Polaris 22 Con Report
*waves sheepishly*
Still in thesis/lurker/shouldn’t be online mode. *sends hugs to all*
However, as should be evident by now, if I don’t write a con report right away it does not happen. At all. TTrek 17, 18 and 20 as well as SFX 2006 are prime examples. But, when I do write one, I tend to write a lot (see SFX 2005... this time, I’m clocking in at a little bit over 5000 words... ummm... Enjoy!?)
So, while de-compressing post-con in the hotel room and waiting for How do you solve a problem like Maria? to start with the wonderful janeeyre17, puffgirl_two, and sffan, I started in on my recollections of the Q&As, and have added to it bit by bit over the past two days while briefly taking breaks from my thesis.
Also, in regards to that, I am reaching the "I am so screwed and am not going to get it done in time for my supervisor to look at it and give me time to fix anything he thinks needs improvement before I leave for Calgary and the PhD because it turns out the way the program deals with the data needs to be double checked as it may have messed everything up which has added several days to my already so very much later than my last ditch planned guestimate of getting done" point. I really should have skipped the con, but I had bought my ticket, had some time to decompress, and got to spend time with janeeyre17, puff, and sf (though it’s never enough as it goes by sooo fast), see a lot of folks I only ever see at cons, and am generally very glad I went. Also, ladies, if I missed/misremembered anything, let me know and I’ll fix it... And feel free to link, or whatever.
So, report, by event:
Gareth David-Lloyd (pic) claimed he was pissed from the night before, and he was less on the ball at his first Q&A than at the second, but for the sake of my memory I am not going to actually attempt to differentiate between the two sessions, because I don’t think I could. The second, however, was absolute genius. Gareth is so very, very smart at answering questions. So smart. Turning from cheeky to serious at the drop of a dime, and going from thoughtful and taking his time to snappy as anything as was warranted, and fielding some very awkward questions with a cheeky grin and the most brilliant responses.
For example, at the end of his session, he was asked "a personal question" (according to the asker, and I cringed inside. I tend to cringe a lot when fans step up to the mic), that is, what does he look for in a woman? His response, with utterly no embarrassment on his part, and a very cheeky smile, was "Generally, the clitoris." (imagine it in the Welsh accent) After the howls of laughter from the audience, he added something to the effect of that that strategy tends to work for him.
Other highlights (paraphrased, mostly, cause my memory is good, but not that good):
The girl who often dresses up as Rose had brought her dog, and as she was about to speak into the microphone to ask a question, Gareth asked if that’s a dog, and she told him the dog’s name is Darcy. Then Gareth summoned the dog to the stage, crouched down, and communed with the dog for quite a while, petting her, using a "good-doggy" voice, and got face kisses, as the audience melted and the cameras were whipped out. Gareth has two dogs that he had to leave with his aunt at home, a female and a male, and he misses them terribly. Then, not-Rose and Darcy returned to their seats, but Gareth kept checking back with them and making puppy-eyes at the dog, and not-Rose mentioned that Darcy likes to cuddle, and offered him up. Gareth spent most of the rest of the session sitting with Darcy on his lap (pic), scratching her (and at one point, removing her leg from where it had slipped between his own legs). He also shared with us when the dog farted, complained about the smell and then added that at least it meant she was relaxed. He also asked if she had been fed, and was sad when the answer was yes. Later, a man came up to the mic and informed Gareth that his name was Darcy too. Gareth said that that fact would not give “Darcy” the license to sit on his lap and fart on him. Gareth also covered the dogs ears when he swore/was extremely naughty.
He also talked about fixing his own dog. When his female dog went into heat, she was all over his male dog to fuck her ("she was all, 'fuck me'" were closer to his actual words, he then repeated "fuck me" several times, very loudly, which seemed to spook the dog in his lap a bit), and his male dog had no clue with what was going on. In dog voice, again, Gareth continued with "Where’s my balls? Where’s my balls? I was just licking them yesterday!"
Gareth started his second Q&A session with a question of his own. Due to a malfunction, the hotel fire alarm went off at 6:00 am that morning, and then every hour or two after that for a while. Gareth polled the audience about their reaction. Did they a) ignore it and snuggle back under the covers, b) Evacuate to the sidewalk as one is supposed to, c) Evacuate, find out there is no fire, and then evacuate again the second time the alarm went off, just in case, d) hit the alarm clock beside the bed, thinking why am I so tired? Or e) hide in the shower. His answer was e). (Thankfully, we were staying at the hotel across the street and actually slept in.)
In the first Q&A, he talked about props on set, and asking them to stop making shaft-like objects, because John (Barrowman), likes to put his genitals in them. So Gareth likes to put on rubber gloves when having to touch any props in rehearsal, because you never know.
