Definitely late to the party, but I’ve recently started watching them Yellow jackets, and I tell you all, I’m obsessed! The past and present storylines, the acting, the twists – everything is phenomenal.
While all of the characters are intriguing, Lottie Matthews is definitely my favorite. I love all the mystery surrounding her vision and the quiet power of her presence. I’m so excited to see where the show takes her!
And beyond the character’s plot, something really drew me to Courtney Eaton and Simone Kessell, the actors who play Teen Lottie and Adult Lottie, respectively.
After a quick Google search, I realized what it was: They’re both Pacific Islanders!
Simone is Māori and White while Courtney is Māori, Cook Islander, Chinese and White.
If you hadn’t grown up as a Polynesian girl in the United States like I did, you might not understand what a big deal this is. Historically, there have been very few Pacific Island women in Hollywood. I would argue that Moana and Lilo are still our greatest examples of female representation, and while they’re obviously great, they’re animated characters.
So, to have not just one, but two (!!!) women from the Pacific Islands on a hit streak like this Yellow jackets is a HUGE asset to our community.
In an interview with shineSimone said she’s had trouble finding roles in the past because of her ethnicity. “I was never right for any character because I wasn’t white, but I wasn’t black either. And the character, if she was brown-skinned, was Hispanic, and I’m not Hispanic, so I never got the roles.”
“I’ve always been here. Except the roles aren’t written for people with brown skin and the roles don’t come around often, and when they do, they’re specific. It’s usually about ticking a diversity box in a cast.” “Ultimately the male and female are white, and then it trickles down to friends or friends of white. So roles like this don’t come around often, but I see a shift,” she continued.
“I loved that Courtney’s lineage and the origins of her parents were honored. Thank goodness her mother is a Māori from New Zealand and I was cast.”
I’m so glad you got cast too, Simone! Love to see more Pacific Island women on screen!
