Creative Cynergy Show: Balancing Power and Creativity with Stephanie Romanov

In this episode of the Creative Cynergy Show, Stephanie Romanov shares her journey from modeling to acting, her insights on resilience, creativity, and balancing personal power. She offers valuable advice for artists and actors navigating rejection, self-care, and career reinvention.

 Key topics:

Transition from modeling to acting

Handling rejection and rejection resilience

The importance of personal power and boundaries

Creative flow and artistic inspiration

Balancing career, family, and self-care

Read the transcript or watch the full video below

Coach Cyn (00:01.698)

Welcome to Creative Cynergy Show. I'm your host, Coach Cyn, and we have a very special guest in-house. You know her from Angel, from Just Shoot Me. She played Jackie Kennedy in 13 Days, Models Inc., but I have known her for years. And very special guest. We want to give her a w nice warm welcome. Miss Stephanie Romanoff. Welcome to the show. Thanks for coming in.

Stephanie Romanov (00:26.786)

Thank you, Coach Cyn. I really appreciate it. It's really good to see you. we have a very special relationship and in each other's lives pretty much your whole life. So this is an honor for me.

Coach Cyn (00:39.328)

It's an honor for me. I I've been looking forward to having you on and talking about some of these things because you have had quite an interesting career. You spanned like multiple artistic ventures, not only with your your acting and modeling, but you're also into doing your own art as well. So we're gonna touch on that a little bit later on. But just for people who are not, you know, the the viewers of my show may or may not know your background, could you tell us a little bit about how you got started in modeling?

Stephanie Romanov (01:09.249)

Yes. Well, I got st I started actually performing since I was a young girl. I was always into dance and ballet was my favorite five days a week. And then I got really tall really fast. Well, I was always really tall. Like I used to go to school with Cynthia's older sister, and she was always petite and the with the cute girls in the front and I was back row center with all the dudes. So grew up tall, grew up fast. Sorry, that was reminding me of a Tom Petty song. So I'll do that sometimes.

and then I realized that I couldn't go to New York and be a ballet dancer because I was too tall. And that's when modeling came into the picture. I realized because by 13 I was five foot eight, by fourteen, I was five foot nine. And I read in one of my sisters' magazines that you had to be five foot nine. And I was like, okay, maybe I could do this. So then I started, I got an agent in Vegas. It was called the Lens Modeling Agency, and I started doing

fashion shows for New York designers who would fly into Vegas and we would do shows on the stages of the major casinos like Caesars Palace and all that, which is really cool because you got to see back then it was Siegfried and Roy, and you could see kind of all the contraptions for the magic shows, whatever. That's just an aside. But Mark Bauer, who is a very famous designer, he did a lot of Tony Braxton's costumes and all of that. He saw me, he's like, You need to be in New York. So I saved up my money.

I was very scrappy. I was babysit, clean houses, do the modeling. And it took me about a year to get together a portfolio that is then sent to Elite in New York. And John Casablancas, who was the owner, flew to Vegas to meet me. And the next week I was in New York and I was 15.

Stephanie Romanov (02:56.286)

And then, do you want me continue? So I get to New York and you start to have it's you have to be kind of scrappy because I'm there, I'm in a models department with like two other young girls, but they basically say, Here's the addresses, learn the subway. Good luck. So I did. I learned the subway. I remember because I I was only given a certain amount a week, and I had to balance out my budget so that I could eat, do the subway and all of that. And

Coach Cyn (02:58.577)

You Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (03:25.191)

I would end up walking almost everywhere. By the end of the summer, my whole all my shoes had holes in them. But talking about drive and doing it. But I was only there for about a month when I got booked to do the Italian and French bazaar collections and flew over. So my first time on a plane was going from Vegas to New York. Had my Pooh Bear with me. I still have Pooh Bear by the way. And then my second time on a plane was going to Paris, Rome, and Milan.

Coach Cyn (03:46.77)

Stephanie Romanov (03:51.259)

And in and with the top magazine, top editors, top models, it was amazing.

Coach Cyn (03:56.482)

And at fifteen, right? Wow. That's

Stephanie Romanov (03:58.171)

Yes. And I was fifteen. Scrap. And I was very fortunate that my mother raised us to be quite independent and we got our banking accounts pretty young, learning how to deal with money. And even I was given like a hundred bucks a week to eat, go on all my castings, whatever. And other girls were given more money. And at the end of the month they'd be borrowing money for me because I would budget it really well. Like I was I was ready. Do you know? I think I was ready to get out. I was ready to perform. I was ready to be in the world. I was definitely the type of personality that

heared the yeses. Like there were a ton of no's. There were a ton of I mean I remember even one of my neighbors going, ooh, ugly Stephanie's going to New York. And I was like, yes I am.

Coach Cyn (04:35.915)

Yeah.

people can be so cruel. And s with that being said, I'm sure a lot of people's references to the modeling world is are it's just the reality show America's next top model, which is a lot of it's fabricated for television. But so I was wondering if you could speak on the actual demands of the industry, like what did it take physically and mentally to actually get through so like you said, just go out into the world and and try to accomplish these goals.

Stephanie Romanov (05:05.275)

Right. Well, you know, full disclosure, I've never seen America's Top Model, but I have read that it was I I don't really like reality TV. I don't like meanness. unless I'm Lala Lala bitch. But it is one of the things that you have to have is the ability to take rejection.

Coach Cyn (05:10.603)

I don't blame you.

Coach Cyn (05:19.657)

Yeah, we get into that. Yeah, yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (05:32.463)

Because there is a lot of rejection. There is a lot more nos than there are yeses. And I was just fortunate that I was born, like I see the open door. I s I hear the yeses. I don't hear the no's. I don't hear the slam doors in my face. I mean, I hear them, but it's like waters up a duck off a duck's back because my goal is far more important than the nose.

Coach Cyn (05:56.718)

So what what about physically? Because you said you had been doing ballet before. So were you always try in shape and just trying to stay yeah, okay.

Stephanie Romanov (06:03.142)

yeah. Yeah. I was during I mean I started dancing when I was three. I did tap, jazz, gymnastics, ballet. I was in really good shape. I mean, I used to when I used to do the swimsuit campaigns, I used to airbrush out my six pack. So I was 'cause back then they didn't want girls having six packs. But yeah, I was in really good shape and I didn't I didn't have to worry too much about that. Although when I

Coach Cyn (06:14.957)

That's crazy. That that's true.

Stephanie Romanov (06:28.919)

So the funny story. When I booked the Italian and French bazaar, I had lost weight to go to New York. And then when I got to New York, there was like food everywhere pizza, hot dogs. So I gained 10 pounds from the time they booked me till the time we got to Europe. And they were like, hmm. I mean, luckily they didn't fire me. I remember being at dinner with them and I would like to try not to eat as much as everybody else. And sitting right next to the editor, the main editor of Italian and French Bazaar, Paponi was his name.

And he was like sneaking me bread under the table. So there was always a bit of kindness. I was I didn't have the same pressure that a lot of the girls did. And I did after that lose some of that weight. But the photos looked fine. And then through most of my career, I was never as skinny as the other girls, especially in the 90s when it became like that heroin chic. And my clients would say to me, Please, please don't lose weight. I was like, No problem. Don't have to worry about it. But I'm I'm not someone who ever had to really battle my weight.

