SkyOne Chat With Jamie Bamber & James Callis 1/10/06
Source: KenSix9 over at Galactica ActualPart One
EventManager Hi guys, welcome to chat!
JamesCallis Nannu-Nannu!!
JamieBamber Hello.........
EventManager How are you both doing ... are you well?
JamesCallis Yes I'm happy to be chatting....
JamieBamber Yeah! I'm ready for a free for all...
persia how did you get involved in acting? and have you always wanted to star in a sci fi show
JamieBamber My mum actually -- at a very young age -- ran a theatre group for English speaking kids...
JamieBamber She cast me as the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz when I was 5...
JamieBamber It must have been something to do with green makeup and a pointy hat... it seemed to sit with me well!
JamesCallis I've always been doing this kind of thing since school and university followed by drama school... followed by Solider Solider
JamesCallis As an actor, you want to do as many things as you can, so not neccesarily Sci-Fi!
StarbuckCoffeeGirl Hi James, just wanted to ask if you are looking forward to meeting your fans in February in the UK?
JamesCallis Very much so... will I see you there StarbuckCoffeeGirl?
mlsky I've read in interviews, that in the latter half of season 2, Lee comes close to death; then sort of falls apart. I'm wondering if Jamie, the actor, enjoyed the challenge of portraying that side of Lee?
JamieBamber Yes -- any time you can experience a bit of trauma and see the layers unravel -- it's always fun...
JamieBamber .. it was pretty traumatic -- being strapped to a chair dangling upside down in front of a huge green screen!
Paul Will we see any episodes with Lee and Baltar on screen together?
JamieBamber Very few... but yes...
JamesCallis Once!!
EventManager Are you enjoying the chat gents?
JamieBamber Absolutely -- it's great!
JamesCallis Brilliant!
baz will there be a third season?
JamesCallis YOU BETCHA!!
Meesh&Wend Jamie - We met you at Wolf convention last year. Did you enjoy it and would you coem back to another?
JamieBamber It was my first convention... I was a bit shocked which might explain the look on my face!
JamieBamber But yes, I did enjoy it and of course I'll come back!
Neil Hi, first I just want to say I love the show and think you are both great in it. My question is, who have you enjoyed working with the most or who would you like to work with more. Thank you.
JamesCallis I honestly don't have any favourites Neil -- everybody is amazing -- that's god's honest truth!
JamieBamber Similarly -- everyone's fantastic to work with -- a lot of my formative scenes were with Eddie
JamieBamber But of course I'd love work more with James -- and my wife!
JamesCallis Ditto!
SimonJa78 Great first episode of the new series, any big surprises in store?
JamieBamber Hmm... how long have you got? You've got people dying...
JamieBamber New faces turning up...
JamesCallis ... which is a surprise considering there's only meant to be 50,000 people left!
NiaCon How does Gaius have a child with Cylon Model Number Six
JamesCallis Yet another surprise coming to you Nia... it's a surprise for Gaius as well!
El Wappo Great start guys guys! Will this season be darker than the last?
JamieBamber Yes, in my opinion it certainly is -- from my character's perspective...
JamesCallis Things do get worse before they get better!
JamieBamber But things don't get better ;-)
lace Do you enjoy scifi yourselves
JamieBamber Yeah absolutely -- I grew up on Star Wars, Bladerunner ...
JamieBamber I only really watch quality Sci-Fi -- it tends to be movies -- but I do feel that what we're doing..
JamieBamber .. is in that tradition.
scott1975 do you think us as humans are pushing the boundaries of science to far when it comes to machines(robotics)
JamesCallis No...
JamesCallis ... we are destined to constantly update what we know
Virogen Do you watch the final episodes on TV? And if so do you have any favorites so far?
JamieBamber Personally I've only seen the first ten episodes of the season...
JamesCallis Same for me...
JamieBamber But when they are on, I'll be watching!
Marwood75 James, how do you feel about having to work alongside Tricia Helfer whilst wearing that red dress (her not you!)?
JamesCallis Privileged!
syleth Fantastic stuff!
JamieBamber Thank you very much!
JamesCallis Thank you for watching!
