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Here are the Q&A's from Friday night's
Battlestar Galactica event at the Museum of Television
and Radio. (no spoilers, some speculation, typos intact)
It's great to see how much everyone cares about their
characters and how they don't know any more than we
do about what's coming.
KATEE SACKHOFF (Kara)
You've had quite a rollercoaster this
season with Starbuck. What do you enjoy playing more,
her darker side or her softer side?
The darker side, of course. It's more
fun, you know?! You get to go to work and beat people
up and shoot guns and be completely melodramatic. It's
awesome! Of course, it's the best part of my job! But
occasionally it's nice to put a dress on and pretend
to be a girl for a while too (Laughs).
Fans went crazy when Apollo and Starbuck
hooked up and they want to know if it's going to
happen again.
I don't know. I hope so! It was fun (Laughs).
I think I walked away from that scene with more bumps
and bruises than the fight scene with Tricia at the
end of the first season. People were like 'Are you
kidding me?!' I literally had bruises like on my butt!
I'm like 'Jamie! What'd you do to me?! That hurt so
much!' (Laughing)
But you had fun anyway?
It was so much fun! Of course I enjoyed
it.
Why do they keep pulling away from
each other when it's obvious they really care about
each other?
I think because it is obvious. You know,
their world is so chaotic and it's hard to hold onto
something that you know is so real and tangible when
it could be gone tomorrow. It's almost easier to walk
away from it and to have never felt that true love
and passion for someone because it gives you something
to fight for, and it gives you a reason to wanna live,
and as a fighter pilot, you can't have that. You have
to be willing to sacrifice everything, including your
life. And I think, when you love someone so unconditionally
and you know that, it's really hard to go out there
and fight the good fight.
Fans are constantly speculating that
there may be more cylons among the regular cast members
that we don't yet know about. Obviously you can't
tell me if there are, but do you know anything that
we don't?
No! (Laughing) I don't even know if I
am! I have no idea!
Do you ever fear that you may be,
or would you find that cool to play or...?
You know, I don't know. I mean, of course
it would be kinda cool if you are a cylon, cause you
could never die. You'll have a job for the rest of
your life, you know?! But I don't know. I kind of like
the idea of her not being a cylon, so I'll hold on
to that for right now.
JAMES CALLIS (Baltar)
What's it like to play a character
inside the head of another character? Do you have
any idea how it happened? How do you approach him?
I don't have any idea how it happened!
I'm afraid I don't know. I'm playing a very tortured
individual and this is somebody who I think is amoral,
rather than immoral. He was like a media star before
everything happened, so he's gone on this huge learning
curve and this huge journey. He has an air of decadence
about him, which has led I suppose to a kind of depravity
as well. So basically, he's somebody who's amoral,
but has a conscience, so I get to be very upset about
all the dreadful things that I do! That's an amazing
thing to be able to play, rather than somebody who
doesn't care or has, you know, some master plan or
agenda or 'hahaha!' It's not like that, so it's very
complex and we indulge in that complexity.
Some fans seem to think you're a cylon.
I don't think so. In a word, no.
GRACE PARK (Sharons)
Which Sharon do you enjoy playing
more?
Ooh. That keeps changing, you know? --I'll
call the Sharon that we started with (the one on Galactica)
Boomer, and the other one, Sharon.-- I initially didn't
like Boomer because she was so tortured in the first
season and she was so conflicted and in so much denial
that it was excruciating just to try her on for size,
and it almost seemed like she wasn't getting anywhere.
Just down! (Laughing ) Downhill fast, you know?! So
she was imploding. Whereas with Sharon down with Helo
on the planet, we just could run around. It was almost,
I wouldn't say mindless, but compared to the other
one, it wasn't so grief stricken and so tragic. So
initially, it was like that. But then after Boomer
shot Adama, and she had to be thrown in the cell and
the two episodes where she wasn't there actually was
just her in solitary for two weeks, that was really
fun for me. I really liked that because I got to develop
a little bit more of what was happening and even though
we didn't see it on screen, her tumbling really fast
downhill before Tyrol came into the cell, she had turned
into almost an animal and that was really fun. The
guards and the extras were looking at me like 'Omigosh,
you are way too into this!,' you know? I'd like turn
into a gorilla practically, and I was like 'I want
a pail in the corner, I want a roll of toilet paper!,'
you know what I mean?! So, in that way it was really
fun, and then she died. But her death scene, it was
so short, I felt a bit cheated that way. Because it's
like some people actually said 'Oh, I guess she did
die. Oh yah.' You know, they kind of forget about that.
