Sophie Thatcher finds salvation in storytelling

The ‘Yellowjackets’ star opens up about her music career, childhood obsessions, and her desire to ‘become unrecognizable’

Behind every acclaimed actor is an 11-year-old girl holding auditions for self-authored screenplays after school. Or at least that’s the case for Sophie Thatcher, best-known for her breakout role as Natalie in Yellowjackets, a Showtime original series that details the complex dynamics of an all-girls soccer team—and what happens when they survive a plane crash, only to find themselves stranded in the Canadian wilderness.

Jumping between past and present, the show chronicles the unraveling of social norms over the next year and a half, and the emotional aftermath faced by adult survivors as they struggle to reintegrate into society some 25 years later. It’s a captivating premise, made even more so by a star-studded cast—including the likes of Christina Ricci, Melanie Lynskey, Tawney Cypress, and Juliette Lewis, who acts opposite Thatcher as the older version of Natalie, a charismatic rebel whose insouciant attitude conceals a troubled past. Once the show became a smash-hit, Thatcher’s razor-sharp performance launched her headfirst into stardom—which, though her down-to-earth attitude doesn’t show it, is what she’s been preparing for her entire life. “From the time I was four or five years old, I was doing everything: drawing, singing, writing, performing,” Thatcher recalls. “Now that I think about it, this all boils down to wanting to tell a story.”

By age 12, her artistic oeuvre included gems like 103 Dalmatians: The Musical and Propagation, a post-apocalyptic zombie drama set in the world of The Sims, which featured characters like Melonie Darth, Allison Bloom, and, at one point, an undead (“whatever, infected”) turtle named Snappy. In middle school, she spent hours looking up last names online, which she might use for her characters: Leo De Lorme, for instance, a deer who is hit by a car and transforms into a human by way of magic. (“Lying before me is a legendary wizard, and god was he handsome,” Thatcher’s protagonist swoons in one story she sent me, with the caveat that it was written in 2012, and that “most of the words were from synonym.com, if you can’t tell.”)

In retrospect, Thatcher says that the relentless focus with which she pursued her artistic vision probably “lost her some friends.” But, growing up Mormon in the suburbs of Chicago, there wasn’t much else to do—and her sisters, who are also creatives, were always game to put on a show. In an old email Thatcher forwarded to me—sent in 2012 to her twin Ellie and a handful of close friends—she describes the audition process for one of her plays, along with character descriptions and excerpts of monologues to memorize. “It gives you a little vibe of how intense I was,” she laughs. The email—which I now consider a prized cultural artifact—is a portrait of a young playwright on a mission: one whose passion for storytelling is matched only by her desire for everyone else to find as much joy in it as she does (and, adorably, a certain fondness for italics).

Thatcher began professionally acting for TV at the age of 10, scoring a guest role in the 2016 police procedural Chicago P.D., and later that year, another in Fox’s supernatural horror series The Exorcist. In 2018, she made her big screen debut in the sci-fi thriller Prospect, co-starring opposite Pedro Pascal. Natalie was her next big role, which she acquired with a self-taped audition she sent to producers after hearing that one of her idols, Karyn Kusama, was attached to the project. Her performance in Yellowjackets landed Thatcher a starring role in upcoming horror-mystery The Boogeyman, based on Stephen King’s short story of the same name.

Though Thatcher’s current focus is on acting, she’s a talented multihyphenate, with creative pursuits that span from fiction writing to visual art to producing her own music, some of which can be found floating around Bandcamp under her middle name, Bathsheba. (At my urging, she shares a collection of in-progress demos with none-too-serious file names, like “2000s rock on radio idk” and “nnew song tripbopbppbp”—which, though described by Thatcher as “really rough,” are actually quite good.)

If you haven’t caught on by now, Thatcher doesn’t take herself too seriously—perhaps why she comes across as surprisingly grounded for her 22 years. “It’s a classic child-actor story. Growing up on set, you’re 12 going on 30,” she says, describing afternoons spent speaking with adults and finding education in everything around her. Her childhood was also defined by an early obsession with death, which she thought about all the time from as early as seven or eight years old. “I was just so concerned about going to heaven. It totally was overriding my mind,” she recalls. “I’m already pretty introspective, and growing up Mormon instilled a lot of anxiety in me, as most religions do. But it also forced me to rebel to some extent; it forced me to be different, to go all the way in the other direction.”

For Thatcher, learning to let go of her self-consciousness has been a process. It’s one of the things she likes about the role of Natalie, who she describes as exhibiting both a deep interiority and a confident nature that’s embodied on a physical level. “As Natalie, I had to let myself be completely vulnerable,” she says. “People my age are very aware of how they’re perceived; growing up on social media, you know exactly how you’re presenting yourself and how you want the world to see you. I’m trying to get outside of that.”

