REVIVAL's Romy Weltman on Becoming Em and Working With Melanie Scrofano

Geek Girl Authority

01-07-2025

One miraculous day in Wisconsin, the dead rise from their graves. The town of Wausau hurtles into chaos in the wake of 'Revival Day' as its residents attempt to adapt to this new normal. Among the Revived is Martha 'Em' Cypress (Romy Weltman), younger sister to Officer Dana Cypress (Melanie Scrofano), who scrambles to piece together the mystery surrounding her death, which now looks an awful lot like murder.
Recently, I had the privilege of chatting with Romy about how she approached playing Em on Revival , what we can expect for the rest of the season, developing a sisterly bond with Melanie and more.
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This interview has been edited for clarity. Romy Weltman REVIVAL — 'Keeping Up Appearances' Season 1 Episode 2 — Pictured: (l-r) Melanie Scrofano as Dana Cypress, Romy Weltman as Martha 'Em' Cypress — (Photo by: Naomi Peters/Lavivier Productions/SYFY)
Melody McCune: I've been loving the show so far. At the start of all this, what would you say stood out to you about the source material? What drew you into this world?
Romy Weltman: Oh my gosh. Honestly, I wish I had a clear answer for you, but it really was everything: the genre, the writing. I love an adaptation when done correctly. Just getting to be a part of a universe that already was preexisting, that's huge for me as well.
MM: Besides diving into the comics, how did you approach Em? How did you prepare to play this character?
RW: Everything happened pretty quickly with this for me. So, the preparation was also just trusting the process. A lot of what came from me was doing research on Em's backstory in terms of OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta — also called brittle bone disease). Making sure I understood what OI was and how it impacts people's lives.
Then, [the] same with drug addiction, given her addiction to oxycodone. I wanted to make sure I was representing everything correctly and was able to be part of this conversation. In terms of taking care of Em's backstory, that's really what I focused on. And growing with her [over the] course of the season was part of my preparation as well.
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MM: What was it like getting to develop that sisterly bond with Melanie, which I think is really the heart of this story?
RW: Aw, thank you. That was just one of the coolest experiences ever. Mel is exactly who you'd expect her to be, but even better. When I met her, it was an instant connection, and [I loved] getting to work with her and learn from her as well. This was my first leading role on a series.
MM: Congratulations.
RW: Thank you so much. There's no lead like Melanie Scrofano. Having her hold my hand the entire way through was so special. I got to learn from a really strong, empowering woman. Through that, I hope that resonated on screen, that Em was starting to learn from Dana as well. Em's Journey on Revival REVIVAL — 'Reality Check' Season 1 Episode 3 — Pictured: (l-r) Romy Weltman as Martha 'Em' Cypress, Kaleb Horn as Rhodey Rasch — (Photo by: Mathieu Savidant/Lavivier Productions/SYFY)
MM: I'd say so. I think your close bond definitely resonates on screen. I'm going to get into spoiler territory here since episode three just aired. Em is starting to piece together the mystery of her murder, and as she's jumping off that bridge, she remembers Blaine (Steven Ogg) was there the night she died. What can we expect going forward from her story and the investigation as it unfolds?
RW: The biggest thing you can expect is answers, but also potentially more confusion along the way. Something about Revival — without spoiling anything moving forward — is that everyone knows each other. That's a little teaser I'll give you. With Em's journey, we're going to find this young woman who's finally allowed to really explore herself and give herself permission to make mistakes and live a life she never got to live before.
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MM: Piggybacking off that, she tells Rhodey (Kaleb Horn) in episode three that she had to die to really feel alive. What was it like getting to tap into that shift in Em as she steps outside her comfort zone?
RW: That line is the most beautiful line ever. Our writers are incredible. Aaron [B. Koontz] and Luke [Boyce], our creators and showrunners, said early on [that] this line is really what Em's journey and story are built around. In that moment, she realizes it while sitting on the bridge next to this cute boy. The special thing about Rhodey is that he didn't know Em prior to Revival Day, so he never knew this version of her that she was so stuck in, based on other people's perspectives.
Just sitting there and realizing, 'Life isn't scary anymore. It's not bad anymore. It's me against the world at this point, and potentially could be us against the world at this point.'
We really did shoot that scene on a bridge. Kaleb Horn — he plays Rhodey — and I were both harnessed in. We did not actually jump into the water, though.
MM: Oh, good.
RW: I want to make that clear. But I was thinking, 'Wow, I'm really living my dream. And I feel like I'm just starting to live hers.'
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MM: You've had a couple of action sequences in these first few episodes, from wielding a scythe in the first episode to getting in a bar fight. What was it like getting to film those sequences?
RW: I'm so happy you asked. Those are just the coolest things ever. To be transparent, I'm 5'1″. I'm quite petite. This is why Em is such a cool character. I got to play this physically strong character because the consequences aren't the same for her as they would be for Romy in real life.
It was cool getting to learn about my own body through those sequences. Max White, our stunt coordinator, is incredible. He was so open to allowing me to do as much as possible, so I didn't have a stunt double for either of those scenes, which is cool.
I do have a stunt [double] later on, which I want to make clear for certain things in this season, but for those specific scenes, they let me go for it. Through that, I got to learn so much.
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There was something so freeing about getting beaten up and not worrying. Obviously, I'm not really getting beaten up. The beautiful thing about that, too, is the partnership we were working with, and everyone I had the opportunity to work with has been so awesome. Character Similarities REVIVAL — 'Reality Check' Season 1 Episode 3 — Pictured: (l-r) Romy Weltman as Martha 'Em' Cypress, Kaleb Horn as Rhodey Rasch — (Photo by: Mathieu Savidant/Lavivier Productions/SYFY)
MM: Do you share any similarities with Em?
RW: I'd say the biggest one is that I journal a lot, the same as Em. I don't journal as much as she does in the first season, but that's something I keep close to me. I'm also the youngest in my family. For so long, I've wanted people to see me as an adult. We tend to fall into how people make us feel.
I can relate to Em feeling small sometimes, and not being sure why. Then, also getting to power through that and learn and grow through that is awesome, so those are big similarities as well.
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My brother and I have a similar age gap to Em and Dana. Also, Em, similarly to me, probably more so when I was a bit younger, feels so much. I don't think she knows how to express it to the people she cares about. That is difficult to navigate growing up. She has all these people she could turn to, but she doesn't know how. That's the thing — just growing up in general.
MM: Describe the rest of this season using three words.
RW: Bloody. Heartfelt. Revived. What Romy Is Watching
MM: Love it. All right, last question. I like to ask this question to everyone I interview. Are you watching anything interesting right now?
RW: Well, I'm watching Revival .
MM: Of course.
RW: I'm also watching The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives .
MM: I haven't seen that yet.
RW: I am not a reality show girl, but I am obsessed. I also just started the show Paradise . You know what? I should give a shout-out to SurrealEstate .
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MM: I watched that as well. I covered it.
RW: Please throw that in there because I am such a Tim Rozon fan, and I actually really love the show. Definitely one that I watch to get into the sci-fi genre a bit more. I get a kick out of the show.
MM: It's a great gateway to sci-fi. I got to chat with Tim and Melanie last year for Wynonna Earp: Vengeance , and that was really fun.
RW: They're both just the coolest people ever. I had the pleasure of meeting Tim on a film called Terror Train . Mel had actually seen my demo. Tim and I have a small two-second fling in that movie. She was like, 'Don't you dare touch my man.' It's really funny, and it turned into a cute full-circle moment. I'm a fan of both of them.
Thank you, Romy, for chatting with GGA!
Revival airs every Thursday at 10/9c on Syfy.
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[email protected] What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events. Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet. Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
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