'Big Sky': Jade Pettyjohn, Natalie Alyn Lind Prove to Be Sisters Not Just On-Screen (Exclusive)

Jade Pettyjohn and Natalie Alyn Lind had the challenge of developing on-screen chemistry with one [...]

By Kyle Phillippi

Jade Pettyjohn and Natalie Alyn Lind had the challenge of developing on-screen chemistry with one another for ABC's newest thriller, Big Sky, while not having the luxury of spending time hanging out with each other due to COVID-19 protocols. While at first appearing to be an obstacle, it turned out that the two actresses — who are separated by less than a year in age — instantly clicked with each other, proving that the sister bond viewers will see in Big Sky is anything but artificial.

"I think automatically we kind of hit it off," Lind told PopCulture. Due to the pandemic precautions, the cast members could not spend much time outside of filming together and mainly kept to themselves to limit the chance of exposure. However, the two found creative ways to be together while not being in the same room. The actresses credited their Zoom hangouts and FaceTime sessions for helping to get to know one another. After all of that, they were able to come out and embrace the necessary sisterhood that was needed to drive their respective characters. "Luckily for me I just love Jade more than anything," Lind continued, "and at the end of this, I just think of her as my little sister — even though we're the same age."

Likewise, Pettyjohn feels the same way about her Big Sky older sister. She said that "the chemistry was just instantly there" from day one between the two, "We are having a lot of fun even if we're socially distant." Crediting Lind for being an incredible actress, Pettyjohn notes that it "makes it so much easier to step into this really intense situation that we see these two characters in."

As for what viewers can expect for the Sullivan sisters, the two said to prepare for quite an intricate storyline filled with dark turns and surprise twists, even as early as the first episode. As anyone who has seen the trailers can decipher, the sisters find themselves kidnapped, setting the stage for the crime drama based in a mysterious Montana town filled with some unexpected secrets. Lynd plays the older sister, Danielle, who she says is "ditzy" at times and can also be "hot-headed," but at the core of her character is "a really big heart." Pettyjohn portrays Grace, the smarter of the two but also someone who is a bit "introverted." But like any teenager, Grace is still trying to find herself. As the series progresses, Pettyjohn said viewers would see her evolve from the daunting situation she and her sister find themselves in.

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(Photo: ABC/Sergei Bachlakov)

As the two actresses teased what viewers can expect from their characters, Lind said she believes Big Sky will attract fans for its cliffhanger-nature and the ability to pull the viewer in every episode. "Nothing is at it seems," Pettyjohn offered. On that same note, Lind predicts viewers will find it difficult to have to wait a week for the next episode, "The first episode is going to leave people with that stomach churning; like 'What just happened?'" Big Sky will make it's highly-awaited debut on ABC at 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

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