Tonight's episode of Wynonna Earp is a big one for Constance Clootie, the Stone Witch, played by Rayisa Kondracki. She finally casts the spell to bring her sons back to life, but there are complications with only having one of their skulls. Any happiness is short lived, however, when Bobo (Michael Eklund) interferes. Things only get worse when Doc Holliday (Tim Rozon) comes to get his revenge, and with the help of Wynonna Earp (Melanie Scrofano), Constance gets her just deserts.

Recently Kondracki talked to Jamie Ruby in an exclusive interview for SciFi Vision about her work on the show and tonight's episode.

**Interview contains spoilers for episode 1.9**

SCIFI VISION: Can you talk about how you first got involved with Wynonna Earp?

RAYISA KONDRACKI: I auditioned in Toronto. Other than the leads, a lot of the actors are coming from Toronto; they have casting directors here casting it. So I went in for an audition, and it was one scene, which actually wasn't in the final script for 105. It was a scene between Constance and Dolls (Shamier Anderson). I did one take, and I thought it went well, but I had learnt to just let them go afterwards.

And it was a few days later that my agent called and said, "You got the part," and I was very happy and very excited.

At that point there was already a buzz in Toronto about the show. A lot of my friends had auditioned for Wynonna or Waverly, and I heard really good things about it. I heard wonderful things about Emily [Andras], and what a sort of fierce talent she is, and she's just amazing. And I'd met Melanie before on The Listener, and I was a big fan of hers as an actor, and just as a sort of an awesome person all around. So I was pretty excited to join this amazing team.

Is there anyone in particular that inspired your portrayal of Constance, or did it all come from the script?

There was a lot in the script. Once I got the full script for 1.05 I kind of got a grasp on what they wanted for Constance, because as I said, the audition was just this one scene. I read this episode, and I was like, 'Oh wow; this is going to be fun.' And I think that was the main thing; I kept reminding myself, this is based on a comic book, and it's certainly a departure from the types of parts I usually play or audition for. It felt really different, and I wanted to do something different and have fun.

So I started just watching loads of movies. Some of them were directly influential, and some were just more for tone and mood and fun confidence and stuff. But I would say Queen Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman was a big one. Charlize Theron just is so awesome in that. Same with Maleficent (Angelina Jolie). Or like Bellatrix (Helena Bonham Carter) in the Harry Potter films and Cruella De Vil and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), or Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) in The Devil Wears Prada. These are all the kinds of movies that I just started watching.

Also, because, you know, the night before I shoot a scene, I'm always a little bit nervous and can't get to bed right away. So I just kind of made a list of these awesome female villains.

So whenever I was on the plane to Calgary or in the hotel room I would just watch some of these movies. But mainly, I would say the biggest ones were probably Charlize Theron in Snow White and the Huntsman and Bellatrix from Harry Potter.

Is there a part of yourself you feel you brought to the script? How do you connect to her; she's obviously not the nicest person?

I mean, inevitably I think in any character that you play, a bit of yourself is going to shine through. We're really different Constance and I. I wish I had a bit more of her confidence and a bit more of her sass - and I say a bit more.

...It's been interesting. On Twitter someone tweeted at me, 'Oh you're so scary; Constance is so mean,' and I mean, I can see that, but at the same time, I think it's all relative. Sure, she's not so nice, but also Bobo's not being so nice to her. Neither is Doc at the moment. So I think it's really interesting, because that's how we've been introduced to her. But then we get glimpses of a softer side of her. I mean, she sings lullabies to her dead skeleton sons and I think that's really nice.

And a little creepy.

Yeah. You know, I wonder what Constance would be like if her sons were still alive. What kind of mom is she when she's not fighting to bring her sons back to life? And this is a woman who's been through a lot. She has this demon husband. I get the sense that he wasn't the most chivalrous or romantic [laughs], and I think that she's a fighter, and she's really creative and sassy in that sense. So I like to think that if she weren't out fighting to bring her sons back to life, she'd probably throw a great dinner party. [laughs] You know, I think Constance on a patio with her girlfriends could be a lot of fun.

I'm biased because I played her and I love her, so I always like to try to find both sides of the character. She's tough and she's mean, but I think there's a softness and a vulnerability that comes with that as well and I think we see a little bit of that in 1.09, particularly at the end.

...But in terms of the second part of the question how did I connect with the character, she does these crazy things, and she's sort of larger than life, but it all stems from this really simple place, which is a mom who wants to get her kids back.

What I really love about Wynonna Earp as a show, is that it's this really big show, with Revenants and this demon-killing gun, and the rules of day to day life are so different, but then all these characters are really human, and you can relate I think to all of them, and it's not really clear that someone's good or bad. Nothing's so black and white on the show.

