If you missed last week’s Big Sky premiere on ABC, stream it ASAP, settle in for the second episode tonight, and prepare yourself for a roller-coaster of a plot—one that features the very versatile Jade Pettyjohn in the role of Grace Sullivan. Pettyjohn, who most recently starred in Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere, has played the daughter of Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Laura Dern on-screen in the past few years and is taking on the character of Grace with a “little bit of fight, and a whole lot of bite.” Pettyjohn recently chatted with us about that shocking twist (we won’t spoil it), the challenge of “dirt makeup” and what’s in store for the season.
Was it hard for you not to spill any details on Big Sky’s big twist?
The first episode had such a big twist that was a shock for everyone. Obviously, with something as important as that, there’s the pressure of not wanting to spill it, but I had a lot of fun leaning into the secrecy and mystery of it. It was a good mixed bag of emotions and, luckily, I didn’t spoil anything!
You have some long, and physical, days of filming. What do you do at the end of the day to unwind?
There are some very long days. A lot of night shoots, a lot of crazy work, and the work we’re doing with my character, Grace, is very heavy, emotionally. It is a really intense storyline. When I come home, I want to decompress and relax. What I’ve been doing is lighting a candle, blasting some feel-good music and cooking. I like to step back from my phone and dance in my apartment and little things like that. It helps me unwind and decompress and gets me ready for another day of filming.
Do you have any behind-the-scene beauty secrets?
For a big part of the show, our glam is a lot of dirt on our face. The dirt they use is makeup, but it’s an alcohol-based makeup that really gets stuck on your skin. Our glam team has been really helpful in giving us different skin care to save our skin at the end of the night. The majority of us, especially the female cast members, will go into the trailer at the end of the night and get hot towels—which are the most luxurious things on the planet. We take our dirt-makeup off as soon as we possibly can. For me, the other thing that saves me is hydration. Youth to the People has this amazing Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Mask that I put on my face for my drive back home. It saves my skin.
You’ve been part of some really big projects. What are some of the best beauty tips you’ve picked along the way?
My hair is like lemongrass and it’s naturally very, very dry. Kevin Murphy’s Young Again Oil has saved my hair. I also really love dpHUE, they have a color-protective treatment that added shine to my hair again. As far as skin care and makeup and everything goes, the best advice I’ve gotten along the way is to take your makeup off as soon as possible. You’ll always find Micellar water everywhere in my house and in my trailer to make sure my skin has time to breathe and reset before another day of makeup.
You recently spoke about your love for Le Labo. Any other holy grail products you swear by?
Le Labo is definitely a favorite right now for scents and candles. They’re incredible. For skin care, I really love Youth to the People and Tatcha. Both of those brands are incredible. For hair, dpHUE has saved my color in-between visits, especially during the pandemic since we can’t get our hair done as often.
Can you share anything else we can expect from the season?
Well, the twist in the first episode is definitely not the end. Something crazy like that happens in every episode, and nothing is as it seems. I’m excited for people to watch the show and be surprised and hooked and on the edge of their seats. With my character, Grace, I’m really excited for people to see episode three. You’ll see a great change with her—she bites back, she’s strong and I’m excited for people to see that side of her. She’s a fighter.
