Wynonna Earp isn’t just the little show that could and did surpass the expectations of those who were ready to write it off as a Jessica Jones wannabe. It’s a show where women aren’t limited by the conditions of their bodies, where women are allowed to make mistakes & grow, and where two badass women just so happened to fall in love.
This relationship is lovingly known by Earpers as Wayhaught, the combination of Waverly Earp and Nicole Haught. Entering its third season, this surprise relationship is about to hit it’s one year mark in the Earp verse. And it’s the kind of beautiful representation we need and should cheer for considering that queer couples are rare, especially ones like this that are treated just like any other hetero couple.
We got a chance to talk to the leading ladies of this ship, Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell, while at San Diego Comic Con 2018. Wayhaught was definitely a topic that was brought up, but definitely not in the way you think.
Earpers aren’t just swooning because these two beautiful women have found something special in each others arms. Earpers are swooning because Waverly and Nicole are about to enter into the next stage of their relationship and the roles are about to change.
According to Barrell, who plays Nicole, “I think Nicole’s comfort zone is very much being the rock. And she’s not as comfortable letting people help her. So I think it’s a really lovely aspect of this season where we really see Waverly having to be the strong one and help Nicole, who’s faltering and who is really scared as she’s learning more and more of her involvement in the Cult of Bulshar and what that might mean for her.”
Nicole is scared, and why wouldn’t she be. They don’t have Black Badge backing them anymore financially or tactfully. And now we’re throwing these Cult of Bulshar memories on top of everything.
“Wayhaught. They just have such an understanding now, as you do when you get to a year in a relationship. That strengthens them.” Dominique Provost-Chalkley, who plays Waverly, explained.
Provost-Chalkley continued by saying, “I think what I love most about them is that this year it’s a two way thing. Waverly supports Nicole just as much as Nicole supports Waverly. Which is nice because I feel like we’re finding our place within the relationship and Waverly’s becoming more confident in the relationship.”
Even better, the confidence that has blossomed between them is going to give us something that we’ve always craved from our queer characters on TV that survive the perilous ‘bury your gays’ trope. We’re gonna get domesticity!
Barrell teased, “I do think that we get to work together a lot more. I like to call season 3 “domestic Wayhaught.”
We can’t wait for it and more!
Check out our interviews with Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Katherine Barrell at San Diego Comic Con 2018 where they break down some of the other challenges coming their way in season two aka Mama Earp coming into the picture. Now that’s going to be awkward when the mother in law comes into the picture!
Wynonna Earp airs Fridays at 9/8c on SyFy.