FED CON, part 2
Fed Con, part 2
Saturday, 19.04.2008
8.20am -
After freezing my butt of sleeping in my car, I woke up to another beautiful Fed-Con day.
9.30am -
Went into the Convention area and had a look in the dealers room.
10.00am-10.45am -
René Auberjonois panel - he was very pleasant and friendly and answered all the questions thoughtfully and at great length. (yeah the man can talk!)
10.45am-11.30am -
Leah Cairns & Nicky Clyne panel. These two are fantastic together and watching them interact and answer the fan’s questions was a LOT of fun!
After the panel I went to the entrance and collected the picture of Mary&me from the previous day. Naturally I spent the next 20 minutes starring at it…lol
I met with laharah and we spend the rest of the day together.
12.15am-1.00pm -
Michelle Forbes panel. She was wonderful to listen to (I love her voice, it’s even better in reality) and she was very friendly and answered all the questions.
1.10pm -
Directly after Michelle’s panel I went upstairs to the room, where the photo shoots took place, and had my picture taken with both Nicky&Leah. These two are so great together and a lot of fun. It was fantastic to meet them.
2.00pm-2.45pm -
Levar Burton panel. He didn’t do many jokes (unlike Brent and Marina), he seems to be a more serious guy, nevertheless he told us some good stories and gave some interesting days.
2.45pm-3.40pm -
The official autograph session was taking place between 1.30pm and 4.30 pm, in which Leah Cairns, Jamie Bamber, Mary McDonnell, Nicky Clyne, Peter Jurasik, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Shanks and René Auberjonois signed autographs. This happened in a separate room and the queue to get in their followed the numbers on the entry ticket. Since our numbers were above 1000, it was clear that we wouldn’t get into the autograph session on Saturday, but on Sunday. However, Leah and Jamie were only signing Saturday only (they already had to leave Sunday afternoon, because they had to return to the bsg set), so we HAD to get their autographs that day. After a lot of confusion and asking around, a nice women at the entry into that room let us slip trough. (mostly because Jamie wasn’t busy at that very moment). Suddenly everything happened very quickly and I was standing in front of Jamie. He smiled at me and said “Hi” and I got three autographs from him: one of for myself, one for my best friend (I told him that he was the reason my friend became a bsg fan and he put "kisses" on her autograph *g*) and I also let him sign the bsg poster I had made before attending the Con. When he saw my poster he seemed to like it and said “Wow, this is impressive.” All in all he was very sweet.
Then I went to Leah and had her sign my pic of Racetrack, she was very sweet and wrote a comment about a bruise on her arm in the pic.
She said the bruise was from Starbuck kicking her right before the scene, but that that part of the scene was cut. I asked her more about it and she mentioned that many of her scenes are being cut. I told her that I wish they wouldn’t cut her so much and she thanked me.
While I was talking to Leah, laharah took some pictures of Mary signing autographs with my camera until one of the helpers told her that Mary didn’t want pictures taken during the autograph session (ups *g*), so she stopped.
Afterwards laharah and I decided to at least get one of the Mary autographs right now (although we were only supposed to get the Jamie&Leah once that day), because we would get to meet Mary twice (good thinking huh? lol) So we got into the queue for Mary (which of course was the longest) and it took us about 20 minutes till it was our turn.20 minutes to get really nervous and freak out…lol I went up to her first and a didn’t say much besides “Hi” (my mind was totally blank), however Mary was very nice, said “Hi, how are you” and smiled at me. I had her sign my poster as well. (I got all the signatures on my poster on Saturday, because I didn’t want to carry it around with me on Sunday) She was really amazing and after I left I watched her and she really was so wonderful with all the people, talking and smiling at them. Her charm captured everyone.
At the end I went to Nicky (she was sitting right next to Mary) and had her sign my poster as well. There was no one standing in line for her at that moment, so she really had time to chat. Sadly, I don’t remember what exactly we talked about (lol Mary had fried my brain, it’s all her fault), but I think I told her how amazing her and Leahs panel was. While she was talking she wanted to sign her name on the picture of Tigh (the poster has all the important cast members on it), but I stopped her and asked her if she could please sign on her picture. Only then did she notice it was the wrong picture and she had to laugh at herself.
At the end, I wished her a wonderful time for the rest of the Convention and thanked her for attending.
After getting all those autographs, we left the autograph session pretty quickly, because we knew we would be back in the autograph session the next day.
3.40pm -
laharah, scarecrow1983, phoenix_cry and I went upstairs in order to stand in the queue for the picture of Jamie&Mary together, which was schedule for 4.30pm
4.25pm -
The people doing the photo shoot announced that Mary and Jamie would not have their pictures taken together after all, but that they would have separate photo shoot beginning with Jamie. So we had to form new queues and wait even longer. Naturally I could not resist having my picture taken with Mary a second time. *g*
Some stupid Germans in front of me complained about the sudden changed and wondered about why they wouldn’t have their pictures taken together. They also complained that Mary was sitting down, while all the other stars were standing. They said it was in order to create distance between herself and the fans (most of the others would put their arms around you or something) and why Mary wouldn’t do that? I really had to constrain myself not to bite their heads off and give them a piece of my mind. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable putting my arm around 200 complete strangers (especially looking at some of the people there) and that it was wonderful that she did the photo shoot at all. What can I say? Germans aren’t happy, when they don’t have anything to bitch about.
5pm -
Mary arrived at the photo shoot; she waved and smiled at everybody before entering the room.
5.15pm -
Finally it was my turn to have my second picture taken with Mary. Once again she looked awesome and I was just as nervous when I walked up to her as I was the day before. She said “Hi, how are you?” and I sat down next to her. In the few seconds before the picture was taken I thank her for doing this (mainly because those guys had pissed me off before the shoot), so when I got up she smiled at me and said “You’re welcome”
After the photo shoot I went to see the end of the Michael Shanks panel. From what I remember he was quite funny, but I wonder we he always wore his leather jacket???