Cliff, Marry, Shag - Gwen, Owen, Tosh
(Firstly, he asked for an explanation of the game, especially unsure over "cliff" which he thought could have been a Canadian expression for something naughty. He then used "cliff" as a naughty verb for the rest of the talk. Heeeeee. (He also needed to be told that each person could be matched with an action once, and he needed to use all of them) Owen gets cliffed (the literal, not the sexual euphemism, Gareth was careful to specify), he’d marry Tosh, and he’d shag Gwen. (He then went on a bit about getting cliffed and said fisted rather than cliffed a couple of times and made a "did I say that? moving on" face.)
On Ianto’s apparent non-jealousy of seeing Jack with girls as opposed to boys:
It’s that we are most jealous of those that are most like-us. What Ianto gives Jack is not in direct competition with Jack and women. And also, Ianto might not mind if said female joined them.
What other role he’d want on Torchwood:
James Marsten’s. He’d like to play evil. He’d also love to have more scenes with James, as he didn’t get to work with him very much, and he clearly admires him. ("Don’t want to keep banging... on about James")
What he would love to get to do while playing Ianto:
Evil Ianto. He thinks it would be brilliantly fun to playing evil. He loved getting to do that in the episode Adam. But also, he doesn’t want to ask for certain plots as he’s happy letting the writers do there jobs and didn’t want to sound like an arrogant twat.
On how acting on stage informs his work on Tv:
Not very much, because there’s a different craft to stage acting. Both are playing pretend, but on the stage, you’re playing to the audience, while in front of the camera you are playing to your fellow actors, and not to the camera/audience.
Dream role:
Macbeth, again - he’d like to have another go at that role. But set in a carnival. For Tv, he would have loved to have been in the Sopranos.
Dream actors to work with (alive or dead):
Richard Burton, Gary Oldman (an actor he loves to watch, especially his amazing facial expressions), and Salma Hayek (he’d like to cliff her! (accompanied by hip action))
Will Jack and Ianto get married and have babies?
He doesn’t believe in marriage, it takes the fun out of it. And he said he realizes that this looses him 50% of his fans.
As a follow up, who would be the mom and who the dad?
As happens in the rest of their relationship, they take turns (said with a wicked grin).
On whether he’s meeting up with John Barrowman as they are both in town:
His new, specially obtained to work all over the world phone that he bought right before his trip decided not to work as soon as he turned it on to airplane mode, so while he called John, and left voice mail, he doesn’t know if John has tried to text him back or anything, cause his phone is not working. (The questioner also offered him her extra ticket to How do you solve a problem like Maria? on Sunday and he seemed to be considering it, asking if he could get back to her.)
What he’s learned from John (Barrowman):
To be less serious on set (he’s been ruined), to have fun and how to treat life and friends.
On kissing Jack (asked 3x):
It was fine, they were both respectful of each other’s homosexuality and heterosexuality. It didn’t do anything for him. And then, very sarcastically, added that John, if you didn’t watch him, would reach around and stick his finger up your bum (said with an eye-roll, and gesture, in a tone that implied he knew that the audience wanted to hear something outrageous even if that wasn’t the case at all, like, it was a kiss, what did you think happened?). He was nervous for the first one, but John was probably the most professional and non-joking around than he’d ever been, and it was everyone else that was pissing around. He also told the story of the later kiss where the director didn’t call cut and let them kiss for several minutes, until John realized, broke the kiss and said "fuckers." The hands on John’s neck was not to annoy him (according to the questioner, John has gone on record saying he doesn’t like his neck touched and is ticklish) but just how he kisses. He didn’t think John had any problems with it (said with a lascivious grin).
Would he tell us a joke:
No. All the ones he could think of are far too dirty.
On Tosh and Owen leaving:
He didn’t know that they were leaving until two episodes before the finale, and the sadness and reactions of the final three were real.
What he does after shooting:
Eats dinner and goes to bed. He claims he’s boring. And also tired, especially in the seven months of shooting.
Best mate on the cast:
They are all wonderful, and he enjoys working and spending time with them all. Everyone has slightly different relationships with one another, but they are all friends. Burn is hilarious, and great to joke around with, and he’ll give him a call and they’ll meet up in the pub if he’s in London. But there is no cliffing. But he doesn’t really have someone on the show he would call a best mate. They are also all so busy that they don’t see much of one another outside of filming.
On them not killing Ianto in Cyberman, as apparently planned:
Relieved and thankful.
On network interference:
Once they’ve been commissioned, there is no interference from the network, it’s Russell and Julie’s show.
On whether he was worried about working with Russell T. Davies, known for being “controversial”:
Not at all. By controversial, Gareth asked if the question-asker meant gay, and that if so he didn’t feel that that specifically is or should be controversial. That Russell writes all the complicated bits of human nature, and that that is brilliant.
On knowing what to expect at (ie being warned about) conventions/his first convention:
He was a Trek fan growing up, so he did know a bit of what to expect. Even went to a con once when he was younger.
On fanfic:
He’s read it all and written half of it.
Favourite pairings:
Clearly Jack and Ianto. P.C. Andy/the pterydactyl. Also, Abydon and the Cardiff water tower, because if he wanted some there isn’t anything else large enough in the right shape (Gareth started to act this out, but though better of it in the middle and stopped…).
