"She Is All Class": Simone Kessell Said Michelle Obama Was Inspiration For Her "Star Wars" Character

" I put so much fourth dimension and lovemaking into her . "

Warning : MassiveYellowjacketsspoilers ahead !

put up in   Aotearoa ( New Zealand),Simone Kessellis taking the US by storm . You probably recognize her from the smasher showYellowjackets , where she brought adult Lottie to life , but that ’s just one on a recollective list of credits , includingObi - Wan Kenobi ,   Terra Nova , andOur Flag Means Death . She ’s also starring in the coming Apple TV+ thriller drama show , The Last Frontier , and has other task on the horizon that I ’m so frantic about !

“I put so much time and love into her."

For BuzzFeed’sVoices of the Pacificseries , I sat down with Simone to claver about all thingsYellowjackets , her favorite aspect of Māori acculturation , and more .

You portrayed adult Lottie Matthews in the hit showYellowjackets,bringing so much charm and intrigue to the role. I was devastated when your character died in Season 3! She’s such a fan favorite. What was your reaction when you first read the script?

Simone Kessell : I’d already have intercourse . I ’d speak with the showrunners prior to film that season . I was turn on another show at the prison term , and they were calling , and they said , " see , we ’ve work out the arc for Lottie this season . " And unfortunately , this was go to chance . Of course , I was thwarted because I think when you create a character like Lottie , she ’s got so many layer , and I put so much meter and love into her . I was really looking forward to attend where that character could go . But I cerebrate it ’s the kind of show where lede fictitious character pass away ; another main character , Van , kick the bucket . It ’s been a blessing to work on it , and it ’s been a blessing to get to play that character . So , it ’s only a privilege , and I ’m incredibly grateful for that .

BuzzFeed : Did you take anything from set after filming wrapped ?

I took a few things . I was very drawn to her jewellery . It was part of my masque and the character of Lottie . So , a wonderful costume designer afford me a few pieces . In Season 2 , I was always circumvent by crystals when she was at her community , her compound , and I would often bring home a few crystal .

Do you feel like you’ve said goodbye to Lottie, or would you be willing to return in Season 4 if they asked you to appear in flashbacks or dream sequences?

To be fair , I experience that perchance my time with Lottie is done , which is heartbreaking but also invigorating because that ’s what we do as actors . We move on ; we get to create more characters . She ’s definitely in my heart , and I know I can tap into that sensitivity , especially around mental wellness and status and thing like that . No , she ’ll always be a part of me .

I loved the scenes where Lottie stayed at Shauna’s house. You andMelanie Lynskeyhad such great chemistry together, and she’s another Kiwi actor! Do you have any favorite behind-the-scenes memories with her?

I be intimate Melanie going into the season , and she was really , I think , the reason why I got to toy in the world ofYellowjacketsbecause Melanie say the showrunners about me . I ’m eternally grateful for that , and through the last couple of year , we ’ve just become fabulously close . There have been many galvanizing second between us on ready in character as Shauna and Lottie , which plays back so nicely into the retiring plot line as well .

I just love her very , very much , and I ’ve got to say , it was a high spot getting to influence with her , watching her cunning . I think her work this season is high-minded . She ’s so nuanced and honest and grievous , and Melanie is so immensely different from that character . Seeing and hump Melanie , and then seeing the workplace that she does as Shauna — it ’s very , very special to be around . Often after work , she ’d be like , [ whisper ] " Should we go for a chardonnay ? " And I ’d go , " allow ’s go for a chardonnay , baby . " [ Laughs ]

We already hadCourtney Eatonas young Lottie in Season 1, and she’s Māori, so it was absolutely perfect when they cast you as the adult version in Season 2. Can you share how that came about? Did they intentionally honor Courtney’s heritage?

