By GustavoLeao / 01:12, 23 June 2010 / General Star Trek

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Interview by Gustavo Leao and Bill Williams

TrekWeb talks to Star Trek Deep Space Nine actress Chase Masterson about her new movie Yesterday Was a Lie, now out on DVD, and her time in the Star Trek franchise.

How did you first get started in acting? What led you to pursue an acting career?

My Mom was a theatre director, and I grew up doing theatre since I was five. Acting was really the only career I ever envisioned having while growing up, but I never thought of doing film, only theatre, my first love. Now I love them both for different reasons. I've always felt that theatre & film were the most powerful, effective form of communication to an audience - that's the attraction.

What can you tell us about Yesterday Was A Lie?

Yesterday Was a Lie is a film noir, shot in classic black and white. It is science fiction, and it uses quantum mechanics as a metaphor for human relationships. But while it's very heady, the film also has strong emotional elements. It can be absorbed from many different angles -- in fact, it has to be. So it's a risky film to have made. But that's also why it has been popular with genre-loving audiences -- you guys are both smart and heartful enough to get it.

But be prepared when you watch it - the film raises more questions than answers. And we're not afraid to challenge our audience.

Your character is a jazz Singer.  Please describe her to us.

Singer is a mystery woman whom Kipleigh Brown's character, Hoyle, encounters while she's on her quest to understand some strange time manipulations that she's experiencing, along with a sense of altered reality. Kipleigh brings a perfect balance of strength and vulnerability to the role of Hoyle, a richness which the script demands; when critics tout her work as being reminiscent of Bacall, they're right on target. And the chemistry between Hoyle and Singer is palpable; it's also fundamental to this story, as you'll see upon watching the film.

Although my character's name is simply "Singer," it's the 2nd lead -- all of the characters Hoyle meets have names like "Singer" or "Trenchcoat Man" or "Lab Assistant." It sounds very basic, but it's perfect for the context of the film.

You first meet Singer in a jazz club. I sing four songs in the film, which was a treat, and three of the songs are jazz, which is the music I love to sing (I have three jazz CD's). Singer has a spiritual side, and she has a mischievous side. She has a nurturing side - but she also has a passion for the truth, and she's willing to tell it. Singer is a multifaceted role, and I identify with her very strongly.

You also produced the movie. Tell us about that.

I didn't mean to produce YESTERDAY WAS A LIE -- in fact, I tried not to. After I was cast, the producers fell out, which is Hollywood-ese for quit. I told James that I would help them find a producer. Through relentless phone calls & emails, I found 37 line producers and we interviewed them, and each of them turned down the job because the film's budget wasn't high enough -- they said you'll never make this high-concept film on this budget.

I love a good dare, so I did it. I had never produced on this level before, but I'd been around enough to know the elements that were needed and where to find them. And piece by piece, the film got made. The budget was less than $200,000, which is nearly unheard of for this type of stylistic film - and that's one reason we're glad that it has been so successful.

How was working with director James Kerwin on the movie?

James is an extraordinarily visionary writer/director, with a huge attention to the kind of detail you don't often find in TV -- and his vision extends to literally every detail in the film. There is nothing that isn't purposeful -- YESTERDAY WAS A LIE is filled with complexity, symbolism. That's delicious for an actor.

Plus, he's hot. Not a bad combination.

Regarding Yesterday was a Lie, were you pleased with the final product, now out on DVD ?

Very. The process of both producing and acting was extremely challenging, due to the extremely high concept and low budget. But James & I had a relentless call to excellence, because the project deserved it. And it's great to see all the hard work pay off in terms of critical acclaim.

Tell us about what led to your casting as Leeta on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine".

Actually, DS9 is the main show I prayed to be on, largely because the stories of Star Trek are so prolific. So I made it a point to meet the casting director, Ron Surma, at a pay-to-meet showcase. Through that, I got an audition for the role of Mardah in the 2nd season.

