Interview by Jana Letonja

Sarah Desjardins stars in Showtime’s critically acclaimed thriller series ‘Yellowjackets’, which returned for Season 2 on 26th March. Besides being able to watch her in ‘Yellowjackets’, she also stars in new Netflix’s series ‘The Night Agent’, which premiered on 23rd March. The series emerged as the third-most-viewed debuting series on Netflix in its first four days, and within a week it was renewed for a second season.

Sarah, in the very successful Showtime’s series ‘Yellowjackets’ you play Callie, Shauna and Jeff’s daughter in the present storyline. How does it feel being part of this highly succesful and critically acclaimed series?

I’m incredibly grateful and excited to be a part of ‘Yellowjackets’. Such an impressive team of actors, writers, producers, truly the entire crew from top to bottom and I am honored to be among them.

Your role in the second season will be major as you’re used to gather additional information about yourmother, Shauna as the mystery continue to unfold.  What can you tell us about your role this season, without giving away too much?

I am very thankful to Ashley, Bart and Jonathan for allowing us to delve further into Callie this year. This season we get to see how Shauna and Jeff’s actions are affecting Callie, which perhaps shines a brighter light on why she acts the way she does. As she gets further embedded into the situation at hand, we will see what Callie does with such information and the action she chooses to take. I’m excited for people to see it. 

Besides ‘Yellowjackets’, we’re also able to watch you in new Netflix series ‘The Night Agent’, an action-thriller about a low-ranking FBI agent who finds himself at the heart of a conspiracy years in the making. The series emerged as the third-most-viewed debuting series on Netflix and has been renewed for a second season within a week of its release. Where do you see the story going in the upcoming second season? 

What’s great about ‘The Night Agent’ is that it truly could go anywhere. Peter is on that plane. Who knows where he’s off to. All I know is that Maddie is off to study her Masters in Rome and if ‘The Night Agent’ team wants to see her there, I am happy to oblige.

In ‘The Night Agent’ you play the pivotal role of the Vice-President’s daughter, who is kidnapped after she slips her Secret Service detail to go on a date. Portraying someone that’s been kidnapped can take a toll on someone. How did you prepare for this role?

For the kidnapping scene specifically, I was fortunate enough to do that scene with Andre Anthony who I have known for a very long time. It definitely helped to feel so safe with someone I knew. There was a lot of trust there. We also had intimacy coordinators on set, who even went as far as to give me soothing essential oils to bring home with me after the fact. Being kept in a dimly lit room, shackled to the wall didn’t leave a lot to the imagination. I truly just sat in that situation as best I could and let the reality of that add colors to my performance.

You gained a big following from your time as Donna in ‘Riverdale’s’ 4th and 5th season. How do you deal with fame and having so many people following you both in your career and personal life?

‘Riverdale’ was a super fun time. Donna is such a sinister villan, who is so drastically different from me in real life. In terms of having a growing folllowing, I’m still surprised there are so many people out there who are curious enough to see what I’m up to. I’m extremely flattered by it. I do my best not to let it affect how I live my life day to day, but I do love connecting with people and that it gives me a chance to show people me as opposed to my characters.

How did your passion for acting develop? Can you share a bit more about the beginnings of your career?

I was watching ‘Barney & Friends’ at 6 years old when I realized that being on TV was a job. I got a taste of auditioning very briefly at that age, but my parents decided that I was too young. When I got older, I asked if I could get back into it and they said if I took the initiative when I was a little older that they would support me. I was actually a very shy kid, so when I got to high school I slowly dipped my toe into the plays and musicals and by 16 I started auditioning again and have been going ever since. I truly just never forgot the experience I had when I was little. It always stuck with me. I’m so grateful I found my passion for acting. It has absolutely shaped my life and helped me grow out of my shell, but also as a person in so many ways. It’s added so many beautiful colors to my life.

Which role so far would you say impacted your career the most?

In terms of awareness of me as an actress it would probably be ‘Riverdale’ and most recently ‘Yellowjackets’. However, my role of Jenna Hope on ‘Impulse’ definitely impacted me the most as a person, inspired the most growth. Working on that show truly was a dream come true. Jenna as a character, that entire team, the actors who are friends for life, the incredible story and writing, Lauren LeFranc who is a genuis. You can check it out on YouTube Premium. Our two seasons are still up there.

What kind of roles or stories excite you the most?

The stories that excite me the most are ones that are well written and character driven. Any genre. Complex characters are what I live for. I don’t even need a ton to be happening plotwise, as long as we have beautiful complicated people who we are compelled to watch.

When you’re not on set, how do you like to spend your free days?

I am a very introverted person, so if I’m currently working on a project, on my days off I definitely need to do things that ground me in myself. That could be anything from reading a good book whilst cuddling my cat, being in nature, a walk by the beach or in the woods, a jog, singing, dancing around or playing my guitar/ukulele. I find running very meditative. I try to do things that both current me and little me feels lit up by.

After ‘Yellowjackets’ and ‘The Night Agent’, what’s coming up next for you this year?

I have a fun little part in ‘Dead Boy Detectives’ that will be coming out soon, as well as a couple of other things in the works. Very much looking forward to what the rest of 2023 brings.

photography EVA GRACE & REBECCA BENOIT