Yellowjackets' star Melanie Lynskey reveals she was BODY-SHAMED on set of hit show
'Yellowjackets' star Melanie Lynskey revealed that her co-stars came to her rescue when a crew member made reproving comments about her body. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the New Zealand actress recollected the harrowing experience, “They were asking me, ‘What do you plan to do? I’m sure the producers will get you a trainer. They’d love to help you with this." This though didn't sit well with the co-stars Tawny Cypress, Christina Ricci, and Juliette Lewis as they rallied around her in support.
The site added that Lewis even wrote a letter to the show's producers on Lynskey's behalf. The show sees Lynskey play Shauna, one of the survivors of the plane crash. Sophie Nelisse plays the teen version of the character. In the present, Shauna is revealed to have an affair with Adam (Peter Gadiot), an artist. The actress added that she faced plenty of criticism online as they believed he wouldn't be attracted to her character. “I’m just like, ‘Wow, really? That’s where people’s heads are at, that the most important thing is being thin or young?'” Lynskey said.
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“It was really important to me for [Shauna] to not ever comment on my body, to not have me putting a dress on and being like, ‘I wish I looked a bit better,'” Lynskey opined. “I did find it important that this character is just comfortable and sexual and not thinking or talking about it because I want women to be able to watch it and be like, ‘Wow, she looks like me and nobody’s saying she’s the fat one.’ That representation is important.”
Lynskey has been scrutinized for her body before 'Yellowjackets' as well. She garnered similar comments from critics about her relationship with Christopher Abbott’s character in “Hello I Must Be Going,” in which their characters share a substantial age gap.“It was a real bummer because I was like, ‘The movie’s about this couple who find each other and have this fling for a summer.’ Like, really, you don’t think an 18-year-old would just want to spend the summer sleeping with me?” she said. “From experience, some 18-year-olds are willing to sleep with me.”
'Yellowjackets' finale will air Sunday, January 16 on Showtime.
