For Sophie Nélisse, the moment she’s in right now feels like standing at a crossroads of gratitude, heartbreak, and genuine excitement. Between the upcoming final season of Yellowjackets and the confirmed second season of Heated Rivalry, Nélisse is balancing the end of one defining era with the continuation of another that’s quickly becoming just as beloved.
“I mean, it is very overwhelming,” Nélisse said, reflecting on the passionate response to her work. “I don’t think I ever have that set of expectations coming onto a project. I do it for the creative team. I do it because I love the character and the script, but it’s always just like the cherry on the Sunday.”
That fan response, particularly from queer audiences who’ve deeply connected with her characters, hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“Whenever people react so strongly to something, I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to play characters that I wish I would’ve grown up seeing and watching and having on screen,” she added. “So I’m just really happy that people resonate so much with them.”
That resonance is about to be tested emotionally as Yellowjackets heads into its final season. Nélisse confirmed the bittersweet reality fans have been bracing for. “I’m excited to go back on Yellowjackets. It’s definitely bittersweet, considering it’s our last season; it’s very heartbreaking.” After years of trauma, survival, and morally messy girlhood, saying goodbye to the wilderness feels personal, not just professional.
Heated Rivalry Season 2, Baby!
Thankfully, heartbreak isn’t the only thing on Nélisse’s horizon. Heated Rivalry Season 2 is officially moving forward, and she’ll be returning as Rose Landry alongside a cast and crew she clearly adores. “It’s been truly one of the funnest, most heartwarming sets I’ve ever been on,” she said.
“I love the entire gang. They’re my family.”
Since its release, Heated Rivalry has quickly cemented itself as a queer fan favorite, and the momentum hasn’t slowed, with the series already scoring a Season 2 renewal. The hockey drama’s mix of slow-burn tension, emotional vulnerability, and unapologetically queer romance has sparked nonstop conversation across social media. We’re already counting down the days until Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams return to the ice as Ilya and Shane.
Sophie Stars in Sapphic Horror Whistle
And if fans are hoping Nélisse’s current run doesn’t end there, she’s not shutting that door either. Speaking about Whistle, her latest queer horror from Corin Hardy, she teased just enough to keep speculation alive. “I feel like whistle ends without revealing any spoilers, but sort of on a little bit of a cliff where there is room where there is potential and hope for a second movie.”
The film, now in theaters, follows a group of high schoolers who stumble upon a cursed Aztec Death Whistle. Once it’s blown, their future deaths begin stalking them in the present, forcing them to unravel the object’s history and figure out how to stop the curse before it takes them out one by one. Oh, did we mention there’s a queer relationship between Nélisse’s character Ellie and Dafne Keen’s character Chrys?
From the end of Yellowjackets to the continuation of Heated Rivalry, Sophie Nélisse isn’t just closing chapters. She’s building a body of work that feels deeply seen, deeply felt, and very much worth following wherever it goes next.
Watch Whistle now in theaters and see our interview with Nélisse here.