<font size="+1">Alex Zahara SCIFI.com chat transcript</font>
<font size="3">Read up on what Alex had to say at last night's live chat</font>
Last night, over at SCIFI.com, Alex Zahara (Dulann in B5LR and Ezekiel in JMS's Jeremiah) took part in an online chat last night, Thursday 15 November 2001. Below is a transcript of the moderatored portion of the chat, which has been edited for ease of reading.
Alex talked about many things, including his roles on both shows. He even gave a personal hello to some B5LR.com regulars that he has got to know here at our messageboard.
Many thanks to crazybillyo who sent in this transcript.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Hi everyone, thanks for joining us here. I'm Ben Trumble for SCIFI. Tonight we're chatting with actor Alex Zahara who plays Dulann, a Minbari warrior monk who serves as first officer of the starship Liandra in the upcoming SCIFI original movie Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers. Alex is no stranger to science fiction roles. He's made four appearances on Stargate SG-1 -- as different characters; he's appeared in Andromeda, The Outer Limits, and played the character of Johanssen in James Cameron¹s Dark Angel.
Welcome Alex!
</font>
Hello -- thanks for having me.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Let's start with an easy one...tell us about Dulann
</font>
Hmmmm... Dulann is a lot like a lot of people. He's trying to find his own path, yet stick within a known boundary, his society. He finds it tough at times. Especially in the Minbari society!
<font color="#6699cc">(NewtoN) Hi Alex, how was the chemistry between the cast?
</font>
Rockin'! It's the single sweetest project I've ever worked on right from the get go. In five years of professional television acting, it's the only time that every single cog in the wheel worked flawlessly -- right from the read through to the final day rap. The cast is all still friends. We communicate online all the time and since most of us are in Vancouver, we chat on the phone. I'm going to Harry Potter this weekend with Enid-Raye!
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) How bad was the make-up? We always hear horror stories about the special effects make-up, and how people react to it.
</font>
It wasn't bad at all. As a matter of fact, I loved it. I had just done another Stargate and I had FOUR AND AN HALF HOURS of prosthetic makeup. Babylon 5, the makeup time was less than half that -- two hours roughly. And all the makeup people were great. In particular, Lise and Khur. They were awesome. It really brings the character out. The makeup adds to my performance, it does not detract. Without it you'd be watching Alex.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatQ) How'd you end up on Stargate, what, 4 times now?
</font>
Originally I auditioned for an episode, couldn't do it because I got another gig. Then Richard Dean Anderson remembered me, liked my alien performance and requested me to come audition for the character of Xels on Spirits. Then they asked me to come audition for the hippie character in 1969 nbamed Michael. And I flew in from Prince George to Vancouver to audition. I knocked their socks off, they laughed their butts off. And the last two episodes I've done I haven't had to audition -- they just called me up and asked me to come down. They are really great people. As a matter of fact, I ran into Michael Greenberg, the executive producer, in the Safeway two days ago and we chitchat, and I've had a standing invitation to go to the Stargate set any time I want for the last two years because he considers me family. Stargate is a big family -- that's why they've gone for so many years. Which is why we felt that success shooting Babylon 5 -- because we're a family as well.
<font color="#6699cc">(westtim) Are you surprised at the level of fan enthusiasm for this project and a possible "Rangers"series?
</font>
Surprised, no. Once I got in the B5 world because good quality storytelling always is appreciated. Especially in the scifi community.
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) Who do you think had the best speeches in B5LR?
</font>
Oh, wow. Again, it's such a collaborative effort. And Joe writes so well. Almost everything stands out as good. Of course, Andreas is a giant and a good friend of mine, Bernard Cuffling and Andreas have some great scenes together. Dylan Neal just carries the show on his shoulders and we're there to support him, his character, and him, the actor -- because we're a real ensemble. I know that sounds a bit conflicting but that's about as close to a straight answer as you're going to get out of me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Channe) You get to work with JMS again, on Jeremiah. *joking grin* Is he as legendary as we all make him out to be?
</font>
How do you mean legendary? Because he is a legend -- but how do YOU mean it? Do you mean, "Is he as creative, as fun, as caring, as insightful as he has proven himself to be over the years?" Then ... YES! Because I think he rocks. He's also just a real fun guy. He's a friend. Get to know him and it's like being around a little nuclear powerplant of creativity or a perpetual creativity machine!
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Alex, many people are asking if you were familiar with Babylon 5 prior ro making the Rangers film ? And how did you prepare to play a Minbari?
