Stargate Atlantis cast reunites at Comic-Con 2021 to share their best stories

It’s been 12 years since Stargate followers travelled to the Pegasus Galaxy with Syfy’s Stargate Atlantis. The spinoff of the community’s Stargate SG-1 (itself a derivative of of Roland Emmerich’s 1994 movie Stargate) launched a brand new workforce of troopers and navy personnel who journeyed by means of the Stargate to the distant Pegasus Galaxy to a complicated metropolis left deserted by the Ancients (an early race of superior people). There, they met a harmful new enemy, the Wraith.

At this 12 months’s digital San Diego Comic-Con, the forged of the present got here collectively for a panel dialogue that seemed again on the collection. Moderated by David Learn of YouTube channel the Dial the Gate, the reunion included David Hewlett (scientist Rodney McKay), Torri Higginson (expedition chief Elizabeth Weir), Rachel Luttrell (Athosian chief Teyla Emmagan), Paul McGillion (medic Carson Beckett), Rainbow Solar Francks (Marine Lt. Aiden Ford), David Nykl (scientist Radek Zelenka), and Robert Picardo (IOA oversight consultant and expedition chief Richard Woolsey).

Learn kicked off the chat by checking in with the actors to see how they’d weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and what they’ve been as much as, earlier than trying again on the present that introduced all of them collectively: “is that tough to consider that followers are nonetheless into [Stargate Atlantis] virtually as fervently as when it was airing [17 years ago]?”

Hewlett famous that individuals don’t say that “hey, you’re on that present,” they are saying “hey, you’re on that present my dad and mom used to observe!” and Nykl famous that the pandemic has made it tougher to attach with followers outdoors of conventions — the whole lot’s been held on Zoom. He additionally famous that there’s been some persistent chatter in regards to the Stargate franchise returning after the information that Amazon purchased MGM, which he pointed to as proof that fandom was thriving. That stated, he stated that he hadn’t heard something official about the way forward for the franchise.

“It’s superb at the way it’s survived and thrived,” Higginson broke in. “I feel SG-1, which went for [10] years, that did lots of the cementing of that franchise. To me although, it appears superb that it’s 17 years — it feels longer to me. It seems like one other life in the past.”

Learn moved on to Picardo, asking him if he knew what he was stepping into when he joined one other science fiction franchise (he was in all probability greatest recognized for enjoying EMH in Star Trek: Voyager) late in Stargate SG-1’s run: “was a part of you want do I wish to be recognized for science fiction — and solely science fiction?”

Picardo famous that it was necessary to have had plenty of roles earlier than stepping into science fiction. “Let’s face it — after seven years on Star Trek in my 40s, I used to be pegged as a science fiction man. There’s no turning it round after that. You might have a devoted viewers that actually solely is aware of you from that. So I had no illusions about that.” He famous he was primarily serious about seeing how fandom responded, and defined that he hardly ever comes throughout a Star Trek fan who hasn’t seen Stargate, and vice versa. “It definitely goes each methods. For me, the odd half was simply taking part in a personality who was launched and was so disagreeable, after which once they stated they wished to show me into a frontrunner, I assumed, everybody hates me — I’ve no persona, I’m a coward, no management abilities, and I’m a douchebag.”

However taking part in a personality that might mainly reinvent himself within the later phases of his profession was what made it enjoyable for the actor. “To begin that job in my center 50s and must develop into a frontrunner at that stage in life was an excellent analogy for what was taking place after the monetary meltdown in 2007 the place there have been lots of people my age and older who had to return into the workforce, so I assumed it was an attention-grabbing time to play a personality like that.”

When MGM debuted Atlantis, Stargate SG-1 had already been on the air for 5 years. “You had been the upstarts,” Learn posed to Luttrell “you had one thing to show, how did it really feel to leap into this complete factor, and as an alien?”

Luttrell famous that she jumped into the present unaware of the bigger story. She’d seen the unique Stargate movie and loved it, however didn’t know something about SG-1. “I got here in utterly naive,” she stated. “I feel that was actually good, as a result of I didn’t really feel the strain to tackle this enterprise and big fandom. It took me in all probability till episode 5 earlier than I noticed the impression of Stargate and I’m completely happy about that. As soon as I did, the strain did settle in.”

Picture: MGM Tv

She stated that that fandom actually got here into focus when she attended her first conference with the forged — San Diego Comedian-Con. Higginson and Hewett broke in and famous that they’d been given loads of free liquor by the studio the evening earlier than, and endured some intense hangovers the following day. “I assumed nobody’s going to be at that conference as a result of they’re all mad at us as a result of we had been killing SG-1,” Higginson recalled, “after which we walked out and there was like a soccer area full of individuals, and I used to be so hungover that I couldn’t communicate.”

“I bear in mind being terrified,” Luttrell stated. “I bear in mind sweating a lot on stage. It was so overwhelming.”

Nykl famous that actors usually aren’t ready for that form of fan reception. “It’s important to form of develop a 3rd individual,” he stated. “It’s like your non-public self, then your character that you just play on TV, and a hybrid model of you on stage earlier than 700 folks. It was actually daunting.”