Favourite episode:
Cyberwoman, because he had the most to do. Countryside, being out in the country all together and it doesn’t get much better than human cannibals. And Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang because of James.
Weirdest thing he’s been paid to do:
(eyebrows raised at the question) Being paid to stand there while people come to take pictures with him. He doesn’t feel like he’s at a point where he warrants people wanting that.
On his next projects:
Series 3 of Torchwood (he’s only read the first script so far). He’s going to L.A. to meet with people, and hopes something will come of it. He’d love to work in North America.
Where to go in and around Cardiff:
He’s from Newport, 12 miles down the road from Cardif, and his favourite pub in the world there, the only one in town and for Cardiff the pub with the name black pig (in Welsh) is a fantastic traditional Welsh pub. He likes pubs rather than clubs.
On whether the Unit cap will make an appearance:
He has one, but whether we’ll ever see it he doesn’t know. He then added something about wearing just the cap and nothing else...
On how Jack cheats at naked hide and seek:
Infra-red goggles. Why, what were you thinking? (said with eyebrows raised)
Favourite colours:
Black, red, purple.
On costume choices:
He does not object to the pink he wears on the show, as he thinks it’s a good colour for him (which it is). He also doesn’t mind the suits now that he’s got used to them, but in the beginning they made him feel stiff and huge (he mimes this, looking a bit like Lurch. He also referred to Ianto as a gay butler).
On being told he has to exit the stage (by the MC, who puts up his hood and pretends to be a Sith Lord):
*Gareth mimes a light saber, complete with sound effect, and gets into proper stance and takes a few whacks at the MC* He then finishes answering his last question.
Dorkally, I spend the weekend knitting a Torchwood hexagon pattern dishtowel/tea towl, finished it and gave it to Gareth when I got his autograph. I kind of lost the ability to speak when around him, so I think I was a little bit shaky, but he didn’t seem to think it was too weird (or was just being nice to the nervous girl) and asked if I made it and said thank you. In the photo line he shook your hand and said hello (he touched me!), and also kind of gathered you in towards him for the pose, not just the barely put your hand on shoulder while standing there totally awkward thing. He’s warm and smells nice. It’s kind of a big blur. *gets wibbly again* Unfortunately the way the camera was positioned gave us both dreadful double chins, and you couldn’t see my Torchwood earrings (pic) properly, but it’s far from the worst picture I’ve ever posed for... and it makes me smile.
Rainbow Sun Francks (pic) loves the stage. This is evident from the moment he walks out, radiating energy. He is bouncy, friendly as anything and so very much at ease. He clearly loves talking to people and entertaining. He was also on about an hour of sleep due to the malfunctioning hotel fire alarm, and decided to tell us the story of his morning. He even set the mood by asking the lighting people to lower the lights (he then made a hello single ladies joke, but not at all in a sleazy way). He told the story with actions (curling up in the chair as if it was a bed), hitting the alarm clock to make it stop, and with sound effects as he actually used his fancy phone to record the alarm and played it back for us, to complete the reenactment! He also then told us a bit about his life and career (grew up on a reservation in Saskatchewan, then moved to Toronto, became a Much Music VJ for three or so years right after high school, toured with his band, took a break for a couple of years, then got the gig on SGA. He’s so very thankful for all his good fortune.)
Stories from Rainbow:
He hasn’t been pranked, himself, but he’s been the perpetrator a couple of times. He got the actor who played Bates really good. He had the costumers change his costume, making it like a redshirt and when he asked what was going on with the change was asked if he’d got the new script pages yet? Rainbow had Martin Gero write some fake revision pages, and then had them put under Bates’ actor’s door. They involved going off world, a homoerotic moment, and ended with him dying horribly. He stormed out of his trailer and to Martin’s office, looking like he was about to cry. Martin’s laughter could be heard down the hall. Rainbow was gleeful.
He rapped for us.
Rainbow was not a good name to have when Rainbow Bright came out, but all and all it wasn’t too bad. His sister also has a nature name, and having her go through high-school at the same school before him made it easier, especially as she was a cool kid there. It was unfortunate, however, when as a VJ he was asked to hide in a closet to surprise an interviewee, and he felt weird about having a guy named Rainbow coming out of a closet.
On his first job, Canadian Sesame Street, when he was four, he was fired for saying no to wearing big bird yellow suspenders. He told the story very well, complete with little kid voice, and an aside about how kids are so smart, smarter than you’ll ever be.
When part of a question involved Rainbow learning that Gero takes pride for being the one who kills people off, he picked up his phone and started texting, saying that we’ll see what he says about that. When he got a response from Gero, he broke out laughing but didn’t tell us what Gero wrote. He and Gero are pals, and Gero keeps bringing the “Time to bring Ford back?” question to the writer’s room… He’d love to go back to SGA, and he thinks his big entrance should be from the ceiling, like Spiderman. He’d also like to fight Jason again for real, not like they do off-screen (kidding). Jason’s big and it hurts.
