INTERVIEW: ECCC 09 – A Conversation With Aaron Douglas

ECCC 09: A Conversation With Aaron Douglas
By Joseph Dilworth Jr.
Date: April 16, 2009
Source: Pop Culture Zoo

 

Over the last decade, Canadian actor Aaron Douglas has had several prominent guest-starring roles on many high profile television series. Six years ago the Vancouver, British Columbia native landed the role of Chief Galen Tyrol in the re-imagined version of Battlestar Galactica. We caught up with Aaron at this year’s Emerald City ComiCon in Seattle, Washington and he graciously agreed to chat with us about BSG and where you will see him next.

 

Have you been to Seattle before?

Yeah, I live in Vancouver, I come down for Mariners games and Seahawks games. I probably get down four or five times a year. I love Seattle, Seattle’s gorgeous. The restaurants are great, the people are lovely, obviously. Seattle is very much like Vancouver. Same kind of city.

 

BSG is done. That show had to have been a lot of work, a physically demanding, emotionally demanding, mentally demanding show.

Absolutely. Six years of getting put through the ringer day after day. Our writers are unbelievable. The stories mirror our real lives so much, a lot of it was really difficult to do, but exhilarating and fantastic. I’m really proud of the show, really proud of the work. It’s over, but it’s a good thing.

 

What did you think when you got the first script, where you familiar with the first Battlestar Galactica?

Oh yeah! No, I grew up on the old show. I read the mini-series and I thought that it could be really great. It’s a weird thing, you know, you read all kinds of scripts. I’ve read scripts that are fantastic, but the movie turns out to be a piece of crap and I’ve read scripts that are kind of so-so and, for some reason, it just works. You have no idea what’s going to really happen. It really depends on the actors, the crew, the director and then sort of tweaking as you go along. It’s a really interesting process.

 

Was it a little more appealing because it wasn’t hardcore sci-fi where you were going to be having pages of techno-babble?

Thank god I didn’t get the Gaeta role for sure! The techno-babble is tough stuff. The great thing about our show was it was really just a human drama that just happens to take place on a spaceship. So, it could be anywhere, on a battleship, it could be in a conference center, it could be anything. What’s so great about the show is the human drama and the interaction in the relationships. And that we don’t have green monsters.

 

Were you surprised or did you find out ahead of time that the Chief was going to be a Cylon?

They sat us down the day of the read-through before we started shooting that episode and told us initially. I didn’t like it at first, but I sure like it now.

 

It played out pretty well.

Absolutely, absolutely.

 

And in the finale episode the Chief gets to be the first Highlander.

That was my idea!

 

Excellent!

Yeah, Ron [Moore] wrote it to be Vancouver Island. The dialogue I think in the script was, “The last raptor out tomorrow is going to drop me off on an island off the northern continent.” My mind immediately went, “Scotland!” because I’m a Douglas and I’m fiercely, fiercely proud of my Scottish heritage. I called Ron and I asked if it was Scotland and he went, “Oh, ummm…” and I said, “Can it be Scotland?!?” He said he was thinking more of it being Vancouver Island as an homage and I went, “No, no, no, Scotland, Scotland!” So he sure, of course. I ad-libbed the part about the Highlands and a few other things and that’s what it became. I then talked to Bear McCreary and told him the island I’m going to off the northern continent is Scotland and so then he put in the bagpipes and the Celtic flute, which I just loved. I can’t hear that stuff without crying, it just melts my heart. It’s in my blood and DNA. Bear is such a genius and it was so wonderful of him to put that in. It was very, very cool.

 

As the show went on, I was starting to wonder if we’d get to the end and still like any of the characters. Every one of these characters did something reprehensible…

What the hell did I do?? What did the Chief do that was reprehensible?

 

He killed one of the Number Eight Cylon models to replace Boomer in prison so she could escape.

(pause) Ok, fair enough. (laughs)

 

And then she absconded with Hera!

Yeah, well that’s true. He didn’t know she was taking Hera, though. He just whacked some Cylon.

 

Has there ever been anything in the show where you were like “Guys, are we sure we want to do this?”

No, I love all of that stuff. The more difficult it is to watch or read, the better it is, because it just gives you more to play and it’s more interesting. I mean, people in life are really screwed up. It really mirrors life. Not everybody is good, everybody has sides of themselves that are good and not so good. That’s really what it was.

 

Especially in the situation that the characters were in, that seems how people would behave instead of being a merry crew.

And that’s what they wanted to match, they wanted to match real life.

 

You have a new show, The Bridge. You get to be a cop in that one?

I play a guy who was a cop for eighteen years and becomes head of the police union for six. It’s based on a real guy. So, it’s the story of him being a beat cop and then also being head of the union and dealing with all the brass, all the bullshit they go through. The pilot’s amazing. Fortunateky, I have the creator of the show also being the guy who I’m playing. He’s on set everyday and he’s a great resource.

 

So, it’s based on a true story?

Based on a real guy, yep. It premieres July 9th on CBS after CSI. Thursdays at 10:00PM.

 

You’re also working on Emissary?

Yeah, yeah, we won’t start shooting Emissary until the Fall. That’s going to be a direct-to-iTunes show. That’s with Phil Morris and Thaao Penghlis. It’s sort of a sci-fi thriller and should be really, really interesting. (pause) I play a cop in that too. (laughs) I can’t get away from being a cop.

 

Cool. Well, that’s all I have for you. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to me.

Not at all, it was nice to meet you. Thank you.

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Homorazzi (March 28, 2009) Juno Awards 2009

Below are two videos of Aaron being interviewed by Homorazzi at the Juno Awards (March 28, 2009).

 

Homorazzi Hangs with Aaron Douglas

As you may know, many of us here at Homorazzi.com have been avid fans of Battlestar Galactica since the show first aired 4 years ago, so it’s no surprise that we were thrilled at the chance to hang out with Aaron Douglas this weekend at the Artist Sanctuary party for the Juno Awards!

For those less-seasoned BSG fans, Aaron played Chief Galen Tyrol who has played an integral role throughout the series. Most recently, in the last season of the show, “the Chief” was identified as one of the final 5 cylon models, which afforded Aaron some great opportunities to flex his serious acting muscles with some very challenging scenes. If you haven’t watched the series, you’re missing out and should definitely get into it.

In addition to our on-screen love of Aaron for his involvement with BSG, our time spent with him at The Artist Sanctuary only made us love him even more. He’s AWESOME!! You’ll see from the interview clip below, he’s really friendly and we had a lot of laughs both on and off camera all day. After our interview, the beautiful Kandyse McClure also showed up to the party (more on that interview to come) and the two of them together were hilarious. We were laughing and joking the whole day and Aaron is definitely in tune with the gay scene… just wait until you see some of the future clips with Kandyse!

Next up for Mr. Douglas is a lead role on the new show The Bridge which is based on the life of Craig Bromell of the Toronto police force and if Aaron brings to it the same skill and talent that he brought to Battlestar, the show is destined to be a success!

Source: Homorazzi Hangs with Aaron Douglas

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Battlestar Galactica – Season 4 Video Interview with Aaron Douglas

The SciFi Australia website has posted some video interviews with the cast. There are three videos … Keepsakes, Memorable Moments and What Will You Miss Most?

