Hilary Swank’s Emmys 2025 episode submission for ‘Yellowjackets’ revealed
Hilary Swank is ready to fight for her Emmy. Gold Derby has confirmed the two-time Oscar winner will be submitted in the guest drama actress category for her knock-out performance in Showtime's Yellowjackets.
The episode submission will be Swank's first appearance on the series: Season 3, Episode 8, titled "A Normal, Boring Life." She plays Melissa, Shauna's (Melanie Lynskey) wilderness girlfriend who was presumed dead after a supposed suicide. Very much alive, and going by the name Kelly, Melissa now lives a quiet married life in Virginia — and her new family is totally unaware of her cannibalistic past.
Melissa's ideal life is upended when she's discovered by a knife-wielding Shauna, whom Melissa finds lurking in her kitchen pantry. During the intense reunion, Shauna accuses Melissa of various misdeeds, including killing their friend Lottie (Simone Kessel). Swank-as-Melissa fires back, "You stew and you seethe, and you make it everyone else's problem because you hate to be alone. You hate yourself. And you want everyone else to feel just as miserable as you are. I think you came here because you want your life to explode. It's fun for you. It lights you up. You want to burn it all down just so you can watch."
With Shauna at her breaking point, the argument escalates into a violent brawl that ends with Shauna harkening back to her youth, and taking a bite out of Melissa's arm. "Eat it. Or I'll f--king tell your family exactly who you really are," she says, dangling Melissa's flesh over her mouth.
Photo credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with Showtime
Swank's appearance on Yellowjackets is a notable return to television for the actress best known for her Oscar-winning performances in “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999) and “Million Dollar Baby” (2004). She began her career on the small screen with bit parts before becoming a series regular on shows like Camp Wilder (1992-93) and Beverly Hills, 90210 (1997-98). More recently, she earned a Golden Globe nomination for playing Eileen Fitzgerald in the acclaimed but short-lived ABC drama Alaska Daily (2022-23).
Since premiering in 2021, Yellowjackets has received 10 Emmy nominations, including Best Drama Series for its first two seasons and acting bids for Melanie Lynskey and Christina Ricci.
New episodes of Yellowjackets drop on Paramount+ with Showtime plan on Fridays before airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT on linear Showtime on Sundays. Nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced July 15.