Supernatural and sci-fi fans are used to seeing Melanie Scrofano tackle out-of-this-world creatures thanks to Wynonna Earp. She’s doing it again in Revival, where she takes on the role of Dana Cyrpress, single mom and cop, and also big sister to Em Cypress, played by Romy Weltman.
The two sat down with Precinct TV to talk about their supernatural series coming up. This is part crime drama as well, as it turns out that there’s a murder to solve. The twist here is that the murder victim is alive, and they get a chance to solve their own murder.
We chatted with Scrofano and Weltman about Revival on Syfy, getting to learn a little more about their characters and what their sisterly bond is like.
Coming back to the supernatural genre in Revival
Precinct TV: So, Melanie, not only did I love Wynonna Earp, but I remember your single Supernatural episode way back in the day.
Melanie Scrofano: Oh my God!
PTV: Yep! What is it about the supernatural genre that keeps you coming back?
MS: Well, there’s a freedom in sci-fi that you don’t really get anywhere else, because it’s kind of a metaphor. You get to be a little bit broader, and you get to go places that in other genres you just can’t go as wide, you can’t cast your net as wide. I’m a big person, and there’s a home for that in sci-fi to be our full self.
PTV: What was it about the character of Dana that drew you into Revival?
MS: I actually thought I was playing Romy’s characters, so I was draw to the fact that my character was on the cover of a graphic novel. Upon further investigation, I realizes that that was just my really hot younger sister. So, what drew me in was a false start.
Then I read more, and I was like “Ooo, a cop.” That was fun. She’s still kind of a mess. She was real, and she wasn’t the stereotype of a really put together cop, like “I do my workout in the morning.” She struggles, and she’s a single mom, so she was already a hero before the story even starts.
PTV: Romy, what about Em? What was it about her character that drew you in?
Romy Weltman: So, when I got Em’s sides and got the audition, I had a different audition that I was supposed to do in that moment. For some reason, I got these lines, and I was like, I need to do this now. There was something in the writing that was so beautiful, and as a young woman, it’s hard to relate to a lot of writing sometimes. This was just very well written for a 20-year-old girl who was struggling.
I saw a lot of my sister and people I love in Em, and it just kind of made me really empathize and feel for her right away. I just needed to be her, I wanted to be her. I wanted to express how this person felt because I understood it in my own way. Luckily, Aaron and Luke agreed!
Romy Weltman and Melanie Scrofano talk the sisterly dynamic in Revival
PTV: What is the sisterly dynamic like, because it’s a complicated one in Revival.
MS: I was really nervous at fist, because, with the sisterly dynamic, we’d be working together a lot. I was worried if we didn’t get along, it wouldn’t be fun. I could work on screen, and I could work with someone professionally, but personally, that’s a long time to be with someone.
RW: I went into filming without actually meeting anyone at first, so I was very nervous about that. Would people like me? Then I met Mel, and I met everyone, and I had this great experience with everyone, but especially Mel. There was an instant connection. I felt very safe, I felt very loved, and I felt like somebody was gonna lead me properly.
I got to learn so much as Romy and as Em through Mel and Dana. And I think just through talking and conversations and talking about our own siblings in real life that we were just able to create something very unique on camera.
MS: I also feel like Romy is one of those people who if anyone doesn’t like her, they can’t be trusted. If anybody doesn’t like Romy, they’re cut off, because it doesn’t make sense.
RW: Same for Mel. Before I even got there, I got a message from Mel saying, “It’s you and me, Sis.” Ijust ran to my mom, and I was like “I’m gonna be okay.”
PTV: That’s so sweet! So, we’ve got this zombie element to the story, but it’s not quite your usual zombie show. Can you tease what that has been like at all to bring to the screen?
RW: Mel, do you want to go for it, because I feel like Dana got to work with them more.
MS: Well, it was interesting, because you go “Well, if they’re not the Z-word, then what’s the problem?” Then it’s really interesting, and you get to see humanity up close and personal, dealing with the difference with somebody who might look like you but is different. There were heartbreaking moments of just the little ways we treat people who are different.
There is one in particular in a school with a child Reviver, and they’re not kind to her. It happens with the grown-ups in a different kind of way, not quite political, just an adult dynamic, so it was really interesting. Then things go south, and the supernatural kind of takes over, but it was interesting to play that they’re different but they’re not different, but we’re treating them differently, so let’s discuss.
RW: And to piggy back off that, what was really interesting from an actor’s perspective who’s just really into gore and horror was watching all the prosthetics and all the makeup being done on set. We had a great team and Patrick, who does all of our prosthetics is crazy talented.
PTV: Is there anything that you can tease about your characters that you can’t wait for people to see?
RW: Yeah, Em’s whole journey surprised me, specifically in the back-end episodes. There’s something that happens that was very touching as a reader when I was reading the story and then as an actor, very challenging and exciting to play. You definitely have to watch and wait, and it’s worth the wait.
MS: I’m going to steal Romy’s answer, because it kind of relates.
Revival premieres on Thursday, June 12 at 10/9c on Syfy.
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