EventManager Ok keep those questions coming in -- we're almost half way through tonight's chat with James Callis and Jamie Bamber.Part Two
radarhunnihawk what first appealed to you about working on BSG?
JamieBamber Flying a viper!!
JamesCallis I'd never done anything like it before -- I'm up for a challenge!
Rob-No.6 Do you guys watch rival shows like Stargate SG1 and Atlantis?
JamieBamber I'm afraid not...although I know all the people in it and they are lovely!
JamesCallis Here here!
Agent Bauer When you got cast as Lee, had you already seen the original series and what were your expectations for the new series?
JamieBamber Yes, I'd seen the original as a 7 year old...
JamieBamber I was just desperately hoping that our show would be dark, grown up and scary...
JamieBamber And it has been. It needed to be as different as possible.
chrisdep What has been your favorite episode so far?
JamesCallis Hmmm
JamesCallis What do you think Jamie?
JamieBamber To watch... Kobol's Last Gleaming Part 1 ....
JamieBamber ...and to be in, very selfishly, I enjoyed Black Market in Series 2 -- I was in every scene!
JamesCallis I've enjoyed everything that I have done on the show...
JamesCallis Watching a show back, I thought Pegasus was pretty outstanding...
JamesCallis ... in a sense of being IN the show and also watching from the sofa
Nightsky What was it that initially attracted you to the characters?
JamesCallis Somebody who had so many sides and was seemingly so complex and duplicitous...
JamesCallis ... someone who may be on the wrong side but is trying to do the right thing.
JamieBamber I suppose being an outsider on the Galactica, where I should be very much an insider..
JamieBamber ... and constantly being conflicted in all my close relationships.
cylon how long did it take for you to get the american accent
JamieBamber I'm still working on it!
JamieBamber (My dad is American, so I had help growing up)
JamesCallis You are FAR too modest Jamie!
Tonyg What is your favourite developement in the new series from the original?
JamieBamber The Cylons being human...
JamesCallis Funnily enough I agree
Welshboy What would be your advice for someone who wanted to act in a series like this?
JamieBamber Get on a plane to Vancouver and turn up at casting?
WAYNE Q to both how did you feel when you got your roles?
JamieBamber I was elated, really excited!
JamesCallis Ecstatic!
JamieBamber ... and a bit scared!
Violets Both your characters are great but I was wondering how much fun it is to play such a baddy James?
JamieBamber I don't think he's a baddy.. he's just trying to find a way out of a predicament...
JamesCallis On so many levels I find it fascinating.
Bobble hows it feel being a sex symbol?
JamieBamber I don't feel like a sex symbol!
teena have either of you got any film roles coming up?
JamieBamber Nothing definite, no...
JamesCallis Watch this space Teena!
Splink Edward James Almos is a legend. Was it daunting knowing you were going to work with him?
JamieBamber Yes, very -- he's an imposing person to meet and he has very strong convictions and opinions...
JamieBamber .. and I have no strong convictions or opinions, so I was pretty scared!
JamesCallis Edward is certainly formidable, but luckily for us, he's also generous and quite brilliant!
JamieBamber Here here!
geordie11 What aspects of yourselves did you bring to the characters?
JamesCallis My definite sexiness, otherwise there might not be a 3rd series!! ;-)
JamieBamber My sense of self-consciousness
JamesCallis I was going to say your natural reserve, Jamie...
JamieBamber I think that's quite astute James... as always!
JamesCallis That's one of the great things about Jamie...
JamesCallis unlike many actors, Jamie thinks before he speaks!
JamieBamber Unless he's been on the tequila!
Sandwich If the current level of success continues, how many seasons would you be willing to continue with the show for?
JamieBamber As long as we are exploring new stuff, the writing is good and the cast stays together, I'd be happy.
JamesCallis The show is demanding, fresh and exciting - as long as it remains this way, it's a great thing to be involved with.
Zero Are you worried about the plot becoming too convoluted as the series progresses?
JamieBamber Only for new viewers -- I think it can be hard to pick the show up at times,...
JamieBamber ... but I think it's great for people who stay with it.
jojo is there any plans for a bsg movie?
