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Ashley and Emilie panel

Question.  If you were not acting, what would you be doing?

Ashley: directing acting
Emilie:  direct.  Directing in theatre.  Bring people together to create a world.  Not ready to direct in TV yet

Question.  If you got magic, what would you be, a hero, a villain or an anti-hero?

Emilie: an anti-hero, you answer to your own values.  Decide the good and bad in everyone

Ashley:  agree, but might be more hero

Emilie: villains are not sure they’re good and vice versa.  Like a grey zone

Ashley: Villains always have a reason, we need to know their origin story

Question:  If you were in a London musical theatre production, what would you be in?

Emilie: [she sang a few bars of a song]  Hadestown.  Went to see it, last row only about the last ticket left.  The music comes together.  Quite cathartic

Ashley: Hamilton.  Angelica Schuyler

Emilie:  still thinking.  The Boyfriend.  Madame Dubonnet.  Don’t know.  Janet in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  A maternal phase.  Like Ursula in Little Mermaid, I would have tentacles

Question.  What is an experience that you wish everyone would go through, to make the world a better place?

Emilie: got lost in the ocean.  Went scuba diving in her 20s.  Was an international student at the University of Australia.  Just certified to dive.  Lots of waves, and lost her dive buddy.  No oxygen, needed buddy to help.  Lost the dive buddy, so looking for bubbles, which is what you are told to do if you lose your buddy

Ashley: your bubbles?

Emilie: they were random fish.  Was at 25 metres, but was only certified for 18 metres.  Where was the top? Which way was up?  Could die right now.  Had to be calm and centre myself.  Remember the light.  Stay calm and go up to the light.  Came up to the surface and was about 1 km away from the dive boat.  The dive buddy was wondering where she was.  Lost me.  She found them.  That was very formative.  To be alone and scared.

Ashley: sounds traumatic.  Everyone needs to go through something.  Lots of things in my life.  Had trauma therapy.  Learn to process.  Helps to be more open with people.  Get traumatised and do the work afterwards.

Question:  What do you think your characters would be doing, four years after the end of the show?

Ashley:  Abigail starts her own militia, to help the world.  Adil would be ‘let’s make babies’.  Need to help the greater good.  She doesn’t believe in everything about the army

Emilie: In a similar place.  Happy as head necro, in the lab, teaching, still in that basement.  Fascinated by something new.  The office still has posters of fungus.  Watering plants, drinking mushroom tea.  Perhaps into airy stuff

Question.  What types of scenes did your characters have together?

Ashley: We pulled up some season 2 scenes, like the gas scene.  And when I come with Adil in season 3

Emilie: 4 years later, would have moved up in rank

Ashley: I need your help – fungus.  Create a decomposer fungus for me.  Need a fungus attack

Question.  Quote a meme you live by.

Emilie: walking in London, thinking about this.  ‘Take pleasure seriously’.  Continue to find pleasure in the little things.  Play.

Ashley: On home screen, have Chadwick Boseman ‘When I stand before God, I will say that I used everything I was given’

Question.  If you had more seasons, what is one thing you would change?

Ashley: If I had more seasons, the gassing scene, I hate how I sound.  I would redo it differently

Emilie: I need to rewatch.  As an actor, sometimes you make the wrong choice.  You have to let go of critical thinking.  There are so many moments that I want to reshoot.  Beauty is not perfect.  You can only control the moment.  Let go.  There are 3 things I would change.  More scenes with the Core Four.  More seasons.  Expand this beautiful world.

Ashley: I am hypercritical.  It is how I perceive myself, not others.

Emilie: Tell the story

Question.  3 items you might purchase from a grocery store, that might get strange looks from the cashier?

Ashley: anything sexual – everyone looking at me

Emilie: not items – quantity.  Carrots.  Carrots and eggs.  Home depot?  Shovel, big tubs, duct tape, saw… like a murder

Question.  How do you play a character with a duality, like carer / nurturing.  Like Khalida or Penelope?

Emilie: It is multi faceted, who we are.  Not stereotypes.  Encompass different qualities.  Part of who she is.  Get to be nuanced and real.  Could be a CEO with a big teddy bear.  All weird.

Ashley: Bringing Khalida into it, realising that she wants a family.  Feel every emotion.  Hide, vulnerable.  Opened Abigail’s heart

Question.  Something that was intrusive was done, but ended up being the best thing?

Emilie:  The scene with Hearst, the maniacal laugh.  Wanted to seduce him, get into his face.  Lure him into the actor’s action – not intrusive.  Get a relationship going

Ashley: many intrusive thoughts Taylor, Jess and I did that brought us closer.  Tay and I touch tongues everyday.  Season 1

Emilie: Covid

Ashley: her tongue touch

Emilie: I am learning stuff

Ashley: Covid meant masks and visors  You have it, I have it

Question.  If you could go anywhere, where would you go?

Emilie: Japan.  Everyone seems to be going there.  The food

Ashley:  If I could teleport, Japan.  See the Hello Kitty shop.  Italy for the pasta.  Greece.  Different architectures.

Question.  Were you told the reason the show was cancelled?  If it was released now, would it get more seasons?

Ashley: we weren’t told.  Shows have a longer life on streaming.  Now the network we were on doesn’t even exist.  We could have got 6, like Outer Banks {??} with the promo that show got

Emilie: Copy and paste what she said.  On a different platform we would have got more.  It is different for the leads – get to know or ask ahead of time.  Guests know later.  I was invited to join season 2 only 3 or 4 weeks before shooting began.  At the salon, having a haircut, I was crying.  I was happy for what we got.  Would be wonderful for 6 seasons

Ashley: bought the show on iTunes, only the buy now

Emilie: talked this weekend, some people only discover the show this year or even this weekend.  After it has been finished for 4 years.

Question.  Here it was shown on the BBC.  If it was put on Netflix and said to carry on, where would you want the story to pick up.  Would you say yes?

Ashley and Emilie: Yes

Ashley: At the end when they say Khàsémé àvá  and everyone is a witch.  We should pick up from there.  Trying to harness powers, now they can

Emilie: trying to remember.  I rewatched season 1 not season 3.  There is always evil to conquer.  Rewatching and talking about reality is indirectly talking about the US now.  In season 1, Alder says there is war in the Ukraine, before it started.  America now and in the future, in a different way.  Inspired by what happens today.

Ashley:  So true.  Witchplague is like covid.  The protest scene, with the masks.  Had to film during covid. Even though we were filming outside, masks were needed for that.   Made it look like part of the protest

Question.  Was it always intended to be Abigail and Adil, or did that evolve?

Ashley:  Adil was supposed to be a F*ck buddy.  It was meant for Jess and Gerit to be the big relationship.  The network didn’t like it, but did like Adil and Abigail.  I wanted her to be a man eater for a bit longer.  Everyone who can impress me, can go to bed with me.  I love Tony, he was always there for me.  On set he asked what I needed.  There were some tough days.

Emilie:  Surf Bay.  Tony is the lead in that.  He is so very different.  Low key Bohemian surfer dude {note, Emilie is also in Surf Bay]

Question.  In the zombie apocalypse and the guests here, who dies first and who survives?