Coach Cyn (07:16.35)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (07:26.894)

But I was super active. I was also very athletic. And when I first moved to New York, and for most of the time I didn't take taxis, I would walk to most of my it used to have to go in Ghostis. Now a lot of it's digital and you don't have to go, but it'd have to by the end of the summer I'd have holes in my shoes because I would walk everywhere. So I was very active. So I stayed, you know, I was also a hyper person. I don't know if you can tell. So no, but me, I'm I'm sure it's not true.

Coach Cyn (07:48.813)

Not you? No, not at all.

Coach Cyn (07:54.645)

No.

Stephanie Romanov (07:55.399)

So that helps. I did have a a genetic

had a billionetic component to it. So I didn't have to work as hard. But I I know a lot of girls who starved themselves and girls who were there as young as me who weren't as prepared as I was emotionally. And it it made me sad as why would their parents allow them to come this young? I understood why my parents let me come because I was really responsible. And I don't know if you know this, but like your parents sometimes like I would be the only friend that they would let your sister go out with. So I because they knew I would

Coach Cyn (08:29.301)

That makes sense. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (08:30.729)

I would have her home on time. I would I was very respectful and I would follow the rules like that. So that's I think that's why my and my mother said that's why she let me go. She knew she could trust me. She knew I would do the right thing, at least then, at that time. Well, well now I'm older, so of course I always do the right thing.

Coach Cyn (08:43.789)

Not so much now.

Coach Cyn (08:50.421)

Wink wink, nudge, nudge. So so your daughter is following in your footsteps. She looks almost pretty much just like you. so have you have you noticed with her going into the modeling any differences as compared to when you used to do it?

Stephanie Romanov (09:21.535)

I mean, for sure, it's a completely different world. Now there is social media, there is Instagram. we used to have to go physically everywhere carrying our portfolios. Now the portfolios are online. You can film at home. It's so much easier now, actually. It's easier and it's harder at the same time. Because the thing about it, now most of the clients will just look online at their books. Whereas when I was younger, you had to go and they basically didn't barely look at you. They'd just be like,

hand your book back so it was constant like unknowing and unsure do they like me do they not like me it wasn't like every day all the time sometimes you have ten ghosts a day and having that you know disregarded so they get to skip that part but they also

Coach Cyn (10:06.903)

So it's more yeah, more rejection to your face rather than their Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (10:11.452)

Absolutely. But now there's because of all of that, there's a lot more competition, I feel. So in another way it's more difficult now because it's much easier. Even world like global booking now, because they can look at everything online. You can

Coach Cyn (10:26.997)

It yeah, I can relate to that as a a writer because I used to do the same thing. I would have a portfolio of clips, old school clips, and we I would bring that around and now like similar, everything is digital and everything has you know it's expanded and everyone thinks they can write because they can use an AI tool where there's actually nuances to writing, but that's another story for another time. getting back to your story now, what compelled you to make the switch into acting or had you always had your eyes set on that?

Stephanie Romanov (10:46.983)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (10:57.435)

Always, I always wanted to be an actress. I was in my first grade play. I was Mrs. Hurry up in the runaway presence. My first ex time on stage and I never got off. But that was also as a dancer. I loved performing. And then when I started acting, I was in drama s at s in high school and being on s I loved being on stage. I've always loved performing. So acting, I remember I wanted to be about remember this is a funny story. I think I was in second grade, second or third grade, and I had horrible handwriting.

Coach Cyn (11:03.213)

Ha ha ha.

Stephanie Romanov (11:26.193)

And it was one of those pi parent-teacher meetings. And the teacher who I did not like very much can't remember her name. I don't know why. She's looked at me and to my mom, like, you know, what if Stephanie grows up to be a secretary? And my mom and I looked at each other and started laughing. I will not be a sec. Nothing wrong with it, but I knew that I was a performer. So

The modeling was something that was unexpected because I was never really a fashionista. I wasn't big in that world. I just knew it was a way to get me to New York and that I was tall enough. So it was just kind of matter of fact. So for me, my eye was always on the acting. But then the modeling kind of went so well. I studied a little bit in New York with the acting, but I was traveling a lot. And then by the time I was twenty one, I thought it better

Start hitting over to the acting, or it's gonna get too late for me. So I told everybody when my lease was up in New York, I was gonna move to LA. Nobody believed me. Like, you're such a New Yorker, you're never gonna leave. I'm like, watch me. And then when my lease was up, I did. I moved. And also I was starting to feel unsafe in New York. I was the only person I knew who who hadn't been mugged, literally, of all my friends, of everyone. And I thought, okay, I want to move to LA. I want to be a little safer and I want to start acting. So then I moved.

Coach Cyn (12:33.74)

jeez.

Stephanie Romanov (12:42.619)

To on my way to moving to LA, I go to Las Vegas because my sister is getting married and it was in May. And I was helping her with her wedding, and I had to wait for the movers to move all my stuff over. So during that time, the LA riots break out. So me moving to LA to feel safer. I was like, hmm. Exactly, the safe. Exact. I mean, I think.

Coach Cyn (12:55.603)

wow. Yeah, yeah. Good they good thing you had that little stopover in you know, in the St. Vegas area. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (13:10.2)

You know what it was like growing up in Vegas. I think Vegas prepares you to be scrappy and for untoward people to be around and to you have that kind of radar. So that I think helped me in New York. And also I was very, very polite. I don't know if you remember this. I used to be very polite. And with all the homeless people, I would call them ma'am or sir, and I would always acknowledge them. So they would protect me if someone tried to and I had one time where one did really protect me from some danger.

Coach Cyn (13:11.913)

sure.

Coach Cyn (13:25.725)

No, it used to be.

Coach Cyn (13:35.82)

Well you

Coach Cyn (13:39.906)

Something in there must have rubbed off on my sister because she's doing that now. But but yeah, so the the acting bug had always been there. And one of the f first major roles that at least that I remember is that you got a lead essentially on Models Inc., which was a spin-off from Melrose P place and an an Aaron spelling production. So was there any pressure there knowing that that all those variables were in place when you got that role?

Stephanie Romanov (14:06.626)

You know, it's funny because it was pretty much my first audition. I had been in LA for a few years. And the thing is, when you move from New York to LA, you're a New York model. So then I was working constantly and it was hard stop to start acting. And I met this man who became my manager. That's a funny story, but I'll tell it another time. And he sent me out on auditions. And this was meant just to be a guest spot.

for the first episode and then, you know, she dies and comes and then is there's flashbacks.

Coach Cyn (14:37.953)

Yes, you had the you had the infamous death and then came back as this different care the diff the different character with the same face, but g continue.

Stephanie Romanov (14:43.03)

Ha ha ha.

Yeah. So what happened as we started shooting the pilot, they realized they wanted me on the show. So it was because of my performance that I became a series regular on that, which was very exciting. And so

Coach Cyn (14:57.547)

It was very exciting and to me it like you you were the lead, it seemed like 'cause you had the main storyline with Emma Sam's and you know, el everybody else in there. So I think Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (15:05.931)

Yep. But it's pretty exciting, and especially for my very first job and to be on posters everywhere and on buses everywhere. And like you said, like were you nervous? Did you feel the pressure? This is like where you're young and you're stupid and you're fortunate not to realize what that like I didn't know what that pressure was. I didn't understand what all of that meant. I was just so excited.