But to me, I realized that was the Boomer that we watched
all the way from the miniseries, so to me, I did like
her. But I have, since then, become more attached to
Sharon.
Is it sometimes really hard to keep
the two storylines straight?
Before, it was always really easy in
first season, because one was always on the planet
and one was always on the ship. It's surprising how
clear that can make the differences. And one was always
with Helo and the other one wasn't, and that kept it
really clear cut and simple for nearly everybody. But
as soon as Sharon came back on the ship, the director,
the writers, the producers, everyone got confused.
And it was like 'What do you mean? Haven't you met
Baltar?' I go 'No, she hasn't! This is the other one!'
and everyone would like sit there, like, melding their
minds trying to do the next shot. And then with the
writing, I'm like 'No, she sounds too victim-y. This
is the other Sharon!' You know?! It got so confusing.
And it does get a little bit confusing even now. And
on top of that, I think I also have a want to be able
to distinguish them. Like when I saw Nick Cage, who's
obviously a great actor, in Adaptation, it was so clear
cut who was who and I really enjoyed the differences,
and sometimes I feel that that's a challenge for me
to be able to do that, but yet keep the story realistic.
You know, not just have one physically just look so
easily differentiated.
And do you think there are other cylons
among the regular cast members?
I don't know. Sometimes I don't want
there to be other cylons among the cast, and then sometimes
I do. It's like when you think they've done a reveal,
it's like 'Ohhh! No!! They did not!' and then [I realize]
I read it wrong. It's almost like I don't know if they
cleverly did that so the audiences mind would race
to that conclusion and then pull back? That's really
fun. What I really want actually is for them to not
reveal the next cylon by the end of the episode. Because
we've sort of developed this little thing, introducing
a person, 'Ooh, they might be a name as well,' and
then whaddya know, at the end they're always revealed.
What would be really fun is if they started doing a
bit of that, like introducing people and everyone goes
'Oh, that's a cylon' and then they're not. Or have
somebody who, like, eight episodes later is finally
revealed. Something like that, I find just a little
more interesting because then it makes you doubt everybody.
It's not like cut and dry and simple. Because that's
the whole premise of the show. You're not supposed
to be able to predict anything.
So you definitely think we're gonna
be meeting more cylons.
Oh yeah. We are. I'm just thinking how
are you gonna make the last handful of cylons we don't
know yet last for a few more seasons, you know? It's
like 'You guys are giving away too many!'
Somehow I think they'll figure it
out.
Yeah, start developing other hybrids.
'Oh, did we say [there were] twelve?' (Laughs)
Coming to the end of season two, how
do you feel about where your character is at, and
do you have any particular hopes for where your storyline
goes in season three?
Well, 'Downloaded' aired last week. I
loved that episode. Reading it was fantastic. I almost
felt like 'How did I get this jewel of an episode for
me and Tricia?!' Because we've been really wanting
to have just more relationships with women, and women
together who are not at each other's throats. And I
know a lot of [the storylines] are women and men, men
and men, everybody seems to be at each other's throats,
but in particular, we couldn't find any two women together
that wouldn't be in some type of competition negatively.
And when we finally got to be able to do it and it
wasn't actually two humans, but two cylons, it was
this extra celebration. It was like 'Yes! Hurray! We
finally got it!' and plus, Tricia's an amazing actress.
We didn't really get to see what she was capable of
[before]. Only just teeny bits and pieces and most
people just chalked it up to her looks and like 'Oh,
why does she keep doing that?' But what she does is
pretty phenomenal. To keep it not, like, excruciatingly
boring. Because she's doing the same thing over and
over and she's gotta keep changing it and so, to be
able to work with her and then to flesh out her character
and both of us try to figure out like 'Ok, so this
is what happened in the last three months for my character'
and 'This is what happened with you,' cause we both
had to be cylons or human, we got to be able to play
and talk in that kinda genre together. Because talking
to Katee or Jamie, it'd be different. They don't have
to deal with that. So that was really, it was so fun.
