‘Yellowjackets’: Sophie Nélisse Talks Shauna’s “Crossroads” In Season 3 — And That Unexpected Kiss

SPOILERS: This post contains details about the Yellowjackets, Season 3 episode ‘Dislocation’.

Although Sophie Nélisse‘s Shauna has experienced insurmountable loss on Yellowjackets, the new season sees her gain an unexpected friend.

At Thursday’s Season 3 premiere of the hit Showtime series, the actress told Deadline about that kiss between Shauna and her teammate Melissa (Jenna Burgess) at the end of episode 2 ‘Dislocation’, now available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime.

“It’s a very interesting dynamic, which I don’t even think that Shauna truly understands herself,” Nélisse explained. “I don’t think she knows what she wants. I think she’s sort of at a crossroads where what she needs deep down is to feel loved and for someone to just hold her and tell her that it wasn’t her fault, and I think Melissa kind of brings that because she sees her for who she really is and appreciates her no matter what, and actually highlights those, those darker sides.”

She added, “But at the same time, I think Shauna is so in shame of what she’s done. I think she has no love for herself and no empathy for herself. And so, you can’t love other people until you love yourself, and so I don’t think she’ll be able to give Melissa what she wants in return. And I think, on the contrary, she’ll just see her as another pawn on her chessboard to play with.”

And while co-creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson remained tight-lipped on the identity of new cast member Hilary Swank’s character this season, the general fan theory is that 2x Oscar winner will play adult Melissa. It’s a particularly intriguing thought as ‘Dislocation’ seems to tease that adult Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) has a stalker.

Nélisse explained that her portrayal of teen Shauna is “very scary and unhinged this season,” noting that the character is “at a point in her life where she’s got nothing else to lose” as she mourns the death of her baby, as well as that of her best friend Jackie (Ella Purnell).

“I think it’s difficult for her because she feels extremely responsible for both of these events even though they weren’t really directly her fault, and I think what’s hard is that Lottie seems to be steering the group in a way of honoring those deaths and to try to make the the best out of what’s happened as where I don’t think Shauna is ready to quite move on and doesn’t see it in that perspective,” said Nélisse. “And I don’t think she wants the death of her baby to be a shared experience. It’s something that’s so close and personal to her, and I don’t think anyone in the group can truly understand the trauma and the loss that she’s had to undergo. I think it’s too personal of a story to be shared with everyone, and so I think she just wants to live that moment and be able to grieve on her own.”