Ashley:  Taylor would say that I die first.  But I’ll live.  I’ll cuss them out

Emilie: Sylvia is good with an axe [I don’t even what to think how Emilie knows that about Sylvia.  What are they talking about backstage?]

Ashley: Taylor dies first.  She would want to make friends with them, they are good people.  Amalia would try to reason with them, be political

Question.  Was there a movie you watched that was so bad, you are still mad about it?

Emilie:  Amelia Perez.  Couldn’t watch it

Ashley:  It won an Oscar.  I’m scared

Emilie: my eyes bled

Ashley: I was part of a nominating committee, so I had to watch it

Emilie: couldn’t finish it.  She won an Oscar.  So much music / TV content, not bad art, just needed a different audience.

Ashley: Lyrics

Emilie: it was so stereotypical, no shade, no ambiguity

Ashley: she is a great actress.  Hated the film Dallas Buyers Club, Matthew McGonnahey was really good.  [and something about chicken wings that I didn’t understand]

Question.  What would be your joint karaoke song?

Emilie: are we going to sing?

Ashley: Need a playlist.  Like to sing.  Love on top – Beyonce.  High range, Whitney Houston

Emilie: need another convention  to go to.  Same as 2 years ago.  Me and my brother singing Janis Joplin.  Reminds me of my dad with the guitar.  Like a prayer, Madonna

Question. If one of the episodes was a musical episode, which episode would it be and what style of music?

Emilie: 3.9 would be good

Ashley: like Riverdale, random episodes.  The wedding ep 1.5.  Singing to a dead cousin.  Beautiful colour of the wedding.  [sings lines]

We’re surviving the zombie apocalypse.

Emilie and Ashley decide to touch tongues.

Ashley: Taylor will be so jealous

So we come to the closing ceremony

The cast taking group selfies before going onstage for the closing ceremony

And so Witchbomb 4 comes to an end. 

Always Taylor

And so onto CityDrop convention in Vancouver October 17 – 18^th.  For more information and to buy tickets, go to

https://confuzedevents.com/city-drop-convention/

Amalia: it is hot outside, but cool in here, she had put a sweater on

Taylor: it was cold in the autograph room.  She thought they had put the heating on, but actually they had just opened a door to the outside. 

Question:  What do you think your characters would be doing, four years after the end of the show?

Amalia: One of us would have popped out a kid.

[Then they played rock, paper, scissors to see who would have the kid.  They did it three times and each time was a tie, so they decided it would be twins]

Taylor: take care of each other’s kids.  Lots of ducks

Amalia: Raelle would have climbed the ranks

Question.  If you got arrested, what would your family assume that you had done?

Taylor: streaking.  Something without clothes

Amalia: civil disobedience.  Parked in the wrong place overnight

Question.  If there was an alternate universe show set, with a giant dance troupe, who would die first and who would survive?

Taylor: I’m a crumper

Amalia: defensive

Taylor: Abigail would do ballet, someone would do jazz

Amalia: Emilie would be doing modern art or interpretive dance

Taylor: Celtic dance can be aggressive

Amalia: dance like an Australian break dancer

Question.  If you did a joint karaoke song, what would it be?

Taylor: Joint heir by [inaudible]

Amalia:  or Kelly Clarkson, that would be a deep conversation

Question.  What is your process for learning scripts and get in character?

Amalia: it depends how it fits with my way of life.  I learned from Lyne Renee to underline the TH sound, to emphasise it.  It is a European thing.  I record a monologue.  Not so with dialogue.  I run through my lines when I am doing the dishes

Taylor:  I leave people confused, if they don’t know I am an actor.  I talk to myself

Amalia:  like an upset scene

Taylor: foaming at the mouth

Amalia:  that’s just you

Taylor: accents – she gave examples of words pronounced with different accents.  Record with that person’s speech.  Like ping pong

Amalia:  Do you know UGLISH?  It is a website for non English speakers.  You choose a word, it plays you the sound of the word and you can choose different accents.  What is a choice, what is an accent?

Question.  If your characters were not together, who would you end up with?

Taylor:  Abigail

Amalia: there is no-one else for Scylla

Taylor:  Someone gave you eyes in the cafeteria  [was Taylor talking about Vira from ep 3.01?]

Amalia: I died

Question.  How is acting on stage different from acting on TV?

Amalia:  It is great.  I get into character the same way.  The big difference is that it becomes new every night.  It is made in me as I take the audience in.  In film, you get one shot.  You have to be present with your co-star.  It can be unforgiving, you play it right away.  Theatre is more forgiving, you get to do it again the next evening.  It is like Diana’s talk yesterday about perfection, a live performance can’t be perfect.  Every group is different, it changes every night.  I also do radio prank calls, there is a kid in the room with me and we edit that together

Question.  To Taylor, tell us about 7 Seconds [a song she released recently]

Taylor:  For some people, their first interpretation of the words was sapphic.  Sorry to disappoint, but it was about medicine and experience with psychedelics.  It mirrors self access at the peak of medicine.  7 seconds of profound understanding.  It is the depth of network and higher power.  There is a vital essence that we access for brief moments.  It can happen when you are in an altered state, like walking through a wood.  The frequency is fleeting, you distract yourself.  Wrote it as a reminder of gratitude

Question.  If a witch cast a spell to transport the guests to an alternate universe, with no memory.  Who would notice it?  Who would solve it?

Taylor: no idea

Amalia:  Kristina would notice first

Taylor: I felt if someone with enough connection, that would be you

Amalia: I’ll gather the troops

Question.  If Raelle and Scylla went on a roadtrip, what would be the best snacks to take with them and the best songs to listen to?

Taylor:  Stevie Nicks, Kate Bush

Amalia: on the road, the best snacks, ones that don’t go mouldy

Question.  If there were no more wars, so you had no jobs anymore, what would you do?

Taylor:  would do something blue collar, like running a duck farm

Amalia: work with troubled kids, foster care.  Bring them to the farm

Question:  How do you view the use of AI in the fandom and in general?

Taylor: repelled by the technology.  It is a nightmare.  In 10 to 15 years, it will be a novelty to have cinema made by humans.  Our jobs will be taken from us.  We will lose art, clothes, nothing is intentional, like it was in the 60s to 90s.  Like calling someone, will you be home?  There is too much information.  You can find out what your exes are doing.  Makes it more likely for people to be abused.  If this is OK for us, what does the military have?  Coding that would code for a virus but could create a virus to destroy mankind.  AI is none of our F***ing business

Amalia:  I agree with a lot of that.  Don’t feel hopeless.  It mirrors back information.  Using AI when making arts, you don’t have rights to that.  Need to hold people in every country accountable.  However widespread it is, it is not inevitable.  AI in the fandom, if you stand behind it, but be very selective.  Bat sh*t scared of it.  Refused to learn it.  Those who want a better world need to be as well trained in it as those who use it. 

