Nia Sondaya Breaks Down Akilah’s Darkest Moments in Yellowjackets Season 3 – Survival, Loss & Shocking Twists

[00:00:10] Nia thank you for joining me today on Pop Culture Unplugged. Thanks for having me. Exciting times we have a Yellowjacket Season 3 first off congrats I think this season has been amazing from what I've seen so far episodes one through nine what's been like the fan reaction so far? A lot of really cool stuff especially for me as Akilah I think because my character has been like expanded on this season. I've been getting a lot of just a lot of really cool just like people reaching out saying you know we love what's happening with Akilah.

[00:00:40] We love her we hope she doesn't die a lot a lot of that but it's been really cool just to see how many people are like starting to love Akilah now that we're expanding a bit on her story so that's been really nice. What was your reaction when you read you know the season three scripts like what fascinated you about her arc this season mostly? I was really excited obviously just to know that we were going to get to do a lot more with her this season and that we were going to explore a lot more of her personality.

[00:01:06] So that was really fun initially just like reading those scripts and being like oh this is going to be really really cool and then on top of that I got to do like really really cool stuff with the vision sequences and the cave stuff like the cave stuff was a lot of fun for me. So just like reading those scripts and knowing that we were going to kind of go down that we were going to follow that rabbit hole down into like her mental state being flimsy and a little chaotic was really fun for me to kind of be like this is where we're going this season it's going to be fun.

[00:01:34] And also they she's like very very earthy and like flower child this season which I really like to kind of explore that as well because she's so pure and pure of heart and like innocent. That's right. So when you're reading the script about you know your character first but when you're reading about other storylines that are happening this same time and in the future and then going back what goes through your mind like how excited do you get or like can you not wait to see what happens next?

[00:01:58] Oh always. It's so funny because it's like we'll be like on set filming or some of us might be like out and we're always like did you get the script yet like are we like we're like constantly waiting for the next script we're dying to know what's going to happen next. And it is really exciting and I will say so many really cool like storylines for the adult timeline this season which has been really awesome and I know a lot of people was like really heartbreaking and sad to see adult Lottie.

[00:02:25] Yeah. That was heartbreaking for all of us but I think when reading the scripts initially because there's like there's a mystery surrounding what happens to her that for me was like I was like on the edge of my seat kind of wanting to know what happened to Lottie who did it who's behind it so that was really fun. Just kind of like tracking that throughout the season waiting for those scripts to come out and get the answers. Yeah. But when you're reading a script do you like oh I hope I make it I hope I make it do you get like that too?

[00:02:54] Honestly not really because I feel like I would hope that if I knew I wasn't going to make it I would have some inkling of that like I would know before the script comes out I would hope. So I don't normally go into reading the scripts being like oh is she going to make it out of this episode but I am always very interested to see what obviously what's going to happen with our timeline and what those crazy girls are going to do next. I'm always interested to see.

[00:03:19] How do you think she views like her roles now within the group compared to like season one and season two? Thank you for asking. I think that Akilah is a lot more confident this season with her contributions to the group. I think that that's like a very important for her. I think that the first two seasons we saw that she would step up like me. We saw that Akilah you know took the time to stitch up Van's face and Akilah you know stepped up and helped Shauna when she was delivering her baby.

[00:03:48] And so I feel like we had these little moments in other seasons of Akilah you know kind of stepping out of her quiet shell or stepping out of the background to kind of be where she's needed. And so I think in this season I feel like she's a lot more confident in what she brings to the to the dynamic and that she's not you know she's not JV anymore. She's not unfortunately these circumstances raised her and brought her up into you know into a much stronger version of herself I think.

[00:04:14] How did you prepare yourself to play like those seeds like you mentioned earlier with the visions the hallucinations like what went through your mind this season for doing that? I was really nervous I was nervous so I was like okay I was like this is kind of crazy and if I don't like really like find the truth of it then it's gonna look crazy so I didn't and I wanted it to be very truthful and authentic so I was very nervous.

[00:04:38] Um but I think that it was like important for for the character for Akilah to go through this kind of I was like she's so pure and she's so innocent that watching her go through see like this breaking down of like whatever she believed to be true about the wilderness which she believed to be true about herself and the rest of the group.

[00:05:00] She's kind of starting to come into this new understanding and kind of finding this connection with the wilderness and so I think it's kind of cool to see her branch out of being so like innocent and pure and kind of chase this connection or you know whatever this is that she has with the wilderness it's been really cool to like explore that. Where do you think she fits in with the whole you know like we've seen a couple major shifts in group who's in charge of the group now people are losing power and control where do you see her?

[00:05:29] In in the shift of that so I think that Akilah doesn't ever want power I don't think she seeks that and so I think that when it comes to whether it's Shauna or it's Natalie or it's Lottie that's gonna lead the group I think that Akilah personally for me I think Akilah respects Natalie as a leader. I think that she trusts Natalie a lot more than Shauna but I think she is petrified of Shauna.

