The wilderness is calling once again, and the Yellowjackets are answering—whether they want to or not. Season 3 of the hit Showtime-turned-Paramount+ series premieres today, and fans are in for another thrilling, gruesome, and emotional ride.
What’s Yellowjackets About?
Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets follows a high school girls’ soccer team whose plane crashes deep in the remote northern wilderness. The show moves between the past—where the survivors battle the elements, each other, and their darkest instincts—and the present, where they struggle to keep their secrets buried while facing the consequences of their time in the wild.
What’s Happening in Season 3?
After enduring a brutal winter, the Yellowjackets find themselves in a fragile moment of survival. Tension within the group is at an all-time high, and with leadership disputes threatening their unity, being rescued may be the least of their problems. Meanwhile, in the present day, secrets continue to unravel, exposing deeper, darker truths about who they’ve become.
Season 3 welcomes returning favorites like Melanie Lynskey (Shauna), Christina Ricci (Misty), Tawny Cypress (Taissa), and Lauren Ambrose (Van), while newcomers like two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank join the all-star cast.
“It’s Very Gay This Season”
One of the standout aspects of Yellowjackets has always been its strong female-led cast and queer representation, both on and off-screen. Sammi Hanratty, who plays teen Misty, reflected on how the show helped her embrace her identity:
“I came out myself during season one as bisexual, and this show created a space where I felt comfortable to do that,” Hanratty shared. “I think that this show is a great representation of just accepting yourself where you’re at.”
And for fans wondering if this season will continue pushing LGBTQ+ representation forward? “Yes, yes. It’s very gay this season,” Hanratty confirmed.
Owning the Queer, Female-Led Narrative
Jasmin Savoy Brown, who plays teen Taissa, takes immense pride in the show’s representation.
“I am so honored to be a part of such a queer and female show,” Brown said. “Not just that it’s a show about so many women and girls, but that these women and girls are allowed to be messy and strong and f***ed up and manipulative and evil—cannibalistic. Usually, even when we get to focus on girls, they’re kind of undone. They’re pretty but messy. But here, they’re gross and horrible, and we deserve to see that.”
Love, Trauma, and a Few Laughs Along the Way
The deep emotional weight of the series is balanced with the cast’s incredible chemistry off-screen. Liv Hewson, who plays teen Van, emphasized how tight-knit the team has become.
“We’ve grown together a lot over the years that we’ve been making this show, and that’s very special,” Hewson said.
Tawny Cypress, who plays adult Taissa, also highlighted the importance of showcasing queer relationships, particularly older queer couples. “I wish I had representation like this growing up,” she said. “I wish I saw characters that looked like me.”
Bringing the Darkness to Life
With such heavy material, the Yellowjackets cast has had to develop ways to stay grounded. Kevin Alves, who plays Travis, explained his process:
“For me, I’ve got to walk away until action. Pretty much, I’m by myself for a lot of that. I’m walking, I’m pacing because it’s so heavy in the material that we do, and we have to do our best to do it justice.”
His co-star Alexa Barajas agreed, adding that music plays a big role in setting the tone. “Wearing the big headphones that zone everybody out and just listening to songs that kind of put you in the mood really allows you to drop into it.”
Expect the Unexpected
As with every Yellowjackets season, there are bound to be shocking moments that leave audiences gasping. Courtney Eaton, who plays teen Lottie, teased an upcoming wild scene: “There’s one this season that I just go like, ‘What were we doing?’”
Alves echoed the sentiment: “We were filming it in the middle of the night, and everyone just goes a little kooky. Yeah, it’s coming.”
Welcome Back to the Hive
With its signature mix of psychological horror, drama, and dark humor, Yellowjackets is returning in full force. As always, expect shocking twists, more incredible performances, and a healthy dose of queer chaos.
The first two episodes of Season 3 of Yellowjackets is streaming now on Paramount+. New episodes will drop every Friday on Paramount+ and SHOWTIME. Buckle up—it’s going to be a wild ride.
Watch interviews with the cast below!
