Yellowjackets’ Samantha Hanratty in Bathing Suit Enjoys "First Beach Day"

Samantha Hanratty, best known as teen Misty on the Showtime smash series Yellowjackets, is nearly unrecognizable in real life. Gone is the blond, curly wig and glasses, dorky clothes and the disease to please, embodied by her rather unstable character. Instead, she’s got straight hair, a confident gaze and a fit figure. It’s a testament to her performance, and the transformation is evident in her latest post, a swimsuit photo. “First beach day of the new year,” she captioned it. How does Hanratty, 26, stay so fit? Read on to see 5 ways Samantha Hanratty stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!

1. She’s a Vegan

Hanratty is a vegan in real life. “We would be on set, I would be eating the ‘meat’”—on the show, about a group of teenage plane crash survivors, the characters eat deer and…possibly one another—“and then would get back to my trailer and then there would be a Beyond Meat sandwich and that was like every day for five months,” she told Page Six. How can you keep vegan? “Vegan diets exclude meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products,” says the Mayo Clinic. “Choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods, such as whole fruits and vegetables, legumes and nuts, and whole grains. At the same time, cut back on less healthy choices, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices and refined grains.”

2. She Says She Would Not Be Able to Survive Two Weeks in the Woods

Hanratty said she wouldn’t last long in the woods. “I’m vegan and allergic to everything, so I’m already at a major disadvantage,” she told Page Six. “If I had a foraging book I think I would be OK. I could live…I think I could survive two weeks, but I would not be happy. I would have lost my…marbles. I definitely would come back being not OK, not OK in the slightest.” She added: “I seriously feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be a part of this show and playing this amazing character,” Hanratty has said.

3. She Always Wanted the Spotlight

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“I just knew I wanted to entertain,” she told Christina Ricci, who plays the older Misty, in a conversation in Interview. “I’m the youngest of five girls and I probably wanted the spotlight, but I told my parents, ‘I want to be on TV like Shirley Temple,’ and my mom finally gave in when I turned six. I kept begging and then she finally sent my picture to an agency and they called the next week. I had an audition for a commercial and booked it, and it just was meant to be. My mom is still waiting for me to leave it behind. She supports me, but she also says, ‘Whenever you want to stop, go ahead and stop.’”

4. She Saw a Therapist While Shooting

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“I don’t think we’ve talked about this, but I was seeing a therapist while I was in Canada, and that was something that we discussed. I was definitely treated differently when I was in hair and makeup and wardrobe,” she told Ricci in Interview. “I got more self-conscious, and my walk even changed a bit. I just felt like a bigger target, you know, as a person.” If you’re considering therapy, ask yourself a few queations first. “Are you looking for individual, relationship or family therapy?” Dawn Potter, PsyD, says to the Cleveland Clinic. “You need to consider if you’re looking for treatment for a specific problem that requires a specialist,” she continues. “Maybe you’re just looking for general growth. That decision will also determine what kind of therapist and what qualifications you’re looking for.”

5. She Has Streamed Her Workouts

Hanratty has streamed herself on Twitch working out. In one video, she’s got a simple yoga mat and some free weights, and does exercises that work her core, back and upper body. (It was part of a fundraiser.) “You can do core-strength exercises on a carpeted floor or mat. Breathe freely and deeply during each core-strength exercise. Focus on tightening your transversus abdominis, the deepest abdominal muscle and the one you feel contracting when you cough, says the Mayo Clinic. Want to hear about how her teammates stay fit? Don’t miss the swimsuits and stories from fellow Yellowjackets stars Ella Purnell, Sophie Thatcher, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Sophie Nélisse.