Earpers, the devoted fanbase of Syfy’s Wynonna Earp converged on WonderCon today to shower the series with praise and to wish it the happiest of birthdays. The series, which returns to SyFy on June 9th, debuted at last years’ WonderCon.
Based on characters created by Beau Smith and a variety of artist, Wynonna Earp focuses on Wynonna, the begrudging heir to a supernatural curse, and her sister Waverly as they rid their town of Revenants first sent to Hell by their famous ancestor, Wyatt Earp.
And like the Earpers, star Tim Rozon, writer and co-producer Alexandra Zarowny, and actress Kate Drummond offered the fans as much praised as they received. “It’s going to be so much bigger,” Rozon said. “It’s a binge-worthy show. And we got to be there from the beginning.” The show also debuted on Netflix today, offering the opportunity for the next generation of Earpers to fall in love with world developed around Smith’s characters by executive producer Emily Andras and writers like Zarowny.
“I’ve been working with Ms. Andras for a good long time,” Zarowny said. They met when both worked on the Canadian fantasy series Lost Girl — which also featured Rozon as recurring bad guy Massimo — where the two discovered that “we have a similar crazy brain.”
“Hers is a little crazier and faster,” she continued. “We connected. We love this genre and we think its important to represent all types of relationships and all types of people.”
But Zarowny said it was a special treat to see characters they developed “in a vacuum” to be inhabited by actors like Rozon and Drummond, and then embraced with the passion the Earpers have already shown to characters like Doc and Agent Lucado.
For Drummond, who starting acting after a ten-year career as a teacher, felt especially lucky to be part of a show with such a devoted following. “Sometimes you read a character and say ‘oh, I know this ice queen part of me,’ she said of Black Badge Division Agent Dolls’ (Shamier Anderson) frosty superior. “In season one, I just popped in from time to time and when I was reading the treatment for season two, I just went ‘Oh my God!'” Sadly, she could not expand on what to expect from Lucado in the new season.
“To be immersed with this group is so special,” she continued. “There’s something about the heart of this show that you just fall in love with the work and the fans and the actors. I’m super blessed to have stepped into this family and watch masters at work.”
“People won’t think [my enthusiasm] is genuine, but it is! What part do I want? Darth Vader’s long lost son, maybe?” added Rozon. “It’s amazing! I’m living the dream. I’m aware of it and can appreciate it. Being a part of this fandom and this show at the beginning, we’ll look back at it as some of the best times.”
Asked if she has a favorite character to write, Zarowny quickly looked at Rozon and Drummond and said, “These two next to me.” She added that it changes based on the episode. Sometimes, it is definitely Doc, but then she’ll get through a scene and imagine how star Melanie Scrofano will nail the jokes as Wynonna.
Continuing the theme, Drummond said her favorite part of the job is working on the stunts. “I need to be in my body and if I’m throwing things or fighting, that’s my happy place,” she said. “Everybody from the set decoration to our directors to lighting makes the stunt look amazing.”
Rozon admitted he prefers kissing scenes to fights, but enjoys doing as much of the stunt work himself, saying “If I can physically do it, I want to do it.” He also praised the stunt team for creating a safe environment for the actors to work. “I trust them so much that there’s not much I’m unwilling to do,” he said. Comparing it to the classic trust exercise, he added that “they always catch me.”
Though, for all the safety on set, he admitted he managed to jab himself in the ribs with his gun between takes just this week.
Returning to the theme of kissing, he told the audience to thank Zarowny for those moments. “We all talk about it,” he said. “When Wynonna gets sexy, it’s an Alex script.”
“It’s what the fans want,” Zarowny said.
“It gets so much better,” teased Rozon. He revealed he has read the season two finale script, but could only offer a laugh and an expansive gesture as his reaction. Fans will get to know what he really means when Wynonna Earp begins its second season on June 9th.
