The Yellowjackets cast features Melanie Lynskey, Tawny Cypress and Ella Purnell. This info article contains minor spoilers and character details for Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson’s Showtime series. Check out more streaming guides in Vague Visages’ Know the Cast section.

Yellowjackets explores a 25-year-old mystery involving natives of Wiskayok, New Jersey. In 1996, a female soccer team flies to a national competition in Seattle but crashes in the Canadian Rockies. There, the survivors spend 19 months in the wilderness, with some resorting to cannibalism. Directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Karyn Kusama, the pilot episode chronicles the events that precede the tragedy, along with the protagonists’ lives in the present. Here’s every main performer and character in Yellowjackets.

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Emergency’

Yellowjackets Cast: Melanie Lynskey as Shauna Sheridan

Character Profile: A survivor of the 1996 plane crash. In the present, she has a daughter named Callie and meets with a journalist about discussing her past. Shauna colludes with a fellow survivor named Taissa and hides secrets about their time in the wilderness.

Lynskey’s Resume: Pauline Parker in Heavenly Creatures (1994), Rose in Two and a Half Men (2003-15), Julie Bingham in Up in the Air (2009), Michelle Pierson in Togetherness (2015-16), Molly Strand in Castle Rock (2018)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘X’

Yellowjackets Cast: Tawny Cypress as Taissa Turner

Character Profile: A plane crash survivor. In the present, she’s a politician who campaigns to be a New Jersey senator. Taissa helps Shauna cover up details about their past experiences.

Cypress’ Resume: Melissa in Autumn in New York (2000), Simone Deveaux in Heroes (2006-07), Allisa in Brooklyn’s Finest (2009), New Rowan in The Blacklist (2016), Inez in Inez & Doug & Kira (2019)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Ambulance’

Yellowjackets Cast: Ella Purnell as Jackie

Character Profile: The captain of the WHS Yellowjacks soccer team in the 1996 timeline. She rallies her peers before a national competition. Jackie plans to lose her virginity with boyfriend Jeff, unaware that he’s secretly been hooking up with her best friend, Shauna.

Purnell’s Resume: Young Ruth in Never Let Me Go (2010), Mackenzie in Wildlike (2014), Emma in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016), Tess in Sweetbitter (2018-19), Kate Ward in Army of the Dead (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Angelyne’

Yellowjackets Cast: Sophie Nélisse as Young Shauna Sheridan

Character Profile: In the 1996 timeline, she clashes with Taissa and secretly hooks up with Jeff. Young Shauna  learns that she’s been accepted to the prestigious Brown University. Shauna sits next to Jackie during their fateful trip to Seattle.

Nélisse’s Resume: Alice L’Écuyer in Monsieur Lazhar (2011), Liesel Meminger in The Book Thief (2013), Young Joan Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice (2014), Mia in 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019), Rose in Flashwood (2020)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Godspeed’

Yellowjackets Cast: Jasmin Savoy Brown as Young Taissa Turner

Character Profile: A WHS soccer player who plots against a teammate. She clashes with Shauna during a bonfire party after winning the state championship. Young Taissa is framed as the Mean Girl of the Yellowjackets squad.

Brown’s Resume: Evangeline Murphy in The Leftovers (2015-17), Emilia Bassano in Will (2017), Allison Adams in For the People (2018-19), Annie in Love (2018), Alexis Reeves in Sound of Violence (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Borrego’

Yellowjackets Cast: Sophie Thatcher as Young Natalie

Character Profile: A survivor of the plane crash. In the 1996 timeline, she’s a punk rocker who enjoys recreational drugs. Natalie hallucinates and sees her classmate Misty, who later becomes a central figure in a cannibalism subplot.

Thatcher’s Resume: Young Regan in The Exorcist (2016), Cee in Prospect (2018), Deb in Chicago Med (2018), Jeanine in The Tomorrow Man (2019), Becky Monroe in When the Streetlights Go On (2020)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘F*ck Love Too’

Yellowjackets Cast: Sammi Hanratty as Young Misty

Character Profile: One of the plane crash survivors. She is positioned as an outsider during the 1996 timeline. The end of the pilot episode shows Young Misty participating in a cannibalistic ritual.

Hanratty’s Resume: Holly in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (2006-08), Jennifer Lynne in Zoe Gone (2014), Kassidi in Shameless (2017-18), Sara in Timeline (2019), Elle Overton in Another Girl (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Senior Year’

Yellowjackets Cast: Christina Ricci as Misty

Character Profile: A care assistant in the present timeline. She punishes a patient at the end of the pilot episode. Misty is tracked by Natalie in the 2021 narrative.

Ricci’s Resume: Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family (1991), Kat in Jasper (1995), Layla in Buffalo ’66 (1998), Rae in Black Snake Moan (2006), Wednesday Addams in Z: The Beginning of Everything (2015-17)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘Along for the Ride’

Yellowjackets Cast: Juliette Lewis as Natalie

Character Profile: A plane crash survivor. She leaves rehab in the present timeline and heads to LAX. Natalie tracks down Misty and plans to “reconnect” with her old friends.

Lewis’ Resume: Danielle Bowden in Cape Fear (1991), Mallory Knox in Natural Born Killers (1994), Kate Fuller in From Dusk Til Dawn (1996), Andrea Cornell in Secrets and Lies (2015-16), June in Mayday (2021)

Read More at VV — Know the Cast: ‘The Valet’

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The Yellowjackets cast also includes Steven Krueger (The Originals, Roswell, New Mexico), Warren Kole (The Following, Shades of Blue), Courtney Eaton (Mad Max: Fury Road, Gods of Egypt), Liv Hewson (Before I Fall, Santa Clarita Diet) and Keeya King (Van Hesling, Batwoman).

Q.V. Hough (@QVHough) is Vague Visages’ founding editor.