And for third season, well, I can't say anything just
yet, cause you don't know what happens at the end of
second season, but there's a bit of space somewhere
in there --and I won't say exactly how-- that leaves
a lot of room to change for the characters. And what
I would actually really like to see is a different
Sharon, which I mean, the Sharon on Galactica, because
you saw that she lost her baby. She doesn't know any
different and to her, it's gone and to undergo that
kind of grieving, initially when we were filming it,
I thought she was a goner. You know, I'm like 'Oh no,
here she goes again. We're gonna have another suicide
or another total wreck on our hands.' But with the
time and the hiatus I've had, I've actually felt that
she's grown and she'll have a different connection
with God and then with Helo and I'm not sure what their
relationship is gonna be like exactly, but I don't
want it to be a perfect relationship. It never is gonna
be, but I would like to see a growth with her and Helo,
each of them, on their own. Not necessarily together.
And do you think Sharon is going to
find out what actually did happen with her baby?
Oh you know they're gonna make her find
out in some excruciating way. (Laughing) I'm already
like cringing that!
MARY MCDONNELL (Roslin)
Do you want Laura to turn out to be
a cylon?
I don't think about it much. I prefer
not to think about it. It's being asked of me more
and more, because now, of course, she does have cylon
DNA in her and that's going to probably be something
that we have to deal with sooner or later in some way
or another. Would I want her to become a cylon? No,
I don't think so. I think Laura's function in the show,
as far as I can see at the moment, is to hopefully
find a way to grow beyond the prejudice towards the
cylon, as well as maintain leadership. I think that's
her juggling act. I think that that's our job on the
planet right now, and so I love being positioned to
struggle with that issue of being in a position of
leadership and knowing you're trying to survive and
trying whenever possible to rise above survival instincts
and take the higher road. Can Laura get to the point
where she would be fearless enough to allow the cylon
to not be the other, to me, that would be an unbelievably
exciting growth. If she became a cylon, I cannot even
imagine what that would be, so I just don't think about
it.
And they way 'Downloaded' ended, with
Six and Sharon teaming up, it sort of seems like
the series may be heading that way. So you think
Laura will play a part in that?
I don't know if she will be used as an
instrument, or if she'll be used as a detriment in
order to demonstrate what needs to be instrumental,
or some of all of the above. I don't really know. I
think that Laura is a very interesting human being.
A lot of people can relate to how she responds to the
situation, but we don't know at this point where we're
headed. I mean, we have a few outlines that we've seen
for next season, but they're still pretty vague, so
Eddie [James Olmos] and I are kind of sitting there
going 'What? What do you think?! Uhhh, What do you
think's gonna happen?!' You know what I mean? It's
a lot of fun actually. I really don't know where they're
going to take her, but the possibilities are endless
at the moment. And you know, for me, and Laura, as
played and as I experienced it, this gal does not give
up easily. She just doesn't. If she were that kind
of person, there's absolutely no way she would have
been able to grow that quickly into her position. Now
that she is no longer dying, it's a little confusing
for me as an actress because the idea of my mortality
or a shortened existence was central to where I felt
her courage came from. Sort of like a nothing to lose
kind of thing. Get one thing done to save humanity
cause you're goin', so it isn't about you, it's not
about your life, and it's not about politics because
you don't have any. And you don't have an administration
and you don't have any of those things that would normally
surround a president and influence the way they make
a choice. Without that suddenly, and she's alive and
healthy and has cylon DNA, she's walking around a little
bit stumped, and it will be very, very interesting
to see where and when she grounds herself and figures
out 'What's the purpose now?' What is destiny going
to reveal that she is supposed to do next? That's kind
of where she is by the end of season two.
Are you excited about season three?
Yeah, I am. Because we don't know. We
so don't know what's going to happen and we're so all
in it together. And we're so intrinsic to each other
and that's a very exciting thing. We feel so connected.
Nobody knows what's really going to happen to anyone.