Doing it. I remember my very first scene was on Melrose Place, like ever first time even on a set. I'd never been on a set. I didn't know how anything worked. And it was with Heather Lochler, Linda Gray, like all these like main players of Melrose Place. And we're at a dining, we're at a a dinner table at a restaurant. I don't know if you remember. I walk into my black dress. So that was my very first scene, very first time doing, and they have and

Coach Cyn (15:42.186)

Right.

Coach Cyn (15:48.107)

Yeah, I do. Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (15:56.097)

I don't know if everybody knows this, but there's like a master shot, then they come in for two shots, then they come in for singles. I just thought they shot it all in one. So we shot the first take, and I was like, is that it? Are we done? And they all laughed at me. They thought it was the funniest thing, like 12 hours later. But I just didn't know. And I was so excited to be there. And I had been on a waiting list to get into it. I hadn't even gotten into my acting class yet. I had been on a waiting list for the acting class and started booking. So that was very fortunate that I got a job.

Coach Cyn (16:24.311)

That's amazing. You you yeah, you you must there must be something about you that gets you in this yeah. Just a little something something. For sure.

Stephanie Romanov (16:29.522)

Do you think? Do you think there's something about me? Well, there's definitely enthusiasm for sure. There's enthusiasm. and I feel like there's a joyousness about me that comes across. And and what's funny about that character was the meanest. I think playing a bit of my shadow, which also goes back to Lila. There is something I think I shine better because like when I came back on Models Inc., I was the good girl. And I was like, well, this is boring. But

Coach Cyn (16:39.041)

Well I remember

Coach Cyn (16:48.64)

Right.

Coach Cyn (16:54.413)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (16:57.621)

I think it's fun kind of playing the bad girl.

Coach Cyn (17:01.111)

Then you also had a lot quite a few scenes with Carrie Ann Moss, which how yeah. Origin you're originally she was your sister, and then when that character died off, what was it? What was your name in that? Monique, Dominique, something like that. Yeah. Yeah, something like that. So but

Stephanie Romanov (17:04.959)

Yes, she was she played my sister, my older sister. right.

Stephanie Romanov (17:15.561)

Yeah, Monique was the first one and then I came back as Terry, I think. Yeah, I forget what our dynamic was then. I think that I I you know what, I can't even remember. It's been too long ago.

Coach Cyn (17:26.593)

You guys did pair well off each other to say, Yeah, you're sisters. But but yeah, speaking of Lila and Angel, which is that's probably where everyone knows you from. how did that come about?

Stephanie Romanov (17:41.344)

Well that was just that was funny. It was just meant to be a couple of episodes and

Coach Cyn (17:45.655)

See see, that keeps that's a recurring theme in your life. It was just supposed to be the one one off and they liked you so much that they kept you on, but go ahead.

Stephanie Romanov (17:53.844)

Yeah, no, exactly. So that was Liva was a gift that just kept giving. I didn't know I never knew from one episode to the next how many more I would have, or if I was there was a running joke because I don't know if you remember, but the people in the law firm kept getting killed. So when we would get our script, we're like, Do we die this time? Do we die this time? And I didn't die until, you know, quite a few years later. So that was unexpected gift.

Coach Cyn (18:16.461)

That's

Coach Cyn (18:19.819)

And you I think you were saying that being you know, playing the bad guy is a lot more fun than it is to be the good guy. 'Cause you have a lot more like like they say the devil always has the best lines. So you have a lot more room to play with that. But that was

Stephanie Romanov (18:29.608)

Right.

And I like the comedic twist that they gave to Lila. And that I think I think part of that is based on my personality, based on being able to deliver those lines. And I also thought, because in the beginning, they kind of wanted me to play her kind of like cartoon evil, you know? And kind of, you know. And I was like, no, no, no, guys. Real evil you don't see coming. Real evil is seductive. So that's why I kind of played her in the beginning like a

Coach Cyn (18:35.767)

Right.

Coach Cyn (18:48.77)

twisting the mustache evil. Yeah.

Coach Cyn (18:56.759)

Ex

Stephanie Romanov (19:01.854)

forties no noir character because I wanted her to be seductive. I wanted to draw you in and then she'd kill you.

Coach Cyn (19:07.713)

That is a smart note, especially early on in your career, because I s I notice a lot of people when they play evil, they immediately go to crazy and it's over the top crazy. And I'm like, that's not it has to be nuanced for it to be relatable and realistic. Exp I mean, even on a show with supernatural elements, that's a a a great note to have there. But that that was a really

Stephanie Romanov (19:28.583)

And I had to fight for that. I had to fight for that because they kept wanting me to go a little like in a different lane. And I was like, no. And since I was a guest star, it's like they couldn't make me. Yeah. I mean, I am ballsy. I'm ballsy. Well, that's part of the thing about how I was able to go to New York so young, or they definitely have a sense of self, a strong sense of self and a creative perspective. And you know, as a writer, creative perspective is everything, right?

Coach Cyn (19:34.241)

Right.

Coach Cyn (19:38.295)

That's that's ballsy. That's ballsy actually, yeah. Yeah.

Coach Cyn (19:57.696)

It is, absolutely. Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (19:58.119)

So as an actor, as a dancer, as a writer, as an artist, and as a human, it's really important to understand what your perspective is and not to be pushed around and to know how to hold your ground. And sometimes we get pushed a little bit and then we step back into our power. And this is one of the things, speaking about my daughter that I've been trying to teach her of how to hold on to your power without taking away someone else's. It's a, it's a an interesting balancing act.

And I think especially as women, we're taught and we're shown that we're supposed to always give our power away or ask permission or say sorry. Or so to me, balance of power is something that I have understood most of my life. I don't know why. It's innate. I was born with it. And it's something that I have taught to my friends and to the women close to me. And so, you know, there's not a lot of men in my life because I've got a daughter and my friends are mostly female.

Coach Cyn (20:56.034)

Ha ha.

Stephanie Romanov (20:56.197)

But even you know, whomever it may be, whether it be a woman or a man, that balance of power is important. And not to give away your power. Because what I've found, at least for me, that if I'm holding the power, I'm gonna be fair. I'm gonna distribute it fairly. Whereas a lot of people are not like that. You give them the power and they don't know what to do with it. They're overwhelmed, they lash out. There's many ways that it manifests. So it's very important to hold on.

Coach Cyn (21:12.749)

True.

Stephanie Romanov (21:24.73)

To your personal power and learn how to always have a balance of power. And then it goes to balancing your art with your life. That's again a balance of power and understanding. And you check in, you check in with your core, right? You put your feet on the ground, you breathe in and you figure: does this feel right? Does this feel left? Does it feel wrong? But it's

So it's not about right or wrong, but what does it feel for you? And that's a really good template to use in many different situations in life. I feel.

Coach Cyn (21:58.27)

Yeah. I I totally agree. And that's a great innate quality to have and to also pass on to your daughter. I learned that trait later on in life because I actually did grow up very introspective, but what did it for me was when I started competing in fitness. And when you start doing fitness regularly, it's not just about the aesthetics of it, it's about the discipline and the confidence that it can bring as well, which is why I started this channel in the first place. So was to blend, you know, the the mind and body together in synergy.

which is the whole thesis of this show. So that's a that you explain that beautifully. But

Stephanie Romanov (22:31.875)

Thank you. And did you know that Lily does Muay Thai Jiu Jitsu and boxing?