6.00pm-7.15pm -
laharah and I took a break outside to eat and chat about our favourite topic, which of course is what???? Yeah, our lovely MARY!
7.30p,-8.15pm -
Marina Sirtis panel. Marina was wonderful on stage and told us about her life and her work on TNG. She told some very good jokes and it was fun to see her on stage.
8.15pm-9.15pm -
Time for the best panel of the ENTIRE weekend: the MARY&JAMIE panel.
These two were so great together and I will try to describe their panel as best as I can. This is not in the correct order and I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of things.
Through the whole panel Mary was all giggly and laughing a lot. It was a beautiful sight.
McDonnell greeted the audience with the same sentence she’d used in the opening ceremony afterwards one fan asked her, if she by now knew the meaning of the word “Geil” to which Mary replied that she didn’t. So finally someone told her that it means “horny” and she had to laugh. However, that didn’t stop her from using the word for the rest of the weekend.
I kinda got the impression that Jamie knew the meaning of “Geil” already, because he was grinning so much.
One fan told Mary how much she loves ‘Dances with Wolves’ and if she could talk about her experiences with shooting that epic movie. Mary began with saying a few words in Lakota and when she was asked what they meant she joked “It’s awesome to be here”, but then admitted that it really meant “I’m missing my husband”. The audience responded with loud “awws” and Mary said: “What? It’s true” That was so sweet.
Afterwards she talked about the set and the hardships of filming in deep winter.
I think someone asked them what things they had learned from their fellow actors. Anyway at one point they talked about how they had learned from Eddie, how to shoot a scene while being on the phone having your agent tell you how much money you’re making next month. They made fun of him and told us how Eddie was constantly talking on the phone. That it was his “thing”. (This corresponds with something Michelle Forbes had said in her panel, how in one of the first Pegasus scenes (when Admiral Cain comes on board); Eddie was not there for the rehearsal and James Callies had to jump in to do his lines). They said that Eddie even did the rehearsals over the phone (remember the blog with the rehearsal for ‘Hero’). But they were both very sweet about it and said that Eddie was a really busy man.
One fan mentioned that in BSG, the ‘blondes’ seemed to have most of the “fun”, meaning they had more sex. So the question was, if they thought blondes would have more sex than brunettes. Jamie replied by asking “Is James Callies blonde?”, because he has more sex than anyone else. Mary told us that she was blonde for a month and did not have more “fun”. She said she had more success being a red-head and the best experiences as a brunette.
Mary was asked what she thought about being photo brushed so much in the official BSG promo shots, to which she replied that as a professional she was concerned for all the young actresses getting the wrong impression and they were all going with this trend, but personally she wouldn’t mind at all.
They we’re asked about the Lee&Laura relationship and what happened to it:
(beginning is missing, sorry, but the question referred back to a question about their relationship from Jamie’s panel.)
Jamie: When did I...I said we were quite similar, we were principled and stubborn and ehm .. reluctant to change our opinion once we’ve formed it and that inevitable leads to certain clashes, ehm which obviously end of season 3 is one of those, but...they’re very similar characters and (...) probably have the potential to be again.
Mary: I think, frankly, that we could have had a really cool relationship in the beginning and they kinda weird(?) away from it for whatever reasons. But I actually thing that if you hang in there eh..it-all is not lost. But I do think Jamie is right, they needed a..similar kind of nature in-in in his area of the story and my area of the story. And it was inevitable that we would somehow come up against each other eh as we...that’s part of politics. And I actually adore Jamie’s transition from eh being in the military to being in politics on the show, so I was very excited to have him come over to our side and be around him more again, 'cause I haven’t been around him, you know a lot, since the beginning. It’s been a pleasure.
They were asked what they most liked about each other and Jamie started talking about how amazing Mary is and so on (I don’t remember the details, but he talked for quite some time) and Mary stood next to him and watched him very carefully all the time. At one point she looked like she wanted to say "are you serious?", but she was generally very touched my Jamie’s remarks.
Mary said how much she enjoyed Jamie’s acting in the 4th season, but for her the “highlight” of Jamie’s acting was the end of the 3rd season. Jamie was brilliant in the court scene and she was glad that the writers had written that part for Lee. She then added that the whole ensemble was just wonderful, but that especially Edward James Olmos functioned as their “anchor” and that he had thought them a lot.
Jamie was asked about the first time he met Richard Hatch, because he was the former Apollo. Jamie told us that he had been scared before meeting Richard, but there were no hard feelings during first meeting at all and that Richard had been very nice to him.
Both Mary and Jamie were asked if they ever used the word “Frak” to which the immediately replied “abso-frakking-lutely”. They said they used the word “Frak” all the time. Mary continued that her kids would use the other f-word at home while she would use “Frak” and her kids tell her not to say Frak all the time, because they know what it means to which she replied that they don’t even watch the show and have no reason to complain.
Question about Laura becoming a dictator.
Mary: I can’t see her from the outside,(...). All I can do, all I can do, that’s for you guys to judge, all I can do is play her from the inside out. And from the inside I don’t feel particularly eh dictatorial..ehm..(...) I feel ehm as someone who’s eh trying to evolve quickly without all the information and without all the skills and without all the preparedness and someone who actually has ehm...not much other reason she believes to be alive, but to accomplish a very simple objective, which is huge, which is...you know, bring these people to Earth. So I don’t go beyond that, I don’t judge her politically, but it’s kinda interesting to listen...to people who do, because she never really has a rival opposite(?), except for ehm with Jamie’s and Jamie and the courtroom. There were people who brought her reality closer to her to face, which has always been a kinda of interesting moment for Laura Roslin.
