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Tim Russ ('Tuvok') Online Chat At TrekWeb.COM, August 22nd, 2000

With Special Thanks to Jason Boxman for his assistance during the chat!

<Tim-Russ> Glad to be online with everybody
<SteveKrutzler> SteveKrutzler Asks: I've heard your CD and must say that you have a great singing talent. I know you play rhythm guitar on 
<SteveKrutzler> the album, but do you play any solo, and if so... can you play any Van Halen? (as a guitarist myself trying to master Eddie, 
<SteveKrutzler> I'm always looking for pointers!)
<Tim-Russ> No, I don't play lead as well as Eddie V.H., but I do play it from time to time*
<SteveKrutzler> Kevin Miller Asks: Do you think your character has evolved that much in the last 6 years?
<Tim-Russ> I think given the fact that there are 9 characters to build on in the show, Tuvok has gotten a good  amount of play*
<SteveKrutzler> Sean Asks: Tim-I know this is something that you and a lot of the other actors are always asked, but I'd like to know- ever 
<SteveKrutzler> since Seven of Nine was introduced, you and a lot of the other actors seem to be getting far less screen time than you used 
<SteveKrutzler> to. Do you think this is valid and if so, what are you feelings about it? 
<Tim-Russ> I think because UPN wanted to push the sex symbol aspect of Seven to appeal to young
<Tim-Russ> men ages 18 to 25, they promoted her more when she first came joined the cast.
<Tim-Russ> Also, they had to play catch-up on building her character's past etc.
<Tim-Russ> So she did get more screen time for a season or so*
<SteveKrutzler> Transwarp Asks: Since you have musical talents is Tuvok going to manifest this talent as well and start singing with the 
<SteveKrutzler> Doctor & Seven?
<Tim-Russ> I think we have enough singing on the show already.  The Doc does a great job*
<SteveKrutzler> Bertrand Asks: Would you like to direct an episode of Star Trek Voyager during the final season?
<Tim-Russ> I would very much like to, but it will depend on the show, and the time slot for shooting.
<Tim-Russ> I have to have two light shows for my character in order for me to prep and shot.
<Tim-Russ> It's entirely up to the producers*
<SteveKrutzler> Saintly_odd Asks: Describe yourself in a couple of words....
<Tim-Russ> Realistic, and in the moment*
<SteveKrutzler> shanarah1 Asks: Do you find playing the role of a vulcan to be easier or more difficult than other roles?
<Tim-Russ> The Vulcan is easy for me.  It's just not that much fun as an actor because of the
<Tim-Russ> limited emotional range*
<SteveKrutzler> Bucky Asks: Is Tuvok a facist, or does he just really like his job?
<Tim-Russ> Logic has nothing to do with the personal choice one makes, it only has to do with the
<Tim-Russ> method he chooses to make it happen*
<SteveKrutzler> Jodeo Asks: Hello Tim; Looking back at the first six seasons, have there been plots and storylines -- whether good or not 
<SteveKrutzler> so good -- that you would've handled differently? If so, which episode(s) and what would you have liked to have seen done?
<Tim-Russ> Very early on, when Tuvok went down to that planet to get the technology without the
<Tim-Russ> Captains permission, I wanted to clerify his motives more in the writing, but the
<Tim-Russ> producers would not go for it.
<SteveKrutzler> Chris Asks: Hi Tim. Will Tuvok have a big role in any of the season's first episodes besides Unimatrix Zero p.2?
<Tim-Russ> I just finished an 8 day shood of a Tuvok show entitled, "Repression"  I think you'll like it.
<Tim-Russ> It felt like I was in every scene.*
<Tim-Russ> Whoops I meant "shoot"
<SteveKrutzler> CaptNJR Asks: How did you feel he did on STERN Friday, were you serious about the West Coast rematch? and was he also serious about wanting Howard on VOYAGER?
<Tim-Russ> I was serious about the West coast challenge, as well as the invite to be on the show.
<Tim-Russ> The producers were in agreement with me on it.*
<SteveKrutzler> Klor Asks: Are you still going to do conventions after Star Trek?
<Tim-Russ> As long as I am invited and it works with my schedule.  I've got two already planned
<Tim-Russ> for the Summer of 2001..  one in Blackpool England and one in Australia..*
<SteveKrutzler> Dalendax Asks: Can you tell me something interesting or personal about your Fahrenheit 452, with cast members from Sentinel 
<SteveKrutzler> and Voyager? How does it relate to Fahrenheit 451, which is my favourite book in the universe after 1984? And what do you 
<SteveKrutzler> mean by the most unusual storylines you can come up with? When I think of weird, I usually think of Lexx. And where can I see 
<SteveKrutzler> your show? I can't find it on Galaxyonline.com any more. 
<Tim-Russ> The Art Police should still be on Galaxyonline.com. Remember to go to the "Flash enhanced"
<Tim-Russ> section when you log on.   As for anything personal about doing the show,
<Tim-Russ> there really isn't anything to report yet, as we have only done six episodes.  Your're right
<Tim-Russ> Lexx is very weird.
<SteveKrutzler> Foster Asks: Recently Robert Beltran has been very vocal about Chakotay's shrinking role and his perception of the 
<SteveKrutzler> diminishing quality of the show. How have his comments impacted you and the rest of the cast, and how do you feel about his 
<SteveKrutzler> comments?
<Tim-Russ> Yeah, we had a very good laugh and talked about it one day.  But otherwise, it doen't
<Tim-Russ> really change what we do on the show.  And we know Robert as we have worked with
<Tim-Russ> him for six years already.*
<SteveKrutzler> Agent_01 Asks: How would you like to see Voyager end? What would be the last thing the viewers would see?
<Tim-Russ> The last thing they would see would most likely be a really neat graphic.