</font>
I had seen the show several times, liked it, didn't know the background. When the audition came up, I went online, contacted friends, fans, and worked my butt off. Then became a B5 junkie and recorded every episode all summer long, and watched every one, long after shooting finished too. I love B5 because the beings are _real_, they're flawed. They're not cookie-cutter beings. Some sci fi tends to make characters perfect. Their problems are solved in an hour whereas Joe lets characters have problems that never get solved which is like life. That's what appeals to me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Floyd) Loved your work on SG-1. Kudos brother. What was the first sci fi movie you can remember seeing? Why do you remember it?
</font>
Oh, boy... Do you know what jumped into mind? Logan's Run. I can't remember what year it came out but I really loved it. I've always dug scifi. Probably that wasn't the first scifi movie I saw, but there has always been something appealing about that movie. It drew me in.
<font color="#6699cc">(Starkiller) Hi Alex, thank you for coming. What has attracted you to a lot of sci-fi related projects you have done?
</font>
Hmmm... The work that's up here is a lot of scifi work. And I have a bit of a different look. I have large, wide-set eyes and they get me a lot of work because I look a little off, a little different, a little alien... I don't look like a freak! But I don't look...normal (if there's any such thing as normal.) And I dig sci fi because you can immerse yourself in it.
Hi to crazybillyo, Channe, Drakh, and any other B5LR guys by the way! I think Dylan Neal is online too... I think he's CapnDave. And thanks to Patrizia for doing this -- otherwise you'd be reading, "vfhowhnfbaslk..." And thanks to everyone for coming!
<font color="#6699cc">(drakh) How does Jeremiah compare to Rangers? And what can you tell us about your role?
</font>
Jeremiah is completely different. It's set on Earth, no aliens -- yet... It deals with man's self-made problems, and my character is somewhat the result of these problems and perhaps holding a solution or some help to solving them. His name is Ezekiel -- (I hope I'm spelling that right!) -- and because it's an ongoing story, and not just an MOW so far (like Rangers), I'm going to see my character's story arc continue. Which is what I'm looking forward to for Rangers.
<font color="#6699cc">(Channe) About Rangers...Will we laugh? Will we cry? Will we get all shaky with anticipation? Will we be scared out of our boots?
</font>
Depends on how tight your boots are. It's pretty kickin' I've seen it twice. I think it stands up to just about anything else out there. It's not perfection -- but that's something that we can strive for in the series if it comes to that. Besides, if life were perfect, we'd have nothing to strive for.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Alex a lot of people are asking how you got your start as an actor? Did you go to school? Was it a career you always intended to pursue?
</font>
I was always a bit of a performer, loved watching old movies on TV. As a toddler, I could imitater WC Fields, Humphrey Bogart, Cagney, loved Chaplin -- the silent films -- oh! My interest grew from there. Lots of plays in highschool, videos -- won a scholarship for directing a stage version of MASH. Worked a lot, took some time off, went back to school when I was around 24, had to do a general first year over again, (this is at the University of British Columbia) got accepted into the film program, technical theater and the acting program. Acting was the most challenging personally so I did it. And I have a BFA in theater -- emphasis acting! Did a lot of plays out of school. Trish Robinson cast me in my first TV show -- I did an episode of Viper. She had just seen a play I did called "Mojo". She said, just before we went into the audition, "Saw Mojo, loved it, loved YOU. Let's go get you a job!" That was the start of my TV biz although I had worked with Omar Shariff and Antonio Banderas the summer before in my first feature called The Thirteenth Warrior."
<font color="#6699cc">(Lafe) Did you any kind of inspiration or pointers from Andreas Katsulas? What was it like working with an old B5 alum?
</font>
Andreas is great. The inspiration is just being in the same room with someone of his caliber because he is theatrically trained classically and has a wealth of experience. You can't help but absorb from a man like Andreas if you're an actor worth your salt. It's what he DIDN'T say that allowed me to learn. It's what he DID. The way he conducts himself, the way he acts, his total committment to what he's doing. Here's one trick I did learn: Take advantage of your time in the makeup chair and go over your lines. he taught me that! Again, I learned that from him by observing it. I saw him doing it. That's what I mean. It would be like painting with DaVinci or Rembrandt -- they wouldn't tell you what to do but you might pick up inspiration from them.
<font color="#6699cc">(NewtoN) is it hard for you to memorize your lines? when I watch tv I keep thinking "how can they do this, if I were the actor I would have trouble memorizing my lines"
</font>
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When a script is well written -- as Joe's scripts are -- everything comes together. You know where your character is coming from, where he is and where he wants to go. And you listen to your acting partner. Because everything I'm going to say will come out of what he or she says to me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Lafe) What was it like donning 'The Bone' for the first time? Was it an arduous make-up process?
