Yellowjackets Star Alexa Barajas Reveals the Making of the Infamous ‘Pit Girl’ Scene
In a long-awaited reveal, the identity of the mysterious ‘Pit Girl’ was finally exposed in the Season 3 finale episode ‘Full Circle’ of the hit TV series Yellowjackets. According to Deadline, the show’s star Alexa Barajas, who plays the role of Mari, had a hunch that her character would be revealed as the infamous ‘Pit Girl’ from the beginning.
"I didn’t always know, but I did have a hunch," Barajas told Deadline in an interview. "I think after watching the pilot, I saw this girl running in the woods, and I said, ‘I think I look a whole lot like her.’ So, I had a feeling that this was where it was gonna all end up, and I am so excited that we finally got to do it."
The show’s co-creator Bart Nickerson, who also directed the finale, said that recreating the scene was "exciting and maybe daunting," as he notes the emotional weight of the finale comes from "starting where we began."
"And so, the show’s obviously not over, but it’s like landing back at the beginning in a way that sort of closes the loop, but also it kind of opens a door to a path, moving ahead," added Nickerson. "It was really fun and really challenging."
Deadline reports that fans are sure to be excited, as many have been theorizing about Pit Girl’s identity since the beginning, as well as the ‘Antler Queen’ (who is also revealed to be Sophie Nélisse’s Shauna).
"I think it’s so funny ’cause the fans, I think they’re on such polar opposite ends," explained Barajas. "They either really want me to be Pit Girl or they really don’t want me to be Pit Girl, but I think in the end, they both know I’m gonna be Pit Girl. And so hopefully, now that they’re getting their answers, they’ll be satisfied."
Recreating the infamous scene from the pilot episode was a challenging task for Barajas. "I mean, I really wanted it to match as much as possible, so that you can feel that full circle moment," she said. "And I really paid attention to the way she was running and wanted to make sure that all the pieces were in place, the way that she’s laying in the pit, for that to match properly."
The reveal of Pit Girl’s identity has sparked a lot of discussion among fans, with many taking to social media to share their reactions. According to Deadline, Barajas’ character’s fate was foreshadowed at the beginning of the season, when Coach Ben (Steven Krueger) captured her in the same pit.
"All the pit stuff, it was cool cause I actually got to spend time in the pit," said Barajas. "Not only did I get to end there, but I got to actually have full scenes inside the pit."
The show’s star also discussed her character’s complex relationship with Shauna, played by Sophie Nélisse. "I think it’s really cool this season cause you see her have so much conflict with Shauna right off the top, and you see them literally physically fighting at the beginning," she said.
As previously reported by Deadline, Mari’s death was part of the guilt that pushed Travis to kill himself since he was the one who set up the pit.
Barajas also expressed her excitement about getting to flesh out Mari’s character this season. "It was so much fun," she said. "I think what’s so fun about Mari is that even though the topics can be so dark and heavy, she somehow can be so naive or oblivious that she’ll just make light of things, almost not on purpose."
The Season 3 finale episode ‘Full Circle’ of Yellowjackets is now available to stream on Paramount+ with Showtime, before airing Sunday at 8pm ET on Showtime.