And I think that's true for Constance. She's this designer-clothes-wearin' high-heeled-stompin' villain, but at the end of the day, she's a mom who wants to get her kids back. So it's kind of all relative. You know, it's like you see soccer moms on the soccer field, well, she's a witch mom. [laughs]

So I guess I kept trying to just remind myself of what it was that she wanted, and that was an easy way for me to connect to her, because I think at the end of the day what she wants is something that I think a lot of people can relate to. I don't have kids, but a lot of my friends do, and I can understand wanting something really badly, particularly for someone that you really love. I kind of just try to hold on to that.

Did you know her whole storyline when you first got the role?

For the most part, but not entirely. There're always surprises, which is really exciting.

But right before my second day of shooting, right before those scenes in the barn with Bobo, Michael Eklund, myself, Paulo [Barzman], and Melanie had a call with Emily. And it was amazing, because we had I think already done blocking for those two barn scenes and the high-heeled licking stuff. And we got on the call; we got on the phone with Emily, and she kind of talked us through a bit more of their backstory.

And again, what's so amazing about this show, is that all these characters have such an interesting past, and so I had gotten a bit of the trajectory for Constance, but I would get more as we were shooting, and I was just blown away. Like these writers and Emily, they have this map of this world and these people, and it's incredible. It's so detailed. And it was amazing to get on that call and hear her just draw this huge big web of this world.

Speaking of the scene with Bobo, that had to be fun getting him to lick your boots too. It was a pretty empowering scene in a way.

It was. It was early days when we were in this barn, and the director for that episode, Paulo, he shoots fast. He knows what he wants, but he lets you do whatever you want at the same time.

I remember I arrived, and I went straight from the plane to set to meet him and to have a costume fitting and a hair and makeup test.

So I arrived, and I was watching Shamier and Melanie shoot a different scene, and Paulo came up to me, and he said, "Oh, we're going to start tomorrow, and I just want you to have fun. Welcome to the madness." I was like, 'wow,' and it was such a great way of putting it, because, you know, it is. It's this mad crazy world, but it feels really real and rooted when you're there and when you're in it, and that's another thing I really love about this show. It's just a really awesome mix of a lot of things.

Can you talk about that great wardrobe that you get to work with?

That was one of the most amazing parts about. It was really incredible, because, as I said, this is a real departure for me, for some of the kinds of parts that I play or even audition for. So there was this immediate sense of such excitement to be a part of this show and then a little bit of panic. [laughs] I thought, 'How am I going to do this?'

And so what so amazing was, as I said, right after the airport I went and I had this hour fitting with the genius that is the wardrobe department on the show. Jennifer Haffenden is incredible. In my head, I was like, 'She's a witch. She'll probably just wear a bunch of black.' And then she opened these bags full of designer clothes, and it was amazing.

And suddenly a lot of my fear about playing her went away, because it suddenly started to make sense. You know, put on these fishnet stockings and these crazy big high heels and one hell of a push-up bra [laughs] and these designer clothes. And suddenly, I looked in the mirror and there was Constance, because these clothes and the jewelry and the heels, it completely changed the way that I walked and the way that I moved. I can't take any credit for that; it was all the wardrobe department, and it completely connected the dots for me on what I thought she was going to be. And suddenly, when they created how she looked, I was like, 'Ah ha.' I mean, they have done more than half the work for me. [laughs]

So yeah, the clothes, they are [great] - the opening outfit was Alexander McQueen, those high heels are so amazing. She wears the fur coat in 1.09 and the hat. I had this little quote on the script and it was, "I dress this way, because it amuses me," and I just love she's just off doing these big spells and witchcraft, but she makes sure that she looks really good before she goes off and does it.

Now you just have to hope they let you keep some of it.

[laughs] They did. It was actually very sweet. At the end of the season, Emily sent the cast members one piece of wardrobe as a thank you, as a memento. So that was really amazing.

So I have one of Constance's dresses hanging in my wardrobe, and I don't know where I'm going to wear it. I wish I had the social life [laughs] to go along with it, but, you know, have a party in my living room, I don't know. [laughs]

Can you kind of talk about some of the makeup and special effects. You had the bleeding eye, and then of course, you weren’t really buried, but appearing to be buried under the salt and all that. Can you talk about some of that and what that was like?

The bleeding eye, that was really cool. Again, the makeup department on this show is incredible.

So we came in the day before and did a little bit of a test, and they’re so gentle and take such good care of you. It was a really bizarre feeling, because the blood is quite thick, and so they drop it into your eye the way they would any sort of eye drop, but it sort of thickens and coats your eye, so you can’t immediately see so well through it. And if you taste the blood, it’s actually quite sweet, which is also hilarious. It was a weird feeling, but it was really fun.

And then with the salt, that was a tough day. I was really nervous about that. I talk a lot with my hands. And I can’t say enough amazing things - I know all the interviews have talked about how nice the cast is and how amazing the crew was, and so it’s true, I wish I could tell you fun gossip juicy stories, but there are none, because everyone was just so kind and amazing, and just so fun to work with.

So the ADs came up to me and they said “You know, so you’re going to be buried in the ground, and we want you to let us know if you feel claustrophobic or start to get nervous in there,” and I remember thinking, 'They’re being so careful, and I don’t know what they’re talking about; it’s going to be just fine.' But sure enough, about twenty to thirty minutes in, I suddenly was like, 'What if I have to pee? I need to scratch my nose; how am I going to drink water?' and I started to get a little panicked. [laughs]

And this is what’s so great about it, you know, you’ve got hair and makeup putting straws into your mouth so you can sip water, and Tim and Melanie, every few minutes, they were like “Are you okay? Can we get you anything?”

It was interesting also, because most of the time we were freezing on the show, and that was the one day we were on a blue screen, and I’m buried with weird Styrofoam dirt up to my neck. So you’re either boiling hot or freezing cold on the show! [laughs] But I’m very excited to see that scene.

Can you explain a bit more though; you said you were actually buried in Styrofoam?

Yeah, so what they did, is they made a stage, and then they put a hole in it, and then I would go into the hole, and then they would cover the hole. And then there were a bunch of layers, and there was a bit of sort of Styrofoam or foam, and they would put a bit of sand around it. It would take a while to get in there and get out of there. Then, I imagine in special effects after, it’s just a field of salt, but I haven’t actually seen it yet. All I have are some hilarious blue screen photos of me, in a hole, in the middle of the ground, and Melanie and Tim standing above me, laughing at me - laughing with me! [laughs]

Do you think she could maybe get out of there at some point, or is this the end for her?

I think, in my eyes, Constance can get out of any situation. I think it’s really interesting that she has been placed in this hole. She says herself she doesn’t like being alone, and she has fought so hard to bring her sons back to life, to get revenge. She’s been fighting Bobo this whole time, and now she finds herself, you know, eyes bloodied, cried out, all her powers are gone, and so I wonder if maybe a little solo time to regroup is good for her.

But I think that Constance is a fighter; she’s a bit of a chameleon also. She’s quick on her toes, and in my [mind] - I mean I’m biased, but in my imagination, I defiantly think that she finds a way out, whether that be through getting her powers back, or through finding someone that she can trick into trusting her until she gets strong again, or, you know, I’d love to see Constance as a little slave witch for a while until she can. [laughs]

I definitely could see someone coming upon her head in the salt and her tricking them.

She’s quick on her feet, so she can go from being really mean and tough, and when she’s in control, she’s full of sass, but as we see in this episode, when the tables are turned, she adapts to the environment that she’s in, and she’ll do anything to stay alive, even offer to be a slave.

Do you think though if Wynonna and Doc had taken her up on it she would have actually stayed loyal, or just tricked them the first chance she got?

I think that Constance is someone who would start off very loyal, and I think and if need be do whatever to get some trust and to get maybe a little leeway, but I think eventually if her powers were to come back, I don't think that she could help herself. I think her old ways would come back eventually.

You know I absolutely love that she had nothing for Bobo and totally played him.

Absolutely. And this is the thing, you know, when push comes to shove eventually she's honest. [laughs] You can't fault here there.

I feel like Doc kind of punished her the same way that she punished him by throwing him in the well alone for years. Do you feel like she deserved that for what she did?

Does she deserve it? I mean, listen, you're asking me, and I play Constance, so I certainly don't think so [laughs] but then, at the same time, it makes sense, and I think it's a really wonderful way to take that story. She did this to him, and now he's done this to her.

And I think in my mind, Constance on her own is really interesting. And I think leaving her out there could potentially be good for her. And it would be interesting if she ever were to come back if she'd be any different. You know, it's like coming back from a meditation retreat. [laughs] Although, you know, no witch likes salt; it's slow torture.

But she and Doc have this connection where he can't kill her, so, you know, it's just really great writing, and I thought it was a really fun place to leave her.

Since Constance is a witch and can do magic, if you had a magical ability, what one thing would you love to be able to do?

I've always wanted to be a fly on the wall, like to make myself invisible so that I could observe other people. So yeah, I think I'd go with that: invisible.

Do you have a good story of working with cast you can share? I know you said you were a fan of Melanie's before the show.

Yeah, I was a big fan of Melanie's before, and I had just started watching Schitt's Creek before, and Tim was awesome on that.

I feel like everyone's starting to sound like a broken record, but I really can't say enough great things about the actors that are on this show. Everyone; they're just casting the nicest people on this show, and working with them is amazing.

...You know, Emily and Mel really set the tone for this show, and Tim and Shamier. Dominque [Provost-Chalkley], oh my God, she's the sweetest person on the planet.

So you're watching this, and you're like, 'Oh my God, I want to be besties with Wynonna and Waverly.' And how could you not love Doc?

And so I don't have one specific story, such as just singing their praises more and more, and I know everyone else is doing that as well, but it's true.

Do you have any other projects that you want to promote?

In a few weeks, Shoot the Messenger starts on CBC. And Lucas Bryant, he's the lead male on the show, I play his fiancé. So that will be starting soon.