Mar 11 2010
Scottish native Robert Carlyle will be extending his Stargate Universe presence in the second season where he will make his directorial debut with the episode ‘Pathogen’.
Pathogen is currently being penned by Carl Binder, and will co-star Ming-Na and is presently the only episode of Universe season two which has begun filming.
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Loading ...Feb 14 2010
An interview with Ming-Na (Camille Wray) featured in issue #32 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.
Longtime fans of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis are familiar with the International Oversight Authority (IOA), a group of bureaucratic busybodies who love poking their noses into our heroes’ comings and goings through the Stargate.
On Stargate Universe, IOA representative Camille Wray finds herself a long way from home onboard the Ancient ship Destiny. Given the IOA’s reputation, she is trying to balance her professional instincts and compassionate nature, especially as one of the mediators between the military and civilians. It is not easy, but actress Ming-Na, who plays Camille, is enjoying the challenge.
“The hardest thing when you’re playing a strong female character is not having her come off as a bitch and someone who everyone wants to hate, and being an IOA official, that’s especially important for Camille,” explains Ming-Na. “Robert Cooper [series co-creator/ executive producer] and I had a conversation where I mentioned this, and they decided to change my character’s job with the IOA from accounting to something else. They suggested human resources and I said, ‘Oh, that would be fantastic, because then she’s a people person.’ I immediately latched onto that.
I think that makes her interesting, because she’s ambitious and you’re not quite sure where she’s coming from, which I love. At the same time, I hope the viewers like her enough to want to keep figuring her out, just as I’m figuring her out.”
An interview with Elyse Levesque (Chloe Armstrong) featured in issue #32 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.
As an actor, it helps to have plenty of moral support and positive karma when going out for a new job, no matter how big or small. Elyse Levesque is all for that. In fact, prior to her audition for the role of Chloe Armstrong on Stargate Universe, a little voice told the actress in no uncertain terms that the part would ultimately be hers.
“When I initially got the [audition] sides [pages] for this role, my roommate said to me, ‘You’re going to get this,’” recalls Levesque. “She says that all the time, and maybe she has some crazy type of intuition, but in this case she told me, ‘This is going to happen. I feel really good about this.’
“I did the audition, and at the time I didn’t know how it went. But then I’m my own worst critic,” she jokes. “I thought, ‘I could have been better. I didn’t get there emotionally.’ So I flew back to Vancouver and two days later I was out shopping with my mom when my agent called to tell me that things were looking good. It was another two months, though, before I received the official word that I had the job.
“It’s funny, I had all these preconceptions about sci-fi and in particular Stargate. I wasn’t super-familiar with the franchise, but when I read the sides, it was like I knew this woman. Some of the things that Chloe was speaking about in the scene were, quite honestly, things I was going through at the time in my life. So I thought, ‘Yes, this is something I can relate to and sink my teeth into.’”
An interview with Alaina Huffman (Tamara Johansen) featured in issue #32 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine.
At the age of 12 most girls spend a great deal of time hanging out with their friends, going shopping, and day-dreaming about the cute boy in class. However, when Stargate Universe actress Alaina Huffman was that age, she had her heart set on other things.
I was scouted by a modeling agency, and at 14 I began traveling around the world as a model and figured that would be my career. When I got older, I moved with my parents from Vancouver to Texas, and was modeling there when an audition came up for a film [Pendulum]. I went in to read, got the job, and realized, ‘This is way cooler than modeling.’ So acting stuck, and I’m very thankful. I’ve been able to work fairly solidly since, and I have a great support system—my husband is amazing, my parents are terrific, and my kids are wonderful—so it’s awesome and I love it.”
Read the full interviews in Issue 32 of The Official Stargate SG-1/Atlantis/SGU Magazine – on newsstands now!
To subscribe to Stargate Magazine click here.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Feb 12 2010
Not only does Ming-Na make time for her busy acting career, and two wonderful children she’s also taken a few minutes out of her busy and hectic day to sit down and answer a varied selection of questions with popular online Celebrity Babyscoop.
You can read an excerpt of the interview below:
CBS: You are mom to daughter Michaela, 9, and son Cooper, 4. How has motherhood changed you?
MN: “My core personality is the same, but my focus and views on what’s important has changed. I still love acting and pursuing my dreams, but my ultimate focus now is to be best mom I can be and raising my children to be happy and being the best of who they are.”
CBS: What are your greatest joys as a mother? Biggest challenges?
MN: “My greatest joys as a mom is a long list! I love when my son enters our bedroom in the morning wanting to snuggle, or reading them bedtime stories, playing and laughing with them. I love being a kid again and going to amusement parks or watching cartoons with them. Watching them enjoy the meals I make, becoming little persons forming their own ideas & opinions, etc.
The challenges is figuring out what to filter from our information age and how to age-appropriately protect them. Teaching them to appreciate what they have and NOT BE BORED!!”
CBS: What are your kids into? Tell us a funny story about each of them.
MN: “My daughter loves horses. She wants to own her own horse, so she’s currently saving up money so she can buy one. We went on the internet so I could show her how much horses cost and that it would take her awhile to save up to buy one.