Another question was what character besides their own they would like to play for one day if they could pick a character. Jamie immediately answered James Callies and went on telling us what an amazing job he is doing as Baltar. Jamie said he didn’t think he could do as good as a job, but that he nevertheless would like to be him for one day. Mary agreed with Jamie and said she would also pick James Callies, but I got the impression that she had intended to say Eddie at first. They also mentioned that James Callies was very good at impersonating Edward James Olmos.
To the question which of the colleagues was least like their character they both answered Tricia Helfer and that Aaron Douglas was most like his character.
They were asked about the differences between playing in a TV show and being in theatre:
Jamie: (didn’t get his answer)
Mary teasing Jamie about his answer...
Jamie: How do you feel about theatre?
Mary: I was teasing...ehm I feel very similar to Jamie…
Jamie interrupting: I though you were serious.
Mary: No darling, I loved what you very saying, I was just...teasing you. Ehm I love what Jamie was saying, because I think he eh communicated what’s essentially the exciting thing about the theatre, which is the aliveness and the risk-taking. To me ehm there is nothing more frightening than the moment before you walk out to begin a play and wonder if a) your body and your voice and your mind will all work on the same track and whether or not the audience will...click with the people on stage that evening. And wonder or not what will go wrong and right. There is something so extraordinary in that and I also feel that the roles in the theatre, particularly eh my experiences as a woman, the roles in the theatre are so much more ehm embracing eh the whole complicated human being and so I like, I like exploring those roles. But I do find after a while, that it was refreshing and relaxing for me to be in some television at this point in my life. Ehm However, I do think ehm when I’m older, that ehm it might be fun to get back up there and play the really, really great strong dame(?)so I I kinda look forward to that.
Jamie: I can’t wait to hear it.
Mary: Yeah (laughing)
There were like three questions for Jamie in a row and Mary was listening to what Jamie said. She said she loved listening to Jamie speak. However, when finally someone had another question for her, she responded with “It’s about time”
I think Jamie was asked about all the different jobs Lee had done on Galactica so far (e.g. CAG, lawyer...) and which one was his favourite. Jamie joked about Lee’s ever changing responsibilities and how it was a running gag on the set “Mmh, what is Lee doing this week?”
But than he became serious and said that in his opinion that two favourite moments would be when Lee became Commander of the Pegasus and when Lee resigned as a CAG at the end of season 3, because in his opinion one of Lee’s most important development was how Lee stepped out of his father’s shadow and became his own man.
He was also asked about his TV-watching-habits to which he replied that he had never watched a lot of television, but that it was changing and that he was becoming more aware open to TV dramas.
Fan: Thank you for being here. It’s a question for Mary ehm
Mary: About time.
Fan: Yeah. (Mary looks at Jamie, laughs, says Jesus and swings her hips)
It seems…ehm you told us in the penal before that femininity and women in power don’t really go together in TV. Yet you play a very powerful woman, or Laura has become a very powerful woman ehm that it’s a ??? woman in TV. And she has quite a ehm particularly ehm female pop-culture, I feel, and most of the people who admire seemed to be (...)
So how does it feel to be such a strong woman, to be such a woman, such a symbol in pop-culture? Ehm Would you do it again?
That’s the first question and they second question that I have to ask, if I don’t ask it I’m going to get punched, ehm
Mary: Ok, no punishments.
Fan: No punishments, so I’m going to ask the question: In an interview Ron Moore was asked whether ehm William Adama has a crush Laura Roslin and he said, what’s that quote? “Yes.” Unquote. So you probably know what, or can guess what my question now is?
Mary: ehm....ehm..(pretends to think about it)
Fan: Well...
Mary: Does Laura Roslin have a crush on William Adama?
Fan: Yes!
Mary: I think so. (The audience cheers and Mary breaks into laughter.)
eh without, without really getting into it, I think there is..something’s happened between these two people that would have been impossible under any other circumstances, which I think is often the case with some of our most exciting heart and body relationships is that the unexpected occurs with the human being that you may not have seen it coming, because you seem so misfit. We were so utterly misfit at the beginning and all we did was bump heads and I found him just so, such a bully and he thought I was a royal you know what. So eh...pain in the ass. Sorry. And ehm ..so I think, I think it’s been kind of amazing to see why and how something has occurred... between them. And what may or may not happen…you’ll see.
That the second questions, the first question about Laura Roslin and pop-culture: It’s been a complete and utter surprise and delight to me, that…and this I have to say has everything to do with the fact that it’s a sci-fi show and the fans and all of you have made this possible for Laura Roslin to-to to reach out there. Because I’m not sure that without all of you continuing to talk about her and giving her so much thought. I’m not sure she would have lapsed so far on her own and I really mean that. So I thank you...SO MUCH, all of you who’ve, who’ve gotten interested in her and kinda helped carry her along and I really mean it, because I remember reading some things and going to Conventions way early on and people started to reflect to me, what she was giving them and I had no idea ehm .. but I think that the culture we are in is-is thirsting, just so hungry for women to be in these positions in front or us, so we have a way to understand what does it mean to have a female true leader. What does it mean to have a female who is at the top of the traditionally male western power structure? How does that modality change, if there is a woman in there? I think we on the planet are very ???, we certainly are in my country. And we’re hoping...you know..(audience clapping, Mary is laughing and adds) We won’t get into that, no no eh but...anyway I guess what I’m saying; I was- I’m honoured to be there and please let that writers are willing to keep her alive, you know she could have died several times, and I’m really grateful to all of you, cause I - I actually think your projection on her has changed the role and I’m really grateful for it, thank you.
