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The Newest content can be found at: www.popartsplace.com/now |
Webposted: September 4, 2002
By: Kay Kellam
That said, there was not a lot of information about what it is like to work on Star Trek The Next Gen, or even many stories about what fun it was. Though Julie Caitlin Brown did ask Andreas Katsulus how it felt to arrive for a day of work at Babylon 5 which shot out in the middle of no where in a warehouse vs. arriving at a proper sound stage for Star Trek the Next Generation to which he said "the only real difference is Star Trek had air conditioning all the time - you can do anything in air conditioning!"
There was lots of talk about what it is like trying to get into acting, Julie Caitlin Brown pointed out that Carel was working behind the scenes in Hollywood when he was spotted walking across the street and asked to do a part in a movie - because they needed someone tall. Julie pointed out that is one of the rare situations in which a particular look is needed - and yet there are a variety of things that are called physical disabilities and yet they are "looks" that are particularly needed. Those are the rare times when having a look can get you a part.
She auditioned for a variety of roles because they wanted tall and dark hair -- and the parts went to shorter women with lighter hair, Asians etc. So often when a casting director says they need a particular look they are guessing. In the end they want someone believable.
She did make a curious remark about how 20-year-olds should stay in their local theater and pay their dues and get to the point they can truly deliver when the opportunity comes. It seemed curious though because it was as though she was saying Hollywood doesn't need any 20-year-olds and yet they are the ones who not only play the 20-30 year olds, but also a lot of the teen scene characters are played by 20 somethings. So I think we will forever need that age bracket represented in Hollywood. However, they are not needed to stretch up into the more adult roles - those who have the distinguished features of their age deserve the parts they are more than able to do. The teen scene however is well served by 20-somethings who can handle the intensity of teen parts that actual teens are better served by being protected from. Or so this author's opinion goes.
When asked about favorite moments from their time on Star Trek Lisa Wilcox did quickly volunteer that Jonathon Frakes was a great kisser - and when asked what role if any they could have on Star Trek they would have wanted she quickly added that her character should have stuck around and she and Jonathan... er... Riker, should have made lots of cute babies!
All in all it was an interesting panel - especially when Andreas Katsulus was asked how he thought his Babylon 5 Narn character go G'Kar would have acted on Star Trek TNG. He got tremendous amounts of laughter when he said that first he would announce to Captain Picard that the ship was too small for two bald men so grow some hair! The fun went from there... with Andreas asking in the end if he'd gone a tad too far.
** As a side note, it is a shame that Chris Demetral, who played Riker's son Jean-Luc in the season 4 episode Future Imperfect was not a part of this panel. I am unsure why he was not a participant.
(C) Kay Kellam, 2001 for PopArtsPlace.com
Prior to having her first novel, A
Life to Di For, published author Kay
Kellam enjoyed a variety of jobs that helped to shape her outlook on the
world, and her profession. more...
Another Decade of San Diego Comic-Con Coverage:
