s wife, Kassidi.
12. Christina Ricci (Adult Misty Quigley) – 5ft ½ in. (153.7 cm)
Christina Ricci is a 5ft ½ inches (153.7 cm) tall American actress who takes on the role of Misty Quigley, an unscrewed nurse. She is known for her love of sleuthing both online and in person, and she is not above manipulating others for her benefit.
Misty has a pet parrot, which Ricci suggested, as she believed that “weird people have birds.” During the first season’s filming, Ricci was pregnant, which added an extra layer of complexity to her portrayal of Misty.
Samantha Hanratty and her shorter co-star Christina Ricci attend the World Premiere of Season Two of Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 22, 2023, in Hollywood, California (Credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock)
The 43-year-old actress first gained recognition for her performance as Wednesday Addams in the 1991 film The Addams Family. She reprised the role in the film’s sequel, Addams Family Values.
Ricci also starred in other successful movies of the 90s, including Casper and Now and Then. Throughout her career, Ricci has appeared in over a dozen films, including The Opposite of Sex, Sleepy Hollow, and Monster.
Christina Ricci, who stands at the height of 5ft ½ in (153.7 cm), started playing the role of Misty Quigley on the highly praised Showtime series Yellowjackets in 2021 (Credit: Showtime)
The short actress also had a pivotal role in the short-lived ABC series Pan Am and the critically acclaimed Grey’s Anatomy and produced and starred in The Lizzie Borden Chronicles for Lifetime. She also had a small role in The Matrix Resurrections as advertising executive Gwen De Vere.
Most recently, she returned to the Addams Family universe in the Netflix series Wednesday, where she played the house mother, Marilyn Thornhill.