I mean, we have little bits and pieces and we'll get
the outlines, but mostly we feel like an ensemble waiting
for the next way to tell the story, waiting for the
next way to keep it relevant. And because the show
has grown so much in popularity, it's being honored
right now in ways that are truly gratifying. This show
is bringing these ideas to the edge of television.
We're in a whole new place now, and that's very exciting.
Are you surprised by how rabid the
fans are?
I'm not surprised by how much people
can love the show because I saw it in the pilot. When
they sent me the pilot, I laughed. I mean, Battlestar
Galactica and me?! I didn't see it at all! I'm like
the real person and the Sci Fi world, to me, was always
so pristine and strange, I said 'Well, what would I
be doing in there?!' But then I read it and I thought
'Oh no, I had this feeling when I read Dances With
Wolves. I had the same feeling. Oh no, no. This is
right there. This is exactly where the culture is.
This is exactly what we need to look at. It's going
to bring up a multitude of things from inside of people's
souls. From out of their consciousness will come their
response to this show. This is right on the edge.'
So I wasn't surprised by that. What I have been delighted
by is the level of commitment and intelligent response
among the fans. Why am I surprised by that? I never
did a television show like this before and I guess
we all have this idea, which is just a terrible prejudice
about Sci Fi geeks. Turns out, wrong. If 'geek' means
smart and articulate and really devoted, we should
all be. You know what I'm saying?! And so I've been
thrilled.
EDWARD JAMES OLMOS (Adama)
Coming toward the end of the second
season, how do you feel about where your character
is at?
It's incredible, to say the least. I'm
stunned by the impact of what is happening to the people
on Galactica. It's tragic. There's no way of understanding
what the future holds in store. It's very, very tragic.
I'm glad that this is happening in this fictionalized
world, rather than us really having to live it. It
would be pretty ugly.
Do you have any hopes for where the
show may go in season three?
I have no hopes whatsoever. I'm left
hopeless, literally. As a character, I'm left hopeless.
I fight every day, but there is no more hope.
And as an actor, what do you hope
for your character?
Well I hope that they don't kill us,
you know? I just hope that we don't die. That's my
only hope. That we can continue to move forward as
a human species and continue to exist as a human race.
And a lot of fans speculate constantly
whether there are other cylons among the regular
cast.
Yes there are. Sure there are.
And do you know who they are?
We have no idea. We have no idea who
will be activated.
Do you ever wonder if your character
may be a cylon?
Certainly. I mean, I don't wonder as
far as myself [is concerned]. For me, it's just a matter
of understanding that I, personally, don't believe
that I am, but then again, I would've said before I
was shot by Boomer that she was not a cylon.
And is it a fear of yours that Adama
may be a cylon?
Certainly. Certainly. Of course. Big
fear.
So you wouldn't want to play Adama
as a cylon?
No, I would rather be a cylon than not,
because I would rather be a cylon and stay on the show
forever than to be knocked off because I'm human! You
know, the cylons are lucky, because they can be rejuvenated,
but us as human beings, we're gone once we're gone.
Well something tells me they're not
going to let you go!
Well, you can never tell. These guys
[Ron Moore and David Eick] are pretty intense. They're
pretty low. They're low life people. They're producers
and writers, low lifes. So I gotta say, I wouldn't
put it past 'em.
RON MOORE AND DAVID EICK
[many spoilers trimmed from this section]
I have a very important fan question: "What
the heck are you guys thinking with Lee and Dee and
'the love that all of a sudden.' I hope that doesn't
mean Dee will meet a sad, sad fate anytime soon.
R: (Laughs) Dee must die! She loves Lee.
She must die. No, we kind of felt that we had played
fair with that. You know, we had seen, like, looks
between the two of them fairly early on in the season.
We had played a couple of those scenes and it's one
of those romances that sort of blossomed underneath
the radar a little bit.
So there's no underlying plan to get
rid of Dee?
R: It does not necessarily mean that
we're going to execute Dee, but you never know! You
know, it depends on Kandyse, if she pisses us off or
not.
If she acts up on set!
R: That's right. If she asks for a raise.
(David and Ron Laughing) |
