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When we sit down with Sarah Desjardins, she’s back home in Vancouver, resting after the Yellowjackets premiere that just took place in LA. Excited and elated that the show is finally back in the world, Desjardins couldn’t wait for people to see this new season. Since it was announced last year that she was promoted to a series regular, Sarah knew her work was cut out for her. It would have been easy to dismiss Callie Sadecki’s character as just a bratty teenager, a thorn in her parents’ side, but she saw more; she read between the lines – and so did the audience. Desjardins captured the nuance of the character, giving us layers to Callie that we hadn’t seen before, and in doing so, shared a little piece of herself as well. And therein lies the reason why Desjardins feels not only fiercely protective of the character but a sense of ownership.
It’s that deep-seated passion and heart-on-your-sleeve emotion that continues to lead her to the next big thing. Cast in the upcoming Tron: Ares film out this October starring Jared Leto and Gillian Anderson, among others, Desjardins finds herself on a new adventure. The biggest production she’s worked on to date, there were moments of unbelievable gratitude and disbelief at being allowed to play in the world of Tron. While she couldn’t tell us much about the film, or her character specifically, she gives us a coy smile, the excitement certainly palpable via the computer screen with the reassurance, to those patient fans waiting for this highly anticipated sequel to Tron: Legacy – you’re in for a treat.
In conversation with Schön! Magazine, Sarah Desjardins discusses Yellowjackets, the upcoming film Tron: Ares, the character of Callie Sadecki, what she does when she’s back home in her natural habitat, and more.
Sarah, thank you so much for your time today, I really do appreciate it. Glad you’re back home after the craziness of the premiere [laughter]. When it was announced back in 2024 that Callie would be up to a Yellowjackets series regular, what were your initial thoughts and feelings? Did the team clue you into what Cali’s arc was going to be or did they leave you in the dark?
I am so grateful to have been a part of this show from the beginning, when I joined, I had a Zoom and got to meet Melanie (Lynsky) and Warren (Kole) who play my parents. Melanie was so deeply kind and warm and inviting. One of the first things she said to me was that she wanted me to know that Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, our amazing showrunners, intended for Callie to go to some deep emotional places and have the character develop over time. Melanie wanted to tell me that specifically and said that’s why you’re here, I wanted you to know, which is such a beautiful thing to do for someone upon first meeting, it filled me with confidence, and I just felt very grateful.
That was one of the first things Melanie ever said to me and so I always knew in the back of my mind that that (becoming a series regular) might materialize but I didn’t know for sure. In this industry, I’m just grateful for what I have in the moment, and if it develops further, fantastic. I always knew it was possible, but I wasn’t counting my chickens before they hatch. I’ve been grateful for every second and as the seasons have gone on. From season one to season two, Callie grew and developed as a character and so when season three was about to start it seemed to me there was much more to explore with Callie. I felt very excited and one of my favorite things about playing her this season is that we’re developing her inner world and her complexities. We’re getting to tap into different parts of her and share different parts of myself with her to bring through to the character which has been really amazing.
With all that being said, how would you describe Callie journey from season one to where we are currently in the show?
Yes. So, something that I love in season one is when we meet Callie, on the surface all you see is a typical bratty teenager. They’re going through it and lashing out, but what it’s always come back to for me is Callie’s behaving this way because her mom specifically, has gone through a lot of things. Callie is wanting a closer relationship and love from her mom. It’s really sad, she doesn’t really understand why that’s not happening and she’s 17.
I feel like part of it is to get attention, but she just doesn’t get a reaction out of her mom. She’s not getting the closeness that she wants. She has that more with Jeff, her dad already, but you know, we all want our mother’s love. And so, from season one to now, I really just love that if season two was more about trying to understand her mom that carries over into season three. But as we left Callie in season two, she witnessed everything that happened at the compound. She shoots Lottie to protect her mom. And Lottie witnesses her and says, this is your daughter. She’s so powerful. And Callie does hear that. She doesn’t know what that means or even how to register that with everything that’s going on. But where we’ve kind of left Callietoo is like we have that last shot where Callie is watching Lottie be carted away. Yeah. And there’s something in her eyes. And I’m really in season three will like really well as Lottie comes back into their lives in season three, Callie is kind of seeing that as like she’s feeling drawn to her. She’s feeling a little afraid of her. She’s also feeling like Lottie is drawn to her. And really, I think Callie is seeing that as an opportunity.
It seems like maybe Lottie is someone that will give her some answers. At the beginning of season three, it becomes clear quite quickly that Shauna and Jeff are going to act like everything is normal. And to answer your question it is really about Callie turning inward. And if season two is about understanding her mom, that’s carried over. But it’s because Callie is trying to understand herself. So, that does include understanding her mom. But she’s questioning herself, “Am I like my mom? How much am I like my mom? How do I feel that I might be like my mom? What does that mean? What is this energy going on? Who is this person?” I would say Callie is more driven than ever to take things into her own hands and to get some answers.
I feel like she’s processing a lot of complex emotions and just trying to untangle her feelings on top of everything else going on in the show. I mean, it’s complicated enough being a teenager [laughter]. One of my favorite things about Yellow Jackets is the chemistry you all share as a cast, particularly with your on-screen parents. What are Callie’s thoughts on her parents? And how would you describe their family dynamic?
Oh, my God. How would I describe the family dynamic? Well, I was saying this in another interview, there’s so much push and pull. We’ll be brought together, we’re pulled apart, brought together, and pulled apart. When will they become a healthy bonded family? If we’re thinking about Callie’s thoughts on Jeff, I enjoy how their relationship develops this season. They get thrown together a lot more. She needs to confide in someone, and Jeff is someone she feels safe with. I think Callie also feels sad for Jeff as well. This season more than any other, Callie is realizing her parents are people. They’re not perfect, they have their own flaws. In a lot of ways, Cali really feels for Jeff, too, because deep down, he is such a good man who loves his family.
There are moments this season where Callie is kind of thrust into a parental role. They switch roles, which is interesting to play. And Warren, I just love so much. So, to get to play the more emotional sides of things with him, though, he makes me laugh more than any other person was run. And then for Callie, her feelings towards Shauna, she really does love her mom and is willing to protect and will protect her. But she’s also really confused by her mom, too. She’s scared of her mom. What scares Callie most is that she’s like her and she’s trying to understand that and what that means. I think of this moment in the season premiere, where I can spoil it now [laughs] where Callie pours guts on these girls because they’re talking shit about her mom. She ends up sharing that with Shauna and she’s touched, they end up connecting. Callie wants to connect with her mom so bad. Deep down, she’s a kid. She’s a kid who wants to connect to her mom and feel love from her mom.
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What child doesn’t want approval from their parents, especially their mother? And among all the chaos, too, Callie must have so many complicated feelings. I don’t envy her. Moving forward, what has it been like for you to see the fan reaction to the show so far?
I might get emotional answering this, which is embarrassing.
You’re not the first, if that makes you feel better?
I’m a very emotional human being. I feel so honored to be a part of something that people are so excited about and connect to in a crazy way. Our show is so extraordinary, and I think that while the circumstances are very heightened, there are a lot of themes to relate to. I’ve been so pleasantly surprised at how positively everyone has taken to Callie in as the seasons have gone on.
It’s meant a lot to me to witness how much other people care about her too. I’m so attached to her. I was like, “No, people just don’t understand. She’s gone through so much. She’s not just this bratty teenager.” I cannot express in words, this job is such a dream. And everyone I work with is good people. Everyone’s such a beautiful person. And I remember reading the pilot and thinking, “This show is special. If they don’t make this, that’s just the wrong choice.” And that was when I was auditioning. I didn’t even have a part in it yet [laughs]. I’m just really grateful that the show found an audience and that they’re so passionate about it.
What is something that you hope Callie has learned about herself throughout the last three seasons? What advice would you give to her?
Okay, I’m going to get serious. I’m older than Callie is. I’m still very much on the journey of life myself. I feel like a lot of people are. What makes Callie relatable is slowly learning she is enough. I just hope that Callie is learning to find more compassion and self-love. I would just say, “Keep being curious.” And that can bleed through to a more literal sense, and it does in this season. I personally, as Sarah, not my character, believe that human connection and connecting with people is what makes life worth living. And to connect with people, you need to understand who you are and be as authentic to yourself as you can be. So that’s what I wish for her.
I think all things considered; she’s handling it pretty well.
Thank you [laughs].
There’s no rule book on how to deal everything she’s going through.
Not really. I think in a weird way, in her family dynamic, she’s the voice of reason.
She’s become parentified.
Which is not ideal for a 17-year-old.
Not at all. Moving briefly to Tron: Ares, is there anything at all you can tell us about your character or the film itself? Anything you can tease? What was the audition process like for the film?
I wish I could tell you [laughter], but I will speak broadly. I will say that I’m, again, very, very grateful. My audition process was quite simple. I put something on tape, and I got the part.
Oh, wow. Okay. That’s straightforward.
That was my reaction. I thought it would be a lengthier process. But I was very grateful that it wasn’t. I was a little confused but in a positive way. “Really? That’s all? Okay. Great.” I will say that it’s my first time being a part of a really big franchise like that, and a big budget feature Disney film. And it was a cool experience for me. Truly, one of the coolest things was coming to work and seeing the sets. And again, just being on a big machine like that with a big budget, where they can do all the things necessary to make it look amazing. And so, every day at work, I was just like, “Okay, act natural.” But everyone a part of it is so great. It’s so good. I can’t wait for everyone to see it. I think everyone’s going to be so entertained by it. And I can’t wait till the end of October. I wish I could tell you more. It’s going to be good.
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I’m so excited. So, breaking away from acting for just a moment, what does your time off look like for you? What do you do when your back home in Vancouver, in your natural habitat?
