‘Yellowjackets’: Christina Ricci Says She Was ‘Dismissed, Teased More’ When in Her Misty Costume: ‘It Made Me Angrier’
Yellowjackets tells the tale of what happens when a girls’ high school soccer team gets stranded in the wilderness for 19 months. The Showtime series toggles back and forth between the mid-90s and 25 years later, and several of the characters, like Misty, lived to tell the tale. Christina Ricci plays Misty as an adult, and she shared her experience in how she was treated differently when in Misty’s hair, makeup, and costuming. Here’s what she said.
Christina Ricci joined the ‘Yellowjackets’ cast as the older version of Misty
Teen Misty, played by Samantha Hanratty, isn’t one of the Yellowjackets soccer players. But she assists the team and coach with their needs. And once the plane goes down in Yellowjackets, she’s there to give medical direction and save as many lives as possible. For the first time, Misty feels needed by her peers — and it gives her power as a teen.
Christina Ricci plays Misty as an adult. The actor fantastically conveys Misty’s want for friendship — even deep into adulthood — and she’ll do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of whatever’s going on, for better or for worse.
“She just always wanted to be included and wanted to be liked and wanted to be a part of things and just was rejected time and time and time again,” Ricci tells Entertainment Weekly about her character. “But then when she goes through what she goes through when they’re stranded, she gets a taste of something that fulfills that need. It’s like how they always say teenagers are so vulnerable because they want so many things.”
Christina Ricci said she was ‘dismissed’ and ‘teased’ when in her Misty costume
Christina Ricci and Samantha Hanratty talked about their experience playing Misty as part of the Yellowjackets cast. They both noted that wearing their hair like Misty and putting on Misty’s clothing caused others to treat them differently.
“I found that the second I put the wig and glasses on, people actually treated me differently,” Ricci told Interview Magazine. Hanratty agreed and said she felt the same.
“I was dismissed, teased more,” Ricci added. “It was really fascinating. … It made me angrier. I know we talked about how we were going to play Misty differently — I would use a lot of passive aggression, and you would channel the rage that comes from 40 years of being dismissed.”
Hanratty also said she saw a therapist while filming. She talked to the therapist about the different treatment she experienced when in Misty’s costuming. “I was definitely treated differently when I was in hair and makeup and wardrobe,” the younger actor said.
‘Yellowjackets’ theories suggest young Misty might sacrifice Coach Ben after he revealed he’s gay
With the Yellowjackets finale on the horizon, fans have a number of theories. So far, viewers haven’t seen Coach Ben in the present day. This could indicate Ben doesn’t live through the 19 months in the wilderness.
One Yellowjackets theory suggests Misty attacks and kills Ben in the finale. Misty fell in love with Ben, and Ben initially told Misty he feels the same. But he later admitted to her that he had a boyfriend back at home. This might cause Misty to lash out.
“And then, of course, without giving away any spoilers, we’re going to see in the finale just what her reaction is,” Ben actor Steven Krueger told HollywoodLife. “It was really, really fun shooting it. It was a big release moment.”
Yellowjackets airs Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on Showtime.
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