It was a pleasure talking to Melanie Scrofano, aka Wynonna Earp! I didn’t realize that this was Melanie Scrofano’s first lead role until talking with her! I’ve said this plenty of times but I really think she was made for this role. It’s also good to also hear how Scrofano has grown as an actor and a person. Several parts of our conversation referred to episodes that have already aired. Let’s see where Wynonna’s head is at shall we?
Melanie Scrofano: Hi Natty.
TNE: Hi, how are you Miss Melanie, Miss Wynonna Earp?
Melanie Scrofano: I’m doing well, thank you. How are you?
TNE: I’m good. Alright. Thank you for being Wynonna Earp. You’re actually killing it, man.
Melanie Scrofano: Thanks, dude. That’s awesome.
TNE: Alright. How was your audition process? Did you originally audition for Wynonna or did you audition for a different character? Because it was very interesting when I talked to Michael and Tim, how they both auditioned originally for different characters. So I was wondering if that was the same with you.
Melanie Scrofano: Who did Michael audition for?
TNE: He auditioned for Dolls.
Melanie Scrofano: No. That’s fascinating. I auditioned for Wynonna and it was funny because it’s one of those things where there are very few roles like this but this was one of them where everybody I knew was auditioning for Wynonna. It felt very unlikely. I just was like: oh, there’s no chance I’m gonna get this. But yeah, I went in for Wynonna and then I sort of forgot about it because I thought, you know, there’s no chance. And then I got a call, and I had a callback and then I met Emily and she was the kindest person I’ve ever met. And like she just ran such a – she and Lisa Perishton who was casting in Toronto, they just ran such a friendly, kind, calm experience. And dude, I honestly was like no, there’s no way I’m gonna get this because they were so nice and they were probably only being nice to me because they were like: nah, she’s not gonna get it. And then I got called for the screen test and I got it. I’m still – honestly, like I’m talking to you right now and it all feels like a dream, like it can’t be true. But it’s true.
TNE: Well, congrats because you’re doing a good job; like I really like Wynonna.
Melanie Scrofano: So happy!
TNE: And it helps with the writers, too. They’re giving you great material.
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah, like the jokes are just so – and they’re really good, I have to say. They’re really good about being, like, oh that joke didn’t work; let’s cut it. I’ll sometimes watch and then I’m like – or not watch but I’ll be doing a scene and I’m like, I don’t know if I’m doing a good job with this. And then I’ll watch the episode and like oh, that thing that I thought I sucked in got cut. Like that’s so good of them to, you know, they’re smart. They’re smart at cutting the things that don’t work. So they’re not just good writers; they’re also good at being honest about what works and what doesn’t.
TNE: That’s cool. You’re getting a good work experience.
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah, absolutely. I’m learning so much from everybody involved. They’re just the most inspiring people.
TNE: Wait, was this your first role?
Melanie Scrofano: My first leading role in a show.
TNE: Gotcha.
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah so I’ve never been so closely tied into the whole process. Like the other day I went in and I saw them recording like a group scene where – like just the audio. So a bunch of actors come in and just do a bunch of voices to fill in the scene and I’d never seen that before. And because I’m Wynonna, I could just sort of do that. I could just walk into random rooms and be like, I’m gonna watch this. And they all sort of go, okay, help yourself to the snacks.
TNE: Have there been any particular scenes, like maybe Shamier’s shirtless scenes that maybe you’ve purposely botched so you could just still have him shirtless while you recite the lines again?
Melanie Scrofano: You know what’s funny, actually – I’m so glad you asked that; I forgot. There’s this one scene, I can’t remember which episode it’s in but I didn’t want to leave that day. It was one of those days where I was in Calgary and I didn’t have any family or friends other than the cast and crew. So it was done a day early, which almost never happened, and I was like: I don’t want to go home. So the director let me be background in one of the scenes.
TNE: Oh, really!?
Melanie Scrofano: So I’m just literally in the back of the scene at a desk and I got to just be in the scene and not be Wynonna and it was really fun.
TNE: Wait, was your hair different or was it just – that’s so funny. I’m going to have to go back and watch and see if I can see you in a background scene.
Melanie Scrofano: It was either episode eight or nine, I think. Oh, I think it was eight and I think Doc storms in to talk to Dolls about Wynonna’s gone missing. I think it’s that one. And then I look in the background –
TNE: I’m going to have to re-watch it because that’s one of my favorite episodes, and I was so concerned for your welfare and how smart you were in emphatically figuring out that he was drugging you, the doctor so you – what do you call it, you try to get the drip to not get into your system. And I was so immersed in Dolls – in Holliday that I was not paying attention. So I need to go back and watch it.
Melanie Scrofano: Oh, good. That was the idea. They didn’t want anybody to get fired. I convinced the director to let me do it and he was like: dude, I’m gonna get fired, man. And I’m like, no, I’m Wynonna. I can – trust me. I’ve got your back.
TNE: You’re like: I’m Wynonna, I’m the title character.
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah. I’m like, let me have this.
TNE: Do you feel like some of Wynonna’s personality kind of leaks into your real life or are you just really like that in real life? Not just the vulnerability part but maybe like the funny parts?
Melanie Scrofano: I have noticed since airing – because Wynonna’s so free in just herself all the time, it sort of made me a bit more like that. Where I just sort of say – I just make jokes that I maybe wouldn’t have made or liked. I’m just a bit more like: well, you don’t like it; go fuck yourself. Which I love because it’s just made me a bit braver and sort of going, like, man if people don’t like me, whatever. I’ve got bigger fish to fry sort of thing. So I’ve noticed that I’ve been a lot more like that, which is really empowering, actually. But yeah, like the jokes and stuff, she gets it after me. I have a filthy potty mouth and yeah, I like to joke around, for sure.
