Angeloml

Ensign Sonya Gomez and Geordi La Forge seemed primed for a romance when Star Trek: The Next Generation fans first saw them together in the episodes “Q Who?” – which aired 29 years ago today -- and “Samaritan Snare,” but those ended up being the only two hours in which the Gomez character appeared. That was a shame, as guest star Lycia Naff shared terrific chemistry with LeVar Burton and such an arc would have benefited Geordi’s evolution. Still, the work remains a highlight on Naff’s resume, which also includes such shows as St. Elsewhere, Fame, Law & Order and Ghost Whisperer, plus the films The Clan of the Cave Bear, Lethal Weapon, the cult favorite Biker Chicks in Zombietown, and the original Total Recall, in which she played the three-breasted character, Mary. Naff, who left acting to pursue a career as a journalist, is set to appear at Star Trek Las Vegas this summer. She talked about all of the above and more during a recent interview with StarTrek.com…

What are you up to these days?
I'm living a slower-paced life, riding motorcycles, practicing Kundalini yoga and running my non-profit charity, "Drive-By Do-Gooders."

Still a journalist?

I'm still an active undercover investigative reporter; however, I surfaced with my byline when I exclusively broke the Bill Cosby rape scandal in 2014.

Are you open to acting again or are you done with it?
I dipped my toe back into the waters and found it asking more than I was getting back. So, for now, unless someone offers me a part or audition, I'm retired from the bright lights and broad stage.

Were you a Trek fan around the time of TNG?
I am now.

How did you land the role of Gomez in “Q Who?”?

It was as typical casting call with a bunch of girls looking just like me. I was last on the list. I was nervous but excited. I remember repeating to myself something that my acting teacher said: "The longer they make me wait, the better I'm gonna be." So, I kept chanting that in my head as I waited for hours to be called, but I knew I'd given it my very best.

What interested you most about the part?
I was thrilled to be a small part of the legacy. Funny though, when I got to the set on the first day, the writers had changed my character name of Ensign Sonya Guzman, a nice Jewish girl, to Ensign Gomez, a nice Hispanic girl. Nice to know I have good acting "range."

How did you enjoy working with the cast, particularly building a bond with LeVar Burton and bumping into Patrick Stewart?

Once I entered the Paramount lot at an early 5:00 a.m., I was so excited. It was like a dream come true. After I went through the hair/makeup and wardrobe process, a P.A. said that LeVar wanted to meet me in his trailer. I could barely breathe. I'd seen everything he'd ever done. He is one of my heroes. His trailer didn't disappoint. He'd decorated the place in a very spiritual, New Age way, with soft curtains, lots of pillows and incense, soft lighting. I felt like I was entering an ashram. Then, we started talking. I was blown away by how generous an actor he is. We rehearsed our scenes without LeVar wearing his character's wraparound glasses, so there was lots of eye contact and connection. We'd gotten the scenes down pat. When we went to shoot, I'd forgotten LeVar would have the sunglasses on, so I'm glad we rehearsed our acting "connection" prior to sort of losing it when I could no longer see his deep, emotion-filled and loving eyes. And working with Sir Patrick was easy. I was so in awe of his reputation and body of work that my shaky hands that caused me to spill hot chocolate all over the captain of the Enterprise were real. Didn't have to stretch for that one. Luckily, it was written into the scene. My real nerves paid off. Not often that happens in life or TV.

What do you recall of "Samaritan Snare"?

The set was fantastic. The engineering room created looked so futuristic, complicated and overwhelming. When directed to start touching buttons on a wall panel and act like I knew what I was doing as an ensign in engineering, it was hilarious because though the set looked real and complicated, it was just a flat panel, lit up from the back, that didn't work at all. Buttons didn't even fake press down, etc.

Gomez seemed primed to be a recurring character and a love interest for Geordi, but it ended up being just the two episodes. What happened?

