By GustavoLeao / 07:31, 9 January 2009 / General Star Trek

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TrekWeb talks to actor/producer J.T. Tepnapa, who plays Lt. Corey Aster in the fan production series Star Trek Hidden Frontier and Star Trek The Helena Chronicles and also plays the new Hikaru Sulu in Phase 2 (formely New Voyages).

1-J.T., what is your background as an actor and producer?

I started off acting in my freshman year of high school at my teacher's urgings. I had never acted before but the thought of trying it really fascinated me. I remember being so nervous in the audition room. My left leg actually lifted off the ground and I was shaking. I knew I would be relegated to chorus. Surprisingly, I was given a pretty big acting part. I love my teacher, she must have seen something in me I couldn't see...either that or the seniors really sucked that year.

Over the years, I gained more confidence. I finally decided to take acting in college. It was very difficult because everyone was great. And I wasn't really anything special. It was a rough time. After I graduated, I was a bit lost, but an actor, Travis Michael Holder, found me and told me I should be moving to Los Angeles and taking acting classes. He set me up with an agent, apartment, and classes. Later, I cast him in one of my films. But you know, I should really thank him. If it weren't for Travis, I wouldn't even be here giving this interview!

Well, I wasn't exactly happy with the parts I was getting through my agent, Gang Member, Kitchen Cook, and Runaway. And I was getting older, yet my agent continued to send me out as a young teenager. Fed up with it all, I realized that if I wanted to play the parts I wanted to play then I would have to produce the films myself. So from there I wrote, directed and produced my first short film, Sunflowers.

2- Can you describe the character of Lt. Corey Aster for us?

I see Corey as an incurable romantic with a heart of gold and a work ethic that rivals any worker in our modern day society. I suppose Starfleet is full of workaholics.  From the first appearance of Corey Aster, he has been a gay man. I think that's an important element to his character that has ruffled a lot of feathers throughout the years of HFP, but by no means his only character trait. But I think it the drive to his decisions. He's an orphan, so he's always looking for a surrogate family. And when things rock his core, he dives into work as a distraction. I tend to be at odds with him at times. He tends to create his own pity party of one before he gets out of it. If I knew him, I might slap him a few times. But at the same time, I don't think I could ever have a more loyal friend in Corey. I would trust him with my life.

3- How did you get the role? You are also a producer, writer and director at Hidden Frontier Productions.

An actor is always begging for a role. I had met Rob Caves a year before Hidden Frontier's first season.  He was looking for new actors to be in a Star Trek club episode. Of course, I begged for a part and he had Corey Aster to offer. Although he was not "gay" in the episode, I think Rob wanted him to have a relationship with one of the actors in the Star Trek club.  Several years later, when Hidden Frontier was being produced, Rob asked me to reprise my role as Aster in the episode "Encke", but this time as a gay Starfleet officer crushing on Ensign Ro Nevin.  The episode caused quite a stir, but I started appearing more and more. I was never officially a writer for HFP, but I did try to steer my character and the characters I loved in more realistic situations, so that lead itself on writing or re-writing a handful of scenes over Hidden Frontier's seven year course.  I found a new love in directing through HFP. Even though I directed a few shorts outside of Hidden Frontier, I really found my passion directing episodes. I love actors. I love the way they think and create a scene. I was a very strict director at first, but I think HFP allowed me to explore new ways to get what you want from an actor. I really have Rob to thank for allowing me to explore. As for producing, people tend to fall in and out of that on HFP. It's really a matter of how much you can give to a production. It's a show that is produced with the smallest of budgets, but the biggest of heart. We give as much as we can. I just do not have time and money as I did before, as of now, I'm consider myself a struggling artist working to get that next big project in production. But I love my character and I want to see it run its course. I don't think I could ever give that up.

4- Were you aware of the Star Trek franchise and its legacy before joining Hidden Frontier ?

I get this question a lot. I suppose many actors who join this world do not know a lot about Star Trek. However, my mother was the source of Star Trek. I grew up watching all the episodes of TNG and VOY. My mother had a double love affair with Spock and Sulu. She was so distraught with death of Spock in Star Trek 2. Every time she watched the scene with the bagpipes she would cry. Unfortunately she passed away to cancer. But I have to thank Star Trek HFP bringing us closer together. There would be days she would not recognize me. I would put on an old episode of Hidden Frontier on my laptop and watch our episodes together. Although, she may not have recognized me, she certainly recognized Corey Aster as her son. For her funeral, I had a bagpiper play Amazing Grace.  Star Trek is really a gift from her.

5- Are you looking foward to return to the character in the upcoming second season of Helena Chronicles ?

Absolutely! It's going to be a rocky ride for Corey. He's use to getting what he wants. The outcome of the end of season one has really taken Corey in a forgotten place. We just finished the opener of Helena Chronicles's principal photography last month. As an actor, I was handed some very powerful yet subtle scenes, of course as a character I think Corey has some serious issues to work out.