They did . She was raised in Australia and was n’t stir in Aotearoa . So , she was a bit distant from that , from her culture back home . But in 2025 especially , you have to really acknowledge hoi polloi ’s ethnicities and diverseness and background , and they really did . The casting onYellowjacketsis staring because all of the untried and older case are sort of beautifully crafted together .

Courtney , my good , she ’s stunning on and off projection screen . She is one of those women you ’re just drawn to . She ’s so humble and unique in who she is . When I first encounter her , I was a bit concerned if I could pull that off , because she has such a stillness in her , especially in her study as young Lottie . But I suppose we got there , and she does this lovely thing with her eyes , so I tried to comprise that into adult Lottie and a scrap in the physicality . But yes , it was very important for them to make certain they cast off in ethnicity , and they did that really well .

What was it like building off a character Courtney created? Did you two work together to create Lottie in Seasons 2 and 3?

We did , and we did n’t . She ’s really left - handed . We were like , " Okay , rent ’s make Lottie right - handed . " And a couple of prison term , she forgot [ express mirth ] but we did . She ’s about this much marvellous than me , so I made certain all my place would always have a variety of platform in them . I ’m 5'8 " , she ’s easily 5'10 " , 5'11 " , so I always need that tallness , especially with the other woman . But then when you think about 25 geezerhood later — I do n’t live what you were like 25 years ago or 30 years ago , but I know I was vastly different . And so , we get to bring in that world a slight bit . There were fully grown charge to fill up , I have to say , play her quondam version because she crafted that theatrical role so beautifully .

Have you ever faced challenges in your career as a Pacific Islander? If so, how did you overcome them?

Growing up in New Zealand , it was always the support or the small roles for   Māori and Pacific Island character . They were often also fictional character that were the single mother , the poor demographic . For so long , you are typecast in that , and still , I do n’t read why — especially back in New Zealand — if they ’re a lawyer or a medico or a moneyed kinfolk woman , that they ca n’t be   Māori or Pacific Island . That postulate to change . The number of time I ’ve passed on role because she ’s the single momma in a housing community and a caparison commission straight ; it ’s got to interchange .

It should n’t be : " Oh , well , no , she ’s Māori , so she ca n’t wreak that role . " It should be : " She ’s a woman in that old age group ; lease ’s see what she bring to the board . " That ’s what I ’m really proactive about bringing because it ’s a melting crapper decently now , and it ’s 2025 , and I want to see more of that . So , I encourage that , I affirm that , and I do n’t take those persona that are typecast anymore . I do n’t do that any longer , and that ’s my way of stand up for that .

I don’t know if you remember this, but you actually tweeted a screenshot from aBuzzFeed post I wrote in 2023celebrating the casting. You said, “More Māori and Pacific Islander wahine on our screens please.” What changes would you like to see in the industry to make this happen?

More write up and writing for peculiarly   Māori , Pacific Island cleaning lady . Rather than being the endure purpose , I would like to see more lead female part . I am so encouraged and so inspired when I see beautiful , beautiful work coming from our   Māori and Pacific Island wahine   [ women ] in particular , because I know at first hand how hard it is to get in front of those people . I know firsthand how knockout it is to go into an audition way and blow people out of the water and then get cast . I roll in the hay how hard it is being a Māori woman to be seen and heard , and I would like to see more of that , because we have an abundance of natural endowment and beauty . Even look at you . You ’re so beautiful .

BuzzFeed : [ smiling ]

You really are , and we need to see that and to celebrate it , just to be expose to it . Also , I was want to typeset up something of giving back to   Māori Pacific Island communities . Australia does it really well . They have the Heath Ledger scholarship , where they support Australian actors , and they air in their reel , and it narrows them down , and they get $ 10,000 and a flight to Los Angeles and introduced to all the top agents in Hollywood . I want to incorporate that for our Māori , Pacific Island role player , artists , creatives , and so perchance we can do this together . regrettably , I do n’t live in New Zealand right now . I ’m in Sydney ,   Australia , but that is my ambition to do . Because there ’s such an copiousness of gift , from Rachel House through to Cliff Curtis to obviously Taika [ Waititi ] and all our beautiful Māori , Pacific Islander actors and Temuera [ Morrison ] and Luciane [ Buchanan ] and everybody . So with us mob , we can embrace it and create something to hone the next genesis , to support , and to give . That direction , we will see more   wahine , more beautiful Pacific Island and Māori actress on our blind .

