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.
The good thing about Star Trek is that it kind of paved the way for female leads and strong female characters in that genre which had been male dominated for a long time. Star Trek had the female captain. Your character is quite groundbreaking. Do you feel that Stargate Universe has taken that further?
Absolutely. I felt very challenged when Brad and Robert, my executive producers approached me and wanted to make my character a lesbian. I’d never played a lesbian before and as an actress you’re always looking for the next great challenge, and with me being an Asian woman, I’ve grown up having to deal with many issues based on being a minority in America as well as being a woman, it’s sort of like a double whammy. In order for me to take this part I wanted to make certain that she would be written as a character who is full and well rounded and that it is part of her but also that it’s just a normal thing in her life. She doesn’t wear a scarlet letter that says “M’ or anything, and it should just be a part of her being. I wanted to make sure it was respectful and that there would be moments whether she flashes back to her partner or something that has reference to it, and it not be just be a little gimmick. They assured me of that that point and I felt really excited to take on that extra layer of her character.
You pretty much had the sci-fi side of things covered, you already your groundwork done because you were a fans. How did you tap in to your sapphic side?
I’m in the theatre and I’m familiar with all that, but for me it really was about, when you view things, for example Camille Wray, she works in a very male dominated environment with the being in IOA officer. What were her challenges, I always go there. How does she view the world based on, and for me I had to go in to back-stories. Did she know at an early age or did she come out later. It would also add those remarkable nuances to a person. Because I chose that she came out later, sometimes there is a bit of a chip on her shoulder, which I like, it gives her a bit of an edge: those little things that after you pick and choose to figure out.
I’m still reeling from the revelation that there are gay people in the theatre.
How could that possibly be!?
Is Camille one of those suited up, power dykes?
That’s the other element that concerned me. Just being an IRA officer, I think some other previous character would always be the one who was “Ah, you’re the one who’s trying to sabotage things! You’re the bad guy!” and I didn’t want that, I wanted her to be someone you can relate to and hopefully root for. So we came up with the idea that she works in the human resources department. She’s the head of human resource department. That way being in HR she is able to be a people person. She hires and of course fires people but at the same time it’s her love of people, which is who I am, I love people, to have that warmth to her, that element. These are the people she’s hired and now they’re trapped on this spaceship, and her goal is to get them back to earth, to their loved ones, including herself. And for me that’s a very easy thing for me to play. She puts strength in her convictions and whatever she does that is her motivation, to get everybody back to earth.
Do you see flashbacks to her partner?
Yes. In fact we’re shooting an episode now in where I go back again through these magical stones that has no science behind it at all but that’s because they’re aliens stones, so we don’t need any science behind them!
She can’t go back to her partner permanently.
No. Who knows, if the show’s a big hit and goes on for many years like all the other Stargates series have done then the characters will evolve and with the direction that we’re taking Stargate I am really excited about that. What happens when this is the alternative that they have to maybe continue for a while. Sort of like me in Vancouver. I’m separated from my loved ones so I have a lot to draw on!
You don’t have any magic stones though.
No I have Air Alaska and Air Canada.
Little plug there for them.
Oh gosh yeah. Maybe I’ll get a few free tickets out of that one.
You’ve never played gay before. Have you had to lock lips with Camille’s partner?
Yes. I don’t know if I should say that. Would that be spoiling it? Maybe you should put a little spoiler alert on there.
The girls who read Pink Paper will be gunning for that kind of thing.
I can’t wait to come over to England and the UK because I’ve always loved English humour; I love the sound and the way you guys speak. I believe in a past life I was a little girl from London, because I used to have dreams about being her. I’ve been to so many parts of Europe, but I have not been to England. It’s so crazy. I can’t wait. I’m a Twitter-bug, a Twitterholic, one of my tweets sent me a link to Hugh Laurie and Steven Fry’s skit. Hilarious. I don’t know why I’ve gone off on that tangent but it’s hearing you speak, ‘ah I love it!’
I’m a pet urchin from London for you. Those ones that you stick up chimneys. I met someone in Vegas, and he kept getting me to say ‘schedule.’ I should go out with an American man; it’d be so much easier for me. Are the cast going to come over and do some events?
I believe Robert Carlisle will be visiting.
So, the kissing...
I’d never kissed a woman on stage or off stage. So that was a very interesting experience.
That’s a bit weird because I wouldn’t think twice about getting off with a woman even though I’m a gay man. Gay men have a thing about boobs.
Oh yeah absolutely. Very different perspective: I was interested that I got a man interviewed me. I think it’s lovely. It’s like doing Playboy magazine and having a woman do it. Actually it’s probably not the same.
I’d be terrible working for them. Anyhoo, how did you prepare yourself for that scene?
Me and the actress (Rachel Elsworth) got very giddy because it was her first time too and so it’s one of those things where you know you go back to high school basically because it’s all so exciting and silly, but then you focus and the actual scene and you become professional and you just do what you have to do. It was really another thing I can mark off now on my list of new adventures.
