Nia Sondaya plays 'Akilah' in one of the biggest shows currently on television: Yellowjackets. Starring alongside Ella Purnell and Melanie Lynskey, Nia is a standout performer in Season 2 of the show.
TheThings sat down with the amazing actress to talk about the series, her closest friend on-set, and Bel-Air.
Nia Sondaya Was Welcomed In Open Arms For 'Yellowjackets' Season 2
Nia entered the show in its second season, which is already getting positive reviews. In fact, Season 2 of the show currently has a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. "Joining the cast of Yellowjackets was super exciting, but also a little intimidating," she shared. "I remember watching the show before meeting everyone and thinking that every single member of this cast is exceptional. I remember feeling a bit anxious to finally work with everyone knowing I was coming in for the second season. This was a pretty tight knit ensemble of actors so I just really wasn’t sure what to expect. Of Course everyone was extremely kind, welcoming and supportive."
She took the reins of her character from who played her in the first season, Keeya King.
"Stepping into the role of Akilah was multilayered, as I was very careful to match the portrayal of Akilah in the first season. I studied Keeya King’s work in the first season and it was very important for me that I keep the groundwork that she had laid out for the character. I think Keeya did beautiful work as Akilah in season one. She was Innocent yet brave, quiet but strong, she’s also incredibly intelligent. All of this was very important for me to maintain while also adding organic moments where Akilah can find her voice and confidently make space for herself in this group dynamic."
Nia Sondaya Has Two Favorite Characters From 'Yellowjackets'
With an amazing cast of performers, it's really hard for viewers of Yellowjackets to pick a favorite. So far, Nia is deciding between two. "This is a hard one but it’s a pretty close tie between Van and Natalie," she said. "I’ve always really enjoyed Van’s character because I think they’re witty,and tough but also find these moments to be soft and caring especially when it comes to Taissa and I just think it’s so sweet. Natalie is very obviously the cool girl out of this group and I love it. I am fully here for the leather Jacket, the boots, and let's not forget she’s the only one of us that can actually hunt."
Not only does she love the on-screen characters, but she has grown a tight bond with the real-life performers.
"We’ve got a really good friend group, and a lot of us are really pretty close. I love everyone in the cast but I’d say I definitely connected the most with Nuha Jes Izman who plays Crystal. We booked around the same time and when we got to Vancouver they put us up at the same place so we got really close really fast. They’d drive us to and from set together and she very quickly became my best friend and literal favorite person. She’s so sweet, funny, and incredibly talented. I had an absolute blast working with her."
Nia Sondaya Also Starred In The Fresh Prince Reboot Series 'Bel-Air'
If you think you recognize Nia from another show other than Yellowjackets, you're going to have to be more specific. Not only did she have a reoccurring role in Truth Be Told, but she has also starred in Bel-Air, which is a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. "It’s a classic," Nia said. "I watched it growing up and I still rewatch today. One of the best 90’s sitcoms with such an incredible cast."
She went on to say that she had a great experience on the set of the reboot series:
"I had so much fun working on Bel-Air. It was only one day on set for one scene but it was such a great time. I remember every single person from cast, to crew, to hair & makeup were so nice and welcoming. The Bel-Air set had a lot of bright energy and friendly faces. I absolutely loved my time with them!"
Make sure to watch Nia in Yellowjackets, available on Showtime!