AI is like electricity.  They need to step up their game

Taylor: Make art the long, hard way.  Others check out AI

Amalia: enjoy art, made by flesh and blood

Taylor: human error is beautiful

Amalia: buying ice cream on the beach, they used AI to create a menu.  Something was missing.  Hire someone or do it yourself

Taylor: you can tell if it is AI

Amalia: trained eyes.  People are not patient for very long

Question.  What can you tell us about the Beltane dance?

Taylor: Jess is such a beam of sunshine, bouncing around.  You saw my moves last night [Taylor was dancing at the Saturday night disco]

Amalia: how much rehearsal and choreography was there? 

Taylor: weeks of rehearsals.  Professional dancers.  They were very patient.  Lots of components.  Took 2 days to film.

Amalia: will you dance in your next video?

Question.  If you could bring back any dead musician, who would you bring back?

Taylor: Macmillan.  Wake up George Harrison.  Beatles.  Listening to a lot of 60s and 70s music.  [I have ] not evolved in that way.  Feel lost in this world.  Find special people.  Be intentional. Travel. Spend time with community, time with art.  That is the era of music for me – none better

Amalia:  Wake up Mozart.  Not shown modern musicians, would be overwhelmed.  What would they feel about someone like Elvis and recreating what they sound like?

Taylor: bring yearning back

Amalia: What they did when they couldn’t do more.  She doesn’t like to update technology, like photos with too much detail.  We are not professionals, there is no need for that

Question.  If you could direct any book turning into a movie, what would it be?

Taylor:  The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut

Amalia: like to reread books.  She ages, so does reading them.  Like Normal People.  [tells Taylor] go and buy the rights, as Jess has done

Taylor:  it is within reach

Question.  If you could play anyone you want, who would it be?

Taylor: Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter.  Anything in fantasy, Lord of the Rings.  Have to work on the English accent, there are no American fantasy.

Amalia:  They talked with American accents in The Odyssey.  Galadriel  from Lord of the Rings, take a shot at that.  Lydia Tar, who Kate Blanchett played in TAR.  Recommended Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid, gay, NASA

Taylor: hot

Question: If you could speak to your younger self, what would you say?

Taylor: The more you learn, the less you know.  Don’t panic over things, work on your control.  You don’t always control the outcome

Amalia: if you try really hard, be prepared to be misunderstood.  Want people to be well, want others to feel well, but sometimes we don’t have all the information.  We are not almighty.

Taylor:  Can’t always get it right.  Feel gratitude for what you achieve

Amalia: Friendship and relationships – you can’t control them.  Sometimes they are only as long as they are meant to be.  Friendships evolve.

Taylor: Being misunderstood by people, sometimes they are not your people.  Some people love martyrdom.  You can’t control how someone reacts to you.  Listen to who shows up for you.

Amalia did a fan meet straight after this panel, then she had to leave for the airport straight away.  She had to be a work by 9 am the next morning.  More political campaigning. So she would miss the closing ceremony

Next time the Emilie and Ashley panel and closing ceremony

I decided to split this post into two.  So the Taylor and Amalia panel blog will be posted tomorrow. 

It was noticeable that Taylor had left Tiernan back at the hotel, so today was not quite as chaotic as the previous two days were.

We started Sunday morning with photo ops.  We had two unusual crossover photos, one with Dom, Kat, Taylor and Amalia, AKA Wayhaught and Raylla.  I wasn’t missing out on that one.  Then we had a Dom and Taylor photo op, they are making the film Magic together.  So that is an extra special thing about having them at a convention together.  Hopefully one day there will be a convention panel with both of them, where they can talk about the film.

It was also the day when some of the Motherland cast wore their uniforms for photos.  Amalia had gone for the same as Taylor, which was the season 1 grey cadet uniforms.  Emilie was wearing dress blues. 

With several photos that morning, I was in and out of the photo room, and on one occasion, almost literally, bumped into Emilie outside talking to her liaison.  She was carrying her dress blues.  I told her that was my favourite uniform.

I had taken a couple of uniforms down to the photo room, because I didn’t know what Taylor would be wearing.  I ended up doing a few changes and sharing the jackets with other people too.  Staff were very helpful with changing costumes and pinning sashes etc.  But between all of us we got some great uniform photos. 

Emilie in the dress blues, cropped from my own photo op.  I noticed that she didn’t have a sash and asked her about that later, she said that she regretted not getting her sash at the end of the show.  It had a lot of pins on it.  Mine was just plain.

The uniform photos were the last ones done, so they were the last ones that came back from printing.  That made the autograph session interesting.  Starfury gave everyone a group photo on the Sunday that we could get signed, but I wanted uniform photos signed too.  So I was in and out of the autograph room like a jack in the box.  Normally you aren’t allowed to do that, once you are in, you stay there.  But checking on the uniform photos was near the main hall. 

When I got to Emilie, to sign my dress blues shot with her, there was no queue for her, so we talked a little.  She told me that I had more uniforms than she did.  I was wearing the male witch bomber jacket at the time, which is my favourite to wear – the sleeves on everything else are far too tight.  I took the jacket off and showed her that the costume department had simply bought a load of jackets from Zara and put military patches on them.

The autograph sessions had been split into two – the Motherland cast first and then the Earp and Warrior Nun casts.  Followed by selfies.  This was the first time that Starfury had done selfies at a convention.  I didn’t go for it myself, but this was something that fans had been asking for.

I got there in time for the end of the Kristina panel.  She was just picking up her guitar and sorting out the microphone.  She sang three songs for us.  Songs that she had written herself.   

Next time, the Taylor and Amalia panel

The Ashley and Taylor panel

Question.  How did you get into acting?

Taylor:  Doing music, busking, dad was a good musician.  Graduated a year early.  Theatre nerd.  Friend had an agent, they were looking for young talent, so signed with them.  It was a 4 hour drive to Vancouver to audition.  It was like Ice Truckers.  I would pay people to drive me, drive myself.  Got an indie with Anthony Hopkins.

Ashley:  As a 5 year old, I decided to be a movie star.  Mum was like ‘are you for real?’  Went to acting school.  Acting teacher was a Disney coach

Question.  Now that you know today is Abigail’s birthday, how are you planning to celebrate?

Ashley:  Lots of German Porn shots.  She told us that the character is Abigail Petra Bellweather, the middle name

Question.  What has playing this character taught you about yourself?

Ashley:  acting is like therapy.  An emotional scene.  Taylor and Amanda Tapping, just let yourself go.  Feel the emotions.  It is OK not to be OK

Taylor:  how to lead.  That is not natural for her.  Can lead when she has to.  Often compromising herself, leaving a feeling of emptiness.  Need self care to feel strongest

Question.  How would your characters evolve in season 4?

Taylor:  cottage commune and lots of ducks.  Sapphic privacy.  That’s my dream.

Ashley:  Abigail would start her own army, for world peace.  I would love for her to be evil for a season.  With Eliot, that was not happening

Question.  If your life was a museum, what would be sold in the gift shop?

Ashley: sparkles.  Head bands, Pink. Leo. Tiara.  Her family call her Princess.  I’m a Disney girl.

Taylor:  tons of rubber ducks.  Boots.  A sushi shop.  Coffee, books, records, vinyl, guitar

Question.  My favourite scene was your scene together from 1.10 Witchbomb.  What more can you tell us about that scene?