TNE: You’re so hilarious, Melanie!
Melanie Scrofano: Thank you!
TNE: Alright. So for the scenes with agent Dolls and Doc, there seems to be some sort of a love triangle happening, or maybe it’s just an agenda on both guys’ parts. Where is Wynonna’s head as far as how she feels about both characters? Because it seems like she’s attracted to Dolls but she also respects him as a superior so she doesn’t really want to cross that line. But then with Doc, it’s kind of like he’s there and it’s Doc Holliday so I don’t know.
Melanie Scrofano: I think with Dolls, it’s like she wants approval from him, as well. I think she’s sort of scared of him in the sense of like he – because she does care about him and she does respect him, his approval means a lot to her and to him. If he turns her down or disapproves of her in any way, she’s very vulnerable for that. So I think that yeah, she thinks he’s smoking hot but it’s also like he has the power to really hurt her and he’s already been hurt. He’s not one to want to get into relationships because she’s just – I think she doesn’t believe that it could ever happen for her.
I don’t think she thinks she’s lovable enough. I don’t think she thinks she’s – I think she thinks she’s good for the time and that’s it. And that’s the sad truth. And so I think while Dolls is very appealing to her, and so is Doc, the idea of actually giving herself in more of a physical way to either of them is terrifying.
TNE: Okay. But at least with Doc, at least on the surface it seems like she can make out and have sex with him but at least keep it separate, if that makes sense? Like she feels like she’s in control?
Melanie Scrofano: Yeah, exactly. I think, too, with Doc it’s like he put it out there, too. He’s just like Wynonna in the sense of like: you in? I’m in. You in? Let’s get at it. Whereas Dolls is just a lot more reserved. So if Wynonna was to go up to him and be like: hey, you want to make out in the back room? He’d probably say no and she’d probably be humiliated because she really respects him, if that makes sense.
TNE: Yeah. So for [episode 9], you just got through killing the last Revenant. And I already previewed the episode so you’re not like drinking. But it seemed like at the end of last week’s episode you were like really traumatized. Because Jack also said some things about your family that you’re kind of like: whoa, there’s this curse. And you’re saying to me that my dad was friends with the enemy. Where do you think her head’s at, at the beginning of episode nine?
Melanie Scrofano: This is so complicated, which I love. I think – Wynonna is one to run away. So it’s like anything or emotional or hard in that time, it’s like that’s why she left her territory in the first place. So I think when Jack tells her – like reveals this horrible thing about her dad, I think part of her is like no, I don’t believe that. And then part of her is like yeah, I think my dad isn’t who I – it’s that moment that we all have of going our parent is flawed, you know? And she has that moment of like: oh my God, my idol is dead and figuratively and literally.
I just think she feels more alone than ever. I think she feels like I’ve killed the seven who killed my family; why don’t I feel better? Like this is supposed – I’m supposed to feel this way. I thought I would feel this way. I fought for this so that I would feel better and now I feel worse. And I think that’s where she leaves off in eight so that in nine, there’s a lot going on and there’s a lot she needs to suppress if she’s going to get the job done.
TNE: What do you think if she finds out about Waverly and Officer Haught? What do you think her first reaction would be?
Melanie Scrofano: Honestly, Wynonna is so self absorbed, I think. I think she would just be like: oh, cool, but where’s the whiskey? Like why do I care who my sister is screwing, you know what I mean? And like just as long as it’s not Champ.
TNE: Yeah, I feel like that’s what her reaction would be. But it was funny because I did preview episode ten and it was like they were trying to hide – they were trying to spend some alone time and she was just like, I’m in a different world right now so I’m not even noticing what you’re trying to do.
Melanie Scrofano: And the truth of it is, like bigger fish to fry, you know what I mean?
TNE: Yeah, exactly. It was just funny.
Melanie Scrofano: And I think that’s the beauty of it, too, is like the drama that comes from Waverly being like, oh my God, what are people going to think? And the truth is, it’s not a thing…Like I’m sure to a lot of people, it would be which is why she feels that she needs to hide it. But to Wynonna, it’s like: I don’t know, man, like I’m not gonna have sex to you; like why does it matter who you’re attracted to? We need to kill demons. So as long as you can still help me with that, we’re good.
TNE: [About Episode 10] I was like – my mouth was on the floor and I was just like, what is gonna happen now? You were already in an emotional place by the end of episode nine and into episode ten, and then it’s like this other shoe just dropped.
Melanie Scrofano: And without saying anything spoilery, I will say that Emily has the ability to just – it’s relentless. It’s one thing after another and I can’t wait to see, and hopefully we’ll come back for season two and I can’t wait to see – it’s like with every shoe that drops, what does that do to Wynonna? Because she’s just a girl. She’s just a real, human girl. She’s not – you know? Like she’s a real human being who when things happen, it affects her. And everything that happens this season will affect her and I can’t wait to see what this human being, how she ends up handling it. And hopefully, we’ll get to explore that if we come back.
Considering how she copes with this latest twist, I’m looking forward to more sister dynamics in the coming weeks. I’m also excited for her and the rest of the cast to experience San Diego Comic-Con for the first time and hope she has a great time and bask in the love of the fans.
So there you have it! What do you think of Wynonna’s character development? Any predictions for the upcoming episodes? Sound off below in the comments.
*Gif created by Nathan R Miller from the Facebook group Wynonna Earp Fans!
**Interview transcribed by GMR Transcription Service