Coach Cyn (22:37.133)

Fantasti maybe she can finally take you down since I could never do it.

Stephanie Romanov (22:40.12)

My gosh, it's so funny. I was telling her the story this morning. I said I was in my twenties then, by the way, so I was in much better shape than I am now. I'm fifty-seven and proud of it. And I could not take her down now.

Coach Cyn (22:50.913)

Well well

Well, I I I work out with a good friend of mine and she's I I try to take her down. She's much, much stronger than me too. So I I tap at this point. I'm good. Yeah. Exactly. You know, I've done my due diligence. But get it

Stephanie Romanov (23:02.689)

I'm happy to tap out now. I'll do a little tap dance, shuffle off to Buffalo.

Stephanie Romanov (23:10.488)

But then that's also about understanding your power and your strength. And when it when is it time to tap out? When is it time to step forward? And understanding that. I mean, it's also a beautiful not analogy, but kind of, there's a better word for it, of that discipline that you have with your body and in competing that you can also have in your body and with the circumstances of your life, right?

Coach Cyn (23:13.495)

Yeah it's

Coach Cyn (23:34.015)

Absolutely. The my everything's for me springs forth from a place of health and wellness. If if things are going wrong, I always pinpoint the health and wellness first because that's something that you do have a d little bit of control over. And with the whole power thing, it's okay to not to say no sometimes. you don't always have to. Absolutely. Yeah. It's like there you go.

Stephanie Romanov (23:53.373)

Sometimes it's important to say no. I said no to the producers of how they wanted me to play Lila. I said no to a lot of things in modeling. And I said no to power so much that a lot of powerful people did not like me and I did not care. But the right people doesn't matter. Right? I love that because I love pizza. Who doesn't like pizza? And I've never heard that expression. That's fantastic. I'm so stealing it.

Coach Cyn (24:07.861)

And that's okay. Not not everyone's gonna like you. You yeah, you're not pizza. Not everyone's gonna like you. I love pizza too. Yeah. Really? Yeah. That's that's sort of my go to. But but circling back to to Angel, that that was a really popular show. so what was it like balancing your your day to day with the shooting schedule?

Stephanie Romanov (24:34.87)

Well, because I wasn't a a lead in that and I wasn't a series regular, I mean it still took up a lot of time, but I'd been acting by that point for four or five years. And also 'cause also while I was doing that, I would start modeling again and be traveling for that. And so I'd go model, I'd be acting. I think I was used to when I was younger being very busy. And I wasn't I never lived with anyone until I got married. I mean, I had some people who lived at my house

But I didn't actually move in with anyone until until I got married. So it was and then I but I did a lot of caretaking. I know you remember this with my parents and going back and forth to Vegas. So I put a lot of priority on my family and my work. And I didn't really go on vacations. My vacation, people are like, you're going to Vegas. I'm like, it's not what you think. You're going to caretake my family. So my balance then, I mean, it wasn't

Coach Cyn (25:05.687)

They just stay there.

Coach Cyn (25:26.346)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (25:33.597)

I was good, it's hard to describe because I definitely made that a priority because I'm a mama's girl and I am a family person. I am definitely a worker be, but that was equally important to me. But I was also selfish. I I always came first. I needed to show up for myself and my work, which I did. And when I had time that I could, then I'd show up for them, which I did. And then when I finally got married, I was thirty-two.

And that's when it got to be kind of my time and do vacations. And I did a couple more movies and we moved out to a farm. I got pregnant on purpose. Had Lily and I kind of shifted my focus from working to being a mom and a wife. My husband's a very successful film producer, and he would travel a lot. And what I found in Hollywood, the marriages that lasted were the ones that stayed together. So I basically

stopped working so that I could travel with him with Lily and we could stay together as a family unit. And we had a 30 acre farm which I ran, which had 500 persimmon trees, 300 avocado trees, chickens, alpacas. I remember like, here's this city girl on a farm. Like, how did I get here? Calgon, take me away. Like sometimes it would be so overwhelming because it's not anything I ever pictured happening, but it was such a beautiful gift. And

Coach Cyn (26:55.295)

Sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches, you know, and just see where something leads you. And

Stephanie Romanov (26:58.245)

Exactly. That's always I love that you say that because I said this to Lily. It's always important to have a goal and be ready to shift at any moment to shift. So but always have a goal, work towards something and and be that's a like be ready to kind of like if if you're in a fight and you've got to move out the way out the way, but you move just move towards something. I think that there is something very positive about having a goal but not being married to it, so to speak.

Coach Cyn (27:25.961)

Exactly. It's sort of the way that you write a book because 'cause you have an end goal in mind. But more often than not, if you're f you don't follow a strict outline, you let the characters lead that you onto a path that for me winds up being a lot of fun because while we're writing, we're essentially reading it for the first time. So it's better to let stuff just lead you where it's supposed to flow naturally than trying to I've noticed recently that the more I relinquish control of things, the better they become.

Stephanie Romanov (27:55.247)

Yes. And that's yeah, and that's a very difficult quality to learn. And I I totally understand it took me a while as well, because we feel like we there's so much that we're supposed to control when in fact sometimes we're supposed to listen. And when you're writing, you're having some kind of divine messages being sent to you and these characters are coming to you through you. And so taking the time to listen and I feel that that applies.

Coach Cyn (27:55.637)

Rather than choking on

Coach Cyn (28:12.418)

Yes.

Coach Cyn (28:20.876)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (28:24.728)

In life as well.

Coach Cyn (28:26.413)

And I'm sure it applies to acting as well when you you're trying to get into the mindset of these characters. And and other such things, such as the physical aspects of it, 'cause Angel was a very physical kind of a show. And you also did a a movie called Manno's Mind, which if I'm not mistaken, you did your own stunts, right?

Stephanie Romanov (28:30.131)

yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (28:44.506)

I did ninety something percent of them. That was actually great. I learned how to take apart guns and put them back together. And back then, you know, I was in my twenties then, so I was still really physically fit and had been a dancer. So that it was a great honor. At the end of that shoot, the stunt people gave me the patch and made me an honorary stunt person. Isn't that nice? That was so cool. So that was a great compliment that they had respect for me. And I was, you know, able to do that.

Coach Cyn (29:05.909)

Wow, that I didn't know that. That's a

Coach Cyn (29:15.201)

Yeah, you were you were you were very convincing. so if an you guys haven't checked that out yet, it's called Menno's Mind, go go look it up. good action film. But you are also appeared on shows sitcoms such as J Just Shoot Me. And I was curious w so which do you like better, comedy or drama?

Stephanie Romanov (29:33.847)

It's interesting, I've mostly done drama. And I like and I also did Spy Hard, which is a comedy, which is a movie comedy. So the movie comedies are very different than sitcom comedies, because sitcom comedies, it's very much of a timing, but I'm funch, but unfunch, but on funch. And I didn't quite get that. Like I wasn't I I really loved doing that show and that was fun. But it's

Coach Cyn (29:41.685)

That's right. Yes.