(audience applauses and Mary smiles and gives us both thumbs-up)
Fan: To Mary, I was wondering who is the best dancer? Edward James Olmos, Donald Sutherland or Dan Akycroid?
Mary: (after a pause she steps forwards and say) Oh boy...I have to say Edward James Olmos. applause) Especially after a glass of wine. (more laughter) You did says the best dancer?
Fan: Yes.
Mary: Yeah, indeed. Eddie … you know (makes some dancing moves) He is kinda cool. Oh yeah, yeah.
Mary turns to Jamie, laughs and says with out the microphone: They actually take me serious)
Fan: If Battlestar was real and you’re portraying the characters, would you want to be in that position that you’re put it?
Jamie and Mary look at one another)
Jamie: Lord no.
Mary. No.
Jamie: On no account.
Mary: No.
Jamie: Terrifying.
Mary: No. (shakes her head)
Jamie: It would be slightly masochistic to want to be in that position. I think of what, you what Lee has had to do on a daily basis, you know, go out and face death like four times a day or whatever it is on their flight duties, fight Cylons, deal with this terrorizing, (slight) misfit(?), who he is in love with, but terrified of at the same time and and a dad, who I don’t know has got a thick, thick skin about him a little bit of times, no, I mean, in that claustrophobic tin can in space, you can keep it all.
Fan: Thank you very much. (leaves)
Mary: I would like to comment on that, if I can. (fan returning) Oh yes, there you are. I think it’s a great question, because I-I think that all of us, almost - maybe Eddie (laughs), but most of us would say no. And-And to me that indicates that the writing is really brilliant. Because we don’t get hopped up into feeling like super-heroes on this show, we feel like human beings, who are in constant post-traumatic-stress-syndrome-mode and that the choices we have to make in the daily lives we have to live, are exhausting and beautiful, but really, really..almost impossible. So, so we don’t walk out there going: oh we’re ???, we’re pregnant, you know what I mean? And I think it’s really a tribute to the writers.
Both Jamie and Mary were asked if they though actors would in 20 years be replaced with digital characters. Jamie replied first and stated that he didn’t believe it would happen, because the actor is still needed to make up the character and give him a voice. Although everybody can read some lines, but that it was the actor who gave depth to it.
Mary basically agreed with Jamie, but said that she was more sceptical about the whole development. She told us the story about how she took her 13-year-old son to a 3D screening of Beowulf and how he son actually leaned forward and tried to touch Angelina Jolie and that this gave her a lot to think about.
The question of the weekend: Have you seen Jamie Bamber naked?
Mary immediately raised her arm and the audience began to cheer:
Mary: I want to answer.
(more cheering)
Fan: Actually I have a request, I want to ask: do you think he would take his shirt of on stage right now, if we would ask him to.
Jamie: I was going to say, “only if you do, too.”, but you guys are so crazy you probably would. ehm...if you don’t mind, I will decline. But thank you very much, I’m flattered for you even asking. Ehm
Mary: I’ll answer the first part: (raising her arm again) I haven’t..seen him naked, so...
Fan: Both of us haven’t.
Mary: I know. He’s saving it, he’s saving it.
Jamie. Yes.
Mary:...for more money.
Mary laughs and goes over to Jamie and gives him a hug.
Jamie: A lot more money.
Fan: We have to save money?
Jamie. Yeah, you better start now. Maybe by 2020 you won’t wanna see me naked and that’s when you’ll have enough money build up.
Fan: Without giving too much away, obviously, how do you think the return of Laura’s cancer, will effect her relationship with the Admiral.
Mary: Well, without giving too much away, I think that the return of the cancer
(smoke is blown on stage behind Mary and the sound startles her, the smokes engulfs her form behind)
Jamie: Oh Mary. (audience laughs)
(Mary turns around and sees the smoke, starts to laugh and face-palms herself)
(she leans forward, comes up still laughing hysterically and looks at Jamie while putting a hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Jamie comes over to her and gives her a hug. Mary steps forward and tries to wave away the smoke)
Mary: I’m having a hard time with the German cuisine.
(Mary turns around and laughs even harder)
Mary: All we eat now is salads, you know what I mean.
(waves away the smoke some more)
Mary: The cancer… (can’t stay serious and turns to Jamie)
You’ve ever been to a production of a Scottish play?
(Mary bends her knees and pretends to be some Scottish character with Jamie doing the same
Can’t understand what they’re saying, but suddenly Mary say):
Mary: You’re not supposed to say that, oh turn around three times. (she turns around twice)
Jamie: I didn’t say the M-word.
Mary: Ok, we’re fine. (audience laughing hysterically) No, ok (waves away even more smoke) seriously now ehm trying to answer the questions. Ah, I-I I think that there is a mmh it’s, it’s a question that I really can’t answer, because I think...I may reveal too much.
And the panel was over way too soon...
9.15.pm-10.00pm -
Peter Jurasik & Bruce Boxleitner panel. These two started their panel by telling us that that they would answer absolutely any questions, because Babylon 5 was long finished and no one could hold them accountable for spilling all the secrets! Lol They did tell us some nice things and took the time to remember the B5 actors that have passed away…especially Andreas Katsulas of whom they had life-size paperboard statue as G’Kar.
With the official Fed-Con business over, laharah, scarecrow1983 and I went to the party area and had a drink. laharah and I saw Nicky&Leah dancing, they seemed to have a lot of fun.
The dancing area was too loud and crowded for laharah and I, so we decided to stand and chat near the elevators. As it turns out it was a good choice to stand there, because we saw many stars entering or leaving the elevators, e.g. Peter Jurasik, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Shanks, Steve Basic, Kevin Sorbo...etc. It was fun.
The others left around 0.30am and I retired to my cold, cold car...