6- What can you reveal to us about the second season of Helena Chronicles and Odyssey and Aster role in those two series?

I usually a very bad person to ask, or good depending on your perspective, I tend to give big hints. But since our producers are reading this, I best keep it to myself. Hmm, on second thought, I might have spilled a little with the question above. Let's just say Corey Aster is a man in pain and without a family. What would you do?

7- Tell us about your new role as Hikaru Sulu on James Cawley's Star Trek Phase II/New Voyages.

Oh My gosh, I am so excited to play Sulu. It's a role that I have wanted to play since the beginning of NV/P2. But I was too shy to ask. John Lim was wonderful in World Enough in Time, so I have big shoes to fill. But I'm happy to jump into an iconic character and make it my own. I'm not sure if fans will like me right away. But hopefully, I will grow on them. I obviously see a lot of parallels between George Takei, and myself and I can't help but make comparisons. Being a gay man playing a straight character. Although, I'm not Japanese, I'm Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Irish, German, and bit of American Indian. I feel I represent Roddenberry original intent of have an actor that represents much of Asia. Now my only wish is to still meet the man I admire so much for so many years.

As for NV/P2, I've shot two episodes thus far. Neither of which is their already critically acclaimed episode Blood and Fire. I'm kicking myself on that one. I have a walk-on role, but I wish I could have been more a part of that. My episodes are called Enemy Starfleet and The Child. My favorite of the two is The Child, but that's because I get to sit in the captain's chair a lot! James Cawley has to frequently kick me out of his chair. I tend to do a lot of my rehearsing and relaxing in his chair. The show feels strangely like coming home. Like stepping into a piece of my own mother's history.

8-  Here is a question I asked Helena Chronicles and Odyssey producer Rob Caves and I want to ask you too. The production values on Star Trek The Helena Chronicles are very high state-of-the-art special effects, good acting and directing, beautiful musical scores. Still a lot of fans have a prejudice against fan films. Do you know why?

It's not Star Trek. Or its not Star Wars, or wonderwoman, or Xena. Or any other fans films that are created out love of its original. People have their prejudices already built in. Some fans want to see the real deal. The million-dollar show that has the actors they loved with settings they know. A fan series can only approximate that. But by it's own definition it cannot stand alone, but on the coattails of what it is emulating. The fans that can look beyond the Hollywood actors and big budgets will be able to enjoy the heart of fan films. But it's not easy for a lot people, because you have to accept fan films for what they are. You have to ignore the low budget, and focus on the story that's being told. Personally I believe if the story is good, then its good. It's that simple for me.   

Although not impervious to Fan Film Angst, James Cawley's NV/P2 gets a lot of love for his projects, because he puts attention to detail in sets, costume and even brings aboard Star Trek actors and writers, fans already know. But then is it still a fan film? Or is it now some kind of hybrid? They call in independently produced Star Trek.

At any rate, it's the bridge of accessibility. And Fan films normally do not have that bridge people can cross. For the true fans of shows like HFP, it's a leap of faith. But once you get hooked on our show, you will fall in love with the characters. And you can forgive a little green screen action, and not seeing Patrick Stewart walk on screen. Actually, Patrick Stewart might be a major distraction for HFP.

9- What are your future projects?

I will continue my Star Trek roles with both Star Trek: Helena Chronicles and Star Trek: Phase 2. Actually, I cannot get enough of Star Trek. I'll have a cameo on a Swedish Star Trek fan film called Star Trek: Gatekeeper. I've never been to Sweden! It will be a fun trip.

Outside of the Star Trek Community, I keep a very active role in LGBT cinema. I just finished working as a set decorator on a family comedy, called Make the Yuletide Gay with special cameo by our very own Gates Mcfadden.

I also have my own DVD out on Amazon.com and TLAvideo.com called Begging for Shorts. It's a collection of all my short films including commentary. And now, after five short films, I feel like we need to grow as company. I'm currently working on my first feature film with co-producer and Star Trek fan, Carlos Pedraza called Judas Kiss. It's a drama with a scifi/fantasy twist. It's a bit like A Christmas Carol meets Sliding Doors with a few gay characters.

We created http://www.judaskissmovie.com/ devoted completely to the making of the Judas Kiss from star to finish. We have blogs, podcasts, forums, and contests. At this point we are working on latest draft and enticing investors and fans to come join us on the adventure. It's amazing how many people believe in what we are doing. It's really the other way around, I believe in fans. Without people who love these shows, we wouldn't be here doing what we do.  I'm always grateful to the people who have supported my passion. My repayment is to create memorable characters and produce films that they will enjoy and share with their family and friends.

Thank you Gustavo, I enjoyed retelling some of my stories and even finding some new revelations in a few of them.