Why Christina Ricci Is ‘Uncomfortable’ With Her ‘Yellowjackets’ Character, Misty
The Showtime television series, Yellowjackets, received seven 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards. Star Christina Ricci earned a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The accomplished actor portrays the adult version of Misty in the psychological drama.
The character, who has a dangerous dark side, is the former equipment manager of the Wiskayok High School girls soccer team. The girls learn to survive in the wilderness for 19 months after a 1996 plane crash. Yellowjackets viewers are captivated by Misty, a confirmed sociopath with deadly tendencies who is disturbingly funny. So funny that Ricci says it makes her “uncomfortable.”
Christina Ricci plays Misty in ‘Yellowjackets’
The critically-acclaimed series jumps ahead 25 years to unravel the trauma the girls endured while stranded in the wild.
Misty Quigley, who was once a shy, socially awkward teen, found a sense of belonging as the other girls struggled to survive. She uses her skills to care for injuries, scrounge for food, and traverse the dangerous terrain. Finally feeling useful, Misty will do anything necessary to make sure she remains a valuable resource to the team.
The Cut refers to Misty as “a mouse with a serial killer’s temperament lurking beneath blonde curls.” The publication writes that when Misty “overhears her teammates confessing that they couldn’t do it without her, she does what anyone would do and takes action to ensure they can’t be found. She wants to stay out there forever, consequences (and there are many of them) be damned.”
Screen Rant claims, “Without a doubt, Misty Quigley is one of the funniest and most fascinating characters in Yellowjackets thanks to her quirky combination of peppy optimism and savage unpredictability.”
The response to Misty made Christina Ricci ‘uncomfortable’
Christina Ricci spoke about her role as Misty on Anna Faris’ podcast, Unqualified. She admitted she hated that people thought her Yellowjackets character was funny. “I was so uncomfortable with the idea that I was funny and that she was funny, and I realized only after we finished shooting what it was,” she said. “The line had blurred and because with her, she’s never in on a joke. It’s always people laughing at her.”
Ricci continued. “I was making all these decisions from her point of view, where it felt like I was being laughed at.” She added, “I was uncomfortable with the humor because, as her, she would have been.”
Will Christina Ricci return as Misty in ‘Yellowjackets’ Season 2?
Given its reception, Showtime of course greenlit Yellowjackets Season 2. Ricci maintains her stance on people’s perception of Misty. “I can still imagine myself shooting season 2 and someone being like ‘Oh, it’s so funny,’ and me just being like ‘No. Die.'”
Speaking with E! News, Ricci forecasted what’s to come. “I imagine it will get more complex,” she posited. “I would imagine it gets more insane.”
Ricci admitted she felt drawn to the dark side of the character and was “dying to play her.” She added, “I want to be a part of things that are new and different. Misty was such a unique character and such a unique opportunity.”
Gary Levine, the president of entertainment for Showtime Networks, told Vulture, “We are working towards a premiere at the end of 2022.” He said, “when you have a show that has this kind of a momentum, you don’t want to let it dissolve.”
