On Friday afternoon several stars from Battlestar Galactica entertained the audience in the Marriott Atrium Ballroom.
Kate Vernon, who played Ellen Tigh on the show, said: “The [production] was delicious from the get-go” and that she couldn’t wait to read what the writers had written as soon as the scripts would arrive. When a fan asked what Vernon had been doing when she heard she’d return to the show after Ellen Tigh’s demise, she explained she was stuck in traffic on Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles and thought the producer was “fracking with [her]. It was the most incredibly emotional forty-five minutes, and then I couldn’t tell anyone!”
Tricia Helfer (cylon Six) spoke about how the writers, producer, and directors were all very collaborative on the show. If a plot twist was coming up that might affect the way she’d consider playing a scene, she said, “They’d pull you aside and discuss it with you. I don’t think I’ve been on a set that’s been that collaborative since BSG.” She also recounted the fun she’d had on the show, especially working many of the fight scenes.
Michael Hogan (Saul Tigh) spoke about the power of some of the lines they delivered on the show that became legendary. “It’s in the frackin’ ship,” in particular. “Who’d have thunk there’d be such a reaction to saying that line.” Hogan, who’s worked on several popular video games including Mass Effect 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was asked how he felt when he found out he was one of the final cylons. “I was not happy. It felt like a cheap shot” at first. But after a while, he realized what a brilliant choice the writers had made.
Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek) joked that he “felt rejected” when Zarek couldn’t hear the music in the walls of the ship. As the only cast member who worked on the original BSG and the new one, he recounted a few of his experiences on the original show back in 1978. “Those first days were terrifying,” he said. “We worked 18 hour days for almost seven days a week and got paid nearly three times the salary because of all of the overtime.”
One of the quirkiest questions asked by the audience was, “What superhero would be your dream role?” Vernon chose Robin Hood, so she could steal from the rich and give to the poor. Hogan chose Plastic Man, so he could reach his arms to ridiculous lengths. Hatch chose Spider-Man, because he was the coolest flying superhero. Helfer chose Catwoman, because she was such an avid cat lover.