When asked what piece of alien tech, if it was real, he would take from Atlantis, Rainbow answers "The Gate, cause then I can go to Atlantis and all the worlds and have access to all of the tech." He then mocked his own answer, saying it’s like being asked what you would do with one wish and asking for 10000000000 wishes. For a "real" answer he says the turtle shell invincibility thing. He thinks it’s really cool. And would be useful when fighting Jason.
He’s auditioned for the BSG spin-off and is really excited about it, though he’s only seen sides (shrugging he told us he had asked for the whole script and got laughed at).
He’s moved to LA and is enjoying the sunshine. He went on a long and humerous tirade about how grey it is in Vancouver.
He was also asked about a comedy show he and his friend did that didn’t get picked up called "This Space for Rent". It sounds really funny, very Canadian and we were told the first few episodes are on youtube. Rainbow said he really loved doing comedy. He does have an awesome smile.
Rachel Luttrell (pic) is a joy. So very, very warm and glowing, full of energy and giving on stage, loves to chat, free with laughter, and listening to her was like basking in a ray of sunshine. She fills the stage, and it overflows into the room. What a delight it was to hear her talk. She spent the first few minutes of the session chatting about her life at the moment. She grew up in Toronto, so it was nice to be back. They’re about half way through shooting season five of SGA. She also apologized profusely for changing the day of her con appearance, hoping it didn’t ruin anyone’s plans, but she’s has a Monday 6 am call at the studio so she hoped we understood. She talked a lot about her son, and clearly loves being a mother, and commented on how everyone on SGA was having babies. Caden is amazing. She wanted a tough, rolley-polley guy, and got exactly what she wanted. He’s 9 months and already walking. When asked for advice for new parents, she said she’d give the advice she is giving herself - enjoy every minute and just be in the moment. Caden is the most powerful person on set, as everything stops if he decides he needs to be fed!
The first person to ask a question was someone Rachel knew from school, and hadn’t seen her since graduation. It was really cute, and Rachel was so pleasantly surprised! It was really funny, the woman’s last comment was that Rachel had not signed her yearbook (she brandished it), and Rachel said that of course she would sign it later, as long as she didn’t show the pictures to everyone.
Rachel was in Miss Saigon in Toronto, which was the show that opened the Princess of Wales theatre (her name is probably still etched under one of the dressing room tables). Rachel would love to return to the stage at some point.
In terms of her cast mates, they all have so much fun working together, she loves playing on set. Jason is a Great Dane, a giant gentle puppy. Joe is funny, with the deadpan and smirking. David is hilarious. She misses Tori very, very much.
Someone from college also came to the microphone (she spent about at year at Sheridan), mentioned being in Starlight Express there with her, and mentioned that isn’t her name actually pronounced LU-trl, not le-TRELL or lu-TER-el (where the LU is closer to la/lu and not loo/lew, considering I don’t know how to write phonetically with the accents and such), and that he hears her in his head correcting the teachers every time he hears it pronounced wrong. Rachel sighs and says she gave up on that (and is also apologetic, hoping her correcting the teachers wasn’t obnoxious). She tells us that Joe found out the correct pronunciation a little while ago, and came by her trailer, asking why he never told her they were all getting it wrong, and getting "upset," letting her know that he felt that now he doesn’t know her any more ("Who are you, Rachel!!??! Who are you?!?!?"). *grins*
Rachel was asked about now that she and Teyla are mothers, how that effects or changes her role in communing with the Wraith queens, and thus the queen vs mother dichotomy. Rachel said that she felt mothers could definitely still be queens, and that it’s pretty awesome that the Wraith queens are the rulers of the species.
She was also asked how it is different to play an alien. Rachel said that it is somewhat different, although now she knows Teyla and how she would react to thing pretty well, she thinks. In the beginning, Rachel thought a lot about her mother’s background, as she is from a very small village in Tanzania, that does not have television or such technology (she may have said no electricity, but I can’t quite remember and don’t want to sterotype/generalize), as well as her own experiences of being considered different growing up being of mixed heritage.
She wouldn’t sing for us, as all she sings these days is lullabys for her baby.
One of the questioners commented on how gorgeous Rachel’s real hair is (it really, really is), and thus why the wig? Rachel actually said that that was her fault. When she went for the auditions, she had long hair. The auditions went well, they liked her look, and everyone said she’d get it, and then she didn’t hear, and didn’t hear, and then her agent (I think?) told her that it wasn’t actually going to happen. Rachel subsequently decided to cut off her hair. Then, a day later she got a call saying she had got the part after all. Oooops. Hence, the wig. At first it was awful, but now she has a decent wig and she actually likes the fact she has the freedom to do what she wants to her own hair, so she feels it didn’t work out too badly.