JamesCallis It's been muted by powers... not necessarily that be!
JamieBamber By powers that wish they be!Part Three
EventManager Ok, we've just got 15 minutes left before James and Jamie have to go...
Silverbuttons Was it hard having to relocate to Canada?
JamesCallis I come back to London after living here my whole life and it certainly feels very strange!
JamieBamber I find flying and relocating my family twice a year to be pretty draining...
JamieBamber ... so I'd like to stay in one place -- wherever that might be -- I don't know yet! But Canada's great.
Marks4trying What do you think of the way the show addresses moral issues?
JamieBamber Ambiguity rocks!
JamesCallis Perhaps a product of intelligent television is that the audience is supposed to decide what's going on...
JamesCallis This is simply presented to you -- so you've got to work it out -- so it engenders debate.
Readie26 How has the filiming of the second season changed from the first?
JamieBamber More episodes -- we're doing 20 instead of 13...
jaydee180 were you given free reign in how you decided to bring your characters to life?
JamieBamber A lot of reign yeah...
JamesCallis A lot of rope for me!
Principal Director -- are open to new ideas ...
JamieBamber We're lucky to have pretty open and collaborative producers -- Michael Rymer as the
JamieBamber and we have healthy dialog.
xo sam do you think the GALACTICA is the best ship ever out of sci fi
JamieBamber Good question!
JamieBamber I think it's tough to beat the Millenium Falcon.. but yeah...
JamieBamber But then there's The Pegasus...
JamesCallis I think the Tardis may have been bigger inside!
Traveller Are you both surprised by the very positive critical acclaim the series has got?
JamesCallis I am surprised, only in the sense that people appreciate the show as much as we who are making the show appreciate it.
JamesCallis Sometimes that just doesn't happen ...!
JamieBamber I got a very emotional email from Eddie Olmos amazed that Time Magazine in the US voted us the Best TV Show...
JamieBamber .. of 2005 -- nothing to do with Sci-Fi! Best TV Show Period!
JamesCallis Time Magazine ROCKS!
JamieBamber That is a surprise -- because as Eddie said, we've broken out of the genre.
Dave Angel Does working in sci-fi worry you of becoming type cast?
JamieBamber Not in this show which is so ground breaking.
anthmoo In both of your opinion, what was the stupidest blunder on set?
JamesCallis Ahh.. one was using a crane which shot material for hours all through the night...
JamesCallis ... but the camera wasn't actually ON! We had to re-do the whole thing again!
JamieBamber The camera was only on in-between the takes!
JamesCallis Oh I didn't know that -- I wasn't involved!
JamieBamber They had all the in-between and none of the takes!
cheech Did u meet any of the cast from the original Battlestar before filming?
JamieBamber No... I met Richard Hatch just before he began the read-through for his first episode. I was VERY nervous!
JamieBamber I'd heard that he hated us! But, it turns out he loves us! So that's nice.
Jason Hi gents, great show very gritty, Jamie do you find it strange acting opposite the original Apollo
JamieBamber At times, yeah, I have to pinch myself -- but Richard is a very warm, very generous man..
JamieBamber .. and very quick to put me at ease.
Duncan Have you been approached about your likeness for action figures of your characters?
JamesCallis No, but when the dolls do become available, I want shares in Tricia's doll!
EventManager Ok, just time for a few more questions...
Aries25 Did the old 70's series imoact on how you both play out your characters now?
JamieBamber Not at all...
JamesCallis For me, yes...
sian whats the best advice another actor/actress has ever given you?
JamieBamber Eddie told me to get into production! I'm not sure how to take that!
EventManager Ok gents, thank you so much for taking the time to join us this evening...
EventManager Ok gents, thank you so much for taking the time to join us this evening...
JamesCallis I'm looking forward to the next one!
JamieBamber Too short!!
JamesCallis Great questions!
EventManager Any last words?
JamieBamber I hope you all enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it!
JamesCallis Your expectations will be confounded!
EventManager Thanks very much indeed! Ok everyone, thanks for coming tonight..
JamesCallis Lots of love!!
JamieBamber X X
EventManager That's all for tonight -- keep watching Sky One and we'll see you soon!