You portrayed Queen Breha in the Disney+ series,Obi-Wan Kenobi. What was it like stepping into theStar Warsuniverse?

Stepping into theStar Warsuniverse was so exciting . It was on the dog of COVID , and I take to fly to Los Angeles , Manhattan Beach , where we film it . It was so wonderful . I think of myself as a character actress . Again , there we are , offend the mould , right ? It did n’t matter that I was Māori . They hear me for my study , and I had five auditions , so when I was ultimately given the role , it was such a celebration . I was like , " Oh , how am I live to do it ? " And then , it was one of the highlights of my retentive career so far because step into that world , I was n’t a bigStar Warsfan . I did n’t bang . I had to do my prep , and the experience was one of the right . Ewan McGregor was such a generous , wonderful player to everybody on set . I just had such an amazing time . That was such a treat as an actress .

And she ’s so beautiful . This character , Queen Breha Organa . She was so regal and effortless . I channeled a chip of Michelle Obama . I convey in all these beautiful women that I search up to , and I mystify to play in that world that was very particular .

BuzzFeed : I love that Michelle was your inspo . I can totally see the vision .

She is all form , and that ’s what I wanted to play without sound judgment . Just class and fun . She ’s get a bit of a spunk to her , so I enjoy that .

For Pacific Islanders, there are so many aspects of our cultures that we hold close to our hearts, from our foods to our dances to our tattoos. What’s your favorite part of your culture?

I ’ll holler if I think about it . See , I ’m have teary . When you ’re honored with the haka , and when it ’s the ultimate regard to honor somebody or something with a waiata [ song ] and a haka , from welcome them onto your marae [ communal encounter earth ] , from sportswoman to somebody ’s tangi at their funeral , or wedding celebration . In the   Māori culture [ visibly shoot down up ] see , reckon , I cry every time I think about the haka . It ’s so unbelievable , and it ’s so muscular , and it ’s so uplifting . So , I estimate it is waiata , song , ethnical dance .

BuzzFeed :   Sometimes , the right video will make out up , a funeral or a wedding , whatever the office is , and there ’s just so much emotion in the haka . I ’m Samoan , but I experience like for all Pacific Islander people , you may feel the mana [ power ] .

precisely , yes . It is the mana , the respect , the coming together as one disregarding . And it ’s incredibly powerful .

Do you have a favorite Māori food?

Well [ laugh ] when I go home , my whanau or my family say that I ’m hopeless because I do n’t eat up meat . So , a furuncle up , which is in all likelihood improbably good for you because it is all the bones and the center and the cress green , but it ’s not a food I eat . I do like fry bread , though . With lots of butter , fantastical .

For your next role, you’re starring in an Apple TV+ show calledThe Last Frontier. While very different thanYellowjackets, a plane clash is also central to this story as it frees dozens of prisoners, creating issues for the local US Marshal and his wife, Sarah, who you portray. What can you tell us about your character and storyline?

We shoot it in Montreal , which doubles for Alaska . It ’s a good deal of C. P. Snow , a mountain of cold , a lot of jackets . It was freezing , minus 10 or 15 . I toy a nurse and a female parent , a wife in this community , when the carpenter’s plane go down . Think John Grisham , opine a prominent action thriller . My married man , bet by Jason Clarke . He plays the local Marshal , and he has to distribute with the fallout from this plane going down in the middle of nowhere , which is satisfy with the worst convicts , the worst regretful guys you may imagine . AfterYellowjackets , it ’s yet another role so vastly different . And it ’s action , and it ’s thriller , and it ’s drama . I ’m really looking forward to that . The team behind it are so good , and I ’m really delirious to be a part of the Apple web as well . I think the show is going to be one that just comes at you . It ’s very different for me , the fictitious character I ’m playing as well . I ca n’t look to share it with everybody .

