Were actually staying, McHale explains to Collider.
We can go right now.
In doing so, she didnt just betray Kodi she sealed his fate.
Custom image by Nimesh Perera
COLLIDER: Congratulations onYellowjackets!
Its so amazing to see you on the show.
JOEL MCHALE: Oh, well, it is the 90s, so like an oaky Chardonnay.
Image via Showtime
Itd probably be a big California cab.
They were very popular then.
Thats a good question.
Image via Showtime
Something by Inglenook, perhaps.
Theyd probably say Chardonnay.
My character would be like, Ugh!
Image via Showtime
My character probably just drinks, like, grain alcohol.
Hes not so refined.
No, I felt that.
Image via Showtime
When you first got the call forYellowjackets, how much of your character Kodi did you know?
Did they tell you in the initial pitch?
And then what really surprised you when you were reading everything back?
Image via Dimension Films
And Im like, Yeah!
What kind of a question is that?
Any day of the week, I would do that.
Where am I going?
Start walking to Canada now.
And Im like, Yeah, I would do that, and then you usually dont hear anything.
With this one, they were like, Youve got to be here in September.
Im like, Okay, yeah!
I did likeThe Bearreference, also, where it was like youre a chef.
I was like, Oh, that feels like its all these variations of you in the Joel Multiverse.
Kodis also a bit of an enigma.
We dont know much about him.
What do you think motivates him?
Because I think we do get a glimpse of him coming when we see Akilahs vision in Episode 6.
MCHALE: Or itsJeremy Allen White.
But the description of him in the script was really such a nice jumping-off point.
Just from reading the dialogue, he loved fucking with Nelson [Franklin]s character.
So, those sorts of things helped, like, Oh, hes probably not the nicest person.
And theyre like, Were studying for frogs that are having sex.
So, I think that he enjoys that.
Hes like a pilot in his plane.
He knows every part of it.
When he goes a separate way from Ashleys character, hes clearly out to survive himself.
That first episode was directed by Jennifer Morrison, which was really nice to see I love her.
MCHALE: Oh, her advice, she was like an oracle of Delphi.
She is the real frickin deal.
Shes such a good director.
She can do anything she wants.
He seems like a leaner.
MCHALE: Oh, yeah.
And thenAnya Adams, who was onCommunity, who also is just a fucking badass.
I felt like I was in a candy store.
I remember sitting on the couch with my sister, and we both screamed.
I like to think Kodis sleeping.
[Laughs] My heart believes hes sleeping with his eyes open, and hes just resting his head.
MCHALE: [Laughs] Hes one of those weird human beings who sleeps with their eyes open.
Just a normal person!
But… hes really dead?
But everyone dies at the end of the season.
[Laughs] Do you think Kodi would have actually taken the girls to safety?
So, do you think that he would have actually helped them out?
MCHALE: I think he would have helped them out as long as it was helping him.
I do think it symbolizes a little bit of growing paranoia and distrust in some ways.
MCHALE: Yeah, I mean, obviously Ashley and Bart [Nickerson] are frickin geniuses.
When theyre like, Oh, he can get out of here?
He knows the way, and people were like, Oh, he does?
We can go right now.
And I think given that choice, like, who really wants to stay?
As Im approaching it, I didnt think about those things.
I just thought, This guy is in this situation.
He needs to get out as fast as possible, and hell do anything to save himself.
So I was just kind of like, Fuck these guys, Im getting the fuck out of here.
Im going to shoot as many as I have to.
These guys are crazy.
I was like, I know Im half crazy, but this…
The whole Eric thing, I think it was unclear.
I think it was kept nebulous on purpose, obviously, because, like, who is this guy?
You really can go into any army surplus store and buy shit with other peoples names on it.
Whats going through your mind as an actor to give that role?
I think from my character, I was just like, Get out right now.
Do everything you’re able to to get out of here.
This volcano is erupting, and you are going to get burned, so go, go, go.
And other people freeze.
With Ashleys character, I think he was worried about that.
So, yeah, thats a very vague answer.
People spend most of their lives going, Everythings normal.
This is a disaster.
This is a real disaster happening minute by minute.
And I was like, This has never happened to me.
Anyway, thats a lot.
What do you think hes thinking at that moment when he sees her?
I am so angry at her.
Anyway, thats an aside.
As you said, hes a total alpha, and probably to a fault obviously.
Obviously, that doesnt work.
He killed all the people in the office.
Hes on the run as Eric.
It was a fun show!
MCHALE: Well, when I looked at it…
I was like, What am I doing?
So, the super story stuff, I dont know it as well.
And its like, Get away from these crazy teenagers who are trying to kill you.
So, thats all I really think about.
So, I dont really know.
I can give you a theory.
So, I think my character shows up and goes, Heres a way out.
But its all his self-preservation.
I dont think theres any part of him that is like, I gotta help these kids.
I dont think [the Wilderness] is magical, is what Im saying.
I like hearing from other fans on the show.
I know youre in the show, but how do you see it yourself?
MCHALE: I think, and I could be wrong, yes, its a product of their environment.
I dont think its magical.
Because the more youre around it, the more wound up you’re able to get.
So I dont think its magical, is what Im saying.
I just think they are so… Stockholm syndrome of themselves.
Human beings will do almost anything to survive.
Anyway, thats a very long, very convoluted, uneducated answer.
Of all the characters you played, which one do you think would have survived the wilderness with theYellowjackets?
MCHALE: Yeah, well, he wouldnt know how to survive in the woods.
Probably Jack fromThe Great Indoors.
He would know, ironically.
He would be telling a lot of jokes and being like, These kids!
I dont understand… What?
I dont have to do that.
You just hang it on the wall.
Johnny Cage, I dont think he would have survived.
You dont think he would survive?
MCHALE: He would have just been in a ball game, like, Wheres my pedicure?
Same with Jeff Winger and his jacket.
MCHALE: Oh my gosh, yeah.
He would have died on the first day.
MCHALE: He would have starved to death.
I love it so much.
I love seeing you reunite with Courtney [Eaton].
You guys shared scenes inParachute, a beautiful movie.
That one, again, made me cry, too.
Believe me, the way it all ties together, like aTrue Detectivestorage facility with strings.
I was like, Wow!
Shes fantastic, obviously.
And then Courtney talk about a different experience.
It would be so great if I were like, Welcome to the sequel toParachute.
Heres where my character and Courtneys character both ended up.
But yeah, its so cool getting to work with people again on something else.
Now that Im 53, Im still like, I cant believe people still allow me to work.
I love it so much.
I always thought, Ill do this until I cant, and Im still doing it.
Im so, so very thankful.
Were all thankful for it.
I know that you and Jasmin had a few scenes in this, too.
Can you tease anything aboutScream 7?
Do you two share a lot of scenes?
Could you tease something about what surprised you most about the script?
Because Im sure its different from anything youve ever read, which attracted you toScream.
[Pauses] Or will you have to kill me after?
Paramount has its assassins like the MCU, Im sure.
MCHALE: I will tell you, Ghostface killer is in this one.
Okay, I wouldnt have known otherwise, so thank you for that scoop.
Yellowjacketsstreams its Season 3 finale on Showtime on April 6.
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