Battlestars in his eyes
By: John O’Brien
Date: April 14, 2007
Source: The Courier-Mail

 

IF YOU ever wanted evidence that remakes don’t have to suck, look no further than Battlestar Galactica.

The original 1970s series was a huge hit, following on the heels of the first Star Wars movie. It starred Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict and Lorne Greene as leaders of the last colony of mankind fleeing the evil robotic Cylons and searching for the fabled planet Earth.

So when the idea of a reimagined Battlestar Galactica was first mooted several years back, fans of the classic series were up in arms – they didn’t want anyone tinkering with the show they remembered so fondly. And those who had loved Benedict’s portrayal of the gambling, womanising, cigar-chomping Lt Starbuck were unimpressed to learn the space cowboy would be a cowgirl this time out (played by Katee Sackhoff).

Star of the new series Aaron Douglas knows exactly where the fans were coming from. “Absolutely, and I was in complete agreement, because I’m not a big fan of remakes,” he says. “Things that have been done well before, why would you do it again? If somebody decided to remake Jaws I would be really offended. I think that great pieces of art should be left alone and people should come up with their own ideas, so I completely sympathise with the fans.”

However the new series has been so impressive that it has largely won over the sceptics, and drawn in a new audience besides those fans of the classic series.

Despite only the hardware bearing any real resemblance to the classic series, the new show’s dark feel and flawed characters have made for compelling viewing.

“I think the view I’ve taken now is that you need to really see them both for their own merits,” Douglas says. “Nothing that the new one’s done has taken away the greatness of the old show and the memories and the nostalgia of it. And there’s nothing that the old show has that will take away from the new one.”

“I see them as two separate entities that are great for their own reasons and stand alone on their own merits.”

As for his character of Chief Petty Officer Galen Tyrol, Douglas sees a simple man with a heart of gold in a complicated galaxy.

“The Chief is sort of the everyman on the ship,” he explains.

“He’s someone the fans really relate to because he’s just a very hard-working blue-collar guy who makes mistakes and owns up to them, and nothing’s done out of malice, he’s doing the best he can with the situation that he has.”

“He’s confused and he’s tortured by his demons and all of those great things, which makes him a very interesting character because he’s just a really ‘human’ person.”

Despite having made the role of Tyrol his own, Douglas actually landed it by default.

“I had originally auditioned for the part of Apollo, which Jamie (Bamber) got, which is great, because Jamie has to go to the gym and be thin, and I certainly don’t wanna have to do that,” he jokes.

“I got a call back for the part of (Lt Alex) Gaeta, and didn’t get that, and they just wanted to put me somewhere and didn’t know where, and the Chief was the last role that was cast and they didn’t have anybody for it, so they just offered it to me, and it’s grown into what it’s become.”

“He was pretty small in the mini-series, but the writers have given me a lot more to do, so it’s great.”

Douglas, a Vancouver native, has the luxury of living and working in his home city, which is home base for Battlestar Galactica, as well numerous other sci-fi and fantasy TV shows in which he’s had bit parts.

But for now the convention circuit is bringing him to Australasia.

“I love going to the conventions, I love meeting the fans, I love talking to them,” he says.

“They’re all so interesting and so passionate about the show and the character and the stories. It’s a lot of fun, it’s a great reward – you’re treated like a demi-god for a weekend, and they’re the best fans of any genre of television or film.”

“So I’m gonna get to go learn about Australian culture and New Zealand culture for the next couple of weeks, and I’m very very excited about that!”

 

Aaron Douglas is a special guest at the Supanova pop culture convention at Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds today and tomorrow. Details at www.supanova.com.au

 

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Aaron Douglas – gallactic amongst fans
By: Scott Casey
Date: April 13, 2007
Source: Brisbane Times

 

Aaron Douglas, the star of science fiction favourite Battlestar Galactica, is taking time out of his busy schedule of fighting robots and defending the human race to visit his fans in Brisbane.

The Canadian native is best known as Chief Tyrol in Battlestar – a role which has launched him into science fiction stardom. The show won a cult following in its first incarnation in the 1970s – and the remake, in which Douglas stars, now has a massive following on the Sci-Fi Channel. Douglas has also had smaller roles in hit movies such as The Chronicles of Riddick and X-Men 2, and television shows Dark Angel and Smallville.

He spoke to brisbanetimes.com.au entertainment reporter Scott Casey this week.

 

You entered acting later than most of your contemporaries – what led you into an acting career?

For four years after high school I was a floor layer – I did a lot of construction work until my knees gave out. So I went and worked for a software company doing marketing, then a sports nutrition company… and quit when I was 26 or 27. After a year at acting school, I got an agent and here I am. My mom says I used to say I wanted to be an actor but I’m sure I wanted to be a lawyer…now I’d only be a TV lawyer. If I had to sit in front of a computer for 16 hours a day I’d want to shoot myself in the head!

 

Battlestar was your big break – why do you think the show has been so successful?

Battlestar’s popularity really starts with it’s great writing. It’s real human drama, with real human emotion, and the writers don’t pull an punches – they really tell it like it is, hold a mirror up to the world and start discussions. It’s just top to bottom an outstanding show to work. Compared to the other shite that’s on TV, you don’t have to go far to whip them.

 

How intense is the filing of Battlestar?

We take eight days to film each episode. When you are in scenes that are in different locations then you’ll work a lot – they go to one set and shoot all the scenes from that set, so if you’re in multiple scenes then you’ll work a whole bunch. Battlestar starts filming on May 14, so once we start we’re going we’ll shoot until March 2008, so we don’t really have time to do much else.

 

So here’s the Sci-Fi geek question, how would you react if you were fleeing the Cylons?

I hope and think that I’d respond in the same way that Tyrol does. He’s a pretty courageous guy and he’s tough – everybody’s a hero sitting on their couch but once the bullets start flying it really separates the men from the boys.

 

The Chief has developed a stronger role in the series, what do you think of that? And where is it going?

I have no idea where it’s going in season four, but I’m thrilled with what they’ve done with the Chief. He was a pretty small character in the mini-series and he wasn’t supposed to amount to much – he’s just grown and they’ve given me more to do. I identify with him in a lot of ways.

 

So what else is in the pipeline for you?

I just finished a film called Blood, A Butchers Tale, it’ll be out next year – it’s all green-screen like 300 or Sin City – a very stylised, comic book sort of video game look, it’ll be very cool. I play the Butcher in that, the main guy, so I’m looking forward to that.

 

Its been leaked on the internet that Battlestar is ending after the next season, how would you like to see it end?

I would like us to find Earth and then discover that Earth is completely populated by Cylons – that the people on the ships are the only humans left in the entire universe and the Cylons have been on Earth the entire time…

 

What are you looking forward too about the conference and about Brisbane?

I’m looking forward to seeing (Lord of the Rings star) Karl Urban again. I really want to see the sites, meet the locals and get a real taste for the culture, have a pint and talk sports. I’m looking forward to some sunny days…sunshine and a couple of beers, that’s all I need.

 

Aaron Douglas will be in Brisbane for the Supanova Pop-Culture Convention at the RNA showgrounds this Saturday and Sunday, April 14-15. Entry is $20 for a daily pass or $30 for the weekend. Children under 12 are FREE.