In Step With Jamie Bamber
Source: parade.comAnd what does Commander “Apollo” of TV’s cult hit Battlestar Galactica do on a rare day off? “I’m going out now to play tennis,” said Jamie Bamber, the half-American, half-Northern Irish actor who supplies much of the theatrical juice for a show set in deep space.
Jamie was in Vancouver—where they shoot the Peabody Award-winning series—with his wife Kerry and their three kids. The two met in Scotland on a film set and have been married three years. Kerry seems to have a sense of humor, even when it comes to her dashing young husband being called one of TV’s hottest male stars. In one recent interview, she said, “Sexiness comes in different forms…and I’ve washed his underwear.”
Battlestar Galactica, now in its third season on the Sci Fi Channel, is a big hit with the critics. “It’s absolutely a drama first and science fiction second,” insisted Jamie. “The thing that drives the story is the relationship between the characters and their struggle to survive. At first I had misgivings about doing a remake of a ’70s cult hit. But now I’m passionately involved. I really do get a kick out of it. It’s admirable and bold. I even enjoy people recognizing me. They get so involved. They know my character precisely and what’s happening in the story.”
I asked Bamber if he minded shedding his British accent for the role. “I had no problem,” he said. “ I relished the chance to do an American.”
In the meantime, Jamie, who got his start in theater and attended The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, said he’d love to get back onstage—especially on Broadway. “We were in New York for four or five days in June,” he recalled, “and it was like a second honeymoon—the people, the energy, the city—we loved it.”
Brady's Bits
Born in London, Jamie Bamber spent some time as a kid in Paris. He graduated with honors with an M.A. in modern languages from Cambridge University, where he found time to play rugby and do theater. He’s performed Shakespeare and played the Devil in Dr. Faustus. “I love to be part of a company,” he told me.
“The rehearsal process, going out onstage and then going for drinks after.” He says that once this season of Battlestar Galactica has wrapped, he and Kerry and their three children will leave Vancouver for L.A. to go house hunting. “Having been brought up in cold, foggy London, I’d like to live down by the beach,” said Jamie. “That would be pretty exciting.” Then he paused. “But can we afford all those bedrooms?”
Personal
Born April 3, 1973, in London. Married to actress Kerry Norton since 2003. Three children: Isla, 3, Ava, 2, and Darcy, 2.
Why You Know Him
He was Lt. Jack Foley in Tom Hanks’ and Steven Spielberg’s smash HBO series Band of Brothers and he’s now Commander “Apollo” on the hit sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica.
What You Don’t Know
He loves golf, cocktails and meals with his wife. Jamie’s favorite food is sushi. “It’s healthy,” he says. “And the way I mix wasabi—very hot.”