Ashley: Have to remind Taylor of that scene

Taylor:  no idea

Ashley: we had a good relationship.  We had been holding ourselves up all season.  Other cast didn’t have the family bonds we had.  ‘Love you Shitbird’ was really ‘Love you Taylor’.

Question.  Joke.  What did the sushi say to the bee?  Wasabi?

Question.  What music are you listening to?

Taylor:  Paul McCartney – she is an album girl.  Ran, with Linda McCartney.  In all the years they were together, they only spent one night apart.  Moved to the countryside.  Artistry, had their priorities.  Example of love that lasts.  I want a love to believe in

Question.  Abigail has an evil side.  If Abigail and Raelle had a fight, who would win?

Ashley: Abigail, has to win

Taylor:  we had a blow up, Raelle had had it.  Ended when you strangled me

Ashley: so Abigail wins

Question.  About folk music, have you heard of Kate Rusby?

Taylor:  no. There is a podcast called Song Exploder, which gives you the history of a song.  You can create a list of interviews or create a talk about a song.  Has she done something like that?

Question.  What is it like to work with Amanda Tapping?

Ashley: amazing.  In season 2, she loved on us, she had our backs.  Love that woman.  The things she did for me.  She fought for us.  We didn’t have that before

Taylor:  wonderful, strong director.  She brought everything together, corporate, visuals, feelings.  She could communicate.  What an icon

Question.  What childhood book would you like to make into a movie?

Taylor:  The Hungry Caterpillar.  The food looks so good

Ashley: Junie B Jones [books by Barbara Park] – she is super cute.  I am educated really

Question.  If you had to eat one food for a whole month, what would it be?

Taylor:  mashed potatoes and cheese.  Got everything you need to survive.  Fact check it

Ashley: I’m in school.  Bacon and ham and apples and peanut butter.  But bacon or ham?

[the audience pointed out it was the same animal]

Ashley: I don’t like to think where it comes from

Question.  What is the weirdest thing you did last year?

Taylor:  Lionsgate Portal

Ashley: thought she had appendicitis, but actually had a cyst outside her ovary.  3 days in hospital to figure it out.  Then she found one friend had one that ruptured.  Then found two other people she knew had the same thing.  What are we eating?  We’re being poisoned.  What are they doing to us?

Question.  If there was a Hungry Caterpillar orchestra, who would be in it from the cast [guests at the convention] and what would they play?

Taylor:  Ashley on bongos or lead singer.  Jess on the triangle.  Needs a cow bell.  Amalia on the tambourine and the kazoo.  Ess would shred on guitar. Diana sings soul.  KTY would be a cool basist.  Emilie on the cello

Question.  If you could play a character in the last film you watched, who would it be?

Taylor.  The Odyssey.  Play a Siren

Ashley.  Went to see the Odyssey at 6am at the Imax.  Had to fight to get a ticket.  3 hours.  Had to book.  Circe.  Who poisons them.  I knew everything from Percy Jackson.  Circe, that character would turn them into pigs [goddess of bacon].  Spoilers

Question.  What is the most ridiculous thing you have done for an audition?

Taylor.  For My Little Pony, had to crawl on all fours.  Didn’t get the part

Ashley: a soccer movie.  Used to play a girl doing soccer drills.  Asked the agent, what is this?  And Tiernan got a part

Taylor:  for Blink had to learn English backwards.  Down to the last two, another girl got the part.  Seriously backwards!  Words flipped

Question.  What are you reading at the moment?

Taylor [It sounded like Shadow and Burn, but I can’t find that.  It is not Shadow and Bone which is a Young Adult book, possibly Shadow Burn, which is more adult].  Taylor described it as ‘horny’

Ashley: I do have a degree

Taylor:  get a refund

Ashley: we were always trouble making on set, we could get into trouble

Icebreaker – hockey [by Hannah Grace]

The first Off Campus book, The Deal [ by Elle Kennedy]

Heated Rivalry [by Rachael Reid].  Just horny.  [Or for the British, smutty]

Question.  The Odyssey is 3000 years old.  If you wrote a bok, what type of book would it be?

Taylor:  psychological thriller

Ashley: a dark psychological thriller as well.  Write scripts

Taylor:  Wrote scripts, both scripts were queer coming of age. 

 Ashley: smut for 900 pages of foreplay.  Like Percy Jackson

Question.  What would be the titles?

Ashley: Untitled Ashley Nicole Williams thriller book

Question.  If you could choose a fictional universe to go to, which would you choose and why?

Taylor:  Hogwarts

Ashley: was scared of Harry Potter as a kid.  Couldn’t watch it.  Love to be in Game of Thrones.  Be on a dragon, long wings.  [To Taylor] we need a watch party

Question.  Do you know the movie The Lobster?

Taylor:  I would pick an animal to be in a relationship with, a dolphin.  Those creatures are 5 dimensional beings.  We are 3 dimensional;

Ashley: favourite animal, the cheetah

Taylor:  favourite animal, the fruit bat

Ashley: want to be a cheetah.  Or a unicorn, but they are  not real

Taylor:  we have chemistry for giggles.  Comfortable, don’t feel judged

Ashley: Taylor and I have no boundaries.  Everyday on set we would touch tongues.  [More on this tomorrow…]  Everyone knows this.

Taylor:  was very intentional.  Makes you feel loved and cared for

Costume party

And so we come to the Saturday evening costume party.  These are always very special at Witchbomb.  But this year, Kristina’s prank made it especially memorable.  As the cast came in, Kristina entered dressed in a magnificent ballgown.  Looking like she had just stepped out of a Regency ball from Bridgerton.  She walked slowly and regally to the front to show off this dress and then …. 

I am very grateful to @dutchstarbuck for allowing me to use her photos for what happened next…..

Taylor literally popped out from underneath Kristina’s skirt.  No wonder she had been walking so slowly and carefully, with Taylor hidden in there. 

The guests clearly enjoyed the contest and the brilliant costumes. 

Contestants and the guests

We had discovered that August 8^th was Abigail Petra Bellweather’s birthday, but it was the birthday of one of the attendees too.  Ashley called her over so we could all sing Happy Birthday to her

And two of the guest, Emilie and Sylvia, had birthdays in the week following Witchbomb.  So they were presented with cards that people had signed for them. 

There is a short film of the cosplay contest, available to view at

The Kristina dress prank is right at the start of the video

Next time, we move onto Sunday.  Photos, autographs, Taylor and Amalia

Question.  I asked you last night if it had always been the plan for Willa to be in S3?  And you said it was quite a tale and to ask you at a panel.  So, I’m asking

Diana I didn’t even know that Willa would be in season 2.  The character went well.  Throughout season 2 the character kept building.  I was told, ‘Don’t panic – you’re going to die.  We have a plan’.  Willa was incorporated into the plan. Got script changes.  It was a performers dream.  Great actors build together.

Amalia, I first met you at the first table read.  You rode a bike and wore a helmet.  It seemed strange and glamourous.  It was nice to see some normalcy.  You were a very grounded presence.  It meant a lot to have scenes with you.  This was before I knew we would have scenes together.