The cast members in the videos are … Aaron Douglas, Michael Hogan, Michael Trucco, Lucy Lawless and Rekha Sharma.

I have edited the videos to just Aaron’s interviews. You can download that HERE.

Remember awhile back how we did that poll about “Which look do you prefer on Aaron?”. How he looks in these videos, THIS is my favourite look on him (short hair and unshaven). This is perfection. Dear Gods, please send me that cylon copy. stat :)

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/158567.html

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Battlestar Galactica – What Will You Take Home?

Thanks to SevorTB (ddt73 on skiffy) here is a video where Katee and Aaron answer the question … What Will You Take Home?


“I’m taking a Viper and putting it in my garage. Absolutely”

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/158353.html

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INTERVIEW (AUDIO): It’s All Geek To Me (March 14-15, 2009)

It’s All Geek To Me
Dallas All-Con 2009
March 14-15, 2009
0:18:03
16.5 MB

The guys from It’s All Geek To Me interviewed Aaron at Dallas All-Con (March 2009). During their live broadcast on Saturday, Aaron drops by for a quick chat (3 minutes) and he comes back the next day to do an interview with them (15 minutes). I’ve edited those two podcasts together so it’s just the Aaron interviews.

 

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/164622.html

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Movie Geek Feed (March 13 – 15, 2009) Dallas All-Con 2009

Movie Geek Feed have posted a video interview with Aaron from Dallas All Con 2009 (March 13 – 15, 2009).

 

Interview with Battlestar Galactica’s Aaron Douglas at Dallas All Con 2009

Video Description: Our good buddy Casey Corpier from Triple C Productions worked overtime to get this little gem edited and ready to go. Here it is. On the eve of the final episode of Battlestar Galactica, we are posting our interview with Chief Tyrol himself – Mr. Aaron Douglas. We caught up with him this last weekend at Dallas All-Con 2009 and had a chance to sit and chat a bit about BSG, the upcoming Galactica movie The Plan, and his new lead role in the TV series The Bridge.

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/159759.html

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INTERVIEW: Exclusive Final Five Interviews, Pt. 1

Exclusive Final Five Interviews, Pt. 1
By: Bear McCreary
Date: February 13, 2009
Source: Bear McCreary’s BSG Blog

Note: The below is a copy and paste of just Aaron’s answers. To read the full interview, click HERE.

 

In the mid-season premiere, Sometimes a Great Notion, we learned remarkable truths about Earth, the Cylons and the Final Five. Now that the mutiny of the past three episodes is finally resolved, No Exit and next week’s Deadlock fill in the back story and details of the lives of the Final Five.

To pay tribute to these two Cylon centered episodes, I present an Exclusive Interview with the Actors Behind the Final Five! This week, I spoke with Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol), Michael Trucco (Sam Anders) and Rekha Sharma (Tory Foster).

 

Bear McCreary: How did the Cylon reveal change your approach to your character?

My acting approach is one that is quite different from other people I have spoken with. I really don’t make conscious choices about things, I just say the words. This time was different, I decided that the revelation to Tyrol that he is a Cylon was like an epiphany to him in terms of looking back on his life it suddenly all made sense. It was his “AH HA!” moment. “That is why all of that has happened, that is why I have been feeling out of place, etc”. I made that choice, the cosmic joke revealed as Bradley and David put it.

 

Bear: When and how did you first find out? What was your initial reaction? Were you as surprised as the audience when you found out you were a Cylon?

I was officially informed just before the read-through in December when we were shooting that episode but I had seen a piece of paper that I was not supposed to see in September and I had to keep my mouth shut for months before finally calling Ron and asking him, “What the FRAK?!?!” I initially really disliked the idea as I felt that they were taking a character that the fans really related to and had quite an affection for and were making him into something they would shun and dislike. I also realized that no one would humanize the Cylons more than the Chief so I appreciated the choice from that standpoint. After speaking with Ron for an hour on the phone, having him patiently listen to me and explain his side I was on board and eager to see what was coming in season 4, and I was truly not disappointed.

 

 

Bear: Has your character taken turns you ever disagreed with? Have you ever been frustrated or angry with your character?

No. I don’t think so. There have been things that I have questioned but Battlestar had the most gracious and open writing staff and producers that would take genuine time to listen to you and your thoughts and help you understand the path that your character was on and why Tyrol was doing what he was written to do. That and 9 times out of 10, if I found a piece of dialogue or action that I didn’t like I would just change it on the day. It is easier to get forgiveness than permission… ha

 

Bear: Do you feel sympathetic to the Cylon plight, or do you empathize more with the humans? In the same situation as your character, could you forgive the Cylons and join up with them?

I see both sides. It would be hard to choose. I could not join Cavil but perhaps the others. I could see my way into finding bipartisanship as it were and joining forces with the idea of a better future.

 

Bear: What has been your favorite scene to play in the series?

The scene with Mary at the end of the episode ‘Dirty Hands.’ I will never forget what it felt like to sit quietly with the most beautiful, lovely, talented, gracious, patient, wonderful actress I have ever met. She is an absolute delight. That will be with me all of my days.

 

Bear: In terms of your acting process, what was the most difficult scene for you to connect with emotionally?

All of the beginning of season 2. Unbeknownst to Ron and the writers my wife passed away on the hiatus between season 1 and 2 and for the first 4 episodes of season 2 someone was about to die, was dying or had just died and Tyrol was dealing with that. It was a tough few months.

 

 

Bear: What role in your career was the biggest stretch for you?

I think there have been many times when a director has had a very specific idea of what he wanted, that combined with the lack of trust or respect that Canadian actors get from most Hollywood directors has led to a stifling of my creativity that I just could not understand and had a very hard time dealing with. So often Canadian actors are looked down upon by people flying up to do a movie or an episode of a television show. That is the real stretch for me. Keeping my mouth shut and trying to figure out just what it is they are asking me to do. So often they have no ability or desire to communicate with actors so they just yell, say nothing or are so dismissive and condescending that you just give up and get out of the way. I think the greatness of Battlestar Galactica started with Ron’s writing, moved to wonderful casting and then to Ron, David and Michael giving the freedom to the actors they had, no matter their nationality, to create. It so rarely happens and it is so often overlooked.

 

Bear: Have the fans reacted differently to you since you were outed as a Cylon?

They all say, “Dude, it totally sucks that you are a Cylon.”

 

Bear: What’s the most memorable interaction with fans you’ve ever had?

I love the fans, I love going to the cons but my favorite thing is doing the Q&A panels and telling them funny stories and listening to them laugh and laugh.

 

 

Bear: What’s an interesting experience you’ve had hanging out with any other cast members?

Every experience is a study in fascinating idiocy. ha. My fondest memories are with Jamie and James either at James’ house or Jamie’s house drinking wine till the wee hours. Sitting down for the most interesting conversation combined with a spread created by Loretta that would rival anything from a King’s court. Tahmoh in Atlanta at Dragoncon. Relaxing by the pool with Tricia and taking care of her cats. Lunch with Katee on Sunset. My sweet extra long hugs from the very lovely Candice. Having Nicki pass me a screw everyday for years on end. Golfing with Rob, Greg, Ryan and the lads. Talking about the 70’s with Mary in NY. London Expo with Eddie. Sushi with Grace. Dragoncon with Hogan and Olmos, so say we all. The memories are many and too full to recount in one answer. It was a life lived in 6 years. It was all remarkable. My favorite times were with my Flamingo.