Coach Cyn (29:51.447)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (30:01.163)

Acting is a much it's a very disciplined art. Like there is not like you can't just let things flow. For you, it's everything's broken down, everything's choreographed. You've got to get in the mindset, what are you doing here? What are you doing there? It's very specific. And the more specific you are and the more work you do, the more freedom you have once you've already done that. But if you don't do that, then it's not grounded in anything. So it's a lot more work than it looks like, which I found out.

Coach Cyn (30:26.387)

for for for sure. I I I remember being on set for Angel with you one time and it was a simple walk and talk and then little things just kept messing up and they had to do it over and over again until the producers banged his fist on the wall. He was so frustrated. No, it wasn't you. It was just other little little things. Yeah. Wasn't Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (30:43.113)

really? But it wasn't me. No, it was like just so the audience knows, it was like a lighting thing and then there was a sound thing and there was a this thing and I totally for like see that you remember the producer banging his fist on the wall. I have no memory of that. I just remember seeing the scene and it worked out. okay. I was like, I didn't even see that. good, because usually they try to hide that stuff from the actors.

Coach Cyn (30:53.677)

Uh-huh.

Yeah, you were upstairs. I think it was an upstairs thing. Yeah.

They do. Yeah. I was because I was behind watching him the the filming. So I was like, Yeah, that was cool. Yeah. Christian Kane, was that his name? Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (31:07.265)

Right, right. I forgot that you were there for that. That's so cool.

Stephanie Romanov (31:13.781)

Yeah, he's I had so much fun working with him. He's a little shorter than me. And they used to call us Natasha, Boris and Natasha, which drove him crazy and made me so happy. But he and I had a had a great chemistry off screen as well. I just think he's the greatest guy. We really, really appreciate each other and got along great.

Coach Cyn (31:18.092)

Yes.

Coach Cyn (31:23.853)

I'm sure you

Coach Cyn (31:33.931)

Yeah, I met I met him when I was there.

Coach Cyn (32:04.677)

So you recently started doing more convention appearances. how has that been for you?

Stephanie Romanov (32:32.275)

It has been so much fun. I had stopped doing conventions for about ten years or maybe more actually, maybe fifteen years. I was kind of doing the farm and it was towards the end of my parents' life and I was doing a lot of caretaking and I just didn't and my daughter, I was raising my daughter and I didn't have I didn't have it in me to do all of that. So this again is about

Finding your balance and knowing what you're capable of and what you're not. And right timing is a very important thing. And it's a through thread in my life that I always think about, is this the right time for me for this? Is this the right time for me for that? Regardl and that it could be anything. So it during that period that I didn't do conventions, it just wasn't the right time for me. Now Lily's graduated and she's working and it's like, Okay, I'm gonna start working and my husband's just retired and like, okay, I can

Time for mama to get to work. So, and it's been the fan, I mean, think about it how many years it's been off the air. And because Hulu started replaying it. So now I have fans from our generation to much younger generations because of the repeat of it. And it's been wonderful. And I've got to see the cast members that I haven't seen in over a decade, which has been really nice. The fans' response has

Coach Cyn (33:25.527)

Yeah, a little bit of U time now, like you were saying.

Coach Cyn (33:36.651)

Mm-hmm.

Coach Cyn (33:44.151)

Sure.

Stephanie Romanov (33:51.613)

Just been wonderful. I adore them. And I endure, I really love doing it. It's so much fun. And every it's like this community comes together and find each other. Like we're all a little bit off somewhere. And then they find their people and they get to have this whole experience together through this weekend. And we get to, we get to to watch this and to be a part of it. And it's wonderful. I really enjoy it. I just got done doing the HellmouthCon in Torrance at the Sunnydale High.

check me out on Instagram. There's some really fun clips that fans have posted that I reposted. And I I try to make it as fun and as funny as possible. So they were calling me the chaos. Imagine that. But I loved it. I mean, and they I got so many warm compliments in them just saying thank you. So I spend extra time with everybody and talk with everyone because, you know, I'm grateful to be there. They're grateful to be there. And it's wonderful.

Coach Cyn (34:44.787)

I'll tell you what, people remember that because I've seen nothing but gracious posts about how nice you are. I mean, I know that from experien personal experience, but when you do what you do and you give your extra time to these p the the fans, they're gonna remember. D did you hear that? Yeah. Let me go. When you give your extra time to these fans, you're gonna they're gonna remember that and it's they're gonna hold that moment close because I I always remember the people who did that for me and the ones who were more a little bit more negative.

and I'll remember that too. So anytime that I'm doing a signing, I try to go the extra mile myself. but you were mentioning to me there was one fan who had given you a jacket made up of your artwork.

Stephanie Romanov (35:24.647)

my gosh, it was so fabulous. So last year at this con, it was in 2025, she gave me this gift of this jacket, this jean jacket, so cool. She spent so much time on it, has all these different songs with my artwork, which meant so much to me. I was very for I went through a very creative period in the 21, where I was doing photographs and painting and mixed media and putting them together.

And then I was lucky enough to be chosen to be put in a gallery of all female artists and they are established artists, and I am not. Another one of like I mean, nothing's happened since, but I haven't done more art since then. But I'm thinking about it again. But it meant so much to me that she took the time to find my art, to to print it on fabric, to sew all this together. I'm like, this is amazing. And I was like, where am I gonna wear this? Sometimes it's hard to wear something that's all about you without looking, you know.

And then we offered to do the Wii Ho gay pride parade. And I thought, this is perfect for the parade. And so I wore it for that. And then I wore it for the first day of the convention. And Haley is the one who made it for me. And I've got her website information on my posts. But I love it. And the it was a fan favorite. Everybody loved the jacket. And I had so much fun wearing it. And it's got my art all over, and she made me all these buttons. And thank you, Haley. But it they said a lot of kind things at these

Coach Cyn (36:29.037)

Mm-hmm.

Coach Cyn (36:49.591)

Fantastic.

Stephanie Romanov (36:51.865)

fans will do and give you. And I was so because she focused she featured my artwork on this. And then I got to wear it and feature her artwork. So I thought that was a beautiful full circle moment. Yeah.

Coach Cyn (37:01.525)

It's a full circle. Sure. Yeah. Like it's like you said, it builds a community at these conventions and people the show means a lot to people and the characters touch them in certain ways. So they you know, they want to give back. I've done that myself in the past. But let's let's talk about your artwork. So how did you actually start getting involved in that?

Stephanie Romanov (37:24.292)

I've always just done art. I don't know. I didn't really have art classes, but I've always kind of painted or in closures, or you know how we used to do vision boards all the time. You when you're trying to shift your life. I s haven't done a vision. maybe I should do a vision board again. Because this is, you know, I'm in the next chapter of my life. Maybe it's time to do a vision board. and then it's interesting, and you I'm sure can touch on this, Cynthia. Creativity hits you at the most unexpected times and in the most unexpected ways. And it

Coach Cyn (37:40.961)

Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (37:54.177)

I just had this moment where it hit me and everything I saw was again talking about that little shift, it just shifted a little bit. And I was just creating, creating, cre I was every day creating, creating, creating, creating. And I don't know where it came from, but it was one of my most prolific in art periods. I had a period like that ten years before in writing, which I've got. So I wanna revisit that at some point. But it always feels like it comes from on high.