Diana, we spent a lot of time eating together.

Question.  What was your snack crew?

Amalia, Smores.  Layers of energy

Diana, French fries.  Salty layer of the cracker.

Question.  If you had to eat one specific food for a month, what would it be?

Diana, tortilla and [inaudible]

Amalia, tacos.  Different ones on my plate.  Haloumi.

Question.  What has playing these characters taught you about yourself?

Amalia, I am capable of more than I knew

Diana, resilience.  Stand on my own two feet.  Not always the right decision, but heart in the right place.  Perfectionism really present.  Resilience, life is a series of mistakes, course correct.  Trying to do a scene right?  You can plan, but how it goes is based on a hundred things out of your control.  Course correction, and letting go of the idea of perfection. 

Amalia, does that help you to not give up?

Diana, when I give up acting?  There doesn’t have to be an end, it is an evolution of what comes next.

Question.  Scylla was introduced as a villain.  Did you know there would be a redemption arc?

Amalia, I didn’t want it.  In a black and white moral ground, it is cool to be a villain.  Have to become good to be on the show.  Eliot knew what he was doing.  I would have stayed a villain longer. I resisted the change

Diana, words used like ‘terrorist’.  Understand the justification

Amalia, it was finding reasons for the justification

Diana, the actor has to rationalise.  She did terrible things.  Finding rationalisation, that she wasn’t bad.

Amalia, both characters were romanticised.  Where is the loss of love that leads you here?  Injustice?  Making a better world for your daughter.  Imagine Willa’s stress about Raelle becoming 18.

Diana, I think Willa course corrected

Question.  We come here to see you.  What conventions or actors would you go to these lengths for?

Diana, I applaud your lengths.   I think movies like Remains of the Day, a perfect film.  Working with anybody like that.  Sir Ian Mckellan, Waiting for Godot.  He had been filming in Vancouver.  Went to the stage door, he was signing

Amalia, had a star struck moment.  The actors on Succession, would go to a con for them

Question from Diana to audience, what makes you all come back?

Answer, The Vibe

Diana, what is the vibe?

Answer, Community, German Porn…!

Question.  What was the last time that you did something for the first time?

Diana, I got a dog – Zorro.  Best thing ever.  In the pandemic you could go outside with the dog, Doing kung fu outside with the dog – kung fu Zorro.  He is a Yorkie.  All black, he came to the kung fu classes.  Living in Vancouver, he gets to go outside.  Positive potato.

Amalia, Wednesday.  [She had been on holiday in Croatia for a week just before coming to Witchbomb].  Jumped from a cliff into the water.  Only about 4 – 5 metres.  Never dared before, it was so high.  Got a high five from Olof [her husband].  Big thing, went again

Question.  If your life was a museum, what would you sell in the gift shop?

Amalia, nose flutes, in different colours, and tiramisu and old vintage jewellery

Diana, books, all types.  Meaningful pieces of jewellery.  Was born with a bad hip, couldn’t walk.  Told would never walk ever.  Had to use crutches till she was 5.  Overcame it.  Signed up for track.  Ran everywhere.  Told would need a hip replacement, did sport harder.  It gave her resilience.  Every baby photo to the age of 5 had a blanker over her legs so the rest of the family wouldn’t know about her legs.  So crutches

Question.  If not actors, what would you do?

Diana, be a weather person.  Canada has lots of weather.  Fascinated by it

Amalia, would you consider it?

Diana, I love weather

Amalia, I want to see that. 

Diana, where I grew up, we had tornados and you had to go to the basement

Amalia, thrives on dopamine, probably work in an ambulance or something.  Got a bachelor of political science, defence and crisis management.  Currently running a political campaign for a politician.  Usually have a staff, but they only have me.  Lots of crisis analysis.  Indulging.  Giving my all.  General election in September.  Go into that

Question.  Would you go into politics?

Amalia, not for a few years.  Work behind the scenes, not representing myself.  That is tricky in acting.  It is fun to pitch my politician.  Come up with ideas for her.  Put my ideas out, not myself

Diana, you lit up like a Christmas tree

Amalia, I don’t want to ever stop acting.  I thought my passion for politics was dead.  There are dark spaces, need to spread light energy

Diana, How dark the world can be.  There are other places as dark as the acting world, like the corporate world.  Where can you include each other?  There is safety in kindness and authenticity

Amalia, I have always felt that I want to be where you are needed most.  Go to the dark, where your light is needed the most.

Question.  Which of your roles would you like more people to see?

Amalia, Motherland.  Few people have seen it in Nordic countries.  It was Pride week in Stockholm last week, met some important people – high people, big shots – they knew her from Motherland

Diana, it can be hard to find

Amalia, on Netflix in Canada.  Where is it?  Regional contracts?

Diana, never know what happens.  Was in Melbourne, when the Motherland audition came through.  It was the monologue from the letter.  Did a self tape on the phone.  And we are here today.  Never  know.  Safe space has a different feeling.  If it is the last, we still connect together

Amalia, something else

Diana, The Collector.  Filmed in Budapest.  Time travel to World War 2.  The set was imported from an Oscar winning movie, some of the survivors were involved.  We had to go into a gas chamber and one of them had a heart attack.  We collected souls

Question.  Who is the person you look up to the most?

Amalia, different people, different things.  Diana, your energy.  Some people choose to bring the light.  My husband came here with me [Diana is moved to tears by Amalia’s praise]

Diana, that is very humbling.  The person I am married to – David – incredible kindness and grace.  Raised by my grandmother and mother in another country. [She told us at Witchbomb 1 about coming from Hungary]  I admire them.  I may have a light, but I can be fiery. 

[From the audience] the Collector is on Amazon Prime and Apple TV in the UK

Question.  What experience makes the world a better place?

Diana, fall in love and meet other people

Amalia, to feel that love and receive it

Next time – Ashley, Taylor and KTY’s costume prank.

Question.  How did you get into acting?

Dom, didn’t want to be in musical theatre, was cast in Wynonna Earp and here they are

Kat went to musical theatre school.  Can’t dance, could sing.  The acting coach said they should leave here and go to New York.  Study acting. Never work in musical theatre.  So she left the programme and studied classical theatre.  Did one film class.  Theatre wages were so low.  Fell in love with the intimacy of film.  Had a few years of waiting tables.  Got Earp and quit the other jobs.

Question.  Any thoughts on a musical episode of Wynonna Earp?

Emily wouldn’t go for it.  Dom was enthusiastic.  Season 5? Mel would do it.  Star Trek did that.  Kat didn’t know that.  Dom said season 5 write it down.

Question.  When you signed on for Wynonna Earp, what did you expect?

Dom, trying to find the vibe.  Calgary was cold.  Experience.  Didn’t realise Waverley was queer.  Didn’t realise that part of the adventure.

Kat At ??? [inaudible] Con, Em sent us a note after the bar scene. ‘Are you up for being queer?

Dom didn’t understand ‘ship name’ – heatwave was an early suggestion.

Kat wouldn’t have had it any other way.  It was beautiful.