</font>
The Bone was great. No probs, and again the makeup enhanced my character. There are layers of costuming and makeup that complete the character because everybody contributes to what Dulann is and you're watching fifty people's work when you watch me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Ranger) Alex, in the B5 Universe what makes Rangers special, and what was it like becoming a Ranger?
</font>
The Rangers are special because they go and do the jobs where nobody else will go. To steal a line from Joe -- we walk in the dark places no others will enter. And like I said before, putting on that uniform with the Rangers' insignia -- it IS the uniform, it stands for a thousand years of history. It cemented Dulann for me when I put that on because you have a whole way of life now.
By the way -- great questions!
<font color="#6699cc">(Roger) What was it like working on Dark Angel, a major "network" show?
</font>
It was good, it was bad, it was ugly. It was all of the above. It was hard. Watch out as an actor for doing shows with "dark" in the title -- you work a lot at night. I learned what it was like to really take care of myself as an actor, meaning stay warm! It's incredibly hard to work when you're so cold, your teeth are chattering. And this is coming from a prairie boy and I know cold. The people were great, the cast, the production crew. And I've never really played a heavy, modern bad guy and I found it very challenging. By the way -- little note -- they were originally played with South African accents but that got nixed. They didn't want to confuse the audience with the accent -- and I worked so hard on it! I do a mean Afrikans
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) Did you have to learn to speak much of the Minbari language? Was that tough for you, or easy?
</font>
I learned a bit of it. I had direct coaching from Joe! Like learning any language, when you know what you're saying, the words fill themselves. I speak bits of several languages and a couple fluently so I have a knack for that, I guess.
<font color="#6699cc">(westtim) Did JMS talk to you about where your character would be going (character arc) if "Rangers" goes to series? Any hints?
</font>
No, not really. But you definitely know that he's got the path already laid out. He shares a lot but knows how to hold on to his cards. The good ones, at any rate.
Thanks to Doug Netter, Joe, Dylan, all the rest of the cast, everybody at scifi, Karl, Patrizia and everybody who tuned in tonight. It's been a lot of fun. Hope to see you -- or be seen by you! -- soon. (i.e. series.)
<font size="3">Read up on what Alex had to say at last night's live chat</font>
Last night, over at SCIFI.com, Alex Zahara (Dulann in B5LR and Ezekiel in JMS's Jeremiah) took part in an online chat last night, Thursday 15 November 2001. Below is a transcript of the moderatored portion of the chat, which has been edited for ease of reading.
Alex talked about many things, including his roles on both shows. He even gave a personal hello to some B5LR.com regulars that he has got to know here at our messageboard.
Many thanks to crazybillyo who sent in this transcript.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Hi everyone, thanks for joining us here. I'm Ben Trumble for SCIFI. Tonight we're chatting with actor Alex Zahara who plays Dulann, a Minbari warrior monk who serves as first officer of the starship Liandra in the upcoming SCIFI original movie Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers. Alex is no stranger to science fiction roles. He's made four appearances on Stargate SG-1 -- as different characters; he's appeared in Andromeda, The Outer Limits, and played the character of Johanssen in James Cameron¹s Dark Angel.
Welcome Alex!
</font>
Hello -- thanks for having me.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Let's start with an easy one...tell us about Dulann
</font>
Hmmmm... Dulann is a lot like a lot of people. He's trying to find his own path, yet stick within a known boundary, his society. He finds it tough at times. Especially in the Minbari society!
<font color="#6699cc">(NewtoN) Hi Alex, how was the chemistry between the cast?
</font>
Rockin'! It's the single sweetest project I've ever worked on right from the get go. In five years of professional television acting, it's the only time that every single cog in the wheel worked flawlessly -- right from the read through to the final day rap. The cast is all still friends. We communicate online all the time and since most of us are in Vancouver, we chat on the phone. I'm going to Harry Potter this weekend with Enid-Raye!
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) How bad was the make-up? We always hear horror stories about the special effects make-up, and how people react to it.
</font>
It wasn't bad at all. As a matter of fact, I loved it. I had just done another Stargate and I had FOUR AND AN HALF HOURS of prosthetic makeup. Babylon 5, the makeup time was less than half that -- two hours roughly. And all the makeup people were great. In particular, Lise and Khur. They were awesome. It really brings the character out. The makeup adds to my performance, it does not detract. Without it you'd be watching Alex.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatQ) How'd you end up on Stargate, what, 4 times now?