(thanks to laharah for letting me use her videos. *hugs*)
Saturday, 19.04.2008
8.20am -
After freezing my butt of sleeping in my car, I woke up to another beautiful Fed-Con day.
9.30am -
Went into the Convention area and had a look in the dealers room.
10.00am-10.45am -
René Auberjonois panel - he was very pleasant and friendly and answered all the questions thoughtfully and at great length. (yeah the man can talk!)
10.45am-11.30am -
Leah Cairns & Nicky Clyne panel. These two are fantastic together and watching them interact and answer the fan’s questions was a LOT of fun!
After the panel I went to the entrance and collected the picture of Mary&me from the previous day. Naturally I spent the next 20 minutes starring at it…lol
I met with laharah and we spend the rest of the day together.
12.15am-1.00pm -
Michelle Forbes panel. She was wonderful to listen to (I love her voice, it’s even better in reality) and she was very friendly and answered all the questions.
1.10pm -
Directly after Michelle’s panel I went upstairs to the room, where the photo shoots took place, and had my picture taken with both Nicky&Leah. These two are so great together and a lot of fun. It was fantastic to meet them.
2.00pm-2.45pm -
Levar Burton panel. He didn’t do many jokes (unlike Brent and Marina), he seems to be a more serious guy, nevertheless he told us some good stories and gave some interesting days.
2.45pm-3.40pm -
The official autograph session was taking place between 1.30pm and 4.30 pm, in which Leah Cairns, Jamie Bamber, Mary McDonnell, Nicky Clyne, Peter Jurasik, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Shanks and René Auberjonois signed autographs. This happened in a separate room and the queue to get in their followed the numbers on the entry ticket. Since our numbers were above 1000, it was clear that we wouldn’t get into the autograph session on Saturday, but on Sunday. However, Leah and Jamie were only signing Saturday only (they already had to leave Sunday afternoon, because they had to return to the bsg set), so we HAD to get their autographs that day. After a lot of confusion and asking around, a nice women at the entry into that room let us slip trough. (mostly because Jamie wasn’t busy at that very moment). Suddenly everything happened very quickly and I was standing in front of Jamie. He smiled at me and said “Hi” and I got three autographs from him: one of for myself, one for my best friend (I told him that he was the reason my friend became a bsg fan and he put "kisses" on her autograph *g*) and I also let him sign the bsg poster I had made before attending the Con. When he saw my poster he seemed to like it and said “Wow, this is impressive.” All in all he was very sweet.
Then I went to Leah and had her sign my pic of Racetrack, she was very sweet and wrote a comment about a bruise on her arm in the pic.
She said the bruise was from Starbuck kicking her right before the scene, but that that part of the scene was cut. I asked her more about it and she mentioned that many of her scenes are being cut. I told her that I wish they wouldn’t cut her so much and she thanked me.
While I was talking to Leah, laharah took some pictures of Mary signing autographs with my camera until one of the helpers told her that Mary didn’t want pictures taken during the autograph session (ups *g*), so she stopped.
Afterwards laharah and I decided to at least get one of the Mary autographs right now (although we were only supposed to get the Jamie&Leah once that day), because we would get to meet Mary twice (good thinking huh? lol) So we got into the queue for Mary (which of course was the longest) and it took us about 20 minutes till it was our turn.20 minutes to get really nervous and freak out…lol I went up to her first and a didn’t say much besides “Hi” (my mind was totally blank), however Mary was very nice, said “Hi, how are you” and smiled at me. I had her sign my poster as well. (I got all the signatures on my poster on Saturday, because I didn’t want to carry it around with me on Sunday) She was really amazing and after I left I watched her and she really was so wonderful with all the people, talking and smiling at them. Her charm captured everyone.
At the end I went to Nicky (she was sitting right next to Mary) and had her sign my poster as well. There was no one standing in line for her at that moment, so she really had time to chat. Sadly, I don’t remember what exactly we talked about (lol Mary had fried my brain, it’s all her fault), but I think I told her how amazing her and Leahs panel was. While she was talking she wanted to sign her name on the picture of Tigh (the poster has all the important cast members on it), but I stopped her and asked her if she could please sign on her picture. Only then did she notice it was the wrong picture and she had to laugh at herself.
At the end, I wished her a wonderful time for the rest of the Convention and thanked her for attending.
After getting all those autographs, we left the autograph session pretty quickly, because we knew we would be back in the autograph session the next day.
3.40pm -
laharah, scarecrow1983, phoenix_cry and I went upstairs in order to stand in the queue for the picture of Jamie&Mary together, which was schedule for 4.30pm
4.25pm -
The people doing the photo shoot announced that Mary and Jamie would not have their pictures taken together after all, but that they would have separate photo shoot beginning with Jamie. So we had to form new queues and wait even longer. Naturally I could not resist having my picture taken with Mary a second time. *g*
Some stupid Germans in front of me complained about the sudden changed and wondered about why they wouldn’t have their pictures taken together. They also complained that Mary was sitting down, while all the other stars were standing. They said it was in order to create distance between herself and the fans (most of the others would put their arms around you or something) and why Mary wouldn’t do that? I really had to constrain myself not to bite their heads off and give them a piece of my mind. I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable putting my arm around 200 complete strangers (especially looking at some of the people there) and that it was wonderful that she did the photo shoot at all. What can I say? Germans aren’t happy, when they don’t have anything to bitch about.
5pm -
Mary arrived at the photo shoot; she waved and smiled at everybody before entering the room.
5.15pm -
Finally it was my turn to have my second picture taken with Mary. Once again she looked awesome and I was just as nervous when I walked up to her as I was the day before. She said “Hi, how are you?” and I sat down next to her. In the few seconds before the picture was taken I thank her for doing this (mainly because those guys had pissed me off before the shoot), so when I got up she smiled at me and said “You’re welcome”
After the photo shoot I went to see the end of the Michael Shanks panel. From what I remember he was quite funny, but I wonder we he always wore his leather jacket???