Going into the second season of Yellowjackets, Thatcher felt some trepidation; while the first seemed “almost like filming a really intimate indie film,” the stakes were now much higher, causing a palpable atmospheric shift among the cast. “There was definitely more pressure, but it all subsides once you’re in the character,” she says. “Luckily, we were able to help each other stay grounded, and it took no time to get that spark back. We’re like family. I know everybody says that, but we really are.”

At first, watching herself on-screen presented an emotional challenge for Thatcher—one she’s overcome as her career has progressed. “Now that I’m more accustomed to watching myself, I’m better at distancing,” she says, describing how The Boogeyman required her to take on a completely different persona—something she worried she wouldn’t succeed in, until she watched the scene in which her character attempts to smoke weed for the first time. “It’s like an anti-smoking ad,” she laughs. “In that movie, I’m a total loser. But there’s something special about channeling something entirely different, and playing somebody like that. My goal as an actor is to not be recognized. I want to be fully immersed in character. I don’t want people to be like, ‘That’s Sophie Thatcher.’”

While this approach might be successful on-screen, Thatcher has gotten used to being recognized in real life—sometimes by people she considers creative idols, like Argentine filmmaker Gaspar Noé. (“We were, like, on the dance floor, and we started talking. I told him about my Mormon upbringing,” she says, hiding her face in her hands.) Equally impactful was the experience of meeting Kim Gordon, whose book Girl in a Band changed Thatcher’s perspective on music growing up. “It’s surreal meeting someone, and being like, As a child, I wanted to be you,” she says. “Thinking about it makes me want to cry. I always felt I had to do something big with my life—but younger me never would have expected this.”

Source: documentjournal.com

CHASING DARKNESS

WHEN A TV SHOW YOU STAR IN BECOMES A HIT, FILMING THE SECOND SEASON COMES WITH ADDED PRESSURE. KNOWING SO MANY PEOPLE ARE EAGERLY AWAITING THE NEW EPISODES OF HBO’S YELLOWJACKETS MADE SOPHIE THATCHER NERVOUS AT FIRST. HER NUANCED PORTRAYAL OF NATALIE, A TROUBLED TEEN TURNED GROUP HUNTRESS WHEN HER HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER TEAM’S PLANE CRASHES IN THE WILDERNESS, WON PRAISE THAT SHE WAS ANXIOUS TO LIVE UP TO, DESPITE THE ROLE’S PHYSICAL AND MENTAL TOLL. BUT, ACCORDING TO THATCHER, THE STAKES ARE EVEN HIGHER FOR THE CHARACTERS THEMSELVES.
THE SECOND SEASON, OUT LATER THIS MONTH, IS SCARIER AND MORE SHOCKING THAN EVER. THATCHER, WHO GREW UP MAKING AT-HOME ZOMBIE MOVIES WITH HER TWIN, HAS ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN TO DARKNESS. IT’S NO SURPRISE THEN THAT SHE’S BEEN RACKING UP SCREEN TIME IN HORRORS AND THRILLERS.
WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE 22-YEAR-OLD TO TALK FILMING SEASON TWO OF YELLOWJACKETS, SURVIVAL INSTINCT AND WHY MUSIC IS LIFE.

Hi Sophie! How have you been since we last spoke?

I’m good! I’m in LA. I just moved here two months ago. I got a place. It makes sense for my job. It’s raining today which we’re not used to. I have a leak already in my bedroom so I’m ready to set up a trash can and just have the rain pour into that.

Oh no! So, let’s talk about Yellowjackets. When we last spoke, you said you hoped your character Natalie would become a bit more integrated into the group. Does this happen or does she become increasingly isolated?

I think she becomes increasingly isolated. There’s clearly tension between her and Travis. He’s taking Lottie’s side and choosing Lottie’s faith because everybody wants some optimism to grasp onto, but Natalie is so focused on survival and being the hunter so that’s her entire goal. When I was talking to people before we shot season two, I said I just wanted her to explore the huntress realm because I feel like that’s her main drive and it makes the most sense for her and that’s what happens in season two. I was just selfishly saying I wanted her to become more integrated in the group so I could work with the other actors. I want to work with everybody. I was hoping I’d have more scenes with Misty because there’s such a cool dynamic between her and older Natalie that I thought would play out, but I think that’ll be in season three. You can see some brewing tension.

What do you think viewers will take away from this season emotionally? Would you say that it’s scarier than season one?

It definitely takes more risks. I can’t think of any other TV show that has gone to the places it’s going. I think it’ll shock everybody because we’ve had more time to build empathy for the characters. I think there will be more of a feeling towards what they’re going through. The circumstances just keep getting worse and worse. The stakes keep rising and everything keeps becoming more and more heightened. It becomes a more thrilling show as time goes by because everything is getting more difficult. You get to see some of the older cast connect and there are some new characters connecting the past to the present.

And there was more of a budget behind season two.