[00:05:57] I think that she is will allow herself to be moved and coerced by Shauna in her actions because she's afraid of what she will do. I think that Shauna is just a lot more unpredictable and so I think that Akilah if she had to choose who she would like to continue leading them it would always be Natalie.

[00:06:16] And I think that even though she's kind of like in this this new connection with Lottie and they're kind of becoming closer as they explore this connection with the wilderness I do still think that Akilah does not trust Lottie fully not enough to want her as a leader for the group. As a viewer I don't know who you could trust these days these episodes you know you got one day young version of Shauna and then you watch the older version the future and you're like what happened to her?

[00:06:45] Yes exactly exactly and I think that Melanie and Sophie both do such a beautiful job with Shauna that it is it's like insane as you watch Sophie Shauna and she's just got that look in her eye you know and then you can kind of still see it in Melanie Shauna but it's much more subdued. Yeah it's really it's really cool to see them work. I want to jump into one of the episodes in season three poor coach I felt so bad for him.

[00:07:12] Yeah he did the right thing by everybody and in turn it really screwed him. He yeah he tried to help Mari he tried to help the girls he tried to distance himself from them he was like you guys have your own way of surviving out here I've got mine and yeah we we hunted him down put him on trial and then tortured the man. I can't believe we did that. Do you feel like do you feel like he deserved to die?

[00:07:39] I think that it was a mercy I think that it was necessary after a while I don't think that I don't think that Akilah wanted to put him on trial. I know I don't think that she believed he deserved to die I don't think she even truly believes he burned down the cabin. But I think that once it got to that point where they were all kind of hoping that he was their bridge and he's their kind of way home.

[00:08:03] I think that from that point forward the measures they took to keep him alive think that that kind of required a mercy killing. I think that what they were doing was pretty cruel. Another great scene was when the three people showed up when you guys were taking care of Ben I guess in a way. What's your thoughts on that scene? Worst timing ever. Because I don't know if you ever go and read on these fan theories. The fan theories are great you know they're like what if you guys were only like two three miles away from help and you never knew.

[00:08:33] And we never just like tried to go for it yeah. So what's your thoughts on that scene where they just show up? Oh I loved it oh I loved it and I remember reading the scripts and getting to that that cliffhanger and freaking out being like finally finally finally finally finally. It's just about time I think that they have some interaction with someone who's not a part of their group. With people outside of this this kind of system they've created for themselves.

[00:09:00] I think that it's kind of cool to see them. I want to say like kind of like be challenged in a way just because it's like they've created this system and this is like normal for them now. What they're doing and how it's kind of inhumane. And then I think that like them versus like these people we don't know yet. Hikers whatever. And to see them like versus these normal people and it's kind of like what do they do now?

[00:09:27] They can't hide the fact that the system they've created for themselves out here. They can't pretend to be anything that they're not now. And so I think it's kind of cool to see like what what to do now. It's like finally come you've met normal people out here. This could be rescue. And it's like you kind of sacrifice that because they've caught you in the act of being weird. Right. Right. Definitely. Well it's survival. You got to do what you got to do to survive. You never know what's going to happen.

[00:09:55] Every season of Yellow Jackets has been you know like darker and darker and darker. Is there a favorite moment for you that you had to film this season compared to others? Like a favorite moment? It's been like very dark for you? Oh yeah. It's been very dark. I would actually say six of the feast of us eating Ben. That was probably the darkest for me all season.

[00:10:18] Just like the like the eating him and his head sitting there on the table and they did an amazing job with that head this season because it looked exactly like Steven. It was surreal and really creepy. Yeah. So there are like little moments like that on the show where I'm like yeah this is this is dark as it gets. That's right. If you could rewrite Akilah's journey is there anything you would change or explore more if you could?

[00:10:45] Um I don't know if I would change anything so much as I think I'd explore more of her relationships with other people. Like on the team I think that there's more to be discovered with her and Taisa's friendship or relationship. I think that's a bit like of a sisterhood almost. I think that Akilah really looks up to Taisa. I think I'd like to see more of that and how that affects their experience in the wilderness because I feel like Taisa is a much stronger personality than Akilah.

[00:11:10] And I feel like I would love to see what them getting close would look like for them as well as like her relationship with Mari. I also think because it's so sweet that they have this friendship but Mari is like Mari can be really bitchy and like really straightforward whereas Akilah is like I think like really sweet and like pulled back and innocent. So I would love to explore more of that friendship as well and just to see how they work out there being like almost polar opposites.