6.00pm-7.15pm -
laharah and I took a break outside to eat and chat about our favourite topic, which of course is what???? Yeah, our lovely MARY!
7.30p,-8.15pm -
Marina Sirtis panel. Marina was wonderful on stage and told us about her life and her work on TNG. She told some very good jokes and it was fun to see her on stage.
8.15pm-9.15pm -
Time for the best panel of the ENTIRE weekend: the MARY&JAMIE panel.
These two were so great together and I will try to describe their panel as best as I can. This is not in the correct order and I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of things.
Through the whole panel Mary was all giggly and laughing a lot. It was a beautiful sight.
McDonnell greeted the audience with the same sentence she’d used in the opening ceremony afterwards one fan asked her, if she by now knew the meaning of the word “Geil” to which Mary replied that she didn’t. So finally someone told her that it means “horny” and she had to laugh. However, that didn’t stop her from using the word for the rest of the weekend.
I kinda got the impression that Jamie knew the meaning of “Geil” already, because he was grinning so much.
One fan told Mary how much she loves ‘Dances with Wolves’ and if she could talk about her experiences with shooting that epic movie. Mary began with saying a few words in Lakota and when she was asked what they meant she joked “It’s awesome to be here”, but then admitted that it really meant “I’m missing my husband”. The audience responded with loud “awws” and Mary said: “What? It’s true” That was so sweet.
Afterwards she talked about the set and the hardships of filming in deep winter.
I think someone asked them what things they had learned from their fellow actors. Anyway at one point they talked about how they had learned from Eddie, how to shoot a scene while being on the phone having your agent tell you how much money you’re making next month. They made fun of him and told us how Eddie was constantly talking on the phone. That it was his “thing”. (This corresponds with something Michelle Forbes had said in her panel, how in one of the first Pegasus scenes (when Admiral Cain comes on board); Eddie was not there for the rehearsal and James Callies had to jump in to do his lines). They said that Eddie even did the rehearsals over the phone (remember the blog with the rehearsal for ‘Hero’). But they were both very sweet about it and said that Eddie was a really busy man.
One fan mentioned that in BSG, the ‘blondes’ seemed to have most of the “fun”, meaning they had more sex. So the question was, if they thought blondes would have more sex than brunettes. Jamie replied by asking “Is James Callies blonde?”, because he has more sex than anyone else. Mary told us that she was blonde for a month and did not have more “fun”. She said she had more success being a red-head and the best experiences as a brunette.
Mary was asked what she thought about being photo brushed so much in the official BSG promo shots, to which she replied that as a professional she was concerned for all the young actresses getting the wrong impression and they were all going with this trend, but personally she wouldn’t mind at all.
They we’re asked about the Lee&Laura relationship and what happened to it:
(beginning is missing, sorry, but the question referred back to a question about their relationship from Jamie’s panel.)
Jamie: When did I...I said we were quite similar, we were principled and stubborn and ehm .. reluctant to change our opinion once we’ve formed it and that inevitable leads to certain clashes, ehm which obviously end of season 3 is one of those, but...they’re very similar characters and (...) probably have the potential to be again.
Mary: I think, frankly, that we could have had a really cool relationship in the beginning and they kinda weird(?) away from it for whatever reasons. But I actually thing that if you hang in there eh..it-all is not lost. But I do think Jamie is right, they needed a..similar kind of nature in-in in his area of the story and my area of the story. And it was inevitable that we would somehow come up against each other eh as we...that’s part of politics. And I actually adore Jamie’s transition from eh being in the military to being in politics on the show, so I was very excited to have him come over to our side and be around him more again, 'cause I haven’t been around him, you know a lot, since the beginning. It’s been a pleasure.
They were asked what they most liked about each other and Jamie started talking about how amazing Mary is and so on (I don’t remember the details, but he talked for quite some time) and Mary stood next to him and watched him very carefully all the time. At one point she looked like she wanted to say "are you serious?", but she was generally very touched my Jamie’s remarks.
Mary said how much she enjoyed Jamie’s acting in the 4th season, but for her the “highlight” of Jamie’s acting was the end of the 3rd season. Jamie was brilliant in the court scene and she was glad that the writers had written that part for Lee. She then added that the whole ensemble was just wonderful, but that especially Edward James Olmos functioned as their “anchor” and that he had thought them a lot.
Jamie was asked about the first time he met Richard Hatch, because he was the former Apollo. Jamie told us that he had been scared before meeting Richard, but there were no hard feelings during first meeting at all and that Richard had been very nice to him.
Both Mary and Jamie were asked if they ever used the word “Frak” to which the immediately replied “abso-frakking-lutely”. They said they used the word “Frak” all the time. Mary continued that her kids would use the other f-word at home while she would use “Frak” and her kids tell her not to say Frak all the time, because they know what it means to which she replied that they don’t even watch the show and have no reason to complain.
Question about Laura becoming a dictator.
Mary: I can’t see her from the outside,(...). All I can do, all I can do, that’s for you guys to judge, all I can do is play her from the inside out. And from the inside I don’t feel particularly eh dictatorial..ehm..(...) I feel ehm as someone who’s eh trying to evolve quickly without all the information and without all the skills and without all the preparedness and someone who actually has ehm...not much other reason she believes to be alive, but to accomplish a very simple objective, which is huge, which is...you know, bring these people to Earth. So I don’t go beyond that, I don’t judge her politically, but it’s kinda interesting to listen...to people who do, because she never really has a rival opposite(?), except for ehm with Jamie’s and Jamie and the courtroom. There were people who brought her reality closer to her to face, which has always been a kinda of interesting moment for Laura Roslin.