The scenes we shot in Alberta were my favourite days. They were slightly miserable because it was so freezing, but it was really good insight into what it’s like out there and how your physicality changes and your voice changes when you’re actually there in the freezing cold. When we were shooting on a stage I was worried about it playing out realistically. The beauty of season one was that we were all actually there and it was deeper into COVID and quarantine so there was this kind of mania and craziness. I feel like this year we were all more separate and the circumstances were easier, but I’m really glad I was able to go and shoot in Alberta because I was able to see the world they’re in which will make a difference building that world for the viewer. It builds the atmosphere and the tension. The beauty of last season was that it was all in front of us. We were actually living it so it didn’t take as much preparation. We have to use a lot of our imagination this year. Building the world in season one and building that foundation and the dynamic of the group was essential. Now that we have it, it took a second to get back into it. It’s been hard being on a stage with a bigger budget, but then also really hard trudging through the snow.

Why do you think that Natalie maintains this hunter’s instinct and rejects the spirituality that some of the others embrace?

She grew up with a different background. She’s been in survival mode her entire life so I think hunting comes naturally for her. She’s determined. She goes out everyday to provide for everybody. She’s faced with reality everyday. Everybody else is going stir crazy in the cabin, but she’s going out and seeing real life. I think that’s keeping her grounded. Other people don’t have that experience. This is keeping her alive. Providing for everyone is keeping her going. She definitely remains the most grounded for most of season two. In season one, she’s the heart of the group and remains that way for most of season two.

Which part of filming did you find the most physically strenuous?

Those days in Alberta. The snow was so deep and I was really out of exercise. Trying to deliver some quippy Natalie lines while I was walking through the snow going back and forth. I was losing my breath. I think it was harder because I’m so keen on matching Juliette’s [Lewis, who plays older Natalie] voice. Sometimes it felt harder to match the lowness of her voice when I was in that circumstance in Alberta. It was hard to maintain that but, as an actor, I just want to experience everything.

Another big difference filming this season was the knowledge that so many people are anticipating the release.

Yeah. In the first couple of episodes, I was pretty anxious. I was pretty self aware. There was a lot of great feedback, but sometimes great feedback can hold you back or make you stagnant in your process. I was like, okay, they’re complimenting me and Juliette. We have the same energy. How can I maintain that or outdo it? I was really keen on matching her physicality this year because watching her in season one, she’s so physical and fluid, but of course it’s winter and we’re in all these layers so I was put in this insane tight leather jacket and I felt like a mannequin so there were a lot of hurdles. It always takes a couple episodes to get back into it, but I think Natalie’s just in me so it was easy to snap back into that.

In between the filming of the two seasons did you do more research or think more in your imagination about the role like while you weren’t actually working on it?

When I left season one, my voice was a little bit different. My voice was lower. I’m not a method actor at all, but the role stays in your body. There was a bit of a shift. I was a little bit more spontaneous. It was a hard experience so I feel like we were all going through it. Leaving season one, there was a lingering sensation of Natalie which wasn’t the best feeling, but it also pushed me because Natalie doesn’t play it safe. I feel like I was finally a little bit more confident. That’s sometimes the beauty of our work. Characters can bring you confidence. That’s really cool when that happens, but I think Natalie lingered a bit. For the second season, it helped that I have a boyfriend and I’m just better with separating work and life now because I saw how badly it got to me in the first season. Not badly, but it was intense. And I hope that doesn’t happen again [laughs.]

Last time we spoke, you said that you wanted to spend more time making music and making art. How has that been going?

I have a lot of songs that I want to release. I just saw Kim Gordon play live with her noise band, and immediately went home and started making music. I’m inspired. I feel like right now, I’m keeping these as my side projects and my outlet. It’s selfish and it’s personal, but it’s mine. I’m keeping that for now. I want to release these two songs in the next month or two on Spotify so that’ll be cool, but I don’t want it to become something bigger. With acting, there’s a lot of pressure on it. I want music to remain a healthy outlet. Music is number one. Music is definitely before acting. Music is life. That’s my mentality now. It could change and it could be something that comes naturally, but it’s really just about what that feels like and what it does for me. It feels more personal.

You’re also starring in Stephen King adaptation The Boogeyman which is out later this year. Are you a horror movie fan?

I watched 28 Days Later when I was really young. I grew up making zombie movies with my twin and my friends. For my ninth birthday party, we made a zombie movie. I can take anything with horror. Stephen King is insane. He gets really dark and I guess I didn’t realise how dark it gets with horror because it’s not always taken seriously as a genre, but I think this film will be pretty elevated. It’s coming from a dark psychological place.

Are you drawn to darkness?

Absolutely. I think I need to do a comedy or something otherwise it’s gonna eat at my soul. Darkness is definitely what I’m drawn to. It’s easy to go there because I’ve been going there for so long. Naturally, the music and the art that I’m into is a bit darker. It comes from a very vulnerable place. Being vulnerable is my favourite outlet, but you can be vulnerable in a comedy. I want to experiment with something lighter. There’s something very vulnerable about trying to be funny.

Source: behindtheblinds.be

Sophie attended the World Premiere Of Season Two Of Showtime’s Yellowjackets yesterday. Click on the gallery link below to see all new photos in full size.