Take the good with the bad.

[proggrrl]

Well, this is a very random post to say:

Big news for us WhedonHeads: Joss Whedon is auctioning off a dinner for five with him at Comicon, as a benefit for Equality Now. Very cool idea!

There's pretty bad news this week, albeit gossipy and not from the mouth of TPTB exactly, that those DEADWOOD TV movies may not happen.

And then there's proof of my suspicion from late last year: Katee Sackhoff is officially sick of playing Starbuck. I've been getting a vibe from both her and Jamie Bamber from the past year that they are both tired of their roles in BSG and itching to get on with their Acting Careers. I assume their managers and agents are squealing about film roles, TV movies, etc (and the higher commissions that come with those). Later on in life, these two actors are probably gonna realize the same thing that Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nathan Fillion, and, I believe, Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, and even Tricia Helfer seem to have better grips on...I don't think I need to explain any further. Le sigh.

Then again, they are both good actors when given the right roles. If they get the right roles. I suppose if it were me, even I would get bored with The Role Of A Lifetime, after several years.

Comments

[hollywoodgrrl.livejournal.com]

Oy, I really can't stand actors wanting to quit the television shows that made them famous. It's jsut rude. Makes me think of David Duchovny. Oy.

Also, Tricia Helfer totally is doing it right. She's just getting small gigs to stretch her acting skillz and get a reel together. I love her.

[dgainey2003.livejournal.com]

I really don't have a problem with what Katee said. She has never talked badly about the show and has always expressed her love for it. She has said she is very grateful for what the show has allowed her to do and grow as a person and an actress. No actress wants to play the same role forever. They want to challenge themselves and continue to grow. Neither Katee or Jaime has ever said anything except that they have enjoyed their time on the show and will cherish it. Part of the whole Katee is tired of playing Starbuck was said as a way of explaining why they were killing her off. If you read Leah Cairns last interview she said she even believed it. She said she laid into Katee when they got back on set for this season. I think we should cut her a break. She didn't decide to end it, Ron and David did. She has nothing to do with that decision to end after season 4. Katee has said she didn't even know that is was finalized until her mom called her and said it was on the internet.

[canadiangirl-86.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I don't really get the impression that Katee's sick of the role at all. Does she want to try new and different things? Sure, she's what? 27? I think it's pretty normal to want to keep moving at such a young age. Plus, it's so great how much love she constantly gives to the fans.

As for Jamie, again, I get the distinct impression that he does realize just how phenomenal this show is, and is simply understanding of the fact that it has a beginning, middle, and end. It's actually something he's been saying since the very beginning of the series.

And SMG seemed to want to move on as well, it just took her a few years to fully appreciate how important the role was to her, even though she always said it wouldn't hit her until after.

[latteaddict.livejournal.com]

Katee only said she was ready to try new things. She's always been very loyal to BSG and playing Starbuck.

Her character was neglected and misused and underused in season 3, and they did kill her off (proving the show could easily go on without her). If anyone took away the shine of playing Starbuck for her it was Ron Moore. I could list endless things that buried the character in the eyes of the general audience.

The amount of time season three spent on guest stars, B-characters and no-names we never saw or heard from again was staggering. Season 3 had like 5 hits and 15 misses.

[http://users.livejournal.com/wisteria_/]

I'd been talking to some friends recently about the same topic, and I'd meant to write my own LJ post about it. Until then, I'll just butt in here. ;)

Hmm. I have mixed feelings. First of all, I know what you mean about potential typecasting and how actors on popular shows tend to fade away. I've seen it happen time and again with other shows I've loved. Critical acclaim and huge fanbases seldom transfer to mainstream movie/TV success once the show's over, no matter how talented and charismatic the actor might be. Sad, but true.

I can't really blame Jamie and Katee for getting antsy. After four years, most of us would be tired of our jobs and want to do something different. Jamie has hinted that he didn't quite realize just what a long-term commitment he was making when he first signed the contract, though he insists he doesn't regret it! Most British dramas are filmed on a smaller scale and without the tightly-scheduled multiyear productions over here. I have to say I'm surprised he chose to move permanently to Los Angeles. I adore him and think he's quite talented, but Hollywood is SO competitive. I think he'd do really well in another ensemble drama; however, he'd be auditioning against dozens (if not hundreds) of similar actors with similar resumes vying for a handful of roles each year. It's just such a HUGE risk. He could probably forge quite a career for himself in British movies/TV. Perhaps not as lucrative or high-profile (in Hollywood terms), but the talent pool is a bit smaller, and I've seen many other actors like him who've done quite well for themselves. And given the quality of many British shows, he'd have lots of great roles to choose from. :)

Though she seems so ambitious, I'm actually NOT worried about Katee. Yes, she seems to want a Big Hollywood Career, and I'm not entirely optimistic about that panning out. I love her to pieces and think she's very talented, but she doesn't quite fit the "Maxim Babe" type, and again, the roles for which she's well-suited are limited. She has a bit of an advantage now with the Bionic part, and she's getting lots of press. But the reason I'm not worried is that I get a strong vibe from her that she doesn't consider acting to be her ultimate goal in life -- at least, not the way many other career actors do. She said in that EW interview last week that she plans to keep working until she has enough money to retire, and I remember her saying in another interview a while back that if she weren't acting, she'd live on the beach and run a scuba school. Plus, I have a feeling she really just wants to settle down, get married, and have lots of kids. ;) Whatever the case, it just doesn't seem like she believes acting is what she'll be doing for the rest of her life. She loves the craft and the challenge and maybe a bit of the fame, but she seems like she'd be perfectly happy to walk away from it all once she's in a (financial) position to do so. And that's why I'm not worried about what might happen with her career after BSG and Bionic are over. In other words, acting is a means to an end, rather than the end itself.

Wow, I rambled for much longer than I'd expected! I could probably say tons more, but I'll save that for when I write my own post on the subject. ;)

[(Anonymous)]

I have to say I'm surprised he chose to move permanently to Los Angeles.

The exchange rate being what it has been recently ($2=£1), yet it seems prices are cocnsitent, (i.e a $12 item in us would cost £12 in the uk,)I doubt that living in pounds while being paid in dollars is particularly fessible right now or in the forseeable future. Not to mention the relocating and increased no. of tv/film productions in the state. So I can understand their decision to move.