Jason Dohring made my knees wobbly when he came out on stage. And I didn’t actually expect that reaction from myself. What an intense, thoughtful, humble and gentle man. Though heartfelt, he was not particularly eloquent as every other sentence (actually every other half sentence as he employed this phrase midway through a sentence when he couldn’t find the words he wanted to convey the emotion he was clearly feeling ) that came out of his mouth was “like, you know..” But it wasn’t annoying, and it was even endearing because to me, at least, it felt like he was almost saying it as if to check in with audience because he wanted us to understand what he meant and really wanted to get it right. He speaks very slowly, and it’s like he’s deeply considering everything you’ve said as he’s forming each word of answer. It’s very sweet. Also, guh. pic.Soulful gaze. And his hair was so very, very spiky. He could play Joe Flanigan’s relation. They also speak at the same pace.
So, what the audience learned about him during the Q&A:
- If he wasn’t acting, he doesn’t think he’d be doing anything special with his life (said with a self-deprecating shrug).
- For fun/when not working he spends time at home with Lauren (his wife).
- Actors he loves and would love to work with include Brando, Gary Oldman, Kevin Kline.
- Next, he’d like to transition into some leading man roles, so he can have more pull for making a difference through social programs, and then he’d like to go back to character work.
- In terms of Tv vs movies, he had always felt that there was less pressure for television, work, but movies have more riding on them (he imbued the word “movies” with a sense of awe and respect) but now he’s less scared of the idea of doing movies, and thinks that yeah, he could probably do it.
- He calls Kristen (Bell) for advice sometimes cause she’s smart about things.
- He would totally be game for a Vmars movie, but he doesn’t know its status as Rob is pretty busy right now
- He was asked what question he would like to be asked and after thinking for quite a while, he told us he didn’t know and to ask about his shoes (see pictures). Though the answer to his own question wasn’t very exciting as he sheepishly confessed that they were from some department store and weren’t that fancy.
- Playing an asshole, with all the snark, is fun, cause if you said that in real life you’d get in trouble.
- What he would have liked to see in the future of Veronica Mars would be Logan and Veronica back together eventually.
- There were lots of Moonlight questions, where its evident he takes his craft very seriously, but since I don’t watch the show, I remember next to nothing about these.
- In terms of favourite episodes, he loved Return of the Kane, the episode where Rob first directed, and also the episode where Aaron beat him.
- He thinks Logan in the future would never become Aaron, he may/probably would have the impulses, but would stop himself
- He was asked about going to Africa, and would he find it to hard to see all the poverty and such, said no it’s so important to actually go and see, because it’s better to know, and then it’s easier to do something about the problems when you know and have seen them.
- In terms of his favourite snack food, every once and a while will eat a ton of junk food - cinnabon (he loves those and was pleased to find out we have them here), chocolate and then he wondered if that counted as snack food or junk food?
Terry Farrell(pic)), had a baby and moved with husband to the northeast, wouldn’t tell where (politely). Now she takes care of her son, quilts and is making a mosaic table, and is happy with her life. The number of people (men) who told her she looked great was kind of disturbing, but she was gracious. She was charming and a sweetheart, but also clearly very not comfortable in herself in the "you like me, you really like me?" big hole of why would any one like me, please like me, need, which was a bit off-putting. But she didn’t feel fake in any way. Acting on DS9 made her too tired and she couldn’t enjoy it, though the people she worked with were a joy. She also thought it would be more hard-hitting in terms of twisting and commenting on the current politics of the time. She is still bitter about being fired, both from DS9 and Becker (apparently Ted Danson’s biggest regret, or so she heard later on) and it was a you want more money, ok, goodbye rather than if you do not pay me more money I am going to leave thing, from her POV. She would love to somehow be written back in for a DS9 movie.
Masque was short and sweet this year, lots of amazing costumes. My highlight (and clearly many other people’s) was clockdroid, wow, wiliqueen. Flappy hands of amazed non-verbal joy upon seeing the magnificence that is your costume. Wow. The best in show workmanship and best master class presentation, so well deserved. *applause* Wow again. I’m so glad I got to see it. pic)
Wore ballgown Inara for the Saturday. Pic from the last time I wore it cause I didn’t take any this time Hadn’t worn it to this con before, and its fun to be all decked out. It was well received as a hall costume, and got a hall costuming award ribbon, yay! Though I doubt I’d wear it as one again for a full day, cause end of the day, ow, cause corset=no slouching=my back and shoulders are kinda still sore. It was still fun. And when in costume, it definitely gives random people in the halls more of a license to talk to you, which creates a nice, friendly atmosphere.
Forgot that wearing my tardis shirt (the phone box sign - pic) meant that many a man would stop to "read" my boobs. *sigh* "Funnily" that did not happen at all when I wore the shirt to the Maria taping. Though possibly Rainbow Sun Francks’ father in passing in the hall either attempted to read it or checked puffgirl_two out. *grins* Full head turn and sunglasses off.
General trend observed at the con:
In terms of actor guests, if you want the attention of a female one, bring a baby to the con (both Rachel and Terry cooed over babies in the question line, obviously wanting to visit with them (Terry made grabby hands)), and to get the guys attention, bring a dog (both Rainbow and Gareth went nuts over Darcy).
link to photobucket album
And now, you probably won’t hear from me again until the thesis is done… *hugs* I wish writing it went as fast and was as easy as writing this con report (seriously, it took me a month to write as much on the thesis as I’ve written here. How, I don’t know…) And once that happens, with the being done, I’m going to try to remember/re-learn how to make posting a habit again, cause I miss you and being fannish all a lot.
