Katherine Barrell( Nicole Haught) and Dominque Provost -Chalkey ( Waverly Earp) have caused quite a stir as their characters relationship has unfolded during the season on Wynonna Earp. Both were due to answer questions but unfortunately at the last minute Dominque was called away to set.Once again line inference caused a few blanks in the dialogue but for the most part, the interviewers and responses could be heard.
Katherine Barrell was charming and happily answered questions from reporters mostly about the relationship now known as WAYHAUGHT!
The first question dived straight in about how they played off each other as it was obvious when their eyes meet over the Bar Deputy Haught liked Waverly.
Katherine Barrell: I mean, no. I didn't know where it was going to go as far as the relationship. Originally I was kind of going episode by episode. When I was hired I thought I was only doing six episodes and then things just (sort of) continued from there. But I don't know if that was something that was pre-planned and I just didn't know about it or what was happening with that. So I didn't know where the relationship was going. It was very much kind of like the fans are discovering it. As an actor I was kind of doing that while reading the script so just kind of reading ahead and just seeing where the whole thing was going to go and I am so beyond happy with where we ended at the end of season one.
I – yes working with Dominique is – was absolutely amazing. She has become extremely a good friend of me and I just only spoke to – at ease with her and she's the most important thing for us. As actors was just to make this relationship between Waverly and Nicole feel as genuine and heartfelt as possible. I think the relationship – the writers on the show did a really beautiful job of making this relationship kind of so beautifully juxtaposed to what Wynonna was going through with, you know, kind of not really knowing what she wanted feeling, you know, really conflicted about her feeling towards other Doc or Dolls or men in general.
And I think the beautiful thing about Waverly and Nicole of the relationship seems to kind of – beyond that opposite side of the scale. Just this really pure, young beautiful pure love and I thought as a whole for the show it balanced the two extremes and a way to explore these two different kinds of relationships really nicely.
Fan reaction has been amazing and she was asked about that
Katherine Barrell: The fan reaction has been beyond my wildest expectations. I don't even think I fully comprehended, it, the extent of the fan interaction. And I don't it's going to fully sink in until, you know, going to conventions or whatever is coming up in the future and meeting the fans face to face because I have kind of been on my computer watching all this happen. But I think very surreal and it, you know, everything has kind of been happening through a screen for me and so I think once I see people in person it's really going to sink in. But it's been beautiful. It's been heartwarming. It's been extremely encouraging and I think just very positive. I thought that I would maybe encounter some negative comments or, you know, I don't know some people trolling on the Internet and saying mean things. But I have been blessed with not encountering too much of that and it's just been really beautiful experience that I feel just like such a strong sense of community with all the – of the Earp fans. It has been wonderful.
Now that Haught has been informed about the demon situation and kind of deputised into the Black badge division is this something her and Waverly can finally talk about. Will she contine on in black badge.
Katherine Barrell: Oh I think definitely and I think especially because of the scene where Nicole was kind of deputized in the station with Doc Holliday and (Doll), Nicole knows now kind of what is going on and yes it's a really quick explanation that Doc gets served but she's like OK, thank you. So it's confirmed. I'm not crazy.
I think the Waverly, you know, like anybody – anyone who knows about what having a slightly strange family situation might be like can sympathize with Waverly of, you know, she really cares about Nicole and she's probably really nervous about what Nicole's going to think about her and that fear of being rejected I am sure would be a really real emotion for Waverly especially at the beginning of a relationship. But I definitely think – I don't think it will be super easy for Waverly because she's probably going to be, you know, struggling with a lot of different emotions about it but I would think Waverly would be at a place where she could talk to Nicole by now for sure.
Katherine Barrell: Oh, I mean it's all to our wonderful writing team and Emily, of course, but I think Nicole will want to be as involved. I mean she has been curious about what is going on the entire season, especially since the woman that she cares
She suspected people who followed the story and in light of recent LGBT TV deaths that the scene where Nicole Haught is shot would be unsettling but like Emily explained earlier it was shot before any of the other shows aired their episodess.
Katherine Barrell: Yes. I mean I always knew that – I mean I have read the whole script by the time we were shooting that scene obviously but certainly I mean as an actor I did not know what was going to happen with Nicole. Now keep in mind that we shot this scene way back in February, before any of the other events happened on many of the other shows that have really made kind of the barrier gate drove come really to the forefront. And so I think total it's really crazy that I literally have a line saying I'm wearing a bullet proof vest because that was written and shot before, you know, any of these other shows have those events. And it was crazy because – yes it started airing everyone kept tweeting me, are you wearing a bullet-proof vest? I'm sure you're wearing bullet – I was like, "What is everyone talking about?" And I had to go and do some research and really figure out what was really going on within the community. So I think it is just – it is completely a coincidence that that scene happened the way that it did. But I – yes I feel like – sorry I'm kind of losing with my thoughts. Your original question was the (trope) and how did I feel about it, right? Yes so I guess for me – I mean for me Nicole always – she's just my character. The fact that she's gay is just an aspect of Nicole.
