Sophie Nélisse Says Yellowjackets Cast Throws ‘Death Parties’ as a ‘Beautiful Way’ to Honor Dead Characters (Exclusive)

The past two seasons of Yellowjackets have left viewers mourning the deaths of more than one fan-favorite character.

In an interview with PEOPLE at the Yellowjackets season 3 premiere in Los Angeles on Feb. 13, Sophie Nélisse, 24, shared how the cast processes grief every time a character dies. The actress, who plays young Shauna, also revealed how much notice the cast gets for character deaths.

“Honestly, we find out when we get the script,” Nélisse says. “We usually find out maybe a week before, and then we all get really sad. But what we love to do is we throw a death party in their honor.” 

Also at the season 3 premiere, Sophie Thatcher, who plays young Natalie, also reflected on the death of her older self (played by Juliette Lewis)

“It was really sad, and I love Juliette so much, and I love my character, Natalie,” Thatcher explains. “I could cry. I cry about her all the time. It was sad, but I think she lives on in a lot of ways.”

Juliette’s character died at the end of the present-day timeline of season 2, and her last moments alive show her speaking with her younger self about her life and death.

“I wasn’t expecting it, but it had a weird impact on me, where it felt like a part of me was missing, again, because I grew up with this show, and it was such a formative age for me,” Thatcher adds.

Nélisse elaborated on how she personally decompresses after filming emotional scenes for a show full of trauma and deaths.

“What’s really helpful is that we get to have a really long drive back home, and Courtney [Eaton] and I — who’s my best friend who plays Lottie, and also we live together — we drive together to and from set,” Nélisse says. “So she has been my rock and the person that just helps me decompress and will just lay on the couch and do nothing, but just the silence and her presence calms me so well.”

“Our weekends, we’d always think we’d be out exploring, but we’re usually pretty dead, and we just want peace and quiet, and a lot of meditation and a hot saunas,” she continues.

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Melanie Lynskey plays the adult Shauna on the series.

As far as her character, Nélisse admits young Shauna is at an all-time low.

“We find Shauna at probably the lowest point in her life,” Nélisse explains. “I don’t think she could undergo any more grief and trauma. And I think because it’s so much for her to handle and it’s too much pressure on her shoulders, she conveys all of those emotions into anger.”

“So I think she’s just kind of unstoppable this season and very scary because she’s unpredictable, and she’ll be ready to cut anyone that gets in her way,” she continues. ”She also has this sense of revenge, and I think she just wants to become the leader and to regain power on everyone.”

Episode three of the new season aired Feb. 21 on Paramount+ and will be air on Showtime Feb. 23.