Question.  If you had a musical episode, what sort of song would you choose for your character?

Dom, Waverley a cute country vibe

Kat bouncing between rage ballads or drunk jiggy

Question.  How have you found it, discussing with other cast from other fandoms?

Dom, such a crossover in experience.  Understand them and us

Kat, discussed it a bit.  The pandemic, online cons.  Fortunate to have cons and filming.  Didn’t have a disconnect.  Hallmark Con has a different fan base.  But coming together and celebrating the same beautiful people.  A room full of people who love what we love.

Question.  Lesbian characters tend to die.  Did you know your character would survive?

Dom, lucky to have Emily Andras.  Caring about gay shows.  People were scared that this would happen to Wayhaught.  Didn’t trust.  Emily did a great job saying that here I will stand and stay.  The fandom was proved right.  And we got a queer wedding.

Question.  You have both transitioned into behind the scenes

Kat has gone corporate, but Dom has gone the other way.  Kat has directed for Hallmark and Kat and Mel have directed for Tubi.  Dom has gone independent.  Kat, it is a positive experience.  Hallmark knew the product well and the business,  had a great time.  Worked with crew that they had worked with before.  With Tubi, they were in Africa blowing up people.  Almost nobody was checking what they were doing.  It was wonderful to do that with close friends.  Doesn’t like to work alone.  Don’t like directing alone.  Have to write with partners.  Work as a team.

Dom, it is an interesting journey with Magic.  Lots of control and censorship, so inspired to work on collaborative projects.  This needed to happen from the foundation, inspired by a community.  It came naturally, build on that, a blessing.  Amazing things happen.  Retain authenticity.  Collaborating is important.  As a director, lent on the crew.  Writing, working with a script editor, highlights things.

Question.  Did you research Doc Holliday and Earp?

Kat it depends on how much notice you get.  She was on a plane after getting the job.  Had the show Bible, read that, but didn’t have time for research.

Dom was overwhelmed by the world building.  Nerded out at the beginning.  Went full Waverley, highlighted everything.  Feel safe.  Trust the process.

Question.  What topic would your TED talk be?

Dom, power connection and community as a tool for liberation.

Kat, a little kid phase.  Got a 2 year old and a 5 year old.  Reflect on drop off parenting.  Stripped of things like vacations.  Work to live rather that live to work.  How messed up, living as a human being.

Question.  What is the most difficult emotion to portray?

Kat, perpetual terror.  Stopped doing horror.  Stress.  No thanks.

Dom.  Drinking game in the fandom.  Jenna.  Younger sister gone missing.  Night shoots.  Stuff in the script not working.  Told to run around and shout Jenna.  Don’t do it with whiskey. [Hope that makes sense to somebody, but that was the answer…]  Depends on the day.  Acting is vulnerable, sad and not connects to it.  The environment, block everyone out.  Mel does it so well – drop in.  A big journey, be gentle with myself.

Question.  What have Wynonna Earp and the fandom added to your life and career?

Kat, I wouldn’t be the same person without this experience.  For a decade.

Dom, 100%.  Know how much Waverley helped others and helped me.  The light in the dark, showed another way.  The universe conspired – you can’t live your life this way.  Meet all of you lot.  Continuation of Earp, met people living life authentically.  Inspires me so much.  So central to who I am.

Kat, so big on inspiration.  Seeing you, being brave.  Witness people’s transformation and journey.

Question.  If you did a crossover between Wynonna Earp and any other show, what would it be?

Dom.  I feel like the answer is Motherland.  Anyone seen North of North with Taylor?  Add some supernatural bits

Kat, with Earp, got to do so many different things.  Think Motherland is the perfect choice.

Dom, imagine Doc Holliday in there!!!

Question.  What was your favourite episode to film and your overall favourite episode?

Kat, most fun 4.07.  The gnome.  Nicole and Waverley drunk.  Watch the wedding.  Perfect.

Dom.  To film, the Halloween episode.  So fun, so silly with Mel. To watch – For the Journey.

Kat, walked out, saw the chairs.  Everyone dressed up, including the crew in wedding suits.

Question.  What is the best prank you ever played on set or in real life?

Kat, if we go back, it’s going to be prank city.  I was a camp counsellor, mom was the camp nurse.  Scraped out the middle of an oreo and put laxative in it.  For the ski instructor.  Mom’s idea.  Hard prank summer.  Retaliation prank.

Dom, can’t match that.  Played some in Dirty Dancing.  Played tricks.  Years and months in that show.  Move all the props around.  Put a rat – open fridge to get a prop and nothing there.  Laugh on stage when not supposed to

Kat, nobody put laxative in your….?  I’m not a nurse

Question.  Did you take any mementos from the set or anything you forgot to return?

Dom got Waverley’s wedding dress.  Em taken Waverley’s boots.  Like OG outfit.  One thing sums up the journey, the wedding dress.  Should bring it to a con

Kat got Nicole’s belt.  Last thing to put on.  Got weight.  Locks into Nicole.  Should put it on display.  Got a jacket, put every pin I ever received on it.  Need to put it on display

Question.  Is there a specific scene on set filming when you hear Wynonna Earp?

Dom, the first scene that came to me was the proposal round the fire

Kat I remember the first day in Shorty’s, remember it so clearly

Dom, such babies.  We were so lucky to have that opening scene

Question.  Favourite quote from a song etc?

Dom, don’t have a favourite to whip out from my backpack – no backpack.

Kat, big Pink fan.  Glitter in the air [Quoted]

Dom, don’t have a quote but ‘This too shall pass’ to recentre myself

Question.  If your life was a museum, what would you sell in the gift shop?

Dom, interesting childhood.  Father had lots of projects – wake up – make it happen.  Made monkey puppets.  Cute.  Until you are a teenager and you model for the puppet.  On a website.  Then at school in D&T [Design and Technology], lots of computers, everyone gets the website up.  Juggling monkey

Kat, never heard that story

Dom, monkey puppet

Kat, market.  Food I love, peaches.  Grew up on a farm.  Food memories

Dom, and monkey puppets

Question.  Would you like to see a spin off of Waverley on her black badge journey?  What would that mean for Wayhaught?

Dom.  Jeremy helping practising her powers, tap into those powers.  Badass.  Use it to define herself [Note, Dom uses female pronouns for Waverley].  Metaphorically.  Waverley’s journey from ‘smile and wave’, to hide the darkness.  The darkness needs to be seen.  Balanced, light and dark.  Spinoff, a chance to see Waverley and Nicole in …

Kat [interrupts] can’t leave.  Perhaps there is a way…  Always a loop hole…  Repercussions…

Dom.  Don’t like that.  Emily would.

Kat.  Season 5.  Power of collective manifestation

Question.  If you were recast to play a different Wynonna Earp character, who would that be?

Kat, Del Ray

Dom, said Bobo, in the past.  Not clear, going through villains.  Mercedes, but nobody else can do that except Dani Kind.  [Someone suggested Jolene].  Can I play Jeremy?

Kat, similar to Waverley a little bit

Dom, auditioned for Wynonna.  Kat auditioned for Waverley.  It still exists.  Emily has the audition tapes.  Kat watched her Nicole audition.  Casting is an interesting process.