 

Bear: Aaron, do you actually have a talent for fixing machinery?

I could sharpen a pencil if you showed me how.

 

Bear: You and I are both big Elvis fans. How’d you get into the King?

My grandfather Walter “Bud” Douglas. Growing up he would listen to Elvis all the time and my brother and I fell in love with that music. I remember buying Time Life music of the 50’s and 60’s tapes off the TV when I was 13. I remember my friends parents telling me I was born in the wrong era. While everyone else was listening to the Eagles, Billy Joel, Alman Brothers, Meatloaf, KISS, ACDC, Michael Jackson, ZZ Top, etc I was listening to Elvis, The Rat Pack, Tony Bennett, The Byrds, The Four Tops, The Temptations, musical soundtracks, The Five Satins, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Sam Cooke, The Shirelles, The Delphonics, I could go on and on. But for me the greatest showman of all time will always be the King. TCB baby…

 

Bear: Any general thoughts on your time on Galactica and about the series ending?

The end of Battlestar Galactica, for me, is more than just the ending of a television program that will not only stand the test of time but, I feel will be looked back upon as a show that fundamentally changed the genre itself. It truly is lightning in a bottle. But is also a profound chapter in the book of my life. Although the filming is complete and those pages have been filled and turned this chapter will never truly be complete. It will have addendum’s, footnotes, pictures and more historical events written into it for the rest of my life. There are so many things that happened to me personally during this time that is really is the most poignant 6 years of my life. The story of the Galactica will soon be over, it will have run its course through the magic of television but the impact will never be forgotten, never fully be realized or described. It was a profound time for me, my cast mates and many fans. I am so very proud to have been a small part of something so wonderful, so transformational, so important and beautiful. My eternal gratitude will lie at the feet of Ron and David.

 

 

I’d like to extend an extra-special thanks to Rekha, Michael and Aaron for taking the time do these interviews. It means a lot to me and I know it does to all my readers out there too. Tune in next week for my interview with Mr. And Mrs. Tigh: Michael Hogan and Kate Vernon.

So Say We All!

-Bear

Filed Under: Interview - Online

INTERVIEW (VIDEO): IFC.com (February 6 – 8, 2009) New York Comic Con 2009

Below is a short video of Aaron at New York Comic Con 2009 (February 6th – 8th, 2009).

NY Comic Con: Battlestar Galactica Frack Fest
IFC’s Johnny Pomatto and Battlestar Galactica’s Aaron Douglas channel “Raging Bull” in a good old fashioned Frack Off

Source: IFC.com

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CONVENTION VIDEOS: New York Comic Con 2009 (February 6 – 8, 2009) Guest Panel

Thanks to dianora2 here is some video from the Emissary panel that Aaron attended at New York Comic Con 2009.

 

Brian Thompson at New York Comic Con

 

Phil Morris describes The Emissary

 

Thaao Penglis talks about The Emissary

 

Aaron Douglas on The Emissary at NYCC

 

Aaron Douglas and Yuri Lowenthal at NYCC

Source: http://dianora2.livejournal.com/599778.html

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Blac Renderings (February 6 – 8, 2009) New York Comic Con 2009

Here’s another short video interview with Aaron from New York Comic Con 2009. No spoilers.

Battlestar Galactica’s Aaron Douglas at New York Comic Con
Look who we ran into at New York Comic Con.
Aaron Douglas(Galen Tyrol) talks about Life, Booze and Women.
Oh yeah, he also talks about the final episodes of Battlestar Galactica.

Source: Blac Renderings

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): i09 (February 6 – 8, 2009) New York Comic Con 2009

i09 have posted a video interview with Aaron from New York Comic Con (February 6th – 8th, 2009).

Make sure to watch the actual video and don’t just read the text on the page (which is just an extract of what he talks about in the video).

SPOILER WARNING: Do not click on the image above if you haven’t seen all the episodes that have aired.

 

The Chief Explains Why Cally Would Have Been A Terrible Final Cylon
By: Meredith Woerner
Date: February 6, 2009

The Chief himself, Aaron Douglas from Battlestar Galactica, took time at NYCC to talk about his new project Emissary and fill us in on his opinions about Gaeta’s latest dickiness, along with final-Cylon impressions. Spoilers!

Aaron explains everything, but we dare you to stop staring at his t-shirt for long enough to start listening.

Aaron On The Emissary: “I think it’s fascinating. I think it’s great. It’s so close to real that it’s almost plausible… it’s so fun to go to a movie or see a TV show and there’s just that hint of supernatural aspect to it, but there’s so much reality.”

Aaron on Tyrol’s journey: “The thing I didn’t like about making him a Cylon is that you’re marginalizing him. You take a character that the fans really like, [who’s] such a likeable guy. [But on the other hand, once you know the Chief is a Cylon], suddenly everything makes sense. And he just suddenly has that moment of, “Oh, I get it.” Some people really don’t like it, but it’s a weird thing. I don’t think the Cylons are completely evil, or the humans are completely good.”

On accepting Ellen as the final Cylon: “I really didn’t like the fact that Ellen was the fifth one, when I read it. I thought, “Oh, come on.”… But when the mythology unfolded and Ron told us the whole story and explained why — what you guys will see at the end, the explanation of who the final five are and what they mean — I really liked that. I think it’s really great. Ellen and Tigh are like mom and dad to the rest of us.”

Why not Cally? “I think that’s just too obvious. I think the only couple that would work is Tigh and Ellen.”

On Hot Dog being the daddy: “Cally was putting her cabbage breath on his hotdog… I liked that. I thought it was great. I thought it was hilarious.”

On Gaeta becoming our new love-to-hate character: “It came out of nowhwere. I mean the most mild-mannered nice guy, and then he just snaps. I think it’s great. ”

BSG’s ending: “The ending’s perfect. You’ll cry your eyes out.”

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): Slice of SciFi (January 23 – 25, 2009) Phoenix Comicon 2009

Below is a video interview that Grizzly Adams did with Slice of SciFi at Phoenix Comicon 2009 (January 23 – 25, 2009).

 

Slice of SciFi at Phoenix Comicon 2009: Aaron Douglas Interview

video description: Slice of SciFi anchor Sam Roberts interviews Aaron Douglas at Phoenix Comicon 2009.

Source: Slice of SciFi

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INTERVIEW: Ask The Chief (Q&A with fans) Jan 2009

Ask The Chief (Q&A with fans)
Date: January 14, 2009
Source: The Chief’s Deck (Aaron Douglas LiveJournal Community)

 

 

meshel73: The 10 questions that host James Lipton asks on Inside the Actors Studio

01. What is your favorite word?
02. What is your least favorite word?
03. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
04. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
05. What sound or noise do you love?
06. What sound or noise do you hate?
07. What is your favorite curse word?
08. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
09. What profession would you not like to do?
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

1. Boob
2. brussel sprout
3. Great music
4. really shitty commercials that the frakkin networks play over and over and over
5. silence
6. whispering
7. cock biter because it is such a bad thing
8. NHL goaltender
9. anything in sales
10. It doesn’t but IF it did I would like to hear that Elvis, John Candy and Debbie are over at the bar.

amysisson: Hi Aaron! Have you seen the new Battlestar Galactica board game? It’s actually quite good, and true to the show. Would you ever play it, or would that just be too weird?