[00:11:36] So I think just like expansion on like her connections and her relationships to other members of the team would be nice. Yeah. Would Nia be friends with Akilah? Nia would definitely be friends with Akilah. Akilah would probably be the only person that Nia would be friends with. If you were part of that crash who would you want to be close to to survive you think? Actor wise or character wise? Character wise. Character wise probably Taisa.

[00:12:06] I feel like Taisa just is like a natural leader or leader energy to her and I just like trust her. Like even watching so even though she's got she's got that dark side to her and it is a little creepy. I just feel like she's got like a really clear way of looking at things and when she just when she's decisive she's decisive and I just feel like she would make an excellent leader. I feel like I would trust to Taisa the most being out there. Like I mentioned, you know, I've seen the first nine.

[00:12:35] I don't know what's happening on 10th, but what can you tease about Akilah? Like and if we see her in the future, is there anybody that would you want her to play? Like who would you rather see her play? I mean I've got my list. I've got my list. I always say I think the top of my list is Tika Sumter. I think that she'd be an amazing Akilah. I think we favor each other as well as I think that she has like a like an innocence to her as well as like a really like beautiful like mature sophistication that I would like to see in an adult Akilah.

[00:13:02] As well as like I've seen like fan theories like I've seen people throw out Regina King, Gabrielle Union and I think those are also really lovely, really strong options for an adult Akilah. So I would love to see that. And then I can't tease too much about Akilah's fate, but what I will say is that I mean I think everyone's right to be worried for her. I think everyone should be worried for all of us out there. Right. Getting crazier and crazier by the episode. I mentioned fan theories before. What's been like your favorite fan theory that you heard?

[00:13:32] Favorite fan theory? I mean there's always so many. I mean that Callie is pit girl is a funny one. I've seen that Akilah is going to probably die of rabies this season. That's been a funny one. Which you know what? That's actually pretty solid logic. Because I am spending a lot of time with the animals. So I see where we got there.

[00:13:55] I would say, but I also try not to pay too much attention to fan theories just because I can get invested and I'm like, oh, you're so far off. I'm like, oh, you're so close. So, you know, I just kind of stay out of fan theories. But those are some that I have come across that gave me a little chuckle. One of my favorite questions from the fans that I've seen online is like, where have they got these animals from? Where do they just show up? And then some people are like, they're not real. They're hallucinations. We just think there's animals there. I guess we'll find out. We'll watch to find out.

[00:14:26] What's been your favorite episode, you think, for season three? Would you say it was at episode six with Ben? It's actually seven. I was for a long time. I was like between the two because I love the ending of six so much. I love like that moment they're all having together around the fire and how it feels so euphoric. And then to this boom, like crazy stop into the people being there. So that was like really exciting. But seven is a wild ride from start to finish.

[00:14:53] And I think that everything about seven is just so exciting that seven is probably my favorite of the entire season. I love that the entire episode for our timeline is like one long chase scene. And it's like you've got different groups chasing different people. And it's just, yeah, really exciting. What's your thoughts on Hillary Swank? Everybody. That was a big shocker when I watched it. Huge, right? Right. So having Hillary come on, I think that it was an amazing choice, first and foremost. Obviously, it's Hillary Swank.

[00:15:23] But I think that she brings so much to the show. And I think that it's exciting. Obviously, that was just kidding. And also, I think that that's really cool. They've expanded on that character. And to see what's going to happen. Obviously, Melanie versus Hillary is electric. So, yeah, I think that when we found that out, it was huge for all of us. Like really big news. So it's just exciting. Did you get a chance to see that scene where Melanie bites Hillary? Oh, my God.

[00:15:52] I couldn't believe it when I saw it. The show just gets, yeah. It's like whenever I'm like, I'm like, I can't get any crazier than this. And then I read the next script and I'm like, I stand corrected as always. Yeah. They just always find a way to blow my mind. Has there been any word or anything for season four yet? Are they just keeping it hush hush for now till the season ends? Have you heard anything? Not that I know of. And they don't tell me anything. So I am not sure. But fingers crossed. And I do feel very hopeful that we will get to do a season four. I think we will.

[00:16:22] I think this is, I think, I feel like every season has gotten better and better. And it wants you to watch more. Yeah. And I love this season. I love that. I feel like it. I mean, it always is going to add questions. But I do feel like this season has answered a lot of questions. I think by the end of the season, people have a lot of answers to questions they've had from season one. And so I think that's really satisfying and really cool. This season is, in my opinion, definitely really excellent. And I would say one of our best.

[00:16:52] Right. Definitely. What's next for you now? Any other projects you're allowed to tell us about that you're going to go work on? Not that I can talk about it at the moment. But fingers crossed, you guys will be seeing some stuff pretty soon. That would be easy. Well, Nia, I want to thank you for giving me a few minutes today. Hopefully we see season four. We get you back on. We continue on the journey of Aquila. Yeah. Thank you so much for having me. This was awesome. Thank you.