<Tim-Russ> If Voyager comes home, It will no longer be the same show or concept. Think about that
<Tim-Russ> for a minute.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> The Caretaker Asks: We heard Tuvok listening to blues and jazz in the episode "Riddles".  Would you care to see the writers 
<SteveKrutzler> explore a jazz-liking or jazz-performing aspect of Tuvok in a future episode (just to hear you perform)?
<Tim-Russ> He listened to that music in an altered state of mind.  I  don't know if the normal Tuvok
<Tim-Russ> would find it as appealing*
<SteveKrutzler> TuvokFan Asks: How did you feel when you found out that Jennifer Lien was to depart from the main cast, and with the introduction of Jeri Ryan, how did this affect the casts dynamics with each other and the actresses?
<Tim-Russ> We were saddened buy her departure, but it was a mutual agreement, and we just kept
<Tim-Russ> on going using the storylines to make the transition.  The dynamics changed only because
<Tim-Russ> there was more focus on Jeri's character for the first two seasons after she started.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> LCDR_malqa Asks: How much practicing did you have to do for the scene with the bat'leth in Barge of the Dead? You handled it so smoothly.
<Tim-Russ> I worked with Dan Curry (special effects) for about two hours or so the day before, and
<Tim-Russ> about 1 hour the next day.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> LadyOfLove Asks: Do you always act serious when shooting, or do you sometimes break out when shooting an episode?
<Tim-Russ> Believe me, there is very little that is serious about us when we shoot, much to the
<Tim-Russ> dismay of our directors and guest actors.
<SteveKrutzler> alex009 Asks: when will tuvok go through the pon far? and will we be seeing anymore of tuvok's past, this year?
<Tim-Russ> He may or may not make it through pon far this season.  According to eh timeline, it
<Tim-Russ> could happen in the next year or so.  Both, questions depend on good stories.
<Tim-Russ> And thank you earlier for the compliment on the Bat'leth.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> Logan Asks: Hey, Tim! Kate Mulgrew was recently quoted as saying that she wants Janeway to "die" at the end of the 
<SteveKrutzler> last episode. I really hope she was kidding. Is there any chance of this happen?
<Tim-Russ> She thought that we might think that Janeway has died at the end of the season as she
<Tim-Russ> sacrifices hereself to bring the ship home.  I understood it to be something she thought
<Tim-Russ> the writers might do.*
<SteveKrutzler> JoshOfBorg Asks: Would you like Voyager to go to the big screen, if so would you like it to happen soon or in a few years?
<Tim-Russ> Sure, it would be great to have be offered work after Voyager in the form of a feature.
<Tim-Russ> But you're asking the wrong person.  We are too far down on the food chain to speculate.*
<SteveKrutzler> DaveJ Asks: Hi Tim.  I recently read your interview in ASTRONOMY, and am a fellow amateur astronomer.  How often do you get 
<SteveKrutzler> to go out to observe?  Also, I know that many of us will miss all of you guys when the show is over.  Any regrets?
<Tim-Russ> I try to go out once a month on the new moon.  I will regret not having a steady gig, and
<Tim-Russ> I will miss the crew I have worked with during these past years.*
<SteveKrutzler> Sooshie Asks: Is it true that Q will be making a guest appearance in one of the last episodes of Voyager?
<Tim-Russ> I have no idea, haven't heard anything about it yet.
<SteveKrutzler> femaleQ Asks: What would you like to see happen to Tuvok when Voyager returns home?
<Tim-Russ> I think I would like to see the same thing everybody else would like, family reunions,
<Tim-Russ> and reporting to Starfleet.  We have a lot of things to tell them all.*
<SteveKrutzler> Colin Garrington (UK) Asks: Do you have any plans after Voyager? If all goes well and Voyager get's home, maybe we will see 
<SteveKrutzler> you guest star in Series 5?
<Tim-Russ> I would like to work in the new show, as well as direct a few episodes.  I hope to be
<Tim-Russ> working on my own projects, features, TV, Internet etc. after Voyager.
<Tim-Russ> The first thing I'm doing is a play down in Austin Texas.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> Saintly_odd Asks: When people tell u that tuvok has had an infulence/big inpact on their lives how do u react to something 
<SteveKrutzler> like that?
<Tim-Russ> It takes you by surprise, because from my perspective it's just work.  It's what I've been
<Tim-Russ> doing for 20 plus years.  You really have to stop and think about it from the fan's point
<Tim-Russ> of view sometimes because I can remember things I watched growing up which made
<Tim-Russ> an impact on me.
<Tim-Russ> *
<SteveKrutzler> Johan Albrechtsen Asks: Of all the non-Voyager Trek appearences you´ve made, which is the one you like best?
<Tim-Russ> I like the music gigs the best, and there have been many. *
<SteveKrutzler> One more question everyone...
<SteveKrutzler> TimRussRules Asks: Tim - I was wondering what can you tell us, or hint at, about Voyager's upcoming and final season?
<Tim-Russ> They don't know what's happening next month much less the end of the season.   The
<Tim-Russ> writer/producers have all the power*
<SteveKrutzler> I would like to thank Tim Russ taking the time to do this chat after a busy day shooting Voyager! 
<Tim-Russ> Thank you all for watching Voyager and for some of you The Art Police.  I hope you
<Tim-Russ> like the upcoming episodes!*
<SteveKrutzler> Stay tuned for the winners of the autographed copies of Tim's new CD!
<SteveKrutzler> Here are the winners...
<SteveKrutzler> DiLynn05
<SteveKrutzler> and
<SteveKrutzler> dtam0
<SteveKrutzler> You guys will be emailed!
<SteveKrutzler> May the talking commence...
Session Close: Wed Aug 23 00:07:58 2000