And is kind of comes down in some golden tube that ignites my body. And that's that's what it felt like. And I'm I'm hoping the tube comes back.

Coach Cyn (38:35.445)

Yeah, it's when you're in that state of flow. It's like you said, yeah, for sure. When your muse is talking to you and it's just spilling out of you and you can't make it stop and it wakes you up or keeps you up late. Madonna of all people has a great quote. She said, I'm not the owner of my talent, I'm just the manager of it because it comes from above. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (38:38.602)

Yeah, the zone. And you're in the zone.

Stephanie Romanov (38:54.454)

I love that. And I always thought of myself as copper. I'm a conduit. So for in many different ways. So the conduit, whether it be art or music or people or thoughts or writing, like they're, you know, or love. Like sometimes universal love and you just sometimes think, who can I make smile today? Just go in the grocery store, say hi to everybody, say this. It's that's another way of being a conduit.

Coach Cyn (38:58.476)

Yeah.

Coach Cyn (39:21.385)

absolutely. And it it's one of the reasons I've I've sort of expanding this podcast and the the other stuff that I'm working on. So it's not just writers, it's all creative thinkers, all creators. because we all like it's all comes from the same type of source and we all know what it's like to have that urge to just create and we don't know why, but we have to do it. And I've tried to step away from writing before and I just can't do it. I keep getting ideas. So

Stephanie Romanov (39:40.747)

Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (39:45.707)

I remember actually a while ago you saying that you were gonna stop and I was like, hmm, let's see how that goes. But then that's also kind of confirmation, isn't it? That you're you are a writer, you're meant to write. Maybe you step back for a bit, you get your balance, and then you stay up late writing.

Coach Cyn (39:50.037)

And I did not. Yeah.

Absolutely.

Coach Cyn (40:01.154)

That's it. Yeah, back to the balance thing for sure. But recently my my friend gave me an adult coloring book as a a birthday present and I found it to be very soothing, honestly, and it helps me to relax. So I'm curious, like with your artwork, do you find that it helps with any like stress or anxiety you might be having?

Stephanie Romanov (40:21.406)

Interesting because I had found an adult coloring book a couple of years back that I really liked and I gave it to a bunch of people. So I'm glad that someone gave it. I haven't used mine yet. But no, it's it's funny because you would think that art would I mean if I was doing that maybe, but because when the art happens, it happens to me. I don't know how to describe it. And then what what was interesting is I didn't love the process of being in the gallery.

Coach Cyn (40:32.663)

Well you know I d

Coach Cyn (40:42.445)

Mm-hmm.

Coach Cyn (40:49.021)

Stephanie Romanov (40:49.128)

And getting like that felt stressful and I hated it. But I loved creating art because art is something that happens to me. Commerce is something that you have to do. And that's it's a tricky thing, both in modeling, acting, art, writing. There's so there's some that you do that you just can't help, and then some that you have to do for commerce. And the commerce pr commerce per the commerce part,

has gotten more difficult for me as I've gotten older, which is interesting. So you know what soothes me? What soothes do you know what soothes me? It's not like doing art or acting or modeling or dancing for sure. Dancing soothes me, but thinking about stuff, I'm a I'm a deep thinker. I love to meditate on things and on people and situations. And I can sit for hours and think. Like people who need to learn to be still

I have no problem.

Coach Cyn (41:47.617)

That is a rare trait for a creative. Well, let me tell you.

Stephanie Romanov (41:50.62)

Yeah. I can and sometimes I I spent the last ten years probably thinking a lot, you know? And I'm just trying starting to get active again now. It takes and I look like I'm someone who's a hyper person who's going all the time, but I'm I'm mostly still. It's like I'm zero or I'm a hundred. So I'm trying to learn the balance of the curve, right? The balance of the balance of power within my own body, the balance of not just taking it to hundred back, like

easing my way there and sometimes I'm good at that and sometimes I am not. So then there's the the power of forgiveness for when you can't always do it in the way you hope to do it. So I think yeah.

Coach Cyn (42:30.633)

for sure. Yeah. A lot of a lot of creatives are such perfectionists, myself included, that we beat we're our own harshest critics, you know.

Stephanie Romanov (42:36.583)

Yeah.

For sure, for sure. So then there's the power in thinking and being kind to yourself. I know someone had said years ago that they they went back to their younger self and held her and apologized to her. And so I feel that's an important tool that we can all use to kind of apologize to the younger self and give permission to because it frees up your present self. And that's ultimately what we want, right? The freedom to be ourselves without.

Coach Cyn (42:50.961)

wow.

Stephanie Romanov (43:07.384)

so much judgment without so much anger. Of course we're gonna judge ourselves. Of course there's gonna be difficulty. I was talking to my daughter. It's like, you know, we're very fortunate, but life is a journey. And sometimes it's happy and sometimes it's sad. Sometimes you're healthy, sometimes you're not, sometimes you're in love, sometimes you have no love. That's called being alive. And the and she also deals with a lot of anxiety. So does a lot of people in my family and so does every artist I know. And I said to her, become friends with that.

Coach Cyn (43:33.772)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (43:37.008)

Because that's a part of who you are. You're not always gonna like it, and it's not always comfortable, but be comfortable with the uncomfortable and forgive yourself. And sometimes you need to cry, cry. Sometimes you need to be alone, be alone. But get back up. So this is me getting back up.

Coach Cyn (43:55.768)

Beautiful. Yeah. I and I think a little bit of it is the the curated lives of of social media where everything's picture perfect. So now everybody thinks that their lives are supposed to be perfect when that is not reality at all. They never show you the negative aspects of what's going on in their lives. It's it's this curated little picture board. So it's important. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (44:16.506)

For sure. And I didn't have to deal with that growing up. So I'm not sure what what's that like. But you know, they did have magazines and that and how they portrayed movie stars or models. So we did have el you know, aspects of that for sure. And it wasn't even back in like the fifties and s which is way before my time, fifties and sixties, like they didn't print any of the gossip about the actors of that. So nobody they were all held to this esteem and

Coach Cyn (44:27.181)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (44:43.7)

people thought there were these idealized lives. Nobody has an idealized life.

Coach Cyn (44:47.647)

No, you you'd be surprised and then the the the more the people come out and talk about you know these people on these pedestals come out and talk about how their lives are not perfect, it actually will be more helpful than actually trying to appear perfect. but and then it's it is

Stephanie Romanov (44:56.802)

Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (45:00.281)

And I think that's starting to happen. That's a really good and I think people are doing that. They're talking about their health different women are finally talking about menopause. People are talking about mental mental illness, suicides, all that stuff, which is and all of that's in my family, you know, and you know, your yours as well. It's there is I think you look and even with this interview, I don't talk a lot about the dark stuff that happened to me. And it's not that it hasn't happened, I just

Coach Cyn (45:05.101)

Mm-hmm.

Coach Cyn (45:20.17)

Again.

Stephanie Romanov (45:29.709)

I don't focus on it, but I I know it's there. There's always with every great thing that's happened in my life, something seriously sad or bad has happened at the same time. And this is an interesting phenomenon that I've found with a lot of people. When something great happens, something is taken away, or something is taken away and something great happens. So almost for a while it it kept me frozen. It's like, well, if I just stay here and nothing's too good or too bad, then nothing too good or too bad can happen.