The role came down to me and one other actress. Apparently Avery (who directed that episode) admitted at a con that he wanted them to cast me as a regular love interest for Sisko! THAT would've been something, wouldn't it.

Anyway, then I got called in for the role of Leeta. After I had been on the show for two years, Ira Behr told me that they wrote the role of Leeta for me.

Had you been a Star Trek fan before being cast on DS9?

During Next Gen, I had a boyfriend who was such a Trek fan that I was only allowed to call him during commercials. That's actually why I started watching, so I would know when the commercials were. Kinda stupid on my part, huh? But that's how I really realized that the stories were so strong. (It was also my first clue into the phenomenon of fandom.) ;-)

Who would you say were your favorite series co-stars to work with and why?

Working with seasoned actors such as Rene Auberjonois was an excellent experience. I mean, he worked with Hepburn, knew the Gershwins. And after I got my degree in acting, most of my classmates went on to get their Masters at Julliard (where Rene has taught) and I came to LA to do TV. And because of Nana's experience on Broadway - I had seen her dance in a Broadway musical when I was a kid - I would pick her brain about the intersection between theatre & film. So I consider all that a bit of my own, hands-on Masters course.

And I loved working with Max Grodenchik - he's such a good soul, and he really became Rom from the inside out when he had that makeup on. And it was great working with Armin. He was very gracious, very welcoming of Max and me - and that can really help a recurring actor find a comfort level amongst the regular cast.

And I gotta mention working with Wally Shawn. What an indescribably fine and fun actor. I used to stay late to see him, even if I'd already worked a 14-hour day. Every take, he was pee-in-your-pants-funny.

I also reveled in being directed by LeVar and some of the other actors; LeVar is such a vastly creative person on so many levels, it was great to see him in action at the helm. Working with directors who are also actors can be a very rewarding process, they bring a richness to the material that you don't find with directors who approach it from a primarily technical pov.

What was it that made your character of Leeta a fascinating role to play?

Although Leeta didn't get to display the kind of strength I would have liked, she was a study of opposites. As a Bajoran Dabo girl, she's both fun and highly spiritual. She dresses sexily, but she's smart enough to know how to approach Dr. Bashir. It wasn't "hey, Baby..." it was more coy, sweeter. While she was an employee who was fairly low on the totem pole, she was willing to risk everything to do the right thing and stick up for the Ferengi union. And while Leeta loved Rom with such commitment, she was no push-over. She stood up for what she believed was right in the pre-nuptual issues involving latinum and clothing as a Ferengi wife. And now she's the wife of the Grand Nagus. Dabo-girl-turned-First Lady-of-the-Ferengi-Empire. There are worse jobs.

Leeta was very much a comedic character, and I'm wondering if you ever longed for a stronger, action-type role?

Truthfully? I've never said this in an interview before, but here goes. Let's face facts: Leeta was initially there for one reason. Eye candy is important in TV, and busty girls somehow never fail to boost ratings. And it's nice that Leeta went from being a lowly Dabo girl to marrying the underdog Ferengi brother - that move was very indicative of the "things aren't what they initially seem" concepts in Trek.

But as far as deep emotional development, there was a lot to be desired. Yes, Leeta provided comic relief, but it was farce - and stylistically, that would never fly on TV these days, now that audiences have developed a taste for grittier sci-fi, like Battlestar.

So I've found my role in Trek to be a double-edged sword. I love being part of such a legacy. But it has also been limiting. Casting directors don't generally realize that Leeta is only one of many roles I've played that have a huge range of diversity: a driven social worker, a bratty TV journalist, a risk-taking pilot, a grief-stricken Mom in the Emmy-winning episode of ER. And now a deeply empathic, mischievous torch singer in YESTERDAY WAS A LIE.

There, I said it. I loved Leeta, but yes, there's a lot more strength and depth here - both onscreen and off - than I was able to show with her. It's frustrating to have a reputation within the industry or within fanbases for doing that kind of limited role - Leeta was part of who I am, but it doesn't stop there.

