Thursday, September 11, 2008

Stargate SG-1 - Cinema Spy: Ben Browder Interview

At Cinema Spy:

(Please follow the link for the complete five-page interview.)



Interview: Ben Browder

On 'Stargate', 'Farscape', writing a mini-series for SCI FI...and weed whackers

By Michael Simpson | Wednesday, September 10, 2008


Although he came to the series late, Ben Browder fits right in on the set of Stargate SG-1. The actor, who plays SG-1's leader Cameron Mitchell, signed on to the show at the start of its ninth season, following the departure of Richard Dean Anderson (who played Jack O'Neill). The cast and crew that Browder joined is characterized by an unpretentious openness and enthusiasm. The ebullient Memphis-born actor shares those qualities. He also has an infectious sense of humor that, by his own admission, is hard to contain. All of these traits were evident in an interview he gave earlier this year at Bridge Studios in Vancouver, where Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis are filmed. During the chat, Browder discussed his experience of coming aboard SG-1 towards the end of its 10-year run, what he likes and dislikes about Mitchell, why he's worried that he didn't get the girl in the direct-to-video movie Stargate Continuum (released in July), and what he thinks about being typecast as a sci-fi actor. He also asked for advice on weed-whackers.



A brief excerpt:


CinemaSpy: Have you found the experience of filming in Canada, Australia and the US different?
Ben Browder: Well, I have more experience filming in Australia and in Canada than I probably do filming in the US just because of the longevity of the work. They're surprisingly similar in many ways. The differences are more cultural. The physical mechanics of making movies is similar. Every set has its own culture and vibe, so I really couldn't compare Canada to Australia. I could compare Stargate to Farscape. I'm sure you guys have probably been on more sets than I've been on. You go on a set... everyone has a different vibe. It comes from both ends of the food chain in regards to how a set is because of what the script is like, how successful the show is, what's the creative process. So every show has a different culture, and I don't know how to compare those in regards to nationalities because I think I would probably be only speaking specifically about the two shows. And there's a danger in there because I'll end up saying something like, "Canadians sound really intelligent, but somehow evil, eh. They sound like they're from Minnesota, but smarter, eh." [laughs] I made the mistake of talking to RDA [Richard Dean Anderson] about it. He appeared in one the later episodes of Stargate, I think it was Moebius, where he's on the boat, and I thought he was affecting a Canadian accent, not realizing it was Minnesotan, which is his native accent. I said, "So why d'you choose to do the Canadian accent?" He said, "What are you talking about?" [I said,] "You know, when you were on the boat and it was the separate timeline thing. Was it like a homage to the crew or something." [laughs]He looks at me like, "What?" [I said,] "You know, the timeline thing, and you were on the boat and you were like, ëeh'" He goes, "Like, 'I'm from Minnesota,' eh?" I went, "Oooh, right." [laughs] I thought the Canadian's had a lock on "Eh." No?


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