No, and yes I would but only if the Chief had maximum killing power.

rebelliousrose: Hello, Aaron, and thank you.

I have two questions now;

How come you’d rather play Pendergast and not D’Agosta? I love them both, but D’Agosta’s just fun. He gets to order around the Mayor of New York. Perhaps you are a fan of correctly brewed green tea?

In the DVD extras, in The 12 Cylons, there is a shot of you on the phone in the hangar bay, in civvies, and all of a sudden a bunch of deckhands go by you with pillows- were those to cushion Sharon’s landing, or is there a deckhand sleepaway camp on Earth?

When did I say I would rather play Pendergast? I would be absolutely wrong for Pendergast. Callum Keith Renne would be perfect for Pendergast. D’Agosta is much more up my alley.

Has that aired? I don’t think it has. We were rehearsing, that is why I was in my sweats.

imfiery: Hi Aaron,

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.

What do you like most about your new character Frank Leo?

Where in the world would you most like to vacation?

On new Caprica, they had you wearing specs (handsome look by the way) and then when everyone got rescued, they were gone. What’s up with that? No Opticians on Galactica?

Frank Leo…. In a way he is much like the Chief. He is a real man, you always know where you stand with him, he is honest and loyal. You have one chance with him and if you blow it, you are out. He does not let many people close to him but those that are close to him fall under his protective umbrella. He is a good man.

Vacation? Somewhere I have never been. Somewhere hot with pristine beaches and no one around. I want to sit on a beach for 2 weeks and just quietly read.

That is a good question. I don’t know what they did with that. I know the prop guys still have them. They are in a box somewhere.

baterista9: This will read “funny”, but I’m serious.

In general, do costumers provide EVERYTHING, including underwear and socks, or are there some “bring your own” items? (I assume that Wardrobe provides skivvies when the scene calls for the character to be seen in them. )

Exactly.

When the scene calls for underwear they will give you options to wear. Otherwise you wear your own…. or not.

catko: Hi, Aaron, thanks for doing this. I know it was ages ago, but I loved your small part on Reaper as the Devil’s Delivery Guy. You looked great and the bit was hilarious.
1) Can you say anything about what it was like to work on that show?
2) Is there any chance you’ll be returning? Will another contract be delivered?
3) How did it feel to wear the demon horns?

1. I really enjoyed my time on Reaper. A great crew and a really talented cast.

2. I doubt I will be back. I wish but I seriously doubt it.

3. Anytime you have prosthetics it is a real pain to sit in the chair for hours and get them applied but the make-up ladies on reaper were outstanding and we had a great chat. Once they are on you really don’t notice them, till you look in the mirror or knock them off changing a shirt.

maritas: Hi Aaron, do you think you’ll coming back to DragonCon next year?

I am most certainly planning on it. I doubt it will be as a guest but I plan on coming as an attendee with my brother and the rest of the lads.

We all had a blast last year.

Dragoncon is the best con of them all and if you have not been….GO!!!

shaylyn29: Hi Aaron, Thank You for taking the time to answer some of our questions.

1. Do you read the fan mail you receive? Do you ever reply to any?
2. I’m a big hockey fan, although my team isn’t doing good for our 100th season. Anyhow Mats Sundin made his debut for Vancouver the other night, your thoughts?
3. Has Edward James Almos heard your impression of him as Commander Adama? What does he think of it? You really almost sound exactly like him.

1. I read all of it. I try to respond when I can.

2. It will take Mats some time to find his timing but I fully expect he will be outstanding once he gets on track. He is an incredibly talented hockey player.

3. Eddie knows very well of my impression of him. When BSG had readthroughs of the script and Eddie was unavailable I would do all of the Adama parts. It would be quite funny when Adama would have a scene with Tyrol. It was just me talking for 2 pages.

boonav: Hello dear Aaron! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to some of your fans’ Qs! Here are a just a couple: (okay so I lied)

When ya have time to read, what type of literature do you enjoy? (Come on, you’re a closet romance reader aren’t ya?)

Of all of the characters that you have been able to play over the years,
what one(s) did you find the most interesting and why?

If there truly was a genie in the bottle.. What three wishes would you make?

You have said that you found Dragon Con to be a great convention to come to, but what makes it a good one in your opinion over some of the others that you have attended?

You hail from Canoodia. So I am assuming that you got your actin’ chops there. Are there any old shows of yours out on DVD that you could recommend? or beg us NOT to get (tee hee hee)?

Your autographed photo is on the wall in my office. You were/are so generious with your time for your fans. My Q is… what is the oddest thing that has happened to you in a fan encounter?

On a personal note I would like to say that you are a very nice and great guy. Thanks for being funny, truthful, candid, and a cutey patooty (I guess I need to thank your folks for that one). You are frakkin awesome and I hope that nothing spoils that for you! Take care, God speed! I bow to you with respect.

Lisa aka Boonav

HA…. no, no romance, unless you count Wilbur Smith.
I read a lot of history books. And I read Wilbur Smith, Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston. Right now I am in middle of The Library of Congress World War 2 Companion. It is amazing.
And if you are looking for some great Sci-fi go get anything by Peter Watts.

I will answer Chief until something more interesting comes along. Not only because I played him for 5 years, longer than any other character I have played but the sheer volume of his experience is astounding. Galen will always be a part of me.

Genie…. I would wish for 1,000 wishes

Dragoncon is Vegas without the gambling… ok, without the slots… It is totally “ureal”. I mean unreal in that it is not real. It is the best escape from the everyday. You get to spend an entire weekend with your closest friends with full permission to be an adult. The City of Atlanta, the convention itself, the hotels which host everyone and the people attending do an amazing job of allowing people to have fun and make their own choices. There is wonderful security but so often that security and the heavy handedness of a city or a hotel treats people like children. I am an adult, let me be an adult. Dragoncon, the hotels and the city of Atlanta allow this. If I want to stay up till 5 am having a beer with my friends, no problem. I hate it when other people impose their morals or belief in how I ‘should’ behave on me. Dragoncon does not do that. They treat their guests and attendees with respect and they give them the best bang for their buck. Dragoncon are not greedy profiteers like some other cons we know…. one in particular….
I will always recommend Dragoncon. I brought my brother and 6 of my closest friends last year and to a man they said it was the best weekend of all time. They were asking me to book flights and hotel for next year in the car on the way back to the airport. As my brother put it, “It is the funniest movie you have ever seen…but it is 4 days long.”
Of course hanging out with Tony, Andrew, Keith and Tracy doesn’t hurt either.

Old shows? not really sure. I am not embarrassed of anything. Some performances were not great but it is where I was in the development of my career.