Another question was what character besides their own they would like to play for one day if they could pick a character. Jamie immediately answered James Callies and went on telling us what an amazing job he is doing as Baltar. Jamie said he didn’t think he could do as good as a job, but that he nevertheless would like to be him for one day. Mary agreed with Jamie and said she would also pick James Callies, but I got the impression that she had intended to say Eddie at first. They also mentioned that James Callies was very good at impersonating Edward James Olmos.
To the question which of the colleagues was least like their character they both answered Tricia Helfer and that Aaron Douglas was most like his character.
They were asked about the differences between playing in a TV show and being in theatre:
Jamie: (didn’t get his answer)
Mary teasing Jamie about his answer...
Jamie: How do you feel about theatre?
Mary: I was teasing...ehm I feel very similar to Jamie…
Jamie interrupting: I though you were serious.
Mary: No darling, I loved what you very saying, I was just...teasing you. Ehm I love what Jamie was saying, because I think he eh communicated what’s essentially the exciting thing about the theatre, which is the aliveness and the risk-taking. To me ehm there is nothing more frightening than the moment before you walk out to begin a play and wonder if a) your body and your voice and your mind will all work on the same track and whether or not the audience will...click with the people on stage that evening. And wonder or not what will go wrong and right. There is something so extraordinary in that and I also feel that the roles in the theatre, particularly eh my experiences as a woman, the roles in the theatre are so much more ehm embracing eh the whole complicated human being and so I like, I like exploring those roles. But I do find after a while, that it was refreshing and relaxing for me to be in some television at this point in my life. Ehm However, I do think ehm when I’m older, that ehm it might be fun to get back up there and play the really, really great strong dame(?)so I I kinda look forward to that.
Jamie: I can’t wait to hear it.
Mary: Yeah (laughing)
There were like three questions for Jamie in a row and Mary was listening to what Jamie said. She said she loved listening to Jamie speak. However, when finally someone had another question for her, she responded with “It’s about time”
I think Jamie was asked about all the different jobs Lee had done on Galactica so far (e.g. CAG, lawyer...) and which one was his favourite. Jamie joked about Lee’s ever changing responsibilities and how it was a running gag on the set “Mmh, what is Lee doing this week?”
But than he became serious and said that in his opinion that two favourite moments would be when Lee became Commander of the Pegasus and when Lee resigned as a CAG at the end of season 3, because in his opinion one of Lee’s most important development was how Lee stepped out of his father’s shadow and became his own man.
He was also asked about his TV-watching-habits to which he replied that he had never watched a lot of television, but that it was changing and that he was becoming more aware open to TV dramas.
Fan: Thank you for being here. It’s a question for Mary ehm
Mary: About time.
Fan: Yeah. (Mary looks at Jamie, laughs, says Jesus and swings her hips)
It seems…ehm you told us in the penal before that femininity and women in power don’t really go together in TV. Yet you play a very powerful woman, or Laura has become a very powerful woman ehm that it’s a ??? woman in TV. And she has quite a ehm particularly ehm female pop-culture, I feel, and most of the people who admire seemed to be (...)
So how does it feel to be such a strong woman, to be such a woman, such a symbol in pop-culture? Ehm Would you do it again?
That’s the first question and they second question that I have to ask, if I don’t ask it I’m going to get punched, ehm
Mary: Ok, no punishments.
Fan: No punishments, so I’m going to ask the question: In an interview Ron Moore was asked whether ehm William Adama has a crush Laura Roslin and he said, what’s that quote? “Yes.” Unquote. So you probably know what, or can guess what my question now is?
Mary: ehm....ehm..(pretends to think about it)
Fan: Well...
Mary: Does Laura Roslin have a crush on William Adama?
Fan: Yes!
Mary: I think so. (The audience cheers and Mary breaks into laughter.)
eh without, without really getting into it, I think there is..something’s happened between these two people that would have been impossible under any other circumstances, which I think is often the case with some of our most exciting heart and body relationships is that the unexpected occurs with the human being that you may not have seen it coming, because you seem so misfit. We were so utterly misfit at the beginning and all we did was bump heads and I found him just so, such a bully and he thought I was a royal you know what. So eh...pain in the ass. Sorry. And ehm ..so I think, I think it’s been kind of amazing to see why and how something has occurred... between them. And what may or may not happen…you’ll see.
That the second questions, the first question about Laura Roslin and pop-culture: It’s been a complete and utter surprise and delight to me, that…and this I have to say has everything to do with the fact that it’s a sci-fi show and the fans and all of you have made this possible for Laura Roslin to-to to reach out there. Because I’m not sure that without all of you continuing to talk about her and giving her so much thought. I’m not sure she would have lapsed so far on her own and I really mean that. So I thank you...SO MUCH, all of you who’ve, who’ve gotten interested in her and kinda helped carry her along and I really mean it, because I remember reading some things and going to Conventions way early on and people started to reflect to me, what she was giving them and I had no idea ehm .. but I think that the culture we are in is-is thirsting, just so hungry for women to be in these positions in front or us, so we have a way to understand what does it mean to have a female true leader. What does it mean to have a female who is at the top of the traditionally male western power structure? How does that modality change, if there is a woman in there? I think we on the planet are very ???, we certainly are in my country. And we’re hoping...you know..(audience clapping, Mary is laughing and adds) We won’t get into that, no no eh but...anyway I guess what I’m saying; I was- I’m honoured to be there and please let that writers are willing to keep her alive, you know she could have died several times, and I’m really grateful to all of you, cause I - I actually think your projection on her has changed the role and I’m really grateful for it, thank you.