I was told that Gomez was going to evolve into Geordi's love interest, but the dialogue and the way I was directed to play the part was more comic relief than love interest. When it came time to possibly renew me as a recurring role in the next season, I was told that producers thought Gomez was too funny to be the type of love interest that would cause Geordi to get a possibly fatal operation to see me. That was the endgame. Geordi was to fall so deeply in love with me that he'd risk his life to have eye surgery in order to see me. Apparently, the character of Gomez was written comically and didn't match what they really wanted in the end. I was super-bummed when I got the news.

Please share the story about you cutting your hair…
After I shot the two episodes and was told that I was NOT coming back next season, I told the producers “Thank you for the opportunity” and that I was planning to cut my hair length by a few inches, which I did. Little did I know that a few weeks later, the producers wanted me back for a re-shoot of the hallway scene. At that point, they saw my hair didn't match earlier shots and we had to scramble to add extensions to match the previous length. I'm surprised anyone knows that. If I was told to not cut my hair, I never would have, but I'd been completely wrapped from the part with no hope of returning.

How aware are you that Gomez carried on in the Trek novels and eventually became a captain?

I learned about how amazing the character's legacy was and had only wished that I'd been given a chance to portray the role in the way they wanted. But they wrote her funny, so that's how I was directed. A fellow actor in a play I was starring in told me of Gomez' illustrious future in the books.

Where does Trek fit in your career. Would you say you're better known for Trek or Total Recall or Chopper Chicks in Zombietown?

It's a tie between Trek and Total Recall. No one knows about Chopper Chicks. It was a terrible film.

Once a part of Trek, always a part of the Trek family. What does that mean to you?
It means that fans stay committed, so I better stay committed. Fine by me.

How eager are you to get to Star Trek Las Vegas this summer, meet the fans, pose for pics?

I can't wait for Vegas. August can't come soon enough. I look exactly the same, so the fans won't be disappointed. OK, not "exactly" the same! I'm at least the same height.

For details about Star Trek Las Vegas and to purchase tickets, go to creationent.com.
 
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happy birthday martok! they turn 29 today 

It was 30 years last week that the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “When the Bough Breaks” premiered. February 15, 1988. To put that in perspective, the four-year-old twins – Jessica and Vanessa Bova -- who shared the role of Alexandra, the youngest of the children kidnapped from the Enterprise, are now 34 years old with kids of their own. To mark the anniversary of the first-season episode, StarTrek.com invited the Bova sisters to interview each other about their Trek experience, what it’s like all these years later to still have Trek in their lives, and what they’re each up to now. Here’s what they had to say:
Vanessa: How did we land our Star Trek role?
Jessica: We went on an audition and got a call back. Our agent at the time was Harry Gold. I remember my mom telling me we got this part and the name was Alexandria, which I, being a four-year-old, had never heard that name before. I thought it was pretty cool and exotic, and it was very, very exciting.

Jessica: Vanessa, what do you remember most vividly about the experience?

Vanessa: Funny enough, one of the things I remember most was the costume that we wore because it was like papier Mache. It was a beautiful color and I remember the makeup artist doing just a little bit of foundation on my nose and the smell of it. I had a very close relationship with Wil Wheaton and Patrick Stewart, and I loved to have them carry me around the set. It was also really nice filming with somebody that we were close to, even though it had been such a short time.

Vanessa: And you?
Jessica: I can remember the smell of the set. The acting studio that I’m in now, it has that same smell. Sets all have the same smell. I can't, it's almost like a woody smell. It's fabulous. I remember there was a donut guy in the morning. We’d get there before it was even light outside. Everybody was so nice and I guess we were pretty funny kids. And we had a really, really good time.
Vanessa: There's something else I remember… the little white stuffed animal they gave to us…
Jessica: Oh yeah.

Vanessa: ... To carry around while filming, and we carried it on and off set as well. The last scene, when I go to give Captain Picard a hug and tell him ‘Thank you,’ I stuff the stuffed animal on his back. I wasn't supposed to do that and everyone starting laughing -- and they actually kept it in the scene. So, that was something else that stuck with me.
Jessica: I remember they kept making you do that take because you would place your head down and you kept turning it the wrong way...
Vanessa: They wanted me to face the camera when I hugged Patrick Stewart and, for some reason, I kept facing the other way. I mean, I was four.
Jessica: No, you did great.