There have been many…. Last year at Dragoncon a group of about 6 women and one guy came to me and asked me to pass on the guys phone number to one of my cast mates and to let that cast mate know that this gentleman would love to meet for a drink or dinner. The guy was too shy to do it himself so one of the ladies did it for him. He was too shy to even talk to me about it which I thought hilarious, that and the fact that the cast mate who he wanted to meet for a drink is not gay. I must admit I had to rethink my beliefs of this cast mate for a second but no, he is not gay. HA! That was funny!

Well thank you for your questions and your sweet words.

See you at Dragoncon.

oriencor: Hey Trouble – here’s my two questions:

What’s your favorite movie and why?

If Hollywood decided to do a remake of Bladerunner (I know, the horror, but it’s a what if question.) and offered you a role in it, which would you take and why?

I have so many favorite movies… wow… I play desert island with my friends sometimes, 5 DVD’s, 5 CD’s, 5 Books, 5 meals etc etc… and I think right now my 5 movies would be:

Thin Red Line
Planes Trains and Automobiles
Star Wars IV
Office Space
Pink Panther Strikes Again

I would have to read it first, look at who is directing and get a feel for what they planned. I would not trust many people with that remake but I think Bryan Singer or Tim Burton would make one hell of a film.

saberivojo: Hi Aaaron, thanks for doing this. It is great that you are willing to “chat” with us.

I’m a big music fan so the burning question I have is What type of music do you listen to? Who is on your IPOD? Do you have favorites and who are they?

Thanks again.

Wow…..

I have thousands of songs on my ipod. I listen to literally everything.

When I wake up I put on classical, usually Mozart or Hadyn or Yo Yo Ma.

As I answer these questions I am listening to Ladysmith Black Mambazo

txcynna: Just one question so I can decide if I will stay for the entire weekend…

Will you be at All-Con in Dallas this March? I wanted to see you and James at FedConUSA but we all know how that turned out… I was sad. very sad.

HA…

I had an amazing time last year at All-con. They were so professional and treated me so very well. And the fans were tremendous.

I will not be returning as a guest of the con this year BUT…. the members of the 501st are very eager to have me back to have a pint with them and goof off a bit. So right now, my pal Brian is working very hard on organizing a room and flight for me so I can get down there.
It will depend on my schedule which can change hour to hour but right now it is looking good for me to be seen in Dallas in March. You heard it here first.
Of course Michelle will keep you posted on this.

Lets all put Fedcon behind us and move forward… YES WE CAN!!!!

;-D

canadiangirl_86: Hey, Aaron! Thanks so much for doing this for us again.

A question for a fellow Canadian: what do you find to be the main differences between working on a Canadian set with a Canadian crew versus an American one?

Also, you took Mats Sundin from my city! What’s that about?

It was so great meeting you at FanExpo this summer even though I wish I’d had the guts to talk to you a bit longer. You totally took away the disappointment of Jamie Bamber cancelling. And thanks for your artwork! I should sell it on Ebay. Haha.

I have never worked on a US set but I would imagine the difference would be that they talk baseball and we are always looking for the hockey scores.

the great thing about this industry is that, for the most part, everyone on set is there because they want to be and not because they are just punching a clock. It is an amazing environment to work in when people are genuinely excited to be doing what they are doing. The crew on BSG was absolutely outstanding!!

You guys ran Mats out of your city with your shitty shitty team… ha
I would take the last 37 years of the Canucks over the last 37 years of the Leafs ANY FRAKKIN DAY!!

It was too bad Jamie had to cancel. I would have loved to have been there with him. I always have a great time with Jamie and I am very honored to call him friend. He is an exceptional actor and a really really good man, husband and father.

Talk to me longer next time.

fehrlybrendan: Hello Aaron, thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions!

I was wondering would you ever have liked to play a viper pilot on the show or is there any other character/actor that you wish the Chief had interacted with more?

Have you ever been to Ireland? If not would you like to visit someday?

Is there any particular role that you would like to explore and are you looking to move away from the science-fiction genre for a while?

Take care and thanks again!

I have no desire to be a pilot.

more interaction?….. I love working with Mary. I would have like more time with the other 7 cylons.

Never been to Ireland but it is high on my list. I hear it is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and that the people are extraordinary. I have ancestors on my natural fathers side. My grandfather was a captain in the merchant marine during the 2nd world war and he was from Ireland. And I hear they have beer in Ireland… and whiskey… now that is my kind of country!!

I desperately want to do a World War 2 period piece. I would do it for free…. don’t tell my agent I just said that. I really wanted something in Band of Brothers 2 War in the Pacific but I couldn’t do anything.

If anyone has a role in a period war film…. call me!!!

beetlemier: Hi, Aaron! Wanted to say that even though I’ve never met you, you come across as such a fun and great guy. You’re so good to your fans and we all love you so much (yeah, a bit creepy there – sorry!). 3 questions:

1. I know that you’re a rock fan, so do you listen to Metallica? If so, what do you think of the new release? As good as the early stuff?

2. Any tattoos? If not, any that you’d consider getting?

3. Do you think that Chief loved Cally? If this information is given in the episodes still left to air, you don’t have to answer. I guess I mean in the past seasons.

Thank you so much for your time!

1. Yes, great band. Saw them recently on the new tour, outstanding concert. Nothing will be as good as Kill em All, Ride the Lightning or Garage Days but those were seminole moments in my childhood so I am looking through the lens of “Holy Shit this is awesome” as a teenager.

2. nope

3. In his way perhaps. The way you love a negative, overbearing, grumpy, whiny gasbag.

Nicki Clyne is nothing like Cally by the way.

katie_9918: Hi, Aaron! Thanks for doing these Q&As! My question is one I’ve had for a while and I was going to ask the panel at Dragon*Con, but I lost my nerve because I didn’t want to seem like I had an attitude about it, especially in front of the three people involved in the situation.

When Helo airlocked the Cylon prisoners before the Fleet could use them to send the virus to the Resurrection Ship, he got off with barely even a slap on the wrist, and this was after he made a galling comment about his presumptions of what New Caprica was like for those living under the Occupation. Now, I understand that Helo did the right thing, but my point of view says that it’s not like most of the ships in the Fleet can defend themselves. They depend on Galactica to defend them and Helo made it possible for the Cylons to keep terrorizing the Fleet, keep killing innocent people, keep driving them to despair, and I can’t believe he got off scot-free.

And then, a few episodes later, the Chief tries to make life better for the civilians and he gets tossed in lock-up and his wife’s life is threatened. Now, I know there were mitigating circumstances, being that Chief dragged his deck crew into the fray and it was a mutiny. I was with him right until he did that. But I still don’t think the punishment fit the offense, especially in light of what happened when Helo committed treason and got off scot free.

My question is, what are your thoughts on those two situations? Do you think they’re comparable in any way, and were there ever any discussions on the subject, especially given the clear parallels being made between the officers and the non-commissioned people on the ship? Sort of like the officers being given carte blanche to run around the ship, picking and choosing which orders to disregard, and the moment the Chief steps out of line, Adama lines up Cally against the wall and threatens to have her shot.

Also, I’m probably one of the five people who actually loved and adored Cally, even with her big flaws, because she reflected the way I believe I would honestly feel when placed in those situations. It seems like to me she’s gotten a lot of flak for having negative feelings about these situations she was always placed in and I really adored the Chief/Cally relationship and was heartbroken when she died. I’ve heard a lot of fans commenting that she deserved to die because she was planning to take Nick with her out the airlock.