Coach Cyn (45:57.934)

But then nothing happens. Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (45:58.326)

And so that's also a trap. Exactly. So that was when I was just thinking for a long time, like, okay, I just I won't leave the house. I won't do anything. But I think I was also in recovery mode from a lot of the traumatic stuff that happened. So but like I tell my daughter, that's life. There's always gonna be trauma and there's always gonna be good stuff. And it's just navigating between it, right? And doing the best you can. And forgiving the others too, you know.

Coach Cyn (46:16.727)

Yeah.

Coach Cyn (46:25.749)

well, absolutely. So, that being said, and you've already given quite a bit of great advice throughout this entire interview, but what advice would you have for someone who is an actor or an artist who might be struggling with like overwhelm or burnout as they're trying to chase these careers?

Stephanie Romanov (46:44.425)

Right. I think you have to ask yourself a hard question. I think you have to ask, do I have do I have the right protective gear to handle this type of rejection? Am I built for this? Or maybe maybe I'm meant to do it in a different way? Or maybe I'm meant to take a moment and just recover and then step back into it. Maybe I need to rest a little bit, think about it, and then

Breathe in, stand up, brush it off, and step back in. But give yourself the grace to question, right? And not in a way that's demeaning to yourself or mean, even though we can't help it. Don't get me wrong, I speak mean to myself too. But then I get mad at myself. I say, Hey, don't say that. Don't talk about myself that way. And then you're like, okay, okay. Yeah, words have power. And with every thought, a molecule follows. So there's a physical presence to thoughts and to words. So

Coach Cyn (47:32.993)

Yeah. Words have power.

Stephanie Romanov (47:43.24)

I definitely recommend even those books that have positive affirmations, things like that, and to read them out loud, even if you don't believe them. It's like when they say smile until you feel it. So that's kind of the best advice I can give because really life is a journey. And there are there are things that we have no idea why are put in our path, both positive and negative. And so what you want is to stay on the path.

If you need to rest, rest. If you get hit and you're bleeding, wait till it heals. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. And then get back up and fight again. Fight live to fight another day.

Coach Cyn (48:22.227)

Absolutely. That's that's that was perfect. so Stephanie, this is a new part of my interviews now because I I like to talk about not just the success story, but the gritty middle that that got you there. So what for you is a challenge you've overcome that you're most proud of?

Stephanie Romanov (48:42.847)

That's a good question. A challenge that I've o I feel like I've had to overcome so many things. I'm trying to think what was the biggest challenge I had to overcome?

Coach Cyn (48:50.836)

You can throw a couple out if you want to.

Stephanie Romanov (48:53.041)

I don't know, it's funny 'cause like I say, if I'm trying to remember there have been so many. I mean

Coach Cyn (48:58.901)

Anything recently jump out to you?

Stephanie Romanov (49:02.069)

Well, the challenge of having not worked in 20 years and trying to I'm trying to build up the fire to make it undeniable that I should be working again. I'm trying to reimagine a place for myself where I don't see one because normally if you haven't worked in so long and especially in this business, it's a very difficult thing to do. But I don't know if it's gonna work.

I don't know that it's not gonna work. So I'm still on that journey. This right now is a very difficult time in trying to manifest a new chapter for myself in a business that doesn't usually do that.

Coach Cyn (49:41.259)

I would say though, in this day and age now you have a lot more opportunity than you may have before with all the d digital elements. You could go out there and make your own thing happen. There's no reason why y you have to wait for somebody to do it for you. So I think you're gonna do it. I have all the faith in in you. Absolutely.

Stephanie Romanov (49:57.222)

Thanks, Cynthia. And I'm not ex I'm not exactly sure what it looks like. And that's part of it too. But I think that's part of the answer to the question is sometimes you don't have to know what it looks like. I've been doing things that for the last couple of years that my husband, my daughter are saying, Why are you doing that? I'm like, I don't know. I just know I'm supposed be doing something. I don't have to have all the answers. Just like you said with your characters when you're writing, you don't necessarily know where they're gonna go, you just know they're going somewhere.

Coach Cyn (50:20.813)

Well, I would also say the same thing with this podcast and with the the performance systems that I'm developing. I don't know where it's leading either, but it's something that I feel compelled to do because there's been a hole in the industry for for writers especially, because I can relate to them, but also with the creative side. And the more that I have been doing this, I notice it's not so much about the physical aspect, which is what I started with to try to get people to get out of the chair and get more more mobility.

Stephanie Romanov (50:29.713)

Right.

Coach Cyn (50:48.055)

What I noticed that's resonating is more of the mental aspect of it and the stress and the the burnout. So that I'm starting to lean more towards that, which is why I asked you quite a a bit about that before. But you just gotta like you gotta stay on the path, like you said, and go with and see where it leads you. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (50:51.665)

Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (50:58.96)

I'm so glad.

Yep, stay on the path. Nobody knows where anything's gonna lead them. What we see as an audience or as a reader, we see the end product, right? We don't see what it took the writer or the artist or the mother or the sister. We didn't take we didn't see what it took them to get there. We just see it finished. Everybody has bumps and arrows shot at them.

Coach Cyn (51:05.997)

Yeah.

Coach Cyn (51:12.215)

Mm-hmm.

Coach Cyn (51:23.862)

Exactly.

Coach Cyn (51:30.487)

Yes.

Stephanie Romanov (51:30.692)

But the ones who stay on the road, stay on the road. And that's that's kind of the gift in itself. And we don't have to know if we're gonna succeed or fail, because you're not failing if you're trying, I feel.

Coach Cyn (51:41.707)

Right. And then and every every obstacle or arrow along the way builds those calluses that you need to go into the next step. And sh Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (51:48.878)

Right. And not just calluses, but it it builds I I would argue with that. I it's I would think it it feeds you knowledge and it gives you a a deeper perspective and an and especially if you're willing to sit with it a little bit and not be mad at yourself, right? Or the others, but protection is important, the callus that protects you, but to really understand more about your own self because ultimately that's why we're here, right? You are the only you you have. Use you wisely.

Coach Cyn (51:52.877)

Okay.

That's it.

Coach Cyn (52:03.008)

Uh-huh.

Coach Cyn (52:18.807)

Beautiful. We don't. Yeah. People get lost. People get lost, but that you can always, you know, get back on that path. So so what w as we wrap this up, and thank you so much for coming on and sharing everything that you've shared so far. But what else do you have going on that you wanna let audiences know about?

Stephanie Romanov (52:18.872)

And sometimes we don't. It's like, the places you'll go.

Stephanie Romanov (52:28.815)

Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (52:43.318)

Well, I'm so happy. I don't have anything going on. It's not true. I'm like you can edit though, right? Well, I'm working, you know, the art stuff, but I've got I'm actually there is a book that I need to go back to. There's the art stuff that I need to revisit. I am actually working on putting together well, it's something I'm not quite ready to talk about yet, because when sometimes when I'm manifesting

Coach Cyn (52:48.321)

Get up.

Coach Cyn (52:52.033)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh-huh. I thought you were writing a book.