Still in thesis/lurker/shouldn’t be online mode. *sends hugs to all*
However, as should be evident by now, if I don’t write a con report right away it does not happen. At all. TTrek 17, 18 and 20 as well as SFX 2006 are prime examples. But, when I do write one, I tend to write a lot (see SFX 2005... this time, I’m clocking in at a little bit over 5000 words... ummm... Enjoy!?)
So, while de-compressing post-con in the hotel room and waiting for How do you solve a problem like Maria? to start with the wonderful janeeyre17, puffgirl_two, and sffan, I started in on my recollections of the Q&As, and have added to it bit by bit over the past two days while briefly taking breaks from my thesis.
Also, in regards to that, I am reaching the "I am so screwed and am not going to get it done in time for my supervisor to look at it and give me time to fix anything he thinks needs improvement before I leave for Calgary and the PhD because it turns out the way the program deals with the data needs to be double checked as it may have messed everything up which has added several days to my already so very much later than my last ditch planned guestimate of getting done" point. I really should have skipped the con, but I had bought my ticket, had some time to decompress, and got to spend time with janeeyre17, puff, and sf (though it’s never enough as it goes by sooo fast), see a lot of folks I only ever see at cons, and am generally very glad I went. Also, ladies, if I missed/misremembered anything, let me know and I’ll fix it... And feel free to link, or whatever.
So, report, by event:
Gareth David-Lloyd (pic) claimed he was pissed from the night before, and he was less on the ball at his first Q&A than at the second, but for the sake of my memory I am not going to actually attempt to differentiate between the two sessions, because I don’t think I could. The second, however, was absolute genius. Gareth is so very, very smart at answering questions. So smart. Turning from cheeky to serious at the drop of a dime, and going from thoughtful and taking his time to snappy as anything as was warranted, and fielding some very awkward questions with a cheeky grin and the most brilliant responses.
For example, at the end of his session, he was asked "a personal question" (according to the asker, and I cringed inside. I tend to cringe a lot when fans step up to the mic), that is, what does he look for in a woman? His response, with utterly no embarrassment on his part, and a very cheeky smile, was "Generally, the clitoris." (imagine it in the Welsh accent) After the howls of laughter from the audience, he added something to the effect of that that strategy tends to work for him.
Other highlights (paraphrased, mostly, cause my memory is good, but not that good):
The girl who often dresses up as Rose had brought her dog, and as she was about to speak into the microphone to ask a question, Gareth asked if that’s a dog, and she told him the dog’s name is Darcy. Then Gareth summoned the dog to the stage, crouched down, and communed with the dog for quite a while, petting her, using a "good-doggy" voice, and got face kisses, as the audience melted and the cameras were whipped out. Gareth has two dogs that he had to leave with his aunt at home, a female and a male, and he misses them terribly. Then, not-Rose and Darcy returned to their seats, but Gareth kept checking back with them and making puppy-eyes at the dog, and not-Rose mentioned that Darcy likes to cuddle, and offered him up. Gareth spent most of the rest of the session sitting with Darcy on his lap (pic), scratching her (and at one point, removing her leg from where it had slipped between his own legs). He also shared with us when the dog farted, complained about the smell and then added that at least it meant she was relaxed. He also asked if she had been fed, and was sad when the answer was yes. Later, a man came up to the mic and informed Gareth that his name was Darcy too. Gareth said that that fact would not give “Darcy” the license to sit on his lap and fart on him. Gareth also covered the dogs ears when he swore/was extremely naughty.
He also talked about fixing his own dog. When his female dog went into heat, she was all over his male dog to fuck her ("she was all, 'fuck me'" were closer to his actual words, he then repeated "fuck me" several times, very loudly, which seemed to spook the dog in his lap a bit), and his male dog had no clue with what was going on. In dog voice, again, Gareth continued with "Where’s my balls? Where’s my balls? I was just licking them yesterday!"
Gareth started his second Q&A session with a question of his own. Due to a malfunction, the hotel fire alarm went off at 6:00 am that morning, and then every hour or two after that for a while. Gareth polled the audience about their reaction. Did they a) ignore it and snuggle back under the covers, b) Evacuate to the sidewalk as one is supposed to, c) Evacuate, find out there is no fire, and then evacuate again the second time the alarm went off, just in case, d) hit the alarm clock beside the bed, thinking why am I so tired? Or e) hide in the shower. His answer was e). (Thankfully, we were staying at the hotel across the street and actually slept in.)
In the first Q&A, he talked about props on set, and asking them to stop making shaft-like objects, because John (Barrowman), likes to put his genitals in them. So Gareth likes to put on rubber gloves when having to touch any props in rehearsal, because you never know.