</font>
Originally I auditioned for an episode, couldn't do it because I got another gig. Then Richard Dean Anderson remembered me, liked my alien performance and requested me to come audition for the character of Xels on Spirits. Then they asked me to come audition for the hippie character in 1969 nbamed Michael. And I flew in from Prince George to Vancouver to audition. I knocked their socks off, they laughed their butts off. And the last two episodes I've done I haven't had to audition -- they just called me up and asked me to come down. They are really great people. As a matter of fact, I ran into Michael Greenberg, the executive producer, in the Safeway two days ago and we chitchat, and I've had a standing invitation to go to the Stargate set any time I want for the last two years because he considers me family. Stargate is a big family -- that's why they've gone for so many years. Which is why we felt that success shooting Babylon 5 -- because we're a family as well.
<font color="#6699cc">(westtim) Are you surprised at the level of fan enthusiasm for this project and a possible "Rangers"series?
</font>
Surprised, no. Once I got in the B5 world because good quality storytelling always is appreciated. Especially in the scifi community.
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) Who do you think had the best speeches in B5LR?
</font>
Oh, wow. Again, it's such a collaborative effort. And Joe writes so well. Almost everything stands out as good. Of course, Andreas is a giant and a good friend of mine, Bernard Cuffling and Andreas have some great scenes together. Dylan Neal just carries the show on his shoulders and we're there to support him, his character, and him, the actor -- because we're a real ensemble. I know that sounds a bit conflicting but that's about as close to a straight answer as you're going to get out of me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Channe) You get to work with JMS again, on Jeremiah. *joking grin* Is he as legendary as we all make him out to be?
</font>
How do you mean legendary? Because he is a legend -- but how do YOU mean it? Do you mean, "Is he as creative, as fun, as caring, as insightful as he has proven himself to be over the years?" Then ... YES! Because I think he rocks. He's also just a real fun guy. He's a friend. Get to know him and it's like being around a little nuclear powerplant of creativity or a perpetual creativity machine!
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Alex, many people are asking if you were familiar with Babylon 5 prior ro making the Rangers film ? And how did you prepare to play a Minbari?
</font>
I had seen the show several times, liked it, didn't know the background. When the audition came up, I went online, contacted friends, fans, and worked my butt off. Then became a B5 junkie and recorded every episode all summer long, and watched every one, long after shooting finished too. I love B5 because the beings are _real_, they're flawed. They're not cookie-cutter beings. Some sci fi tends to make characters perfect. Their problems are solved in an hour whereas Joe lets characters have problems that never get solved which is like life. That's what appeals to me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Floyd) Loved your work on SG-1. Kudos brother. What was the first sci fi movie you can remember seeing? Why do you remember it?
</font>
Oh, boy... Do you know what jumped into mind? Logan's Run. I can't remember what year it came out but I really loved it. I've always dug scifi. Probably that wasn't the first scifi movie I saw, but there has always been something appealing about that movie. It drew me in.
<font color="#6699cc">(Starkiller) Hi Alex, thank you for coming. What has attracted you to a lot of sci-fi related projects you have done?
</font>
Hmmm... The work that's up here is a lot of scifi work. And I have a bit of a different look. I have large, wide-set eyes and they get me a lot of work because I look a little off, a little different, a little alien... I don't look like a freak! But I don't look...normal (if there's any such thing as normal.) And I dig sci fi because you can immerse yourself in it.
Hi to crazybillyo, Channe, Drakh, and any other B5LR guys by the way! I think Dylan Neal is online too... I think he's CapnDave. And thanks to Patrizia for doing this -- otherwise you'd be reading, "vfhowhnfbaslk..." And thanks to everyone for coming!
<font color="#6699cc">(drakh) How does Jeremiah compare to Rangers? And what can you tell us about your role?
</font>
Jeremiah is completely different. It's set on Earth, no aliens -- yet... It deals with man's self-made problems, and my character is somewhat the result of these problems and perhaps holding a solution or some help to solving them. His name is Ezekiel -- (I hope I'm spelling that right!) -- and because it's an ongoing story, and not just an MOW so far (like Rangers), I'm going to see my character's story arc continue. Which is what I'm looking forward to for Rangers.
<font color="#6699cc">(Channe) About Rangers...Will we laugh? Will we cry? Will we get all shaky with anticipation? Will we be scared out of our boots?
</font>
Depends on how tight your boots are. It's pretty kickin' I've seen it twice. I think it stands up to just about anything else out there. It's not perfection -- but that's something that we can strive for in the series if it comes to that. Besides, if life were perfect, we'd have nothing to strive for.
