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    Sci Fi actors don't get far?

    I am not sure if this is the right section to post this, moderators please move if you wish.

    But do you think that actors who spend a lot of years in Sci Fi series usually means a decline in their careers afterwards. As they are type cast, and we seem to see very little of them anywhere on TV or movies. I mean when you look at all the actors (leads and secondary) on Star Trek, Stargate, farscape or whatever, apart from a few that have done well, most have ended up getting very little work. Does anybody else think so, I'ld really like to know if you agree or disagree. Thanks

    #2
    Originally posted by Starrtom View Post
    I am not sure if this is the right section to post this, moderators please move if you wish.

    But do you think that actors who spend a lot of years in Sci Fi series usually means a decline in their careers afterwards. As they are type cast, and we seem to see very little of them anywhere on TV or movies. I mean when you look at all the actors (leads and secondary) on Star Trek, Stargate, farscape or whatever, apart from a few that have done well, most have ended up getting very little work. Does anybody else think so, I'ld really like to know if you agree or disagree. Thanks
    It depends on the actor really. Bruce Boxleitner (John Sheridan on B5) never had too much trouble finding work because he already had a diverse resume. Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien on Deep Space Nine) always had good roles in Ireland, especially in The Snapper, The Van, and The Commitments. Joe Flanigan (John Sheppard) appeared on shows like Dawson's Creek and Murphy Brown.

    I suppose if the actor/actress already had a bit of variety to their credits, they'll be able to branch out to other genres without too much trouble. Certain actors though, do get type casted. For example, Matthew Glave (Paul Emerson on SG-1--the guy on my avatar) has done some interesting comedic roles and even played a serial killer on Millennium. However, because he's tall and sports a serious, authoritative look and voice, he's been regularly cast as a soldier, police officer, detective, FBI agent, etc. It happens to be that he's done sci-fi before and actually likes the genre.
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      #3
      William Shatner is known for Kirk however, He was in T.J. Hooker, Boston Legal.

      Mira Furlan, Delenn from B5 made it to Lost.

      I do realize that a lot of actors DO get sterotyped!

      I think it is a hit and miss about how good you are and how great your agent is....
      Why did you do such a thing, you mediocre dunces?

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        #4
        katee sackhoff (BSG) is going to star in 24, i think that is quite good
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          #5
          Originally posted by boeli View Post
          katee sackhoff (BSG) is going to star in 24, i think that is quite good
          That's great for Katee to be in a popular mainstream show. I always liked her acting as Starbuck, even when the character was not being so nice.
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            #6
            Some might, but sometimes sci-fi actors star in multiple shows. Look at the cast of Firefly, they all went on to other shows, some sci-fi. (Jewel on Atlantis, Morena Baccarin on SG1, Nathan Fillion on Castle and so on.) Although most sci-fi actors seem to only have recurring roles, but throughout multiple tv series. Colm Meaney was in Star Trek TNG and DS9, went on to many other shows including SGA, and has a role in the film Law Abiding Citizen. I could keep going. It also depends on the popularity of the show/film. Mark Hamill has been typecast as Luke Skywalker, despite his amazing voice actor work. Almost every Doctor in Doctor Who has been typecast, Chris Eccleston supposedly left cause he did not wish to be typecast. The Twilight and Harry Potter actors could be in trouble, although thats doubtful.

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              #7
              I agree that typecasting happens a lot more with Sci-Fi actors. But I also think in general actors that play a unique role on a TV series have trouble afterward expanding their range to other shows or movies.

              There are of course exceptions, like Nathan Fillion (Firefly) who started off with a comedy series, then moved to Firefly, then to Desperate Housewives and now starring in Castle. All those series are completely different genres.
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                #8
                Patrick Stewart is pretty successful, but then he was successful beforehand.

                Maybe we just don't notice Sci-Fi actors in anything else, because we don't watch anything else

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                  #9
                  Unfortunately, yes, many actors get typecast, particularly on sci-fi shows.

                  The actors who usually have a longer/successful career in front of the camera after the demise of their show already had a career before getting that role (aka Patrick Stewart). Many actors also go behind the camera (i.e., Levar Burton, Jonathan Frakes) and direct. If you become a good director, you can work for ages. Acting, not so much, as heck, you age or become yesterday's flavor.

                  More do voice work, such as Teryl Rothery (also she seems to be in a lot of Lifetime movies)

                  THe trouble is that the market is skewing young; so they want young actors, and many actors on scifi shows (if the show lasts) suddenly end up in another age bracket. Which sometimes means less employment.

                  But if you have a great agent, get the right project.... you're set.

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                    #10
                    Rene Auberjonois was in Star Trek DS9 for 7 seasons and he got on Boston Legal.

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by magictrick View Post
                      I agree that typecasting happens a lot more with Sci-Fi actors. But I also think in general actors that play a unique role on a TV series have trouble afterward expanding their range to other shows or movies.

                      There are of course exceptions, like Nathan Fillion (Firefly) who started off with a comedy series, then moved to Firefly, then to Desperate Housewives and now starring in Castle. All those series are completely different genres.
                      Not to mention Nathan's early work on soaps.

                      Originally posted by The Prophet View Post
                      Patrick Stewart is pretty successful, but then he was successful beforehand.

                      Maybe we just don't notice Sci-Fi actors in anything else, because we don't watch anything else
                      That! I completely believe.
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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Franklyn Blaze View Post
                        Rene Auberjonois was in Star Trek DS9 for 7 seasons and he got on Boston Legal.
                        He also had a very successful run on Benson a long time ago with Robert Guillaume and Ethan Phillips, who eventually ended up in the role of Neelix on Voyager. Auberjonois was also very successful with broadway theater for many years--ditto for Nana Visitor. Somehow I don't think sci-fi actors get type casted too much. Again, agents and good selection of products goes a long way.
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                          #13
                          Originally posted by The Prophet View Post
                          Maybe we just don't notice Sci-Fi actors in anything else, because we don't watch anything else
                          Though I've always watched sci-fi shows, I enjoy good cop shows too. Southland was so promising before it got canceled. In my 20s I also grew to like anything involving the military and--of all things--westerns. David Weddle, who was a big fan of Sam Peckinpah, wrote a biography on him sometime back in the 90s. Weddle has an interesting theory on how sci-fi and westerns utilize the same types of character archetypes which is why he always enjoyed both genres.

                          This cross-genre idea certainly applies to Bruce Boxleitner, who likes westerns and has appeared in a number of them in the past.
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                            #14
                            many of the better scifi actors are actually true Shakespearean actors, and as such, you won't always " see" their work. Michael Dorn was doing king leer for awhile, Brent Spiner did Cyrano (I kicked myself for missing a chance to see it) and there are non-american TV shows and movies to be made. Not every movie or TV show gets ported to be viewed by 2% of the world population (the USA)

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by Captain Obvious View Post
                              many of the better scifi actors are actually true Shakespearean actors, and as such, you won't always " see" their work. Michael Dorn was doing king leer for awhile, Brent Spiner did Cyrano (I kicked myself for missing a chance to see it) and there are non-american TV shows and movies to be made. Not every movie or TV show gets ported to be viewed by 2% of the world population (the USA)
                              Very true. Though most people know Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, he was already established as a good Shakespearean actor in Australia before he found limelight with X-Men. He sings very well too, from what I understand.
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