Question.  What is the most memorable question you have been asked at a con, and your answer?

[pause]

Kat, why do we have such bad memories?  [Stumped]

Question.  If you had the opportunity to turn your favourite childhood book into a film / tv, what would it be?

Kat, reversal of the 3 pigs, they became villains

Dom, Raold Dahl, Matilda.  But it has been done already

Question.  If you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?

Kat, don’t take everything seriously.  Chill a bit

Dom, trust the process.  What is meant for you won’t pass you by.  Surrender to the journey.  Courage isn’t the absence of fear, it is having fear but doing it anyway.

Question.  Is there any show or person that you would go to a con for?

Kat, Hunting Wives – southern wives, double lives, murder, hot girls, fun activities

Dom, this con.  They had started watching Warrior Nun.  I get it.  Working with Taylor, they wanted to watch a couple of episodes of Motherland, but instead of a couple of eps, they binged all 3 seasons. 

Question.  What is a TV show you haven’t seen but everyone has? 

They both thought that was a question for Tim, who in more into popular  culture.

Kat, so many, Game of Thrones, watched a bit.  Epic

House of the Dragon just got gay.

Next time, the Amalia and Diana panel

Saturday started with the photo ops.  And we certainly had a packed couple of hours.   Particular praise to Kat and Dom, for getting through a very long line of people wanting their duo photo impressively quickly, while finding time to make every person feel valued and given time.  It moved faster than the line I was in and some of us ended up shuttling from one side of the photo room to the other to get it all done.

Saturday saw the first of the uniform photos.  Emilie had brought two uniforms with her and Saturday was the lab coat, which is just iconic of Izadora.  Several of us dressed in lab coats as well.  This led to a number of interesting discussions in the queues, who were scientists / medics in real life and who was cos playing.  Yes, I understand that you can do both. 

This is Emilie as Izadora.  Normally I don’t agree with cropping photo op pictures, but this was my photo op and I have edited myself out of it.  Yes, I was in a lab coat too.  And I got Emilie to autograph it later.  It was probably my favourite photo of the weekend.

The autograph sessions are normally a time to chat, while in a long queue.  But the sessions had been split in half so things were easier to manage.  And we had the chaos that is the Hickson sisters.

Taylor was signing autographs and Tiernan was there ‘helping’, allegedly.  At one point, Amalia had gone to take a break and that left the table next to Taylor temporarily free and Tiernan was around and she has the same chaotic energy that Taylor has.  Several fans already knew her from her video channel and someone asked her to sign their convention poster.  Then other people wanted her to sign their posters too and she soon had her own autograph queue.  And it was a loud queue.  Of course Taylor noticed and stopped signing autographs to get her phone out and take photos of her sister signing autographs.  Everybody was quite happy to let her get on with it, even sorting out suitable pens for her.  In real life they are just as chaotic as they are in Tiernan’s videos.  Sanity was only restored when Amalia returned to reclaim her table.

Now I am going to get a bit out of chronological order, leaving the Dom and Kat panel to the next post.  Emilie did a solo panel, but it clashed with one of the fan meets that I was doing, meaning that I only caught the end of it.  So here is what I got.

I missed the actual question, but Emilie started to explain that when she was hired Izadora was only estimated to be in about 3 episodes.  But then the pandemic hit and things changed for the second season.  It was easier to hire local actors for filming because it was very difficult to get anyone to come due to the pandemic restrictions.  Even getting people from other parts of Canada was difficult and getting people internationally was very problematic. 

This helped locals like herself and Cat.  She explained that she only lived about 15 minutes away from the studio.  And then people get sick and things have to be flexible.  That really played into her character.

Brian (Studler) was fascinated by Izadora.  He pushed for the character to develop.  So she became an actor in service of the story.

Question.  Which episode would you pick, if every character in the episode was played by a muppet?

[When she stopped laughing].  3.09, the wedding episode.  Camarilla.  Fighting.  Getting her throat slit.  With Penelope.  Weird with muppets, but why not?  Dark choice.

Question.  What was the worst thing you got away with as a child?

Emilie, it was so long ago.  He had it coming.  She explained that she was the youngest of three children.  She had a brother 4 years older and a sister 2 ½ years older.  The brother would team up to bully people.  So she and her sister decided to team up together, they were very competitive.  She was maybe 8 and her brother was 12.  It was winter, so they put snow under his jacket till he cried. 

Question.  What is the best piece of acting advice that you have been given?

Be yourself.  Her younger self thought that she could play anybody, but playing characters closer to yourself is better.

Next time, the Kat and Dom panel.

We finally got the convention started.  Registration, followed by the opening ceremony in the main hall.  Where there were blue balloons, of course.

We had the return of two favourites – Emilie Leclerc (Izadora Dart) and Diana Pavlovska (Willa Collar).

We had two people who had never done Starfury conventions before – Ashley Nicole Williams (Abigail Bellweather) and Sylvia De Fanti (Mother Superion).

This edition of Witchbomb had the welcome addition of guests from Wynonna Earp – Dominique Provost-Chalkley (Waverley Eary) and Katherine Barrell (Sherriff Nicole Haught)  AKA Wayhaught.

As well as the perennial favourites – Amalia Holm (Scylla Ramshorn), Kristina Tonteri Young (Sister Beatrice) and Taylor Hickson (Raelle Collar). 

And the group appearance.

Photos are not allowed at the Meet and Greet, so this section will be largely text only.

This was the first time that I had met Kat.  But I discovered that most of the people on my table were Earpers and many had been at Earpfest in Toronto the previous weekend.  Kat clearly recognised them and they chatted about the fest.  I have to say that Kay was a real sweetheart.

With Kristina, the main topic of conversation started when I complimented her earrings.  Really quite something – photos not allowed, but there is a photo of the earrings taken by @DutchStarbuck during the opening ceremony, that shows them clearly.

Kristina told us a story about being on a bus in London, wearing them and having trouble with some young lads who objected to her earrings.  But that is a tale that she should tell herself, if you see her at a con, ask about the earrings on a London bus story.

When Diana came here last time 3 years ago, it was during the SAG ACTRA strike so we weren’t allowed to ask any questions about the show.  There was a question that I wanted to ask her then, but wasn’t able to.  Now I could.  So I finally asked her if it was always the plan for Willa to be in Season 3?  Or was that something that came about due to Taylor’s accident?  She told me that it was quite a tale and to ask her at a panel tomorrow.  And I did.

When Ashley came, I put a piece of paper on the table in front of her

Was she aware that it was Abigail’s birthday the next day?  Ashley’s first reaction was ‘She’s old’.  Not what I expected.  I pointed out that she will only be 26.  But Ashley explained that in her mind Abigail is 18 and has never aged.  So realising that Abigail would be 26 made her realise that Abigail was old.  She wanted the piece of paper (which was a copy of one of the show props) but we are not allowed to give the actors anything at the Meet and Greet, so that had to wait till the next day, but she did get the copy.

And, no, Ashley had not brought any uniforms with her for photo shoots. 