Jessica: Vanessa, how did you like working with Brenda Strong (who played Rashella, the Aldean kindnapper)

Vanessa: Brenda was amazing. She was so kind and sweet and-
Jessica: Everybody really was.
Vanessa: Everybody was, but she was especially drawn to us and mostly to you, Jessica, because you did most of your scenes with her…
Jessica: I did.
Vanessa: I remember watching Desperate Housewives and seeing Brenda, and I was so excited for her because when we knew her, she was just another actress trying to make a name for herself. Boy, did she.
Vanessa: And you?
Jessica: I remember her being kind. There was a scene where she had to hold me and calm me down, and she really made you feel like that was actually happening. She was just so soothing and kind. When I see her now on little things here or there, and especially Desperate Housewives, we have a lot of family that was really into that show, and you almost feel like a sense of pride. It’s that, “Oh, you know, no big deal, that was just my mom.”

Jessica: Vanessa, when was the last time you saw the episode, and what’s it like to see yourself frozen in time…

Vanessa: ... As a four-year-old?     The last time I saw the episode was a month ago. It's on Netflix, so every once in a while, a friend will come over and say, “Hey, can we watch the episode of Star Trek with you in it?” I'm like, “Sure.” Or, whenever I'm watching TV and I scroll through the guide and I see Star Trek is playing, I always click on it to see what season it is, if it's our episode, and a lot of the times, our episode will pop up, which is really cool.

Vanessa: Jessica?
Jessica: Well, they play reruns every day, weekdays, so I will always look to see if it's our season. It's very, very interesting to see us as little girls. I always imagine that our kids, when they're old enough, they will look like that, so…
Vanessa: And watch our show. Whenever I see the episode, it makes me happy because it was a really, really fun experience that I’ll always remember.
Jessica: And, we were cute. Our kids are not old enough to have watched it yet. I mean, your little boy is only one.
Vanessa: Eleven months.
Jessica: Well, he'll be one this month, so we’ve not had them watch mom yet, but our other family members get quite a big kick out of it.
Vanessa: For sure.

Jessica: How hard is it to believe that February 15th was 30 years since the episode debuted?

Vanessa: It’s actually really hard to believe because it doesn't seem that long ago. Because I have such vivid memories of it, it seems like it was only yesterday, but it’s pretty cool and amazing that that was 30 years ago. So much has happened since then, and we're still talking about it today.
Jessica: I don't think it seems like 30 years ago, either. I thought we were older, honestly, when we filmed that episode. We would’ve been four. I thought we were six.

Jessica: Let’s tell everyone what we did after Star Trek and what we’re doing now…

Vanessa: We both did a lot of commercials. A lot of acting stuff, theater…
Jessica: A couple of PSAs. I went to acting school. Vanessa went to music school.
Vanessa: I studied music in college and trained in opera for 10 years. Then, I started working with several different bands.
Jessica: We both went to high school, eventually, and then to college. I studied psychology, but I never gave up on my acting. Sometimes you put things on the back burner. We both got married, started families. I'm currently back in acting school. I like it very much.
Vanessa: I'm still singing. I'm working with a band right now…
Jessica: And, we did a commercial, as twins, a Geico commercial. I think it only aired on the east coast. It had to have been four years ago now. It seems like yesterday. So, that was the last thing we did together.
Vanessa: That was fun.
Jessica: We do plan to start submitting twin things again.
Vanessa: Redheaded twins, I guess, are not really very common.
Jessica: We both live in the L.A. area, in Pasadena.

Vanessa: Jessica, what does it mean to be even a small part of something so iconic and long-lasting as Star Trek?

