BSG - they reach out to the fans

[Z-man]

Ok, being the uber scifi geek, I recently logged onto scifi's web boards. "Mrs. Ron" is an active participant on these boards. She happens to be the wife of Ron D. Moore, executive producer and developer of Battlestar Galactica.

Recently, she had some of the actors and actresses over their Vancouver apartment for her famous meat sauce and pasta, and she promised the fans that she would encourage the actors to answer some of the fan's questions posted on the scifi web boards. Mary McDonnell (Pres. Roslyn), Edward James Olmos (Adama), Grace Park (Sharon / Boomer), and Tehmoh Penikett (Helo) were there. The night before, she had James Callis (Baltar), Jamie Bamber (Apollo) and others over.

Due to the scifi website having technical difficulties, not too many questions were answered. But mine was!

Link to the thread (My question was on page 16 of the thread, and answered on the next page by Mary McDonnell, aka President Roslyn.)

Here is what I asked:

Ms. McDonnell - your character has evolved from the "apprehensive President" to a dying saviour to a dethroned leader, and now you are back as the president of the rag tag fleet. Obviously, you have not gone through as many role changes in your personal life as in the show - can you provide us with insight as to how you are able to realistically portray a character that has changed and matured so much?

Thanks,
-Zoltan.

Here was the response:

Zoltan, i think inside many small experiences in life are the same qualities as in the larger more challenging ,more obvious , experiences (such as those in Battlestar ) The job then becomes one of being able to transform ones own experience to the situation. Ive had an interesting life. So it works for the piece.
GREAT question BTW. xoxo, Mary

Pretty cool, huh?

-Z-man.

[legion]

My wife teaches Junior Acheivement at a local grade school. She was doing a lesson on marketing. She grabbed a copy of Entertainment Weekly that we had in the house (a friend gave it to me--I don't subscribe) that featured Mary McDonnell, Trisha Helfer, and James Callis on the cover.

When my wife took out the magazine and showed it to the class to begin the lesson, one kid interrupted, pointed at the magazine, and said: "That's my aunt Mary!"

Sure enough, Mary McDonnell's nephew lives here in Bloomington, IL.

I have warmth for Mary McDonnell.