I also had not met Sylvia before.  She was charming.  She was talking with others about places she had visited or worked.  She seemed to have been everywhere and know everybody who was anybody in European theatre. 

When Amalia came, I put the two leaflets about Scylla Publishing in front of her

and asked if she had heard that one of the Motherland fans had started her own publishing company and named it after Amalia’s character?  She was aware of it and was delighted.  I explained the real name of the person starting the company, but that they usually wrote under a pen name, I mentioned the pen name and Amalia reacted immediately.  She knows that writer!

Amalia was also asked about which uniform she would be wearing for the uniform photoshoots on Sunday.  She wasn’t sure, but thought it would be the blue combat uniform, but it depended on Taylor.

Emilie had been working with the Canadian Broadcast team for the World Cup until just before coming to Witchbomb.  I asked her how she got to be involved with the World Cup?  Her first language in French.  As well as acting, which is her first love, she has been doing French language announcing for the rugby for a while now.  So it was through the rugby connections that she got asked to be part of the football broadcast team.  A memorable and unique experience.

Like Kat, Dom immediately recognised many of the Earpers at the table and knew they had been at Earpfest.  That was quite a party.  One thing Dom did get asked about several times was Magic, which they are making with Taylor Hickson.  They were asked if they could find parts in the movie for Kat and Amalia too, because we would love Wayhaught and Raylla to be in the same movie.  Dom’s answer was the cryptic ‘I may have something up my sleeve’.  I know they were asked this by other people and gave the exact same answer.  They would be really something

Taylor was not only wearing her glasses – first time I have seen her wearing them ‘live’ – but she brought her sister Tiernan along as well.  Tiernan is well known to some Switches from the  videos she creates for her You Tube channel.  Chaotic energy sums them up.  More of Tiernan in the next blog. 

Taylor and Amalia were doing a uniform photo shoot on Sunday, so what uniform was Taylor going to be wearing?  Some of us want to co-ordinate our costumes.  Taylor wasn’t sure, but when pressed on the matter, she said that she doesn’t own dress blues, which is a real shame. Several people were hoping for dress blues. 

Next time we move on to photo ops, Tiernan causing chaos at the autographs, and panels

Witchbomb 4 took place August 7 – 9 2026 at the Renaissance Hotel London.

These blogs are based on my recollections of what I heard and remembered.  I do admit that I might have misheard in places or misremembered.  As always perceptions and recollections may differ.

I arrived at the hotel on Thursday, and so did a lot of people.  At times the hotel lobby seemed to be full of Switches, Earpers and Halobearers.  The addition of two guests from Wynonna Earp was new, but there is a big overlap in the fandoms and so they fitted right on in with those who have been going since the beginning.

Of course, there were cards to sign.  There was a Birthday card for Emilie, as her birthday is the week after Witchbomb.  There were also Thank You cards for Lyne and Jessica.  Emilie got given her cards at Witchbomb.  She was delighted with them.  She told me that she was going to save reading them for a few days, until her actual Birthday.  Making it even more special.  Lyne and Jess will get given their cards in Vancouver.  This is a special cast and it is important that they know how much we appreciate them and everything that they have done for the fandom.

And there were new pens. 

The organisers of CityDrop Con had been asked for their favourite quote from that episode and they chose ‘Welcome to Citydrop’.  I didn’t tell them why I was asking, I just got the pens made anyway.  One of the organisers of CityDrop Con was at Witchbomb, so I was able to give her one of the new pens. 

Friday morning we set up the Switch Welcome Desk in its traditional place in the Renaissance Foyer.

Blue balloons are mandatory – the Spree are always with us. 

I was grateful to Earpfest who sent over some of the items left over from their convention in Toronto the weekend before.  We may give away a lot of things but people come along and give us things too.  These are generous fandoms.

Bearing in mind that the next Motherland Fort Salem convention is in Vancouver, there were 3 leaflets about visiting filming sites.  This means that anyone who is going to CityDrop Con can visit at least a few of the locations if they wish to do so.    These are a selection of the information from the Visiting Vancouver section of this website.  I hope, eventually, to have these available to download from this website.  In the meantime, if anyone would like to be emailed pdf copies, please contact me through the contact section of this website.

We also had leaflets from Scylla Publishing – yes, named after OUR Scylla.  This offered those attending Witchbomb a discount on their next publications.  Available at https://www.scyllapublishing.com/witchbomb

And the new convention banner was revealed.

Thanks to the many people who helped out, getting cards signed, freebies given out, people welcomed and just creating the welcoming, supportive atmosphere that we love about these fandoms. And, yes, the Switch Welcome Desk will be in Vancouver for CityDrop Con. Our world tour continues.

The party has started.

Up next, the Opening Ceremony and the Gold Meet and Greet

After going on the Making Magic in London day on October 25^th with Dominique Provost-Chalkley and Taylor Hickson, I went back to visit the locations and take the photos that I didn’t get the chance to do on the actual day.

Staring with the bus stop.  I could finally get all the photos I wanted without any danger of stepping into the main road or having to barge Taylor out of the way to get behind her. 

This was the poster frame where Dom’s father replaced the poster inside with one designed by Hayley. 

Then it was round the corner to Lower Marsh and the bars.  First The Glitch.  BTW, the decaf tea was fine, but the less said about the cheese toastie the better.  And they don’t accept cash. 

The performance space is at the back of the bar and it actually quite small.  The film gives the impression that it is bigger.  Part of the magic of film! 

This is where Jo (Taylor) was set up for her gig.

This is the site of the post gig Magic meets Jo and has the disastrous chat up attempts.   The bar is quite crowded.  Yes, those are free dog biscuits. 

Next stop Scooter Caffee

This is where Jo and Magic went on their ‘date’.  BTW, they don’t do decaf tea, but were happy to oblige when I produced my own tea bag [never travel without them!].  And they do accept cash.  The date was filmed downstairs at Scooter Caffe.  You go down a winding metal staircase to the basement.

There are three booths downstairs as well as other tables and chairs.  Magic and Jo sat in the middle of the three booths, with the picture removed.  Nice to sit where they filmed.

Come out of Scooter Caffe and turn left and in a few yards you are at Leake Street and the graffiti arches

This is a really interesting underground world.  Everything from club entrances, exhibition spaces and plenty of graffiti artists in action.  You can smell the paint.

And the side tunnel where we took the tour photos.

The large Magic mural had already been painted over when we went to see it, replaced by a mural of a witch.  But even that had been painted over in the days between my two visits.

I walked through the tunnels towards the London Eye.

Then East, towards the steps and the beach. 

This was as far as we got on the walking tour, because we had to head back towards the London Eye for the ride that was prebooked and timed.  But to see the final few parts, we needed to go just a little further.

These are the Old Barge House Stairs.

This is where Magic climbed over the railings and Jo tried to climb through them and dropped her phone.  I know Taylor is on the petite size, but climbing through there would be a challenge, even for somebody like her.  I imagine filming that was hilarious.

Yes, of course I climbed down the steps.

Back up the steps and turn right.  In a few yards you get to the plinth that Magic stood on for the White Rabbit line.

It all happens here