Jessica: I didn't realize that we were popular until Facebook became a thing and I’d get messages from people saying, “I don't mean to bother you, but I'm such a fan. Are you the little girl from Star Trek?” And, it would never bother me…
Vanessa: I’d get the same thing. Maybe several times a year, people would contact me on Facebook and say, “Are you Vanessa Bova, Jessica Bova's twin? Were you the one on Star Trek? I love your episode. My kids watch your episode.” It's just, it's really, really interesting.
Jessica: I try to answer all of them. We recently were contacted about going to a Star Trek convention later this year and we're going to be at the Hollywood Show in April. I don't know why we haven't been doing that the whole time. Star Trek fans are so cool. The whole experience was so cool.
Vanessa: Oh, yeah. People will send me photos of themselves at conventions with our trading card and say, “Can I have your autograph? Can you send it to me?”
Jessica: I actually don't know which one of us is on the card. When I watch the episode, the only way I can tell, “OK, this is me or this is Vanessa” in scenes is that I’ll remember a bit of having to film scenes. But not every scene do I know. Our mom just sent a picture of us on set so that we could share it with StarTrek.com. I had to say, “Well, wait a minute, which one…”
Vanessa: Which one is which? We really are identical. We even talk very, very similarly and yet, watching the episode, it's hard to remember which one is which because we also filmed a lot of scenes where we’d each do half and the other person would do the other half. But it's an honor to be a part of something like Star Trek, especially because now it's so well-known and a bigger and bigger thing.
Jessica: It's very encouraging. I can say that I have friends as far away as Germany that have contacted me because they recognize me from Star Trek. One guy, he's my good friend now. We talk at least once a month. We became friends because he contacted me on Facebook. He's around our age, a super-cool guy, big Trekkie, and it was he that made me realize how popular it was and that we’re pretty loved in the community. It feels great.
Vanessa: It's funny because when I mention to people that’ve known me for a while or people I just meet that we were on Star Trek, they'll ask what episode and I'll say it, and they'll say, “Oh, my gosh, that was you?” I didn't realize that it was such a community of people and such an important thing that people actually remembered the episode we were in. It's like they already know us because they've been watching us for years. Very, very cool.


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I so glad I had a chance to meet him. I rarely do events like these but this was a one time chance for me. I actually got to talk to him!

Here's the latest rumor (I will treat it as such because the Daily Mail is NOT a reliable source)... I have, however, indeed heard of this somewhere else before, so, it MIGHT actually be true! ^^
 
 
 
 

Me, too - of course. He does know that quite a few people think he's a more than outstanding actor, and I know that this will comfort him at least to a certain extent... maybe he even laughs about it now that they always ignore him, who knows. lol

Oh yes the kilt in Twelfth Night - quite a few people have mentioned this one to me! I was incredibly happy when I finally found a picture! :) I'm glad you enjoyed his performance as Malvolio - he is a brilliant stage actor, no matter what, but he is truly at his best when he's in a Shakespeare play.
 
I won't be able to make it to Chichester (IF this rumor about him being in that play is true)... I don't have enough money. I did see him last year, so, I'm not that mad about it... but hey, it's always possible I win the lottery and end up going there after all... lol. Trips to England are somewhat expensive, unfortunately.

Sir Patrick on CBS This Morning just now:
 

Take a browse through the ever-expanding Urban Dictionary and you will find the phrase "Riker’s Beard." As a Star Trek fan, and perhaps one who, ironically, is celebrating No Beard Day today, you will no doubt be familiar with the term, and here’s how the dictionary describes it:

"Euphemism for a moment in time (typically in pop culture) where something or someone that was lackluster and/or underachieving suddenly and surprisingly became much better and exciting. Taken from Star Trek: The Next Generation, which many fans considered wanting until Commander Riker grew a beard at the start of Season Two, after which the show was solid and well-received for the rest of its run."