I’m not sure if you’re the person to be asking (the writers or Nicki Clyne might be better equipped to answer the question), but do you believe Cally had a change of heart after hearing what Tory had to say in that airlock during “The Ties That Bind?” It might be my affection for the character clouding my view, but I honestly believe that she found some hope and regained some faith in you (that is, the Chief) and realized that maybe she could come to terms with everything and that was why she gave Tory the baby. Do you have an opinion one way or the other on that?

I’m sorry that was so long-winded. Thanks!

On the Helo thing I have to honestly say that that moment sealed my dislike for the Helo character. I thought it was a chicken shit move. I too was stunned that he did it, that there was no punishment and frankly that the fans did not bring it up more than they did. I thought it was great writing and a good piece of drama for the show but in reality I would’ve liked to see him or someone try to wipe them out. Every time something bad happens someone should turn to Helo and say, “You should have used that virus.”

No idea if Cally changed her mind but I seriously doubt it.

sickfuck_diablo: Hello Aaron, just wanted to give you props for a job well done as one of the most likable, stand up dudes on the show, and you seem like a really cool guy IRL as well. I have two really important questions.

1. You get offered one of these parts in a WW2 period piece directed by… Clint Eastwood or something. Which would you take…..
a. morphine addicted british medic
b. american marine storming the beach
c. a nazi spy. (No eyepatch)
d. A french POW.

2. Do you play video games? If so, please elaborate.

Thanks a lot! I am looking forward to seeing you in your future projects!

B… most definitely B

But if I could be a paratrooper or a member of the Devils Brigade that would be even better.

Some video games but usually only when my son is visiting or when Dan brings over his Wii and hooks it up to the big TV.

jamieaddict: Hey Aaron I hope you’re keeping warm in beautiful Vancouver and “chill-axing” as much as you can. Just a couple of questions:

Who is your favorite superhero/heroine?

Do you like dogs or cats?

If you had the chance to jam with a famous rock band, who would it be?

What kinds of video games do you like?

Have you been to the WW2 Memorial in Washington D.C.? It’s a must see, very moving.

Aquaman

Both although cats are pretentious assholes and dogs are idiots.

Barenaked Ladies

Any game where I can win and there aren’t too many buttons.

I have never been to Washington but it is on the list. Normandy first.

jeebs83: Hey Aaron, thanks for doing this. Quick question, how do you typically watch the episodes? Do you watch watch it when the episode airs or do you watch on a screener?

Usually when it airs like everyone else. I prefer a DVD from production as the quality is amazing whereas Space channel in Canada is FRAKKING BRUTAL, makes the show unwatchable. It’s like taking a screen off the screen door and putting it in front of the television and watching through that. Awful.

Where’s my HD you cheap bastards?!?!?!?!

jodi_z3: My questions are more timely as I hope to ask you others in person soon in Phoenix….

1) a) What in general do you look forward to most about attending cons? b) And more specifically, what are you looking forward to most about the upcoming Phoenix Comicon?

2) Episode 2 of 4.5 will air on Friday during the Phoenix con. Way back when you were to come to Dallas you were willing to go above and beyond and have a screening of the 4.0 finale while hanging out drinking with your fans. I know you aren’t at skiffy now and I would never dream of asking you to go to so much trouble again, BUT would it be possible to talk you into hanging out in some public place (alcohol provided of course) with your fans to view 4.5 Ep 2 in Phoenix? We would totally understand if other priorities or convention conflicts would interfere, just thought I would ask!

1. Meeting new people and talking about the show. Seeing old friends, other actors I admire and ones that need to be punched….. Yuri……

2. That would be cool but I am not sure I will have the time. I have a few meetings and dinners while I am in Phoenix but maybe someone will PVR it.

kymba: Greetings and salutations! Hope this finds you warm and cozy this evening, and thanks for taking time to answer.

What’s been your favorite film of this past year (2008), and why?

Is there a director, film or television, that you would work for, script unread?

I’ve hugely enjoyed your performance these past years, and hope to buy you a pint at the BSGCast thing in Pasadena next weekend. I’ll be the loud Kentuckian at the bar, lamenting the poor choices in bourbons. Cheers.

I did not see many films this year. Nothing jumped out at me. I do not go to a lot of movies. I did however like the Simpsons movie.

Tim Burton, without question.

Pasadena? I won’t be there. I have no idea what that is. Have fun. I don’t get invited to such things.

moonlight_steel: Hi Aaron,

I was just wondering, what were your favorite television shows grow up?

Thanks for taking the time to answer everyone’s questions.

Beachcombers, Canadians will get it.

SCTV, Benny Hill, Monty Pythons Flying Circus, Gilligans Island, Magnum PI (my mom LOVED Tom Selleck), Love Boat, Police Squad, Land of the Lost and the rest of Saturday morning cartoons, HNIC and I am sure there are others.

february_sky: hey aaron, i’ve only just recently started getting into the fan forums and looking up interviews, so i hope this question isn’t too repetitive. i was just wondering what you thought about the irony of chief tyrol & boomer? i mean, they couldn’t be together because boomer turned out to be a cylon & shot adama, and then now it’s revealed that the chief himself is a cylon. what are your thoughts on this?

also, when bsg airs, do you watch it on tv with your friends/the other cast members/whoever? has the cast ever come together to watch an episode, or is that too strange to see yourselves on tv?

We don’t get together to watch the show. I have never watched BSG with anyone other than a friend or two.

It is hard for me to watch the show and not see Katee or Eddie or Jamie and not the character so I don’t get into like others do.

Chief and Boomer? The irony is certainly there but there is more to the story.

gayfortinafey: Hi Aaron! Thank you for taking your time to answer all of these questions! I have a few:

1)I’m super, super, super excited for the 16th; I have a good reason for this, right?
2)Edward James Olmos described the ending as brutal. Is he right?
3)Do you know the identity of the final cylon? If you do, give us a clue – anything!

4)Who is/was your favourite cast member on set?
5)Did you guys have a lot of fun on the set of BSG?
6)What is your favourite episode of BSG?
7)What couple on BSG is your favourite?
8)How hard was filming the last episode(s)?

(I’m kind of BSG obsessed, I know! :D)

1. You have no idea…. buckle up.

2. I think it is perfect, poignant and beautiful, I have no idea what script Eddie read.

3. Seriously? How dumb do you think I am? ha, besides you don’t really want to know.

4. I have had amazing times with all of them. What I miss most is the crew. Thin Man, Rob, Tim, Ryan, Goody, Greg, Matt, Jose, Maurice, Resho, Rachel, Flamingo, Jimmy, Wayne, Shandley, Troy…well not Troy….. Marian, Mike and just so many more I could go on for pages…

5. We have good times and tough times, just like any workplace.

6. Flight of the Phoenix and the last one…..

7. Gaeta and Hoshi, I think they’re good together. Oh yeah, and the Chief and his shot glass.

8. You have no idea……..

draken11: Hi Aaron,
I am still kinda new to the fandom so maybe this question have been there already. But at first I would like to thank you taking the time to answer our questions.

I would love to ask (I hope thats not to personal), but did you always want to be actor?
Whats for you the hardest part in acting and what do you love the most as actor?

