‘Yellowjackets’ Reveals ‘Six Feet Under’ Alum as Adult Survivor in Season 2

Fans are getting their first look at an adult Vanessa “Van” Palmer in Yellowjackets Season 2. Ahead of the upcoming premiere next year, Showtime on Thursday released new first-look images of Six Feet Under alum Lauren Ambrose in the role of Van. Ambrose’ debut as an adult Van comes after Liv Hewson, who plays teenage Van, was upped to a series regular for the upcoming season, which is set to premiere on March 26.

In the first-look images, Ambrose can be seen not only rocking Van’s casual style, but also scars from the brutal wolf attack she suffered in Season 1. Details of her character arc in the upcoming season remain unclear. Along with Hewson, the two-time Emmy and Tony nominee joins a cast that Sophie Nèlisse and Melanie Lynskey as Shauna, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Tawny Cypress as Taissa, Sophie Thatcher and Juliette Lewis as Natalie, Samantha Hanratty and Christina Ricci as Misty, Pearl Amanda Dickson and Tonya Cornelisse as Allie, Ella Purnell as Jackie, Courtney Eaton as Lottie, Jane Widdop as Laura Lee, and Jack DePew and Warren Kole as Jeff. Meanwhile, Jason Ritter is set to guest star in an episode this season, Variety confirmed.

Created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, Yellowjackets centers around two different timelines. Set in 1996, the past timeline follows a group of high school soccer players after they survive a plane crash in Canada during a flight from New Jersey to Seattle for a tournament. Their lives are thrown into complete chaos, with some adapting to the wilderness better than others. In the present timeline, set in 2021, the survivors, now adults, continue to deal with the tragedy and learn that the past can still shape the present.

Yellowjackets was an instant success following its Showtime debut in November 2021, with the show not only gaining plenty of buzz on social media as fans attempted to solve the mysteries surrounding the plane crash and its survivors, but also from critics. The series currently holds a rare 100% fresh critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Following its debut season, Yellowjackets earned several major Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.

Ahead of the Season 2 debut on March 26 on Showtime, Yellowjackets has already been renewed for a third season. Applauding the show’s “runaway success in season one and the pent-up anticipation for season two,” Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media Networks, said in a press release, “The show’s ambition is only exceeded by its execution, and I thank the incredible creative team behind it, including Ashley, Bart, Jonathan, eOne and the SHOWTIME team, for turning this into such a success.”