NYWIFT Blog

By Tammy Reese

Please meet NYWIFT Member Eileen Zyko Wolter, a creator, writer, and actress whose journey has taken her from a Connecticut childhood shaped by a first-generation Muslim Albanian father and a mother descended from the Revolutionary War and Salem Witch Trials to the set of Queens of the Dead, premiering at the 2025 Tribeca Festival.

With a background in art history and film from Vassar College and training from The Atlantic Theater Company, The Actors Studio, and The Beverly Hills Playhouse, Eileen brings a unique blend of intellect, passion, and grit to every role.

In this interview, Eileen shares what it was like to portray a zombie in Tina Romero’s thrilling directorial debut, her lifelong dream of joining SAG-AFTRA, and her love for the NYWIFT community that helped reignite her acting ambitions.

NYWIFT Member Eileen Zyko Wolter (image courtesy of Eileen Wolter)

Congratulations! As Queens of the Dead makes its Tribeca debut, what are you most excited for audiences to experience?

How the audience reacts to the fierce and fabulous “fringe” denizens of NYC fighting back against zombies.

What did it feel like to work on a film directed by Tina Romero, someone carrying on the legacy of her father, George A. Romero?

It felt like being part of film history and as someone who studied art and film history at Vassar, definitely kind of like a dream. I have wanted to do some kind of creature and this was my first experience playing anything like it. Not gonna lie, it was cool!

Eileen in her zombie makeup (image courtesy of Eileen Wolter)

Can you share a behind-the-scenes moment from set that left a lasting impression on you — whether hilarious, haunting, or deeply human?

It was so great to get a lesson in how to move like a Romero Zombie from Tina. There’s a kind of choreography to it — a sameness to the motions of the horde. A speed, even, and a direction and way to hold your body. As someone who danced I could feel myself becoming a character once I practiced the movements.

Without giving too much away, what else would you like to share with us about the film?

In a way some of the themes might echo what Ryan Coogler did with vampires and racism in Sinners, but in this case it’s the NYC queer community and a different kind of mindless horde they are trying to outwit and outlast.

Still from Queens of the Dead (image courtesy of Tribeca)

What else are you working on as of late?

I joined SAG last year, fulfilling a lifelong dream, but the work has slowed down because I am trying to “level up” to speaking roles from background and it’s hard to be patient. I worked on a lot of projects last year and I miss being on set but I want to do more and bigger parts.

Something else I worked on last year recently came out and it’s a really great project. It’s a trailer for a fake movie which is an ad campaign for Newport Mansions which are featured in The Gilded Age. I played Herminie Berwind and it was a fabulous to work in that house and the end product is remarkable.

Why did you choose to become a member of NYWIFT, and what does being part of the organization personally mean to you?

I joined NYWIFT in 2022 because we had moved back from LA in 2021 and I was looking for a creative community. I am also a writer but I volunteered at the Muse Awards that year to try and meet some people and was inspired to start acting again and I have no regrets.

I have always enjoyed being around like-minded people — we all need support — especially creatives and especially women and this organization has provided me with both. I only wish I could be more involved but living in the Jersey suburbs and with a teenager still at home, I have to pick and choose what I can attend.

What advice would you give to other women creatives considering following your career path?

The only advice I ever give is you have to be brave. If you want to make it as a creative person — especially one who is in front of the camera—you have to be willing to want. And that is sometimes very scary. But when you get to be on a set and costumes, hair and makeup have done their wonderful work and you get to the place where the director says “action,”? That’s the most magical time and I will never, ever take it for granted especially at my age!

Connect with Eileen Zyko Wolter on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram at @eileenawolter.

For more information about Queens of the Dead at the Tribeca Festival, please visit https://tribecafilm.com/films/queens-of-the-dead-2025

And be sure to check out the other NYWIFT Members at the 2025 Tribeca Festival!