If you could work with any Pacific Islander, who would it be?

I ’ve been very fortunate to cultivate with a lot of   Māori and Pacific Islander actors for Aotearoa . Right now , I ’m work with Rachel House on something . Rachel and I and a couple of others are seek to develop a miniseries with woman , thinkBad Sisters . So , that ’s exciting .

Some fans might not know this, but you won gold in the women’s singles and silver in the women’s doubles at the Australian Pickleball Championships! What do you love most about the sport?

This weekend , I just played another PPA tourney , and I ’m the maitre d’hotel of a major pickleball conference team as well . It ’s just happened in the last class . I love recitation summercater . I was a very practiced tennis musician , so toy pickleball came quite easy , and I sort of acquire very right very quickly . I give a lot of clock time to it .

I believe the reason it speaks to me is because I can turn off from this industry . I can move around off Lottie . Playing Lottie really have an emotional toll on me because I gave so much to her , and she was so broken to me . I needed something other than just exercise , like go to the gymnasium . So , pickleball came up , and I started play , and now I play most days . In fact , after our interview , I ’m going   to play pickleball ! But it ’s a sport where you ’re on a Margaret Court . you may be playing for four or five hour , and you ’re just thinking of scheme , stroke , where I ’m playing , who I ’m playing . It ’s a wonderful way to switch between acting and make a variation that I can get near at as I get older , too . I require to not just wreak out ; I want to learn . The point I play at is very fast , and it ’s highly strategic . These challenger are unbelievable athletes , so I ’m really pushing myself , and then I get to be an actress . My lifespan is full and marvellous . It ’s so great . It ’s such a pleasure performing .

BuzzFeed : I make love your attitude about continually learning .

If we do n’t , we become stagnant . For me , I travel so much , and I work so much that I have to do something that fills my cup . But also , I ’m learning [ something ] that I can get skilful at . And let ’s be honest , I ’m very militant . You ca n’t deliver the goods at yoga .

What advice do you have for young Pacific Islander creatives?

If you get nervous — I see a lot of that in young creatives — have sex that everybody gets neural . Everyone gets unquiet and holds back . It ’s really , really hard , but when you rise to it and you get there , the payoff is everything . It ’s not about do work as an actress in our diligence for the celebrity . We have to take that out . We have to do it because it fill us up , and it ’s all we think about , and it ’s all we need to do . And if that ’s what speaks to you , then keep going .

I am the perfect example . I have been act for such a long clock time , and it ’s only in the last perhaps five years that I ’ve ceaselessly worked back - to - back . That ’s just being tenacious ; that ’s just believing and loving what I do . I always say to myself , " As shortly as you block get it on it , as soon as you start not feel good in it , then give it up . " And I do n’t ever want to give it up . It still makes me so happy . They ’re the with child inquiry you have to need yourself . The answer is that it still fills my cupful . It still gives me absolute pleasance in life . Then go for it . Your tour is coming . The more you put it out , the more you get back . Just keep on going . You leave out one audition . It ’s not personal . Go for the next , go for the next , go for the next . One year , I cerebrate I auditioned 33 times . I did n’t get one job , and here we are ! You just have to be tenacious and believe in yourself and do the work .

And finally, what does being Pacific Islander mean to you?

Being Pacific Islander means I have a singularity that I ’m immensely proud of . Being Pacific Islander means that I occur from a community of love and celebration . Being Pacific Islander mean that I have whānau [ family ] all around me , and my ancestors walk beside me .

Thanks for chatting with us, Simone! Be sure to keep up with Simonehere.

you may read moreVoices of the Pacificinterviewshere .