Cliff, Marry, Shag - Gwen, Owen, Tosh
(Firstly, he asked for an explanation of the game, especially unsure over "cliff" which he thought could have been a Canadian expression for something naughty. He then used "cliff" as a naughty verb for the rest of the talk. Heeeeee. (He also needed to be told that each person could be matched with an action once, and he needed to use all of them) Owen gets cliffed (the literal, not the sexual euphemism, Gareth was careful to specify), he’d marry Tosh, and he’d shag Gwen. (He then went on a bit about getting cliffed and said fisted rather than cliffed a couple of times and made a "did I say that? moving on" face.)
On Ianto’s apparent non-jealousy of seeing Jack with girls as opposed to boys:
It’s that we are most jealous of those that are most like-us. What Ianto gives Jack is not in direct competition with Jack and women. And also, Ianto might not mind if said female joined them.
What other role he’d want on Torchwood:
James Marsten’s. He’d like to play evil. He’d also love to have more scenes with James, as he didn’t get to work with him very much, and he clearly admires him. ("Don’t want to keep banging... on about James")
What he would love to get to do while playing Ianto:
Evil Ianto. He thinks it would be brilliantly fun to playing evil. He loved getting to do that in the episode Adam. But also, he doesn’t want to ask for certain plots as he’s happy letting the writers do there jobs and didn’t want to sound like an arrogant twat.
On how acting on stage informs his work on Tv:
Not very much, because there’s a different craft to stage acting. Both are playing pretend, but on the stage, you’re playing to the audience, while in front of the camera you are playing to your fellow actors, and not to the camera/audience.
Dream role:
Macbeth, again - he’d like to have another go at that role. But set in a carnival. For Tv, he would have loved to have been in the Sopranos.
Dream actors to work with (alive or dead):
Richard Burton, Gary Oldman (an actor he loves to watch, especially his amazing facial expressions), and Salma Hayek (he’d like to cliff her! (accompanied by hip action))
Will Jack and Ianto get married and have babies?
He doesn’t believe in marriage, it takes the fun out of it. And he said he realizes that this looses him 50% of his fans.
As a follow up, who would be the mom and who the dad?
As happens in the rest of their relationship, they take turns (said with a wicked grin).
On whether he’s meeting up with John Barrowman as they are both in town:
His new, specially obtained to work all over the world phone that he bought right before his trip decided not to work as soon as he turned it on to airplane mode, so while he called John, and left voice mail, he doesn’t know if John has tried to text him back or anything, cause his phone is not working. (The questioner also offered him her extra ticket to How do you solve a problem like Maria? on Sunday and he seemed to be considering it, asking if he could get back to her.)
What he’s learned from John (Barrowman):
To be less serious on set (he’s been ruined), to have fun and how to treat life and friends.
On kissing Jack (asked 3x):
It was fine, they were both respectful of each other’s homosexuality and heterosexuality. It didn’t do anything for him. And then, very sarcastically, added that John, if you didn’t watch him, would reach around and stick his finger up your bum (said with an eye-roll, and gesture, in a tone that implied he knew that the audience wanted to hear something outrageous even if that wasn’t the case at all, like, it was a kiss, what did you think happened?). He was nervous for the first one, but John was probably the most professional and non-joking around than he’d ever been, and it was everyone else that was pissing around. He also told the story of the later kiss where the director didn’t call cut and let them kiss for several minutes, until John realized, broke the kiss and said "fuckers." The hands on John’s neck was not to annoy him (according to the questioner, John has gone on record saying he doesn’t like his neck touched and is ticklish) but just how he kisses. He didn’t think John had any problems with it (said with a lascivious grin).
Would he tell us a joke:
No. All the ones he could think of are far too dirty.
On Tosh and Owen leaving:
He didn’t know that they were leaving until two episodes before the finale, and the sadness and reactions of the final three were real.
What he does after shooting:
Eats dinner and goes to bed. He claims he’s boring. And also tired, especially in the seven months of shooting.
Best mate on the cast:
They are all wonderful, and he enjoys working and spending time with them all. Everyone has slightly different relationships with one another, but they are all friends. Burn is hilarious, and great to joke around with, and he’ll give him a call and they’ll meet up in the pub if he’s in London. But there is no cliffing. But he doesn’t really have someone on the show he would call a best mate. They are also all so busy that they don’t see much of one another outside of filming.
On them not killing Ianto in Cyberman, as apparently planned:
Relieved and thankful.
On network interference:
Once they’ve been commissioned, there is no interference from the network, it’s Russell and Julie’s show.
On whether he was worried about working with Russell T. Davies, known for being “controversial”:
Not at all. By controversial, Gareth asked if the question-asker meant gay, and that if so he didn’t feel that that specifically is or should be controversial. That Russell writes all the complicated bits of human nature, and that that is brilliant.
On knowing what to expect at (ie being warned about) conventions/his first convention:
He was a Trek fan growing up, so he did know a bit of what to expect. Even went to a con once when he was younger.
On fanfic:
He’s read it all and written half of it.
Favourite pairings:
Clearly Jack and Ianto. P.C. Andy/the pterydactyl. Also, Abydon and the Cardiff water tower, because if he wanted some there isn’t anything else large enough in the right shape (Gareth started to act this out, but though better of it in the middle and stopped…).
