Christina Ricci Was Wary Of Not Being A Producer On Yellowjackets
So many of our favorite actors, directors, and creative giants are multi-hyphenates these days. In a time where being the most you can be at all times is, weirdly, the norm, it makes sense to see our most famous artists wearing as many hats as they can in their industries. In the case of "Yellowjackets" star Christina Ricci, she was so used to working behind the camera in addition to acting that she was actually wary of not serving as a producer on the beloved Showtime series.
In a 2022 interview with Collider, Ricci explained that when you're working on both sides of the camera, you end up privy to things that shape the character you're playing:
"This is one of the few times I've been a series regular on a show where I haven't been an [executive producer], so it is a different experience for me, and I'm kind of learning as I go with this. I've just found that with this, I as an actor am learning to be able to perform as this character no matter what surprises are thrown at me and to do that, I do find that I can't fill in those blanks and that is really weird for me because I've never really done anything in that way."
Working on and off camera
Christina Ricci also noted that in scenarios like her work on "Yellowjackets," it's possible to give yourself backstory that becomes null and void:
"[It's] difficult and tricky. I almost don't even want to fill in [the backstory] because, if I'm wrong — that's the thing that's a little scary about TV is coming up with any concrete sort of ideas or conclusions that have not yet been written in the scripts because you might make a choice based on those things and then later something happens and you're like, 'Oh god. What I did made no sense.' It's new for me."
I, for one, love seeing women taking the helm with their art in the ways Ricci — and many other incredible performers, directors, and more — has done, because their collaborations both on and off camera tend to be for the better and the overall good of the project. Further, having women in producing roles allows them to truly build something from the ground up, and we know what happens when we allow women that kind of space and trust in the film and television industry. (Spoiler alert: great things.)
That said, it's great to see women come together to work in storytelling in any way, which is a major reason why no matter her level of involvement, "Yellowjackets" continues to be an exciting vehicle for Ricci and literally everyone else in the cast. Over a year ago, the first season's finale shocked us all, and fans want to get back into the mystery. The best thing about the multi-genre series is that it hits us with just enough information — or, even better, the perfect little twist — at just the right time. It keeps us guessing.
Season 2 of "Yellowjackets" premieres on Showtime on March 24, 2023.