Unfortunately, because of the economic downturn, there were many horses online for FREE or only a few hundred dollars. Michaela was very excited. ‘SEE MOM!! We can get a horse for FREE!’ So I had to then change strategy and explain that even with a free horse, it’s expensive to keep one with the cost of food, stable, vet bills, etc. She’s not deterred and is determined to own her own horse.
My son loves trains and the Wii or DS games. We only allow them to play the Wii or DS on the weekends. Many Monday nights, Cooper will ask, ‘Is tomorrow the weekend yet?’ Then every Friday he’ll cheerfully exclaim, ‘IT’S FUN FRIDAY!!’”
CBS: You play openly gay character, Camile Wray, in Stargate Universe. Are you proud to play a gay person and to represent a minority group? Do you receive support from the gay community?
MN: “I’m proud to be playing a well-written and complex role. Camile Wray is a gay Asian woman with a high ranking position in the government among mostly powerful men.
I have received great support from the gay community and really appreciate that! But I am playing a role, not a role model. Camile can go in many directions depending on the situations and I hope to honor the storytelling of the character. She can turn to the darkside due to some plot point. I’m not limiting where she can go!”
CBS: Your ethnicity is also underrepresented in films and TV. Would you like to see more diversity in both arenas?
MN: “This is such an easy one. Yes, of course! It always pisses me off when I see TV series where it’s ALL caucasian characters, especially if it takes place in a major city. It’s 2010 for crying out loud!! That why I’m so proud to have been in series like ER and now SGU where there is such diversity. I thank these wonderful writers, producers and casting folks for showcasing the reality of America.”
You can read the full interview courtesy of Celebrity Babyscoop here »
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Feb 07 2010
With well over 100,000 confirmed dead, millions injured or displaced and untold others missing, the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti is unquestionably one of the largest natural disasters in modern history.
Some of the hardest hit by the tragedy are those least equipped to handle its dangerous aftermath; An estimated 380,000 children were already orphans beforehand according to UNICEF, and thousands more have been rendered just that as a result of the 7.0 quake.
With their needs in mind, Jayneoni Moore hosted the Playdate for Haiti last week at The Playroom in Sherman Oaks, California. Co-sponsored by the Jayneoni Moore Children’s Fund, Project Nursery, Mustela and Nourish, celebrity mums were on hand to pack aid boxes bound for Haitian orphanages filled with diapers, clothing, formula and water. The supplies were donated by fellow mums from across the entire United States of America.
Stargate Universe star Ming-Na said she hoped their efforts would have a lasting effect not only on the children of Haiti, but also on her own daughter Michaela, 9. “I wanted her to understand that we all can help out those in need,” Ming-Na explained to Celebrity Baby Blog. “It doesn’t matter how young you are, or how far away the problem is.” She added,
“Every little bit helps when you give of yourself. It’s not always about just donating money, but also donating your time and effort and heart.”
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Jan 26 2010
Ming Na’s husband has reportedly been thrilled to bits to here that his wife would be playing the part of Sci Fi’s first ever Lesbian characther in Stargate Universe, so much so Ming Na has taken time out of her busy schedule to answer a very informative interview
I’m very excited to be speaking with Mulan.
That’s great, I’m so glad you’re a Mulan fan.
Do you find that there’s an elite fan base for that sort of thing?
There is a tremendous, large fan base there. Not just with the children, but from the rock and roll stars to the eight-year-olds. It’s a lovely legacy to be a part of.
Your kids aren’t old enough to appreciate that kind of thing yet are they?
Oh sure, my daughter’s eight and she does know that I’m Mulan and she uses that to her advantage at school. She’s very entrepreneurial that way. My son’s three and a half and he watches animations all the time.
Does your daughter sell signed merchandise at school? Do you actually have a Mulan doll?
I have a huge collection from Disney – they’re always sending me the blankets and the sippy cups. I’ve got quite a lot of merchandise – I don’t quite know what to do with it. I don’t feel that I should throw it away but it’s kind of like an odd little treasure box for the children that one day they’ll be like “what are we going to do with this stuff!?”
Are you in a hotel just now because you’re filming?
I travel between Vancouver and LA, as my family are in LA. If you’re going to be stuck anywhere outside of your home, it’s nice to be in Vancouver.
Speaking of merchandise, are you prepared for that sci-fi onslaught?
I guess Mulan prepared me. I don’t know. It’s been quite an eye-opening journey. I used to be quite a sci-fi fan myself, and I used to collect all the Star Wars dolls. I think I still have the Millennium Falcon and the talking Darth Vader somewhere in my garage of paraphernalia. I was a huge fan. I understand the fan base mania that occurs with sci-fi films. I guess it’s a bit odd if once the show airs and does well to be a part of that, but as I grew up on the other side of it, it’s a little geek girl’s dream come true.
What was your favourite sci-fi?
Star Wars is definitely on top of the list. Star Trek is another biggie, and I just love what the director did with the new Star Trek, I thought that was brilliant. I love so many, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Aliens, those are all up there.
You can read the full interview here courtesy of Pink Paper.com »
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