Keeya King is best known for playing Akilah in the Showtime original horror series Yellowjackets, but she was suddenly recast in season 2.
Keeya King is perhaps best known for playing Akilah in the first season of Yellowjackets, but the role was suddenly recast for the show’s second season. Debuting in 2021, the Showtime original horror series follows the girls of the WHS Yellowjackets soccer team as their plane crashes in the Canadian wilderness, and have to resort to extreme measures to survive. The series also follows some of the girls 25 years later as they are still dealing with the fallout of their dark past. Endlessly creepy and brilliantly acted, Yellowjackets only got better in its second season, despite some very conspicuous changes to the main cast.
The character of Akilah is only featured in the flashback storyline, but her deft Girl Scouts abilities made her something of a team leader despite their obvious limitations. It hasn’t been revealed what was the ultimate fate of Akilah in the Yellowjackets timeline, but it could be speculated that she didn’t make it judging by the fact that she has not appeared in the present day. The role was originally played by Keeya King, a Canadian actor who gained acclaim for playing the role of Violet in the Syfy Channel series Van Helsing. Recasting on TV is common, but the sudden change was an odd departure for the creepy series.
It’s Unknown Why Nia Sondaya Replaced Keeya King In Yellowjackets Season 2
Fans of Yellowjackets immediately noticed a change to the supporting cast of the series when Keeya King was replaced by Nia Sondaya in the role of Akilah for season 2. As previously stated, recasting is a common practice in TV, but the departure of King was never officially explained by those involved with the show. However, Sondaya proved herself to be just as capable in the role as she grew the character who teetered between sanity and madness as she found herself swept up in the frenzy of the other girls.
Akilah in season 2 went from just a helpful rookie with a bit of Girl Scouts experience, to a full-fledged character as she became a follower in the group’s eventual descent into cannibalism. The ending of Yellowjackets season 2 left Akilah in a fascinating position, and she will likely grow more when season 3 finally rolls around and the season might also reveal her final fate. As for King’s departure, it could have simply been a matter of scheduling, since the talented young actor has been quite busy since she left the cast of Yellowjackets after season 1.
Keeya King’s Post-Yellowjackets Projects
A consummate show business workhorse, Keeya King has kept herself quite busy since leaving Yellowjackets, and she has seen the size of many of her roles increase since playing in the prestigious series. In 2022, King starred in the Tubi TV original thriller film Rush For Your Life where she played journalism student Tasha who goes undercover to expose the secrets of her college’s sororities. In the same year, she played the small role of Nikki in the Bruce Willis-led geezer teaser action film, Detective Knight: Rogue.
King’s final role in 2022 was a three-episode stint on the Canadian legal drama Diggstown, and she landed another film role in 2023 when she starred in Pride: Seven Deadly Sins, a TV movie. In the Lifetime original, King played the role of Ella, which once again allowed her to expand her horizons as a dramatic actor. While she has yet to star in a project that has rivaled Yellowjackets on its critical success since she departed, it’s clear that Keeya King has no issues getting work.