<font color="#6699cc">(ChatMod) Alex a lot of people are asking how you got your start as an actor? Did you go to school? Was it a career you always intended to pursue?
</font>
I was always a bit of a performer, loved watching old movies on TV. As a toddler, I could imitater WC Fields, Humphrey Bogart, Cagney, loved Chaplin -- the silent films -- oh! My interest grew from there. Lots of plays in highschool, videos -- won a scholarship for directing a stage version of MASH. Worked a lot, took some time off, went back to school when I was around 24, had to do a general first year over again, (this is at the University of British Columbia) got accepted into the film program, technical theater and the acting program. Acting was the most challenging personally so I did it. And I have a BFA in theater -- emphasis acting! Did a lot of plays out of school. Trish Robinson cast me in my first TV show -- I did an episode of Viper. She had just seen a play I did called "Mojo". She said, just before we went into the audition, "Saw Mojo, loved it, loved YOU. Let's go get you a job!" That was the start of my TV biz although I had worked with Omar Shariff and Antonio Banderas the summer before in my first feature called The Thirteenth Warrior."
<font color="#6699cc">(Lafe) Did you any kind of inspiration or pointers from Andreas Katsulas? What was it like working with an old B5 alum?
</font>
Andreas is great. The inspiration is just being in the same room with someone of his caliber because he is theatrically trained classically and has a wealth of experience. You can't help but absorb from a man like Andreas if you're an actor worth your salt. It's what he DIDN'T say that allowed me to learn. It's what he DID. The way he conducts himself, the way he acts, his total committment to what he's doing. Here's one trick I did learn: Take advantage of your time in the makeup chair and go over your lines. he taught me that! Again, I learned that from him by observing it. I saw him doing it. That's what I mean. It would be like painting with DaVinci or Rembrandt -- they wouldn't tell you what to do but you might pick up inspiration from them.
<font color="#6699cc">(NewtoN) is it hard for you to memorize your lines? when I watch tv I keep thinking "how can they do this, if I were the actor I would have trouble memorizing my lines"
</font>
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. When a script is well written -- as Joe's scripts are -- everything comes together. You know where your character is coming from, where he is and where he wants to go. And you listen to your acting partner. Because everything I'm going to say will come out of what he or she says to me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Lafe) What was it like donning 'The Bone' for the first time? Was it an arduous make-up process?
</font>
The Bone was great. No probs, and again the makeup enhanced my character. There are layers of costuming and makeup that complete the character because everybody contributes to what Dulann is and you're watching fifty people's work when you watch me.
<font color="#6699cc">(Ranger) Alex, in the B5 Universe what makes Rangers special, and what was it like becoming a Ranger?
</font>
The Rangers are special because they go and do the jobs where nobody else will go. To steal a line from Joe -- we walk in the dark places no others will enter. And like I said before, putting on that uniform with the Rangers' insignia -- it IS the uniform, it stands for a thousand years of history. It cemented Dulann for me when I put that on because you have a whole way of life now.
By the way -- great questions!
<font color="#6699cc">(Roger) What was it like working on Dark Angel, a major "network" show?
</font>
It was good, it was bad, it was ugly. It was all of the above. It was hard. Watch out as an actor for doing shows with "dark" in the title -- you work a lot at night. I learned what it was like to really take care of myself as an actor, meaning stay warm! It's incredibly hard to work when you're so cold, your teeth are chattering. And this is coming from a prairie boy and I know cold. The people were great, the cast, the production crew. And I've never really played a heavy, modern bad guy and I found it very challenging. By the way -- little note -- they were originally played with South African accents but that got nixed. They didn't want to confuse the audience with the accent -- and I worked so hard on it! I do a mean Afrikans
<font color="#6699cc">(hypatia) Did you have to learn to speak much of the Minbari language? Was that tough for you, or easy?
</font>
I learned a bit of it. I had direct coaching from Joe! Like learning any language, when you know what you're saying, the words fill themselves. I speak bits of several languages and a couple fluently so I have a knack for that, I guess.
<font color="#6699cc">(westtim) Did JMS talk to you about where your character would be going (character arc) if "Rangers" goes to series? Any hints?
</font>
No, not really. But you definitely know that he's got the path already laid out. He shares a lot but knows how to hold on to his cards. The good ones, at any rate.
Thanks to Doug Netter, Joe, Dylan, all the rest of the cast, everybody at scifi, Karl, Patrizia and everybody who tuned in tonight. It's been a lot of fun. Hope to see you -- or be seen by you! -- soon. (i.e. series.)
