As a rising star in Hollywood, Ella Purnell has been making waves with her standout performances in acclaimed series like the Showtime hit Yellowjackets. However, the British actress recently admitted that she’s avoiding watching the episode where her character, Jackie, meets a tragic end.
In a candid interview, Purnell opened up about the surreal experience of waking up to photos of her castmates posing with her “charred corpse” on set. “You know when you wake up and you don’t know where you are? It felt like a heightened state of confusion when I woke up, questioning whether I had died. What’s happened?’ So, it was a little bit disconcerting,” she revealed.
Purnell’s immersive approach to the role of Jackie made the character’s demise all the more impactful. The 28-year-old actress confessed that she hasn’t actually seen the fateful episode, explaining, “I’m going to tell you a secret: I actually haven’t watched that episode because I don’t know what it’s going to do to my mental health. I don’t really want to risk it, so I haven’t seen it.”
The intense filming schedule for Fallout, where Purnell plays a lead role, may have contributed to her disconnect from the events unfolding on Yellowjackets. “I was filming Fallout, and the schedule was very, very demanding. I was exhausted. She explained, “I was getting the scripts for Season 2 [of Yellowjackets], but I wasn’t reading them as quickly as I should have been, because I had a lot going on.”
Despite her character’s shocking demise, Purnell’s performance as Jackie has left a lasting impact. The actress’s deep emotional investment in the role is evident in her candid comments, suggesting she truly became the character during production. This level of immersion likely made witnessing Jackie’s tragic end on screen all the more difficult.
The nature of Yellowjackets, with its intense wilderness scenes and harrowing subject matter, was undoubtedly a challenging experience for the entire cast. Purnell’s hesitation to revisit the episode speaks to the toll such an emotionally draining role can take.
The show may have sealed Jackie’s fate, but Purnell’s potential return in some capacity is still uncertain. Given the actress’s rising profile and the brief appearance of Jackie’s corpse in Season 2, there could be opportunities for her to reprise the role in future seasons, potentially through flashbacks or ghostly apparitions.
However, Purnell’s comments suggest she may not be eager to revisit the character, having already invested so much of herself in the role. “Given how much Purnell put into the role, she may not be interested in revisiting her Yellowjackets character,” the article notes.
Fans of Yellowjackets and Ella Purnell’s work will undoubtedly continue to follow her career with keen interest. Her ability to captivate audiences with her nuanced performances, even in the face of difficult subject matter, is a testament to her talent and dedication. While the actress may not be ready to confront the demise of her character just yet, her honesty and vulnerability in discussing the experience have only heightened the appreciation for her craft.