Yellowjackets Season 3 Interview: Tawny Cypress Has an INCREDIBLE Casting Story

The following contains spoilers for Yellowjackets, Season 3, Episode 4, "12 Angry Girls and 1 Drunk Travis."

Tawny Cypress is an absolute powerhouse on Yellowjackets. In fact, Cypress was so immediately captivating in the hit Showtime and Paramount+ series that I frequently caught myself wondering, how have we not been getting a steady stream of Tawny content for years now? 

Cypress’ first main role on a TV series was playing Simone Deveaux in Heroes, but that run only lasted one season. After that, it was Unforgettable on CBS, but Cypress jumped into that one when the show was already in its second season. Next up was a main role in The Blacklist: Redemption, but again, that foundation had already been built pror to Cypress’ involvement because, of course, it was a The Blacklist spin-off. Cypress needed more, and she deserved more. In fact, she wished for just that. “I want a really good show. I want the best job I've ever had, and I want it to be good, and I want it to last.” That wish was granted. It was Yellowjackets.

Cypress stars as the present day version of Taissa Turner, played in the 90s by past Ladies Night guest Jasmin Savoy Brown. At the start of the series, Cypress’ Taissa is running to become a New Jersey state senator. However, when her past in the wilderness catches up with her, Taissa starts to unravel, threatening her chances of winning the election. Shocking many, including herself, Tai wins the race, but at that point it’s too late. The wilderness has firmly dug its claws back into the surviving Yellowjackets, reuniting Taissa with Van (Lauren Ambrose), and then bringing the whole (?) group back together at Lottie’s (Simone Kessell) compound to sort through the wealth of complications the 1996 plane crash left them with as adults. Their get-together concludes with an especially twisted hunt, one that results in Natalie’s (Juliette Lewis) demise. When Season 3 kicks off, forget politics. Taissa has narrowed her focus to one thing and one thing only, keeping Van alive - even if she has to turn to the wilderness to do so.

With Yellowjackets Season 3, Episodes 1-4 now available to stream on Paramount+, Cypress swung by the Collider Ladies Night studio to discuss her journey to Yellowjackets, and offer some insight into the most powerful and cryptic moments of Season 3 thus far.

00:00 Dicey Questions
05:17 Introduction
05:46 Early Acting Inspirations
06:57 Studying Acting
11:29 Scene Partner High & Low
13:07 Heroes
14:42 Booking Yellowjackets
17:16 Finding Taissa with Jasmin Savoy Brown
19:30 Tawny Wants ALL the Answers
21:28 90s Taissa vs. Present Day Taissa
22:38 Working with Lauren Ambrose
24:15 Playing The Other
25:32 Does Taissa Still Have a Shrine?
25:53 Juliette Lewis’ Exit
27:07 Does Taissa Care About Political Power Anymore?
28:03 What the Season 3 Restaurant Name Means
28:40 What Wiskayok Means
29:27 Other Tai & The Man with No Eyes in Season 3
34:53 Calling Lottie in Episode 4
35:49 Not Going Into That Man’s Apartment
37:40 Her Burning Question for the Showrunners
38:13 A Favorite Yellowjackets Moment
40:22 What Is Tawny Proud Of?

#yellowjackets #interview #acting #paramountplus #showtime

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