What were some moments that stand out in your mind?

One bittersweet memory is from the final day of shooting, when Jimmy was singing "The Way You Look" It couldn't have been more relevant -- not just to the show, but to us. The poignant moments of shooting Dogs of War and Favor the Bold come to mind, as well as Sacrifice of Angels. Powerful stuff.

But there were other favorite moments, too, off-camera, like in the makeup trailer with everybody in the morning, running lines. There was really good, creative energy.

What do you miss the most about DS9 ?

I miss being at Paramount on a regular basis. Getting to work before dawn, when the moon is still out, feeling the history and the spirit of the Paramount lot in the silence before most anyone else is even awake.

And I miss the people. Thankfully, Star Trek is one of those extremely rare shows that we'll never truly have to leave behind (as the last episode of DS9 is entitled), because we see each other at conventions, and because the fans are so gracious. So I miss it -- we all do -- but it's still very present.

One of your more diverse moments was as Commander Leeta in the series' final Mirror Universe segment, "The Emperor's New Cloak". What was it like to put a different spin on a familiar character?

Well, it's always fun to surprise an audience -- and I think that scene surprised them in more ways than one. It's funny, we had more buzz about that one little scene than almost any singular scene I shot, except maybe Leeta & Rom's getting together. Sex sells, as they say...

Do you still keep in contact with any of your co-stars to this day?

Yes, we see each other at conventions all the time, and there's a great camaraderie -- you don't get that with every show. Because we loved doing the show, we have a special place inside for everybody who worked on it.

How has Deep Space Nine opened doors in your acting career?

The science fiction fanbase is very faithful - it's a treat to have, and I thank God that I'm a part of the Trek legacy. That's one of the reasons that I wanted to be on the show, because I knew it would open doors in other science fiction projects. And it has.

You returned to the Star Trek universe playing a deadly Orion Slave Girl in the independent production Star Trek Of Gods and Men. Did you had fun with that role, which was so different from Leeta ?

Yes, I got into Xela. Definitely a far cry from Leeta, Xela is dark inside, due to having to use her survival instincts on such a regular basis. That makes her move differently, speak differently. And Xela was street-smart  (or "ship smart?"). I approached her with the mind-set that she was highly influential in the decisions that Harriman made -- far from being a slave, I think Xela was intelligent enough to turn the tables on that one. You don't get to be the Captain's slave girl for nothing. So it was fun, getting to roll all that into one.

In closing, what advice can you give to aspiring actors and actresses looking to break into the industry?

I'll tell you what one of my first drama teachers told me: don't do it unless you have to. It is a very difficult business to be in, and if you're there because you want to be famous, you probably won't last long. Those may be tough words to hear, but the rejection and the amount of sheer hard work can be so grueling that there really has to be a stronger reason to stay.

You know deep down if this art and business is in your blood, and when you can't even imagine being happy in another line of work -- when part of you longs to be at even just a rehearsal more than anywhere in the world. If that's who you are, then do it with all you've got, and don't take no for an answer. No matter what anyone says, keep your passion and your faith. And chances are good that you will work. Persistence, talent, skill, strategy. Success in this business is a combination of all of those things. But in order to be fulfilled, you have to be more than "successful." You have to have joy in the work, not just enjoy when you're winning. When you revel in the fact that you're getting a chance to create -- whether it's for an audition or for a sweeps week episode -- that's real success.

Two last things: I think the revamp that's happening with The Federation is a smart endeavor, and I'm looking forward to being a part of it. Check out http://www.trekfederation.com/.

And one think I greatly respect is Trek fans' support for key, real-life issues - it's a blessing to be able to help. My fanclub is constantly raising money for charity through picture & CD sales - check out http://chaseclub.com/auto.htm.

Thanks so much, TrekWeb! And special thanks to Gustavo and Bill for the excellent questions.

Thank you, Chase !

The trailer to Yesterday Was a Lie can be found at Apple.

The offficial website to the movie is at YesterdayWasaLie.com