From there, Learn introduced out some questions from his viewers: the primary out of the gate was “What was a part of your character that you just liked?”

Luttrell stated that she liked all facets of her character — I liked that they managed to craft a personality that was a robust, impartial, clever, empathetic, and compassionate — a multi-tiered, multi-leveled human being.”

Nykl famous — after some ribbing from his fellow forged members — that his character was created to make sure that Hewlett’s character didn’t have all the scientific monologues, “they wished a Mutt and Jeff routine.”

“[Our characters] had been good at banter,” Hewett famous. “They liked their banter. I liked the scenes everytime you bought a few characters bantering backwards and forwards. That was the enchantment to Sport of Thrones for me — apparently they made the exhibits too brief and they also had to return and determine it out. They only knew that you possibly can have some enjoyable with that.”

“And characters,” Nykl identified. “You’ll be able to go excessive idea in area and wormholes and all that, however whenever you get behind the characters and begin understanding their tales, that’s what brings you to it.”

“They’re all relatable too,” McGillion added. “Everybody can relate to sure characters, like with the combating characters like [Aiden] Ford, and Teyla, after which Jason [Momoa] when he was on the present, that facet of it, after which like each Davids, folks might discover a character that they associated to, and I feel that’s why folks had been actually drawn in the direction of it.”

“I used to be all the time keen on Ford’s relationship with Shepard,” Learn famous. “There was a mentor-mentee high quality there, even in that single scene at first of season 5 the place he’s dreaming of Tayla and Ford smashes into his thoughts and stated ‘hey, I’m over right here, you didn’t rescue me, you failed, you’re not as good as you would possibly suppose.’”

Photograph: MGM Tv

Francks recalled that it was enjoyable to return — the writers wrote him in for a fast scene, and he was completely happy to take the paycheck. “However let’s not overlook Ford’s relationship with Paul and Rachel,” he added. “These moments had been actually particular to me. We laughed a lot.” Luttrell famous that they virtually couldn’t be close to one another as a result of they’d make themselves chuckle a lot.

The puddle jumper scenes had been notably enjoyable for the group. McGillion recalled that they’d usually be instructed to react to one thing like an asteroid coming at them. “We had been like, ‘How large is it?’ Somebody would soar like two ft, and Joe [Flanigan] would really like transfer over a bit of bit.”

“‘That was so BORING!’” Nykl stated, imitating the widespread suggestions. “‘Try this once more however this time with extra expertise!’”

“That’s one of many customary issues whenever you get your first job in science fiction, referring to the off-screen visible impact that you just’ll by no means see.” Picardo stated. “ The primary time that occurred to me on Star Trek was once I was purported to be battling … some monster on the holodeck, and I used to be like ‘what does it appear to be?’ The visible results man type of stated ‘Form of like a large pile of glowing linguine.’

“It’s like everybody doesn’t wish to look silly by going [mimed wide-mouthed surprise],” he continued, “but it surely appears equally silly if there’s this ridiculous terrifying factor and also you form of go eh.”

“It’s this journey of belief that you must have,” Higginson famous, “and that’s why the second season is a lot simpler, since you watch it and also you’re like, ‘OK, these guys are doing a little great things,’ and I can come at it with out this satisfaction and ego getting in the best way.”

Learn requested the panelists what recollections stood out in spite of everything this time. Hewlett recalled all the time they spent operating out and in of puddle jumpers making an attempt to get a seat, or who would get to cross their arms in a scene on the management deck.

“Don’t neglect the tables on the management room — at any time when there was an evacuation, there was that frickin’ factor that caught out the facet of it that might get you proper within the decrease…”

“I’m amazed I had a toddler!” Hewlett stated. “What I liked about it’s that the forged had a humorousness about it. All of them took it severely sufficient to do the job nicely, however on the similar time, we’d simply, we laughed. Of all of the stuff I remembered was the stomach laughs the place you couldn’t cease.”

Probably the most thrilling factor that’s come out lately, Hewlett stated, is the forthcoming Stargate RPG game, which he’s been taking part in. By the Dial the Gate channel, Hewlett, Francks, Alexis Cruz (Skaara on SG-1), Simon Bailly (Ka’lel on SG-1), David Blue (Eli Wallace on Stargate Universe), and Julie McNiven (Ginn on Stargate Universe) played together for a charity event last year. “I had no preconceived notion of what it was,” Francks stated, “I’d by no means performed D&D however had all the time wished to, and after we did it, I had the time of my life.”

Closing out, Nykl requested what the rumors had been in regards to the franchise returning now that MGM had been picked up by Amazon. Learn defined that there’s a collection that’s been in improvement, however there hasn’t been any phrase on its standing. “I can’t think about, having, definitely, having me in it,” Hewlett stated, “but it surely simply appears loopy to not have — it’s such an iconic franchise. I can’t think about why they wouldn’t relaunch it ultimately form or kind.”