Stephanie Romanov (53:10.773)

I am manifesting a place for me in this world. I don't know exactly what it looks like, but I have steps that I'm taking that I don't know if they're gonna work yet, and I don't know that they're not gonna work. So I'm not specifically gonna talk about it. Cause you know, as a creator, as an artist, some things you have to hold sacred for a little bit. Cause sometimes if you sometimes if you tell people too soon, they can talk you out of it or they can try to give you advice or

Coach Cyn (53:25.867)

Yeah. Yeah. No, I totally get that. Yeah.

Coach Cyn (53:35.767)

Mm-hmm.

Stephanie Romanov (53:38.347)

You know, or maybe the character should do this, or maybe you should do that, or maybe and I just I just am listening to I'm getting a lot of people saying, you should do this, or you should do that. I'm like, Okay, okay. I'm not sure. I'll take them and I'll consider it. But so I'm not I'm definitely working on something. How's that?

Coach Cyn (53:47.885)

She's like, I don't need notes. Yeah. Right.

Coach Cyn (53:57.768)

Yeah, the thing is it's it's it's not their vision. You it's your vision. So they can't see the ending of it. You only ha you only know where that vision is taking you. So as as they're trying to be, you know, helpful, but they don't see it see it. So sometimes it's a lot of just noise. and you can put it in your pocket and maybe visit it later, but it's your path to take.

Stephanie Romanov (54:03.49)

Nice.

Stephanie Romanov (54:07.981)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (54:15.244)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (54:19.25)

Back to the writing back to the writing part. I do definitely want to get back to the writing because a lot of it kind of memoir-ish, but to do with my my mother and my father and a lot of tragedy on my mother's side. And I was writing it from a t eight-year-old's point of view, which was how old my mother was when she became an orphan. And she I thought she would be thrilled. She got really angry at me. She's like, This is not your story to tell. This is not, this is my story to tell. Well, she's dead now.

So now it's my story to tell. So I'm not laughing that she's dead, but it it in a weird way it's given me permission. And that's why I said I want to revisit that because I do feel that there's a there's a value to that story. And it will include it's like I'm not I've got ideas. I want to revisit that and I'm definitely getting back into my art. And I think I will start modeling again as well. And you may be seeing me in something soon, you never know.

Coach Cyn (54:50.709)

Somebody has to tell it. Right.

Coach Cyn (55:14.059)

Hey, a mother daughter shoot. How about that?

Stephanie Romanov (55:16.263)

Exactly, definitely love that. Are you kidding? That would be fun. People have been saying that. So I've just also trying to get myself healthy and in shaped 'cause going back to the the physicality of the job and all of that. So I just I need to need to get a little stronger, I think.

Coach Cyn (55:31.543)

So being that this is a lot of work balanced with well being, what is it what is the some of the stuff you're doing to get back in shape?

Stephanie Romanov (55:40.395)

Well, I swim a lot, which is important, I think, for especially for older bones and joints. I eat I try to eat really well. Like I swim a lot and then I don't swim at all. Like I think a lot. I'm really good at thinking. I walk a lot to the car, to the kitchen. I'm I need to do I need to do more physical stuff if I'm being honest. I need to do weight training, which I haven't done.

Coach Cyn (55:45.324)

Yes.

Coach Cyn (55:52.845)

You guys you're getting your steps then.

Coach Cyn (56:03.713)

Well, my new system's gonna be perfect for you.

Stephanie Romanov (56:07.574)

Exactly. I need it. I definitely need it. That's that is the one thing like I'm really good at a lot of stuff. I've been really not good at my physicality for a while now. And it's definitely it shows up in my ability to it's lost the word, but to stay like I can be active and then I have to rest. Like I do the convention and I have to rest for a week. And that's just a weekend where I know people go from that go to there, go to I was like,

How do they do all of that? So I need to build my strength up again. So that is actually the number you hit on it and see how reticent I was to even admit it, right? I don't swim a lot. I swim sometimes. I do walk to the kitchen, to the car. I walk my dog, but I have not in a in a in a structured way, which is what I need to do. And I to be fair to myself, I didn't for a long just remembering because I had a bad back, but now I get those shots in my back, so my back's not hurting me anymore.

Coach Cyn (56:41.367)

Right.

Stephanie Romanov (57:02.183)

So now I don't really have the excuse, but I I haven't been in practice. So that's my goal is to get in practice to get physically well or physically strong. That's what I'm lacking for sure. So Cynthia, I'll be leaning on you for that.

Coach Cyn (57:11.661)

There you go.

Coach Cyn (57:16.001)

I'm here absolutely. And I'll definitely send you some of the stuff that I'm building for specifically for creators and to fit the to fit it into their busy schedule because you don't need, you know, more motivation and more things to do. You need a system to follow precisely. So that will keep you can that'll keep you consistent and it'll start to build build and you can maintain, you know, for longevity purposes. So absolutely.

Stephanie Romanov (57:32.649)

Correct. I would love that.

Stephanie Romanov (57:42.461)

I would love that. Thank you. That is exactly the the element that I'm missing.

Coach Cyn (57:46.678)

Well, see how we came together at the perfect time because this is something new that I am I am building right now. I'm going to be launching it up pretty soon. And you can be one of the beta testers for it for sure. absolutely. There you go. Yeah. Yeah.

Stephanie Romanov (57:56.784)

fabulous.

Stephanie Romanov (58:00.572)

Yes, please. Raise my hand. I would love that. It's definitely something I need. When you're out of practice for so many years, you just it's just not in my w my tool house. So I'll borrow your tools. Yep.

Coach Cyn (58:12.075)

Yep. But but it is in my toolbox and being both an athlete and an artist myself, I have combined those to come together and make one specific system for high performing creators. So it's it's gonna deal with all the things. I I am too now that we that I've actually verbalized it. This is the first time I'm actually verbalizing that I'm doing it. This is a new season of the Creative Synergy show where we're diving into a little bit more different things. So

Stephanie Romanov (58:26.181)

I'm excited.

Stephanie Romanov (58:39.303)

And this is my first time admitting that I'm not as active as I should be. So look at us being truthful and I can be your guinea pig. I love that. I love that. Thank you. And congratulations.

Coach Cyn (58:42.987)

They look at us. Being open and and honest. Absolutely. Yeah. For sure. So where can people you as well? good to see you out and about at the conventions having a good time. But where can fans find you online if you wish to l let them know?

Stephanie Romanov (59:02.019)

At Romanoff Stephanie and Stephanie Romanoff dot com. And I know I'm on some other things. I just can't I think I'm on red I'm I'm still learning the whole social media thing. But I'm definitely on yeah, yeah, at Romanoff Stephanie.

Coach Cyn (59:08.727)

Beautiful.

Coach Cyn (59:14.733)

But definitely active on Instagram. Yeah. Yes. And you'll find all these links in the con the description of this episode. But this has been amazing, Stephanie. We've got some gems in there. Thank you so much for coming on the show and lending your time and your your voice to this this specific episode. And it's just been great. And it's great to see you.

Stephanie Romanov (59:40.591)

Thank you, Senphi. I really, really enjoyed it. I'm really happy you're doing this. And I wish you the best. Thank you. I love you.

Coach Cyn (59:46.274)

Thank you so much. I love you too. Come back anytime.

https://youtu.be/sfi5tsiFiww

resources

Angel TV Show - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118480/

Melrose Place - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098844/

Instagram - Stephanie Romanov - https://www.instagram.com/romanovstephanie