(audience applauses and Mary smiles and gives us both thumbs-up)
Fan: To Mary, I was wondering who is the best dancer? Edward James Olmos, Donald Sutherland or Dan Akycroid?
Mary: (after a pause she steps forwards and say) Oh boy...I have to say Edward James Olmos. applause) Especially after a glass of wine. (more laughter) You did says the best dancer?
Fan: Yes.
Mary: Yeah, indeed. Eddie … you know (makes some dancing moves) He is kinda cool. Oh yeah, yeah.
Mary turns to Jamie, laughs and says with out the microphone: They actually take me serious)
Fan: If Battlestar was real and you’re portraying the characters, would you want to be in that position that you’re put it?
Jamie and Mary look at one another)
Jamie: Lord no.
Mary. No.
Jamie: On no account.
Mary: No.
Jamie: Terrifying.
Mary: No. (shakes her head)
Jamie: It would be slightly masochistic to want to be in that position. I think of what, you what Lee has had to do on a daily basis, you know, go out and face death like four times a day or whatever it is on their flight duties, fight Cylons, deal with this terrorizing, (slight) misfit(?), who he is in love with, but terrified of at the same time and and a dad, who I don’t know has got a thick, thick skin about him a little bit of times, no, I mean, in that claustrophobic tin can in space, you can keep it all.
Fan: Thank you very much. (leaves)
Mary: I would like to comment on that, if I can. (fan returning) Oh yes, there you are. I think it’s a great question, because I-I think that all of us, almost - maybe Eddie (laughs), but most of us would say no. And-And to me that indicates that the writing is really brilliant. Because we don’t get hopped up into feeling like super-heroes on this show, we feel like human beings, who are in constant post-traumatic-stress-syndrome-mode and that the choices we have to make in the daily lives we have to live, are exhausting and beautiful, but really, really..almost impossible. So, so we don’t walk out there going: oh we’re ???, we’re pregnant, you know what I mean? And I think it’s really a tribute to the writers.
Both Jamie and Mary were asked if they though actors would in 20 years be replaced with digital characters. Jamie replied first and stated that he didn’t believe it would happen, because the actor is still needed to make up the character and give him a voice. Although everybody can read some lines, but that it was the actor who gave depth to it.
Mary basically agreed with Jamie, but said that she was more sceptical about the whole development. She told us the story about how she took her 13-year-old son to a 3D screening of Beowulf and how he son actually leaned forward and tried to touch Angelina Jolie and that this gave her a lot to think about.
The question of the weekend: Have you seen Jamie Bamber naked?
Mary immediately raised her arm and the audience began to cheer:
Mary: I want to answer.
(more cheering)
Fan: Actually I have a request, I want to ask: do you think he would take his shirt of on stage right now, if we would ask him to.
Jamie: I was going to say, “only if you do, too.”, but you guys are so crazy you probably would. ehm...if you don’t mind, I will decline. But thank you very much, I’m flattered for you even asking. Ehm
Mary: I’ll answer the first part: (raising her arm again) I haven’t..seen him naked, so...
Fan: Both of us haven’t.
Mary: I know. He’s saving it, he’s saving it.
Jamie. Yes.
Mary:...for more money.
Mary laughs and goes over to Jamie and gives him a hug.
Jamie: A lot more money.
Fan: We have to save money?
Jamie. Yeah, you better start now. Maybe by 2020 you won’t wanna see me naked and that’s when you’ll have enough money build up.
Fan: Without giving too much away, obviously, how do you think the return of Laura’s cancer, will effect her relationship with the Admiral.
Mary: Well, without giving too much away, I think that the return of the cancer
(smoke is blown on stage behind Mary and the sound startles her, the smokes engulfs her form behind)
Jamie: Oh Mary. (audience laughs)
(Mary turns around and sees the smoke, starts to laugh and face-palms herself)
(she leans forward, comes up still laughing hysterically and looks at Jamie while putting a hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Jamie comes over to her and gives her a hug. Mary steps forward and tries to wave away the smoke)
Mary: I’m having a hard time with the German cuisine.
(Mary turns around and laughs even harder)
Mary: All we eat now is salads, you know what I mean.
(waves away the smoke some more)
Mary: The cancer… (can’t stay serious and turns to Jamie)
You’ve ever been to a production of a Scottish play?
(Mary bends her knees and pretends to be some Scottish character with Jamie doing the same
Can’t understand what they’re saying, but suddenly Mary say):
Mary: You’re not supposed to say that, oh turn around three times. (she turns around twice)
Jamie: I didn’t say the M-word.
Mary: Ok, we’re fine. (audience laughing hysterically) No, ok (waves away even more smoke) seriously now ehm trying to answer the questions. Ah, I-I I think that there is a mmh it’s, it’s a question that I really can’t answer, because I think...I may reveal too much.
And the panel was over way too soon...
9.15.pm-10.00pm -
Peter Jurasik & Bruce Boxleitner panel. These two started their panel by telling us that that they would answer absolutely any questions, because Babylon 5 was long finished and no one could hold them accountable for spilling all the secrets! Lol They did tell us some nice things and took the time to remember the B5 actors that have passed away…especially Andreas Katsulas of whom they had life-size paperboard statue as G’Kar.
With the official Fed-Con business over, laharah, scarecrow1983 and I went to the party area and had a drink. laharah and I saw Nicky&Leah dancing, they seemed to have a lot of fun.
The dancing area was too loud and crowded for laharah and I, so we decided to stand and chat near the elevators. As it turns out it was a good choice to stand there, because we saw many stars entering or leaving the elevators, e.g. Peter Jurasik, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Shanks, Steve Basic, Kevin Sorbo...etc. It was fun.
The others left around 0.30am and I retired to my cold, cold car...
(thanks to laharah for letting me use her videos. *hugs*)