Thank you again for taking the time and I looking forward to one of your next movies. I really enjoyed everything in and with BSG and I looking forward more to see from the Chief in the last 10 eps.

Nope, wanted to be a lawyer all through high school until I realized that lawyers don’t do what Al Pacino did in …And Justice for All. Then I realized I want to be a lawyer on TV.

Getting up early for 5 am call times and then working for 16 hours then going home for 7 hours and doing it all again the next day and doing this mon-fri for weeks on end.

The ability to exercise my creativity. Meeting the most interesting people in the world and getting to go places and do things that most people never get the chance to do.

gdg: Aaron, thanks for doing this. I have two questions:

1) A lot of the BSG fan sites (SciFi forums, Battlestar-Blog.com, etc.) post episode review threads as new episodes are aired. As the final episodes unfold, do you plan on surfing these forums to see what the fans are saying? .. I’ve always been curious to know how many actual cast & crew members cruise the forums.

2) I’m drawing a BSG collage for an upcoming fan appreciation book. Do you have any preference as to which Tyrol should appear in the collage? — New Caprica bearded Tyrol, Orange Deck Chief outfit Tyrol, shaven head Watchtower Tyrol, etc. — Which version do you most want to see transformed into an AWESOME drawing?

:P

Thanks, man.
Grant

I look at the forums from time to time, particularly when a chief heavy ep has just aired. I also look at the boards to see what the fans are saying about story lines etc…

As an actor you have to read everything with a grain of salt and with a thick skin. There are a few people who will come on the boards and just trash the show, your work and sometimes personal things about you. I cannot imagine how those people would feel if someone went to their workplace and just started ragging on them in front of all their co-workers and friends. The anonymity of the web allows a lot of people to be really petty and mean. It sucks but that is the price of celebrity and I am fine with it. I just ignore the boobs….. ha

The chief with really short hair is my favorite. It is as though he went full circle from the mini to the end.

mattski7: Hey Aaron, congrats on the great show and the great role – we’ll miss the Chief when it’s all over! My question is, why do you think “they” waited so long to give Gaeta a boyfriend?
Cheers

I think Gaeta had to figure out if he wanted to be in a committed relationship….

I have no idea… ask AJ…. ha

woolly_socks: Hi Aaron,

Congrats on your work from the first half of season four. I was fascinated to see how the Chief reacted to figuring out what he is, and your take on it was utterly compelling.

You’re a Batman fan, judging by the t-shirts. Can you tell me about some of your favourite heroes and villains? From everything, film, TV, literature.

Thanks!

Obviously Darth Vader is one of the greatest villains of all time.

Beowolf, William Wallace (the real man, not the one Hollywood bastardized), wow, this is a good question and I just woke up… let me come back to it later.

year_of_rabbit: Aaron – your resume (online) indicated that you have done some Shakespeare – are you interested in any other playwright’s works? I know that you have done some comedy, perhaps comedic plays? etc.?

I would love to do some more theater.

I just never get asked.

crazyvictoria: Hey, Aaron! You might not remember me – I was at Boozapalooza this year (I was the blonde girl with the brunette wearing the Battlestar, sweatshirt). Thanks for hanging with us! That was an awesome night, from what we can remember. ANYWAY, here’s my very deep and insightful question:

So, what’d you steal from the set? Anything cool, before they auctioned it all off? Apologies if you’ve been asked this question like, five thousand and one times.

OH, and what are your plans for watching the finale? I’m being asked to ask that, lol.

Cheers, mate! Here’s to hoping this weird as frak weather calms down here in Vancouver (okay, weird to a girl from the prairies, at least). Thank you for putting up with our questions! You are a brave man.

I stole nothing…..

Some of those items in the auction….? I don’t know….

No plans for finale.

karie22: Hi Aaron,

I know you can’t tell us how it ended, but what would your preference be for the resolution of the human/cylon war at the end of BSG? I know fandom is divided right down the middle on this issue, so I was wondering if the same was true for the actors.

Would you have preferred that all the humans and cylons live in harmony, for the cylons to blow all of the humans away (or vice versa), for all but select cylons to die (like the “good” ones, LOL), or for both factions to go their separate ways and never see each other again? Or maybe something else? If YOU had gotten to pick, what would have happened between these two warring races?

Thanks for taking the time, and I hope you have a wonderful week. I’m looking forward to having you on my screen again on Friday!

Most of the actors have different visions of how the show should end and how everything is resolved. My feeling is that it ends perfectly. The last time you see any of these characters should be the very last time you see them. I don’t want a continuation, I don’t want another show in 4 years saying where are they now, I think it is perfect, beautiful and absolutely sublime.

What happens in the end is the exact way I would have chosen to end it.

michellecore: Hi Aaron,
First, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. It’s great to see an actor who loves interacting with fans. I have two questions for you.

1) What was your least favorite moment to act/film on BSG?

2) What will you miss the most about your BSG experience?

Btw, better luck for the Canucks next year. I think this year is going to my Bruins finally. ;)

Something from the movie we did in September. When it airs you’ll see why.

Hanging out with the crew.

Your Bruins are rocking the world. Canucks are a team with no heart, pride or drive right now. They had better right the ship or they will be on the outside looking in come April.

Filed Under: Interview - Online Tagged With:

INTERVIEW (AUDIO): Slice of SciFi (January 10, 2009)

Slice of SciFi (#195)
January 10, 2009
0:16:38
15.2 MB

—————————————-
Slice of SciFi have done an interview with Aaron. I’ve downloaded the 55 minute podcast and edited it down to just Aaron’s interview (16 mins).

No BSG season 4.5 spoilers.

Right click on the link below to save it to your computer.
Aaron Douglas – Slice of SciFi (#195)

Time stamp: 14:45 …. Aaron’s going to be doing a web tv show for iTunes/Sony in New York with Phillip Morris ?!?!?!?

This week, we talk to Aaron Douglas who plays Chief Tyrol on SciFi’s “Battlestar Galactica”. Aaron will be in Phoenix in a few weeks for Cactus Comicon. He also talks about the history of his character and his approach to playing Chief Tyrol.

Source: Slice of SciFi

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/136625.html

Filed Under: Interview - Audio Tagged With:

INTERVIEW: Profile: Aaron Douglas

Profile: Aaron Douglas
By: Joseph McCabe
Date: October 2008
Source: SFX #174

 

SPOILER WARNING: There are spoilers in the below interview about the cylons/colonies/earth. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!!!

 

 

 

Galactica’s troubled everyman Chief Galen Tyrol gives away a massive spoiler – you have been warned!

So many of the characters on Ron Moore and David Eick’s reimagining of Battlestar Galactica fit our traditional notions of sci-fi screen heroism – the brash young hotshot [Starbuck], the straightlaced do-gooder [Apollo], the grizzled veteran leader [Adama] – that it’s easy to miss the unconventional nobility of the show’s quieter characters. Take Chief Galen Tyrol, as embodied by Canadian actor Aaron Douglas. Tyrol’s suffered as much as anyone, ever since his beloved Boomer was first revealed as a Cylon and killed by his-wife-to-be Cally, before being rebooted into the arms of another man.

