A Few Drinks Got Joel McHale a Job on Yellowjackets Season Three

Photo: Getty Images for Vulture

Who ever said alcohol can’t lead to more work? During Vulture Festival 2024, Yellowjackets writers Ashley Lyle, Jonathan Lisco, and Ameni Rozsa shared how sarcasm king Joel McHale found his way into the world of the show. Lyle was at a Built to Spill concert at the Troubadour in Los Angeles and noticed McHale with her friends, who couldn’t believe it was him: “That man is not as old as Joel McHale, because he looks incredible.” After a few drinks, she encountered him at the merch table and asked whether he was, in fact, Joel McHale. “No, I’m just the world’s best paid Joel McHale impersonator,” McHale replied in a way that surprised no one. “It turns out he’s a fan of the show, and then he bought us all our merch, which was delightful,” Lyle continued, before revealing McHale was also “drunk.” Eventually, the wheels of production started spinning and the team reached out to McHale with an offer. “He was like, ‘I thought you were just drunk and kidding.’ I was like, ‘No, we really wanted you on the show.’” While the team couldn’t share any spoilers about who his character is or what he’ll be doing on Yellowjackets, if McHale’s previous roles on Community, Animal Control, and The Bear are any indication, we can expect sarcasm and neatly gelled hair.