The opposite to jumping the shark, Riker’s Beard is nothing but positive, a description of the moment when something average becomes something far better. Not that Jonathan Frakes and his onscreen alter ego Commander William Riker weren’t already great, but that first appearance of the Riker beard in the opening episode of “The Child” in season two was the start of a relationship that would continue for almost 30 years (Star Trek: Insurrection saw the beard take a trip to Risa for a few days, not that Troi was complaining).
The decision to grow the beard was all Frakes'. Tired of shaving, he opted to arrive at rehearsals unshaven and luckily for the actor, the urban dictionary and the rest of the known universe, Gene Roddenberry liked the facial fuzz as well. Speaking at a convention last year, Frakes recalled the moment when Roddenberry made clear his opinion on the beard. “I love the beard. It’s nautical. We’ll keep the beard, we’ll trim it down and shape it. It’ll be decorative.” It took five episodes of tweaking, shaping, shaving, trimming and sticking on hair when too much had been shaved away before the producers were finally happy with the beard's structural integrity.
So, a stylistic choice by the actor, fueled by a desire to not shave every morning created something that coincided with TNG stepping out of the shadow of its illustrious predecessor and becoming very much its own entity. Frakes himself was very clear which version of Riker he preferred:

"Bearded, without a doubt. I’m so proud that Riker’s beard is in the Urban Dictionary, defined as the opposite of jumping the shark. So, I’d have to go with the beard. And I’ve always liked the beard."
As the writer’s strike-stricken second season continued to develop, so the character of Riker grew with it. Will began to evolve from a sharply focused, career-driven first officer into the nurturing, team player full of wise words and encouragement that would eventually take command of the U.S.S. Titan in the final moments of Star Trek: Nemesis 15 years later.

To do the beard justice, perhaps we should highlight a trio of great beard moments. Of course, we can’t forget the bubble bath scene in Insurrection, when the Riker/Troi relationship blossoms once again, and Troi’s unforgettable reaction to kissing her bearded beau.
“Yuck!”
“Yuck?”
“I never kissed you with a beard before!”
“I kiss you and you say, yuck?”
The Federation's fateful encounter with the Borg during the events of “The Best of Both Worlds” saw the beard tested to its very limits as its owner pushed the boundaries of his temporary command by making decisions we believe a beardless Riker would have blanched at.

And who can forget the season-six episode “The Quality of Life.” as a trio of bearded Starfleet officers – Worf, Riker and Geordi La Forge (actor LeVar Burton, bearded for the one and only time on TNG due to his own real-life nuptials) – play poker with Dr. Crusher, announcing that she’s suspicious of men who wear beards because they might be hiding something.
"Hide? Don't be ridiculous, Doctor. The beard is an ancient and proud tradition."

And there you have it, a proud and ancient tradition brought to the Star Trek galaxy by an actor who very wisely decided that shaving was no longer for him. Here’s to Jonathan Frakes, William T. Riker and most importantly Riker's Beard.
 
Mark Newbold has been an avid Trek fan since the 1970's, when TOS was shown on UK TV, but it was the original cast movie series and TNG era that sealed the deal. Mark is a writer for Star Trek The Official Magazine, is editor-in-Chief of Star Trek: The Neutral Zone and was a stage host at Destination Star Trek Germany in 2018. At heart, he's a Niner. Follow him on Twitter.
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I think this is a good thing. No offense to George Lucas, but the old man was losing his touch, as evidenced by the prequel trilogy. Scenes in the prequel movies were far too busy in my opinion, which made it difficult to focus on anything. Because most of it was filmed in front of a blue screen, the environments were simulated and it seemed far to sterile. I can't imagine how much of a challenge it must have been for the actors, but unfortunately it was difficult for me to be emotionally invested in the characters. Based on the interviews and such that I have watched, it seems Lucas had absolute control over the story and pretty much everything else in those movies. No one on the production team dared question the cult of personality surrounding Lucas, thus by the time they realized they had gone way too far (Rick McCallum himself even admitted this) it was too late. Due to some of the horrible criticism the prequel movies received, George Lucas said he'd never make the sequel trilogy.
 