Snog a woman and then the next is get to London.
Speaking of boobies...
Speaking!? Who the hell spoke of boobies!?
There was one moment in the scene when I lean back on Sharon. Camile’s partner as we’re snuggling, I leaned back and went ‘Oh boobies!’ I was right in between them and it was actually shocking! (lots of laughter). But they felt comfortable, like an airport pillow! They should design airport pillows that way.
Maybe you should go to the airline you mentioned earlier on and suggest that to them.
Camille Rae Air pillows. Yes, that could be a new type of merchandise.
Instead of dirty pillows you could have space pillows. Apparently your character is also quite groundbreaking because she’s the first major lesbian character to be on US television since The L Word. Is that the case?
I was quite surprised. I think that might be for the Sci-Fi channel in particular because I was on this little show called ER for five years, and we had a gay character on that show so I don’t quite understand. I know Grey’s Anatomy has had, I don’t watch it, I think they touched on it. I think it was the sci-fi channel itself. They’re saying that as of now there are very few regular characters in any television show that depicts a lesbian. That is interesting to me, I should do some research on it, I always find it a little fascinating that that’s an issue. It’s bizarre to me. Playing this character I am learning about all these things.
Is it too soon to have had much fan interest in the sense of attracting a big gay following?
I hope that she’s a likeable character and that she’s a real enough character that the people – not just the gays – that people in general want to see what goes on in her life. If you make it an issue you can’t play that. You can only play the emotions of human beings.
Are you ready for the conventions?
I got a taste of it in San Diego, the comic one there. It was amazing, it was like Mardi Gras, everybody dressed up and it was really fun and I took a ton of pictures.
Did you Twitpic any of them?
I just started a month ago.
Is there a diva in you?
I think there is in everyone. I’m the most down to earth of these silly little girls. But I like to pretend to be a diva, that’s the fun part. I do love the ones that are and I like that they do carry on that way.
If you were lost in space, what would you do?
If I was lost in space by myself, I’d probably sit in my pants and cry, a lot!
I’m so glad that they put some other cast members in the show and not just you.
That would have been fun to watch! I’m not sure if you’d root for Camille Wray. I’d get a lot of fan mail! She needs to be stronger than that! If it was just me I don’t think I’d be able to handle it too well. But if I was with a bunch of people it’d be a lot of fun. That’s why this is so fascinating to me. All the stuff you come up with in your brain and eventually reaches in to this energy that the human spirit have this internet going around. When I was a little girl that’s all I’d think about, how I’d love to be picked up by aliens, and go out in to space and explore the galaxy.
I love that you’re a bit of a nerd.
A bit? You should talk to my friends! My husband always just shakes his head when I talk about any of this stuff because he’s not in to sci-fi at all. He goes “It’s all geek to me!”
We’ve had some great stuff going over to America recently. Like Torchwood, Doctor Who, all that kind of stuff.
Ooh, I’d love to watch. I wonder if I’ll be able to get them online.
Illegally I’m quite sure you can.
Working on a show like Stargate Universe, how does it differ from something like ER?
Well I’ve been so impressed with Sci-Fi and MGM, with a station that’s a little bit smaller there is a great deal more support and a comfort that you get from the executives of MGM and Sci-Fi. They’re friendly, completely approachable, super-supportive. I mean, right now, MGM will be showing a 90 second trailer in movie theatres which is fantastic. It’s amazing support. It feels like a big family. That’s one aspect of it. Another aspect of it is that the whole Stargate franchise has been around for 15 years. They have Brad Wright and Robert Cooper and the crew and the writers have all been involved for many, many years. It’s just such a well-oiled machine and they’ve embraced all of us newbies with open arms and there’s a lot of comfort so I’m really thrilled about that. Most of the time you’re there biting your nails thinking ‘oh God, I hope they like it and god, I hope they enjoy it. I hope the numbers come in’, and so on. Of course, we want big numbers and I think at the same time they’re excited to see the show air in general.
Do you see yourself doing this for five years, what’s the standard for a sci-fi show?
I don’t know, the first Stargate went for 10 years, didn’t it? I’m the kind of person who takes a day at a time. I like dealing with things as they come along. So I don’t go nuts about anything. When I’ve finished talking to finish my cup of coffee and maybe go have lunch with a girlfriend. Not ‘girlfriend’, girlfriend!
That’s my headline.
My husband was super thrilled when he found out I was playing a lesbian! It’s fulfilling a lot of his fantasises, I’ll tell you that much! He’ll hate it that I said that.
I'll put it on Twitter.
I have a lot of UK followers and I’m going to twitter this, that I’ve just spoken to you. It’s addictive.
Stargate: Universe is on Sky1 and Sky1 HD
Photography by Angela Kohler / Creative24