I am someone who up until a couple years ago, had to reckon with the reality of who I am now, I used to say, “Oh, I’m really shy. I’m really introverted.” And now I’m at a place where I’m like, “Shy is not an identifier anymore.” I am quite outgoing. I love connecting with people so much. But I am very introverted. So, I do need lots of alone time and recharge time. I would say that I do well in one on one settings or really small groups of close friends. I do feel energized by that. But overall, I need to recharge to be able to go back out there. For example, when I finished season three, it was like, “Oh, okay, I need to sleep for a week.”
Valid, so valid.
[laughter] I’m a pretty low-key human being. I don’t like to drink; I don’t go out. I love to read. I love to get some kind of movement in my day. I honestly love everything, whether its running, Pilates, weights, or all kinds of stuff. Most of my days are taking it slow when I’m not working, seeing close friends, and spending time with the people that I care about most.
The other thing is that for the longest time, I grew up with cats, and I’ve always had cats my whole life. But last year my last kitty Kim, who I’ve had since I was nine passed away. And so now I’ve always been a self-identified cat person, cat woman, lady, but I have no cats now. And that’s an identity crisis for me. But I have enjoyed the freedom of not having a pet because I have had them my whole life. I’ve gotten to travel a lot more for pleasure because I’m not needing anyone to take care of them or needing to figure that out. And like, I love traveling with people, but I also love traveling solo. That’s been a really fun discovery as I’ve gotten older. Last October, I went on a solo trip to London for the first time.
Oh, wow!
And it was amazing. One place I always go back to quite often is New York. I love New York. I don’t know if I necessarily want to end up there and live there forever, but I really would love to book a series, do a season of a show, or do a movie and just stay there for five months. I find New York so creatively inspiring. I love going to shows. I’m a big walker. I love walking everywhere. Vancouver is nice, but it’s small enough that you really walk everywhere. And New York is not small, but it’s really built for walkers and just hopping on the subway. So travel, taking it easy, and connecting with my friends. And also, I love to bake.
Oh, you like to bake? What’s your go-to? Or signature?
I love cookies. If you look at my Instagram at all, it’s very clear [laughter]. But my favourite to make is oatmeal chocolate chip. It’s the best of both worlds. You get the oatmeal raisin texture, but you have the chocolate, which is, of course, important. And I love muffins. I love to make banana chocolate chip muffins, carrot, too.
My mum who’s retired now, is basically baking every other day, cupcakes, muffins, breads, whatever she can think of. I’m like, what are you trying to do to me?
I haven’t gotten into is bread. I know everyone did that when COVID started. Everyone was so into sourdough. And I love sourdough bread. But I think I was afraid. Oh, I need to share this with you – [Sarah pulls out her phone] – even if this does not end up in the article, I don’t care [laughs]. For the first time I mad brown butter chai cinnamon rolls. And I and I’d never made cinnamon buns before.
Oh my God.
Yeah, let me tell you – it is a process. You have to proof them two separate times. Let things rise. I did have to start over at the very beginning because at first I killed the yeast. There are so many things that can go wrong. It was a three and a half hour process to make these cinnamon rolls. And in a way that’s a shame because they were so amazing. But it’s also for the best because I can’t be making all the time.
Can you hook a girl up with the recipe after this?
Message me on Instagram.
And lastly, what is the best and worst advice you’ve ever been given?
Oh my god, this is an incredible question. I’m trying to think about the worst advice I’ve ever been given. I always find it interesting when people are giving advice. It’s a peek into that person’s world and what they’ve been through and what they have going on. Bart (Nickerson), who’s one of the creators of the show, and I were talking about how people are always giving advice based off their own experiences. And in that way, we’re kind of unintentionally projecting on each other. Sometimes it’s helpful, of course, but sometimes that person is speaking more from their own experience. I really wish I had a better answer, because I know I have some good ones. If I think about acting, I definitely had people when I was a bit younger tell me I should be wearing sexier clothes, I should be putting more makeup on, I should be wearing a push-up bra to every audition things like that.
Gross.
It was really important to me to be me and be authentic and not think too hard. Here’s maybe more of an intimate answer: I feel like right now in the last handful of years, as I become more of an adult, I’m 30, I’ve always identified as quite comfortable, someone who’s quite open and comfortable with vulnerability and being vulnerable. But what I’m really learning as I get older, as I reflect on how I felt as a kid, is that I suppressed a lot of the harder feelings growing up. And so, I think this isn’t an exact phrase, but I think it was probably something my therapist said – we love Susan –
Yay, Susan!
I’m just in this space of my life now where I have to sit with all the hard feelings because I suppressed them and didn’t feel safe to express them, but now I’m an adult. If I really want to show up fully as myself and kind of free a lot of weight I’ve carried, I’ve got to sit with all the hard feelings and feel them and process them. And I can relate to the show and Callie in a sense because anger is something that has never resonated with me, I’ve never felt very comfortable feeling it. It’s hard. You have to get used to sitting with the discomfort because there’s no way around it.