My point is this; Disney has entire teams of some of the best creative writers anywhere in the world. Most, if not all of their movies are huge successes, and they appeal to a wide demographic of moviegoers. I have little doubt they will stay true to the Star Wars universe we know, and I think they will do great things with the Star Wars franchise. They will go places with it outside the bounds of one man's tunnel vision.

Heather Langenkamp, best-known to fans for her role as Nancy Thompson in A  Nightmare on Elm Street, has a small role in next year’s Star Trek into Darkness.
 
During an interview regarding her new documentary, I Am Nancy, the actress admitted that she will be seen in the Star Trek sequel. “Well, I had the opportunity to play a small part in Star Trek, so I’m looking forward to that,” she said.
 
Langenkamp kept mum on just what her role in the movie was, as per usual in the world of Abrams Trek. “I can’t tell you anything about that, but that was a thrill for me,” she said.
 
Could a hint regarding Langenkamp’s role come from her husband’s work though? “My husband and I worked on the makeup effects for Star Trek,” she said. “He designed some of them, so that’s the thing we’re looking forward to most.
 
 
 
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Congrats to the Patriots! I've been following and rooting for them since the beginning of the season. Quarterback Carson Wentz, who was injured earlier this season, played for North Dakota State, who has won National championships and plays in the same conference as my under grad alma mater, Western Illinois University. Also a former Lyons player, suburb of Chicago, is their kicker, another great sports story.

A really crazy way to die and so senseless. As for the character of Chekov, he could be recast or replaced with another character with the explanation that Chekov was transferred to another ship or promoted somewhere. Remember, the character didn't even show up on the original series until the second season. It could be a good way to bring back the character of Lt. DeSalle.

And that’s a wrap. Destination Star Trek Birmingham came to a close Sunday evening, concluding a massively successful weekend that saw more than 20,000 fans have the experience of a lifetime immersing themselves in everything Star Trek. The StarTrek.com team spread across the floor, capturing everything we could from morning to night, and we’re pleased to share one more set of highlights from the event.

Dorn and Farrell

Terry Farrell and Michael Dorn spent the better part of their time on stage bantering and playing off each other like an old married couple, often interrupting each other’s sentences and making each other laugh.

Dorn smiled when he was asked if his inner Worf ever came out in real life. “There was a time I had a meeting with an IRS guy,” he explained. “I told him that if he didn’t give me the deductions I wanted I would... kill him... where he stands. I thought it was funny. I don’t think he did. No, actually, I like what Worf believes in, but I don’t think I used things he thought or did in my life.”

Farrell recounted that she and Dorn knew each other before he joined the cast of DS9, adding that it helped quickly establish the Dax-Worf relationship. “I was really excited that Michael was coming on the show,” she said. “We were already friends. I remember thinking, ‘I hope we get to work together’ (laughs). The trust that you have when you work with a friend, it’s honest. You know they’ll forgive you if you’re having a bad day. And that carried over to Dax and Worf once they became lovers.”
“Star Trek: The Original Series was my Trek,” Farrell said later. “Kirk was my captain. Spock... it was f—ing Spock! Now I’m married to his son. It’s so weird!”

Meet the Admiral

Admiral Cornwell went through the wringer in season one of Discovery, from near-death experiences to the betrayal of her friend. A fan asked Jayne Brook how that all affected the admiral and how it will carry over into season two. “At the end of season one, boy, she really, really went through a lot, almost dying several times,” the actress replied. “Now, she’s hopeful because she’s hit rock bottom. And there was that light of hope, with Michael’s idea of how to get us out of the situation. I knew season-two questions would come up, and I asked what I could say. They said, ‘You are allowed to say you are in season two. ‘ So, I am I season two.”

Cornwell is the top-ranking character that Brook has portrayed in her career so far. “I try to bring the humanity to every role I play,” she told the crowd. “And the (Discovery) writers have written to that. But with her rank, the stakes are highest of any character I’ve played."

Ryan Express

Jeri Ryan admitted to the audience that she was reluctant to sign on for Star Trek: Voyager as Seven of Nine. “Star Trek was notorious for its actors being pigeonholed,” she commented. “But it worked out. A month after Voyager ended, I was on a David E. Kelley show, The Practice. I’ve gotten lucky. I’ve done lots of fun things since then and I was able to have this amazing character, too. I’ve been very blessed.”

