Celebrity Interviews from Shore Leave 29
by Mark J. Gross
While traveling the galaxy to seek out new conventions and celebrity life forms that sign for their fans, I dropped by Shore Leave 29 in Baltimore. The convention boasted some great guests.
Friday evening I interviewed Casey Biggs (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), up-and-coming actress Gwyneth Walsh and Colin Cunningham (Stargate SG-1). On Sunday, I interviewed Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Dean Haglund (The X-Files), Gary Jones (Stargate SG-1) and Nichelle Nichols (Star Trek).
Here are some excerpts from my interviews with Aaron, Gary and Nichelle.
Aaron Douglas
A native of British Columbia, Aaron Douglas had bit parts in films like I, Robot (2004) and Catwoman (2004) before landing the role of Chief Tyrol on the new Battlestar Galactica. I caught up with Aaron as he was walking with his liaison to prepare for a table signing with Nichelle Nichols. I stopped him and asked if I could sneak into one of the empty panel rooms for a quick interview. He said, “Sure, as long as I can bring my beer.” We laughed and prepared for the interview.
MG: So, how did you get into acting?
AD: I always wanted to be a lawyer, then after seeing And Justice for All (1979) on screen, I wanted to be a lawyer, but only on TV or film [laughs]. I also did community theater, Shakespeare, and really got into acting around age 28. And now I’m the chief on good old Battlestar Galactica.
Did you ever watch the original series?
Oh yes, I was a fan.
How exactly did you land the part of Chief Tyrol on the new series?
Well, I actually tried out for the role of Apollo, but Jamie Bamber got it. I was glad ’cause I didn’t have to always go to the gym [laughs]. Jamie’s all buff, and while he goes to the gym, I go to the bar.
How difficult is your role to portray for you?
It’s easy to remember stuff, the only hard part is all that tech talk stuff, but my character doesn’t have to use it that much, and if I read a line that I think is bulls--t, I usually change it anyway.
Can you get away with that?
Well, these writers are really great about us understanding our characters, so they give us leeway when we think a line doesn’t come across right.
What’s on the horizon for you?
Battlestar shoots till March, so we can’t really make any plans until around January or February. I’d really love to do a World War II movie...I’d kill to get a role in something like Band of Brothers.
Well you already have the look for it….
Yeah, just give me a gun and a role and let me shoot somebody. No, but really, I’d love to do a war movie, or, um, a sitcom.
Personally what do you like to do?
Well, I’m just hanging out waiting for Hockey season to start again and…going to the bar.
Anything else you would like to add to end the interview?
Edward James Olmos is a bastard. Okay, no, I’m just kidding.
After the interview, I asked Aaron to sign a few things I had stowed away in my camera bag and his liaison gave me a photo from Aaron’s table for him to autograph to me as well. We did a few photo ops and then took Aaron back to his table. What a great and fun guy he is!
Gary Jones
Born in Wales, Gary Jones moved to Canada in 1986 and started acting soon after. He is perhaps best known for his role as Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman on Stargate SG-1.
MG: Fans know you best from Stargate SG-1. You’re a staple!
GJ: Yeah, in fact, someone told me here that I really looked better in person than on the TV series.
So, what led you to screen acting, and then to Stargate SG-1?
I was a graphic designer and a copywriter working in advertising and one day I started taking improv workshops at The Second City Theatre in Toronto. I took a year and a half of classes and next thing I knew, they hired me! Couple years later, I moved to Vancouver and played an expo with Second City. After that run, I just stayed.
So, you were hooked…
Yeah, well, I wanted to do more but I knew I needed an agent, so I got one and she had me try out for things outside of Vancouver. You know, where the real work is [laughs]. So I went on this audition and I managed to pick up the wrong sides, and the director said, “Well let him read it anyway,” and so, I actually got that role as a guest star on this show.
Wow, that’s ironic. Cool, yet ironic…
Yes, but back 15 to 20 years ago, you showed up and the parts were just photocopied for you to grab and memorize. So, right place, right time, wrong sides.
How did you land SG-1?
Well, my agent said there was a role coming up on that series and there may be a chance it could be recurring. When I got there, the director for the SG-1 pilot wound up being the same director that directed me recently in an Outer Limits episode.