Still, all Tyrol’s lost pales in comparison to his discovery, at the end of Battlestar’s third season, that he’s what he’s once feared of being: a Cylon.

“The four that were revealed at the end of season three,” Douglas tells SFX on set in Vancouver, “are what they are, but they’re one-offs. They’re the original Cylons. Hundreds of thousands of years ago, when there were 13 colonies on Kobol, 12 went that way and one went that way to find Earth – or create an Earth – and that colony was actually Cylons. They’re individuals, there’s no multiple models. The seven that we know are a different kind of Cylon that came much later. They’re probably ten, 20 years old, born out of the metal machines that fought back 40 years ago in the Cylon wars of the 12 colonies. So they’re essentially like the gods. And we were on the new Earth, and destroyed that and came back to the 12 colonies to rejoin humanity to find out the cycle of time.”

“Why do we create a world and destroy ourselves? Why does humanity do that? And why do we as Cylons follow that path to humanity? So we sort of turned off the Cylon part of us and went and joined the humans. They don’t know we’re Cylons, and we didn’t know until we started getting closer to Earth – that’s when we started hearing the music at the end of the last season and get woken up to the fact that we are.”

The ease with which Douglas describes his Cylon identity belies the reluctance he felt on learning Tyrol was to become his own worst nightmare.

“I found out when I accidentally saw a piece of paper at someone’s house that I wasn’t suppose to see. I just glanced at it and it talked about the chief being a Cylon. ” I went ‘What the….?!’ I spoke to that person, and they said, ‘You’re not supposed to see that. You can’t say anything, you’re not suppose to know!’ I was like ‘Okay…’ So I bit my tongue for about two months, until finally it came out. They took us into a room and said, before the read-through of the script, ‘Okay, you are in fact a Cylon.’ They had the final scripts, but then they had all these addendums that they didn’t put in the script, and we shot them secretly.”

“I really didn’t like the fact that the chief was a Cylon at all. I thought they were taking a character that the fans really like, and identify with, and making him the enemy. You take this guy that’s really likeable, even with his flaws, and make him perceived as evil, and… he really would be marginalised at that point. I told Ron, and we spent an hour and a half on the phone. And he explained it, and gave me the whys and the wherefores. At the end I was convinced. I think it’s a good turn, and I’m actually quite pleased about it at this point. We’ll see where it goes.”

We decided to pick Douglas’s brain, and find out just when it was decided that half the show’s cast would become. as their characters call them, “toasters”.

“They had no idea who the final five were gonna be,” he admits. “The writers didn’t figure that out… They’ve sort of been making it up as they go along. They liked the idea of a couple of us, and then they weren’t so sold on the rest of them. I was told that they came up with Tory because she has no backstory, and they can make her come from wherever and do whatever. The hardest one was Tigh, because he has such a history with Adama/ But the chief… Ron wanted to humanise the Cylons, and I think that the chief humanises them more than any other character possibly could.”

Despite the gloom that goes with playing a Cylon, and the precious few episodes of Battlestar that remain, Douglas – the poster child for many of the everyday joes who adore his lauded space saga – has a healthy attitude about the show’s current season. “It’s the business,” he laughs. “It’s the way it goes. I like the fact that Ron and David are going out on their own terms and they’re just gonna end the show. When shows go too long you start getting filler episodes and filler seasons. So I like the fact that we’re gonna wrap it up and end it, and hopefully when it’s ended that’s it. I have a felling they’re probably gonna want to do movies of the week or some damn thing like that, but who knows? We’ll see.”

 

 

In the first image below skip past the parts highlighted in yellow if you want to avoid the spoilers.

[click thumbnails to enlarge images]

Filed Under: Interview - Magazine

INTERVIEW (AUDIO): Cort & Fatboy (September 23, 2008)

Cort & Fatboy (KUFO Portland)
September 23, 2008
0:25:09
23.0 MB

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Yesterday, Cort & Fatboy interviewed Aaron on their radio show 101.1 KUFO Portland.

Cort & Fatboy: The Interviews (Aaron Douglas)

Chief Galen Tyrol, Final Fiver and hungover hockey fan, tells tales of Robin Williams hunting him down in LA, Eddie Olmos trying to kill him on set, Bathroom discoveries of his cylon nature, and a secret about Earth in 4.5 that’s accidentally shocking…

You can download the 25 minute interview at the link below.
http://podcast.kufo.com/kufo2/1343820.mp3

SPOILER WARNING: Aaron talks about Earth from the mid-season finale. It’s the same thing he mentioned in the interview in the SFX Magazine. From the sounds of it, I don’t think he realised he was giving out a spoiler. Skip past time stamp 10:20 – 11:20 to miss the spoiler.

Filed Under: Interview - Audio

INTERVIEW (AUDIO): Hardcore Nerdity (August 23, 2008)

Hardcore Nerdity
Fan Expo Canada 2008
August 23, 2008
0:06:53
7.87 MB

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Here is an audio interview with Aaron from Fan Expo Canada in August 2008.

Aaron talks about … The Bridge, his charities, Creation Cons (and we know how much he loves them. lol), finding out that he is a cylon (the same story we’ve heard a billion times before), how great the last episode is and that it made him cry (funny story about Mary), a small BSG spoiler regarding Tyrol and another character and wanting to say the word f-ck in the show.

Right click on the link below to save it to your computer.
Aaron Douglas – Hardcore Nerdity (August 23, 2008)

Source: Hardcore Nerdity

http://aarondouglas.livejournal.com/131850.html

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): rgbFILTER (August 22 – 24, 2008) Fan Expo Canada 2008

Below is a video of Aaron being interviewed by Alex from rgbFILTER at Fan Expo Canada 2008 (August 22 – 24, 2008).

 

rgb Fan Expo – Aaron Douglas

Video Description: Alex talks with Aaron Douglas, who plays Chief on Battlestar Galactica. It starts off as a mutual Ricky Gervais / Stephen Merchant / Karl Pilkington fan chat (Aaron wants to work with them, hint hint), then turns to discussions about the announced BSG TV movie being directed by Edward James Olmos and his roles in The Bridge and Blood: A Butcher’s Tale and what it’s like to work on a fully green screened set.

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): phammmtastic (August 22 – 24, 2008) Fan Expo Canada 2008

Here’s a couple of video interviews with Aaron at Fan Expo Canada 2008 (August 22nd – 24th, 2008) from YouTube user phammmtastic.

 

Fan Expo 2008 ENG

Aaron is on screen at time stamp 2:16 – 2:28

 

Get Well Wil

Aaron is on screen at time stamp 0:25 – 0:51

Video Description: Canadians at Fan Expo 2008 wishing Wil Wheaton a quick recovery from a roller skating accident. Thanks to my shooting partners Makda Ghebreslassie and Stella Acquisto.

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INTERVIEW (VIDEO): eTalk – Aaron Douglas Interview (on the set of ‘The Bridge’) (August 6, 2008)

eTalk (on the set of ‘The Bridge’)
Date: August 6, 2008
Source: eTalk

 

eTalk : Wednesday August 6, 2008 : Aaron Douglas
Battlestar Galactica’s Aaron Douglas plays a cop in the new CTV movie of the week “The Bridge” and he tells us how his new role takes him out of his comfort zone.

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