Ryan unleashed her trademark hearty laugh when a fan wondered if she ever had an interest in performing more of her own stunts, either on Voyager or any other show or movie. “Hell, no,” she said emphatically. “Hell, no. That’s what they are paid and trained to do. Hell no. Knock yourself out, stunt people!”

TNG Three

Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis joined forces for an entertaining panel that touched on everything from the TNG cast’s enduring friendships to their thoughts about Discovery, and everything in between.

Early on, Sirtis addressed a policy that’s becoming fairly standard at conventions. “The reason we ask you not to shoot video is so that we can be honest with you and say things and not get in trouble for them,” Sirtis explained. “So, please don’t film us. Otherwise you’re going to get the same old, patented lies. We want it to be just you with us.”

Dorn was the first to reply when a fan asked about the actors being directed by their costars back in their TNG days. “LeVar was very strict as a director,” Dorn said. “Jonathan was great. He was always fun. Patrick, he turned on us because he was Mr. Actor, and ‘We’re not going to have smoke on set!’ As a director, he smoked the place up. It was ' A Fistful of Datas.’ It was a cramped space, a saloon. And all you heard was Patrick shouting, ‘More smoke! More smoke!’ Gates had a moment in the devolving thing. Maybe I was annoying. She wanted me as a devolving being to get into... moss. She said, ‘OK, Michael. Ready? Feel the moss.’”

“I like Discovery,” McFadden said. “I think it has a great vibe to it.” Later, she talked more broadly about the franchise. “What I like about Star Trek is that it teaches you to think. It doesn’t tell you how to think.”

DS9 Reunited

Thanks to DST Birmingham offering the world premiere screening of What We Left Behind, much of the cast and crew of DS9 and the documentary were on hand. And they all gathered together on stage for a pretty epic panel and photo op. Those on hand: Max Grodenchik, Nicole de Boer, Aron Eisenberg, Alexander Siddig, Terry Farrell, Chase Masterson, Nana Visitor, Jeffrey Combs, Ira Steven Behr, Andrew Robinson, Rene Auberjonois, Armin Shimerman, Casey Biggs, Vaughn Armstrong, Steve Rankin, Cirroc Lofton and Michael Dorn.

“I’ve only seen two (DS9) episodes,” Behr noted to the surprise of many, “since 1999.”

Biggs voiced his appreciation for What We Left Behind. “It made me very, very proud to be a part of this family,” he said. “It made me proud to be a part of these people’s lives. It showed how important this series was... is, to so many people.”
A fan wanted to hear more about Farrell’s love scene with Avery Brooks in her guise as Mirror Dax, and also about why no one seemed to remember it within the episode. But she could barely hear the question, prompting her to ask, “What about sex with Sisko?

Shimerman recounted that Iggy Pop didn’t exactly come to set of “ The Magnificent Ferengi” eager to play a Vorta. “Mr. Pop was terrified to be acting on our show,” he said. “Fortunately, we all owe a great deal of applause to Cecily Adams for calming Iggy Pop down.”
Several members of the cast voiced the opinion that DS9 still doesn’t receive the respect they feel it deserves. Their comments, one by one, drew applause from the crowd, which wowed Masterson, who summed it up perfectly by acknowledging: “You guys get it.”

As the panel concluded, Shimerman took the mic to wish his wife, and DS9 guest star, Kitty Swink, a happy birthday. Also set to celebrate his birthday... Behr (whose big day is Tuesday). A cake with candles was rolled out on stage, and Shimerman led everyone in attendance in singing “Happy Birthday” to Swink and Behr.

The Klingons

Mary Chieffo and Kenneth Mitchell — L’Rell And Kol on Discovery — paired up for a session that proved yet again that these two actors, and especially Chieffo, truly appreciate the history and culture of Trek’s Klingons. But the conversation covered all sorts of interesting ground, eliciting both lots of laughter (both Chieffo and Mitchell) and more than a few tears (all Chieffo, all happy tears).

