The Contending talks to Tawny Cypress of Showtime’s Yellowjackets about all the different versions of Tai and why we haven’t met the real version. . .yet.
Adult Tai has come a long way since Yellowjackets Season 1. She won her race as a New Jersey state senator. . .and then quit to be with the love of her life (Lauren Ambrose). Does Tawny Cypress ever wonder what the news is saying about her character?
“It probably made some local papers,” she laughs. “I’m from Jersey; they don’t give a shit about that stuff.”
In the third season of the Emmy-nominated Showtime series, fans learn that Tai’s alter ego, the Other Tai, has been running the show for the past few seasons. Cypress says she believes Other Tai has been around longer than we think and maybe even broke Allie’s leg in Season 1.
“I’m playing like four different characters. That first season Tai, she’s so buttoned-up and meticulous. And then second season Tai is so torn apart. It’s such a thrill as an actor. I’m so thankful.”
Four different characters? Are there more Tais we haven’t met?
“I don’t think we’ve even met Regular Tai yet. I think we saw the very first glimpses of Regular Tai in the last episode or two this season. First season Tai would never [kill for Van]; the real Tai that we all get to meet next season, oh yeah. She would kill for her.”
Watch our whole conversation below where we talk about what it was like to film her last scene with Lauren Ambrose and whether Tai had as much fun in the wilderness as Shauna.