As Katherine has had experience both in front and behind the camera she was asked had it affected her acting.
Katherine Barrell: I think it only helps. I definitely notice a big difference in myself as an actor when I started working on behind the camera just because it kind of helps me see the bigger picture. It helps me start taking everything seriously, you know, every audition you don't book or you realize that there is so many moving parts within a production and so many people involved and so many decisions that have to be made that is often really not about you. And yes, so I think from that aspect also and it also just gives me much more of an appreciation for everyone on the crew and everyone who works on the show because, you know, you really realize when you're producing some rinky-dink little short films how much work it is. So it's like multiply that by a million for a big TV show and you've just got so many people who have to work so hard. It just brings my kind of appreciation for everyone and that every job is important and if you're missing one, you know, block in the tower the whole thing is going to fall over and yes, so I think those are kind of the two things that being on the other side really helps me with them.
And I love it. I love being on the other side and I think just as an artist in general it's, you know, you don't want to just work out your biceps. to work out your whole body and you've got to work out, you know, all of the different aspects of storytelling and I think being on the other side of the camera allows me to do that. In fact, it makes kind of a storyteller master in a different way.
What I personally loved is the ease the two actresses played the romance and the chemistry. One scene they both say so much with just one look in episode 12 when Waverly comes down the stairs into the party. I asked Katherine about the scene and commented how well it was done.
Her response is what she was thinking as she came down the stairs.
Katherine Barrell: Oh. Thank you. I think I mean just looking it I mean you can help this for sure I didn't really have to prepare. I mean I have so much love and admiration for that woman and she's such a great and I think just like also watching her develop as a colleague and as a friend throughout the season, you know, coming from – coming over from England to this penitentiary and she's like totally – I don't know comfort zone and coming onto this show. And just watching her kind of developed throughout the season and – then I, you know, see her in episode 12 and she's just like developed and grown so much as an actor and I think just like we were getting to the under-filming at that point and I think just everything we had gone through together as actors and as colleagues and as friends kind of in that scene I remember thinking about a lot of those things. So thinking that I was just really proud of her.
Afterwards I commented I had seen WayHaught T- shirt at a recent convention and she loved it
She was again asked about how confident she played Haught as a cop and her relationship with Waverly.
Katherine Barrell: OK. Well, I mean I don't know I think Waverly and Nicole have not rushed in to their relationship. We've seen it develop over the course of the season into something that we – I think the two of them really abated to make sure it was something that they both really wanted. I think Nicole is the really patient and understanding human being and I feel like she has a sense of what she's getting into with the Earp family and with Waverly and by the end of the season she definitely knows.
I mean I really don't know. I – it will be interesting. I think the more opportunities for conflict about it because that what makes great drama. But yes, I mean I think Wynonna's obviously really took part off Waverly and likes Nicole and the two of them et along. But I definitely could see how maybe there's potential for Nicole and Wynonna to butt heads.
Both kind of – with their – hey both have the same interest and that is protecting Waverly and I could definitely see, you know, like where the two of them might differ on what is the best way to protect the woman that they both care about. So I don't know we'll see but I think it'll be interesting. I think anybody entering into the Earp kind of family unit is in for a – some challenges for sure but also some pretty like pretty great adventure.
Katherine Barrell: Yes, definitely. Well, I mean I think the other thing too that you just made me realize when you said, you know, get to business and get pass the fact that they are female officer. I think it reminds me a lot of, you know, a bit of the experience I've had being on the other side of the camera and doing, producing and directing which until recently have been a very male dominated industry in the film industry and I think that definitely came into play a little bit, too. I definitely have a bit of a first $10 joke what it feels like to be a woman in a man's world.
I've been on cruise entirely surrounded by men. I've been in, you know, trying to get decisions made and having to pitch things to a room of men who maybe don't see the world the way I see it and that could be – can be difficult. And to think our industry is definitely changing, there's been huge strides even in the like the past four or five years with women taking more the kind of decision maker position in the industry. But I think maybe that little bit of experience in my real life also helps a little bit with that fish out of water feeling that I think Nicole experienced with sometimes.
Later Katherine was asked who she liked working with which she commented she didn’t get to work with Tim Rozon(Doc Holiday) much and hopes to more scenes with him in the future.
As mentioned in a previous interview no news of a renewal as yet but let’s hope Syfy announce no later than the comic con.