“When people talk to me about L’Rell, they’re talking about my work,” Chieffo said. “It’s not about my looks as a woman. As my first first real foray into the business, I am so grateful for that.”

Playing a Klingon has carried over to Mitchell’s real life. “Now, when my children are naughty, I get the bat'leth out,” he joked. “And then they are no longer naughty.”
What kind of shoes does Mitchell wear? “Kenneth Kols,” Mitchell joked to big laughs.

Photo Ops

All day long, at the various sets and booths, fans enjoyed photo shoots with family and friends and, of course, with the events stars, several of whom were in costume as their familiar characters.

Fans had the opportunity to take the equivalent of a Discovery class photo.

Birmingham... 2019

Right after the closing ceremony, it was announced that Destination Star Trek will return to Birmingham in 2019. And the first confirmed guest is... George Takei. Mark your calendars now: October 25-27. Tickets are on sale at www.DestinationStarTrek.com.
Check out of highlights features from Day One and Day Two of Destination Star Trek Birmingham.


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Which Trek tech would you most want to have? That's the question StarTrek.com posed for our latest weekly poll. Fans could choose from Food Replicator, Holodeck, Phaser, Transporter, Tricorder and Universal Translator. More than 10,000 of you voted, and here are the results:

Transporter (35%)
 

Holodeck (32%)
 

Food Replicator (21%)


Universal Translator (6%)


Tricorder (3%, 357 votes)


Phaser (3%, 288 votes)
 
Be sure to vote in this week's poll...
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I have yet to watch my season 6 downloads (no cable), but I previewed this episode! YES, EXTREMELY FUNNY!
 
 
Also, here's 2 Trek referrences:
 
Roswell
"Secrets and Lies"
Max, a main character, is off in LA looking for a 2nd shape shifting alien. (Long story! ) Anywho, to get access to Paramount Pictures, where he suspects the alien is possing as a producer, Max gets an agent and auditions for Enterprise! He auditions with John Billingsly out of makeup and Johnathan Frakes is there as the ENT director when he really directed the Roswell episode!
 
Here's another!
 
The Time Machine
After Vox the "compendium of all human knowledge" ridicules Alex for thinking time travel is possible, Vox asks if there's anything else. Alex, the time traveler, says he'll try back in a few hundred years. Vox makes the Vulcan hand sign and says, "Live long and prosper!" followed by a TOS door sound effect! :lol: John Logan wrote the movie right before he wrote NEMESIS, thus him being a Trekkie, he stuck in the joke!
 
So, anyone catch either of these? What else is there to look for?!

Happy 51st Birthday to the BEST TV series EVER!!
 
(You can delete this if it's posted elsewhere and I just missed it!  :))

James T Kirk is my favorite Captain..Archer and Sisko are a close second..

I voted for Picard. As I have stated in other favourite captain polls here, if were in Starfleet I would have no hesitation to put my life in his hands. Archer is creeping up to that category too.
 
I would never trust my life to Kirk. In TOS practically every week there was the unknown crew member who got killed (ok I exagerate).

Archer of course.
Main reasons are the qualities which attracted me in frist place: His humanity and the way he deals with problems - he uses his brain to convince (not persuade or force) and to achieve his goals
 
Kirk - Picard - Sisko = thats my next ranking list

The best captain is definetly Jean-Luc Picard.The guy RULES!! :o

Ladies and gentlemen, we present, for your viewing and listening pleasure, the Audi Orchestra, as they perform the original Star Trek theme. Now, this is no ordinary orchestra. It features musicians, including a horn player and harpist, joined by an Audi R8 V10 Plus, SQ5 and TT RS, in bringing the tune to life. The spot is timed to the Emmy Awards broadcast, which will air Sunday on CBS, and celebrates the fact that in 1967, Star Trek: The Original Series was nominated for Outstanding Drama.
Check it out:

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