NYLON NINETEEN
“I would love for Natalie to continue down her trajectory of being the huntress of the group,” Thatcher says of her ‘Yellowjackets’ character.
Two years into a global pandemic, and it turns out all we want to watch is a 1990s New Jersey girl’s soccer team try to survive the Canadian wilderness — and their friendships with each other — after a plane crash leaves them stranded and changes their lives forever. Showtime’s Yellowjackets has quickly become the first hit show of 2022 and, as one of the series’ stars Sophie Thatcher says, its runaway success has “been pretty surreal.”
“I saw that Stephen King tweeted about our show the other day, and that was instant gratification,” the actress told NYLON. “Also Liz Phair has been watching it, and that’s a huge deal to me. I definitely shed a tear.”
On Yellowjackets, Thatcher stars as Natalie, the punk rock misfit of the soccer team — with Juliette Lewis playing the adult version of her character as the show switches between past and present. Of working with Lewis and playing the same character at different stages of life, Thatcher had nothing but praise.
“Juliette is a total legend and artistic genius, and I’ve learned so much from her,” she said. “I cannot begin to express how much of an honor it’s been. I really feel like she has my back. Sharing a character with such an icon was intimidating at first, but I think it’s been working out. I’ve studied her a lot during our read throughs and her earlier movies.”
Writing for season two of Yellowjackets is already underway. Of her hopes for Natalie, Thatcher says, “I would love for Natalie to continue down her trajectory of being the huntress of the group. I loved that in episode four, and I think there is a lot more to explore within that storyline. This will help give her strength and purpose. I would also love to see more continuity between my younger Nat and present day Nat; more of a semblance between the two characters, and an understanding of how she got to where she is present day.”
Thatcher made her feature film debut in 2018’s Prospect, starring as Cee in a breakout role opposite Pedro Pascal and Jay Duplass. The 21-year-old Chicago native has also appeared in Bleecker Street’s The Tomorrow Man, and a handful of television shows, including Chicago P.D. and The Exorcist.
Read on for Thatcher’s take on the NYLON-19.
1
What’s your astrological sign (and do you believe in in it)?
I’m a Libra but everyone always thinks I’m a Scorpio because I have a lot of Scorpio in my placements. It took me a while to believe in it; I was a skeptic for a bit but most of my friends have pulled me to the edge of the other side.
2
Who would be the three headliners of the music festival of your dreams?
Arthur Russell, Peter Ivers and Judee Sill.
3
Do you believe in ghosts, (and have you ever seen one)?
Again… I was skeptical for a bit but have recently changed my mind about this and am very open. I’ve had subtle experiences and interactions; one being at F. Scott Fitzgerald’s early girlfriend’s house (who he apparently based Daisy after) in my hometown that was shutdown for a bit. My friends and I broke in right before it was torn down and as I was going up the staircase I felt a faint tap on my shoulder.
4
What is your go-to sad song?
I listen to a lot of pretty objectively sad music but first one to come to mind is “Weird Sisters” by Sparklehorse.
5
What piece of clothing from high school do you wish you kept?
My Melvins shirt or my Boredoms shirt. I had a lot of band shirts that just magically disappeared.
6
What’s your go-to drink order? (And if it’s boozy, what’s your go-to hangover cure?)
I’m pretty boring for this, but I was always order a vodka tonic with two limes. My go-to hangover drink varies, but usually I’ll go to the bodega near me and get lemonade, or down water and put some vitamin C in it.
7
What’s the weirdest snack that you make?
I’ve gone through a really gnarly beef stick phase. Always need protein. Would post ratings of different beef stick brands on my close friends list on Instagram for a while.
8
What’s a bad habit of yours that you’ve been meaning to fix?
I had a bad habit of drinking my roommate’s yerba mates.
9
What was the last internet hole you went down?
I just moved into a new apartment in the East Village and I’ve been looking for posters to fill my walls. I’ve gone down a huge Etsy hole and found a couple different Cassavetes posters, a Paris, Texas poster, and a Betty Blue one.
10
Describe your worst date in three words.
Hinge. Tinder. Raya.
11
If you could be in any music video, what would it be?
I’d magically turn into one of Bruce Bickford’s claymation figures for Frank Zappa.
12
What was you first concert, and what are your memories of it?
The first one I can fully recall was Blonde Redhead at 14. I went alone front row and Kazu Makino smiled at me for a split second and I started crying as soon as they played “Pink Love.”
13
What was your favorite movie as a kid?
I was far too young for this, but my twin showed me 28 Days Later because we had a very niche zombie obsession (made a series of zombie movies ourselves). The soundtrack is one of my favorites. I think it’s stuck with me so intensely to this day because it was the first visceral reaction I had ever experienced from a movie.
14
What’s your go-to breakup song?
I have two that I’ve been listening to on repeat this year: “Nobody Wants A Lonely Heart” by Arthur Russell and “Maybe I’m The Only One For Me” by Purple Mountains. They both made it pretty high up on my Spotify Wrapped list.
15
What is your favorite red carpet look of all time worn by someone else?
Isabelle Adjani 1981 Cannes Festival for Possession.
16
What is your favorite fast food place, and what’s your order?
Spicy chicken sandwich from Popeyes, mashed potatoes and the cajun fries.
17What reality show would you most like to appear on?
Project Greenlight or Project Runway.
18
What is your best beauty tip or trick?
I extend my eyebrows upwards and use a picture of Awren from Lord of the Rings or Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge as a reference.
19
What is your coffee order?
I’m simple, just black coffee always.
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