Nov 17 | Originally hired as co-executive producer to help with the second half of the show's first season, Kevin Murphy has now taken the reins of Caprica, the Battlestar Galactica prequel on Syfy, according to The Hollywood Reporter. He now serves as an executive producer along with Ronald D. Moore, David Eick and Jane Espenson and oversees the day-to-day functions of the show.
Nov 12 | Star Trek star Zachary Quinto is loosely attached to star in the romantic dramedy Whirligig, reports Risky Business.Quinto would play the lead role in the independent Canadian film, which is aiming to shoot early next year. The movie centers on a man who, in a misguided attempt to woo an older woman, befriends the woman's adopted son.Chaz Thorne is directing the pic, based on a screenplay by Michael Amo, creator of the Canadian supernatural series "The Listener."
Nov 11 | The CNS Foundation, is hosting an on-line charity auction at www.charitybuzz.com. One of the items they are auctioning is a signed movie poster of the new Star Trek movie which has all the cast members and writers. The president of our organization is Carol Abrams, JJ's mother, and she arranged for the donation from Bad Robot Production Company. J.J. Abrams is also a major donor to their organization. The funds raised will go to help find a cure to neurological disorders in children. The auction link is here.
Nov 10 | Candice Bergen, Charles Lisanby, Don Pardo, Gene Roddenberry, Tom and Dick Smothers and Bob Stewart have been selected as the next inductees into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame. They will be honored at a Jan. 20 ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "This year's inductees have challenged and shaped popular culture, changed television for the better and entertained us royally while doing so," TV Academy Chairman-CEO John Shaffner said. More info at the Hollywood Reporter
Nov 08 | Unreality-SF.net has interviewed Star Trerk author James Swallow about some of his upcoming projects. He talks about Titan: Synthesis and Seven Deadly Sins: The Slow Knife, as well as some forthcoming Doctor Who and Stargate stories.
Last weekend the FedCon XIV convention took place in Germany's former capital Bonn. A long list of STAR TREK and other sci-fi stars were announced to meet the fans. Besides ENTERPRISE's Dominic Keating and Jolene Blalock, NEXT GENERATION's Brent Spiner, DEEP SPACE NINE's Andrew J. Robinson and STAR TREK's Leonard Nimoy appeared this year at the annual convention among other actors from the sci-fi genre, such as Kevin Sorbo (HERCULES, ANDROMEDA), Gary Graham (ALIEN NATION, ENTERPRISE) and many more. As a special guest, astronaut Rick Searfoss appeared.
At the press conference, some of the actors spoke about their upcoming projects. Sorbo has already finished a sitcom pilot, centred on an aging quarterback, played by him. Stephen Furst is busy with filming for Sci-Fi Channel. Gary Graham explained that he is still unemployed after ENTERPRISE's cancellation. Graham said "I play the role of an unemployed actor very successfully." Leonard Nimoy is still concentrating on his photography, and in five weeks there will be an exhibition of his work in New York. All of the attending actors (Spiner, Blalock and Robinson missed the press conference) agreed that the STAR TREK franchise is in need of a rest. Still there are no plans about any new series or an eleventh motion picture. STAR TREK insider Richard Arnold told the audience, "There's nothing new," but 'Martok' actor J.G. Hertzler suggested a DEEP SPACE NINE movie.
Jolene Blalock's first panel didn't bring up anything new. She obviously did not feel at home on stage. When asked where she sees the difference between Manny Coto and Rick Berman, she replied "Look at "In a Mirror, Darkly" and look at the final episode. Then you see the difference." Blalock responded to every question, but after a long break the panel session ended in tears. Brent Spiner stepped in. For the usual 'dumb' questions he had stock funny answers. Question: How did you prepare for your role as Arik Soong? Answer: I learned my lines... Question: How do you get your eyes yellow? Answer: They are yellow... something with my liver. But Spiner also had serious answers for the audience. He said that the only missing aspect of 'Data' was "Data, the Opera." Although Data is best friends with his cat, Spot, Spiner didn't like shooting scenes with Spot because the cat had a mind of its own and always caused horrible delays.
The next day, Dominic Keating and Jolene Blalock had their panels. Keating appeared singing, but without Blalock. He sang an alternate version of ENTERPRISE's theme song with the lines "It was not a long road, it was only four years", "I've got tits and ass, just as good as Jolene Blalock; I've got looks and charm, much more than Connor Trinneer; I've got books and smarts, just as much as Doctor Phlox has." After raging applause and laughter, Keating admitted that he still stinks of cancellation. He also told the audience that he knocked down a streetlamp during his first ride on a tank during his time at the British army in Germany. After a few minutes, Ms. Blalock appeared with a little delay, but still seemed to be nervous as the day before.
DEEP SPACE NINE's Andrew J. Robinson revealed that 'Garak' was one of the five most important roles in his career. He had to overcome his claustrophobia because after five hours of make-up he felt buried alive, but he lived the character. His Garak novel, A STITCH IN TIME, will not get a sequel, because he would have to let Garak die and he loves his character too much. Robinson showed himself not only as an actor but also as a person interested in politics. He joined a demonstration against war in Los Angeles and told the audience, "There is a terrorist behind every Bush." He said that he's shaken by the way the American administration plays with the fears of its citizens and how Americans allow them to cut their fundamental rights.
Leonard Nimoy, on Saturday evening, answered audience questions in a very charming way. He said that there was no way to help Spock as he died in STAR TREK: THE WRATH OF KHAN. Somebody wanted to know which question is the best to be asked of William Shatner. Nimoy didn't need to think for long: "Mr. Shatner, are you more jealous about Leonard Nimoy's talent, or his money?" Asked about an idea for a new film, Nimoy said that he liked the fourth film because it worked without any villain, and showed that with only the message "Think peace" whole worlds could be changed. Under raging applause, Nimoy left the stage.
The last one on Saturday was Kevin Sorbo, who revealed that he would like to do a HERCULES movie but nobody has called him yet.
On Sunday, Dominic Keating reappeared on stage, this time with his ENTERPRISE colleague Gary Graham. Keating talked about a little private war he had with Linda Park on the ENTERPRISE sets. This led to nicknames like "Princess Linda" and "Diva Dominic". Answering a question about which storyline he would like to have seen on ENTERPRISE, he said "Meaningless sex with Hoshi... for several episodes." Ironically, Keating stated that he would have become gay if this had happened. Graham talked about his guest appearance on STARKSY AND HUTCH, which meant to be thrown against a wall again and again. "Not funny, but good to remember..." The costumes he had to wear as Soval were very comfortable, and Keating asked at this point about what Vulcans may wear under their robes and if it would be pointed... but Graham didn't answer. Someone asked if the actors would play a scene in a shuttlepod between Soval and Reed as Soval gets Pon Farr. Graham suggested that he may take Hoshi's part, but Keating insists that he's too beautiful to do this. But both were unable to complete their scene, so it ended as a cliff-hanger, to be continued next year: "In a Room, Darkly - In front of a Mirror".
On Sunday, Leonard Nimoy followed Andrew J. Robinson in his political comments about Iraq. He admitted that many people suffered under Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, and that there were too many innocent people killed. He also told the audience about a meeting with Tom Hanks with whom he liked to take a picture. Hanks recognized Nimoy as well, not as Mr. Spock, but as a photographer. "Mr. Nimoy," said Hanks, "you're a great photographer! Might you take a picture of us?" Nimoy surely was happy, that this time someone knows him for his work as photographer and not as Mr. Spock. He hinted also at Leonard Nimoy Photography where you may view his photographs.
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