Favourite episode:
Cyberwoman, because he had the most to do. Countryside, being out in the country all together and it doesn’t get much better than human cannibals. And Kiss, Kiss, Bang Bang because of James.
Weirdest thing he’s been paid to do:
(eyebrows raised at the question) Being paid to stand there while people come to take pictures with him. He doesn’t feel like he’s at a point where he warrants people wanting that.
On his next projects:
Series 3 of Torchwood (he’s only read the first script so far). He’s going to L.A. to meet with people, and hopes something will come of it. He’d love to work in North America.
Where to go in and around Cardiff:
He’s from Newport, 12 miles down the road from Cardif, and his favourite pub in the world there, the only one in town and for Cardiff the pub with the name black pig (in Welsh) is a fantastic traditional Welsh pub. He likes pubs rather than clubs.
On whether the Unit cap will make an appearance:
He has one, but whether we’ll ever see it he doesn’t know. He then added something about wearing just the cap and nothing else...
On how Jack cheats at naked hide and seek:
Infra-red goggles. Why, what were you thinking? (said with eyebrows raised)
Favourite colours:
Black, red, purple.
On costume choices:
He does not object to the pink he wears on the show, as he thinks it’s a good colour for him (which it is). He also doesn’t mind the suits now that he’s got used to them, but in the beginning they made him feel stiff and huge (he mimes this, looking a bit like Lurch. He also referred to Ianto as a gay butler).
On being told he has to exit the stage (by the MC, who puts up his hood and pretends to be a Sith Lord):
*Gareth mimes a light saber, complete with sound effect, and gets into proper stance and takes a few whacks at the MC* He then finishes answering his last question.
Dorkally, I spend the weekend knitting a Torchwood hexagon pattern dishtowel/tea towl, finished it and gave it to Gareth when I got his autograph. I kind of lost the ability to speak when around him, so I think I was a little bit shaky, but he didn’t seem to think it was too weird (or was just being nice to the nervous girl) and asked if I made it and said thank you. In the photo line he shook your hand and said hello (he touched me!), and also kind of gathered you in towards him for the pose, not just the barely put your hand on shoulder while standing there totally awkward thing. He’s warm and smells nice. It’s kind of a big blur. *gets wibbly again* Unfortunately the way the camera was positioned gave us both dreadful double chins, and you couldn’t see my Torchwood earrings (pic) properly, but it’s far from the worst picture I’ve ever posed for... and it makes me smile.
Rainbow Sun Francks (pic) loves the stage. This is evident from the moment he walks out, radiating energy. He is bouncy, friendly as anything and so very much at ease. He clearly loves talking to people and entertaining. He was also on about an hour of sleep due to the malfunctioning hotel fire alarm, and decided to tell us the story of his morning. He even set the mood by asking the lighting people to lower the lights (he then made a hello single ladies joke, but not at all in a sleazy way). He told the story with actions (curling up in the chair as if it was a bed), hitting the alarm clock to make it stop, and with sound effects as he actually used his fancy phone to record the alarm and played it back for us, to complete the reenactment! He also then told us a bit about his life and career (grew up on a reservation in Saskatchewan, then moved to Toronto, became a Much Music VJ for three or so years right after high school, toured with his band, took a break for a couple of years, then got the gig on SGA. He’s so very thankful for all his good fortune.)
Stories from Rainbow:
He hasn’t been pranked, himself, but he’s been the perpetrator a couple of times. He got the actor who played Bates really good. He had the costumers change his costume, making it like a redshirt and when he asked what was going on with the change was asked if he’d got the new script pages yet? Rainbow had Martin Gero write some fake revision pages, and then had them put under Bates’ actor’s door. They involved going off world, a homoerotic moment, and ended with him dying horribly. He stormed out of his trailer and to Martin’s office, looking like he was about to cry. Martin’s laughter could be heard down the hall. Rainbow was gleeful.
He rapped for us.
Rainbow was not a good name to have when Rainbow Bright came out, but all and all it wasn’t too bad. His sister also has a nature name, and having her go through high-school at the same school before him made it easier, especially as she was a cool kid there. It was unfortunate, however, when as a VJ he was asked to hide in a closet to surprise an interviewee, and he felt weird about having a guy named Rainbow coming out of a closet.
On his first job, Canadian Sesame Street, when he was four, he was fired for saying no to wearing big bird yellow suspenders. He told the story very well, complete with little kid voice, and an aside about how kids are so smart, smarter than you’ll ever be.
When part of a question involved Rainbow learning that Gero takes pride for being the one who kills people off, he picked up his phone and started texting, saying that we’ll see what he says about that. When he got a response from Gero, he broke out laughing but didn’t tell us what Gero wrote. He and Gero are pals, and Gero keeps bringing the “Time to bring Ford back?” question to the writer’s room… He’d love to go back to SGA, and he thinks his big entrance should be from the ceiling, like Spiderman. He’d also like to fight Jason again for real, not like they do off-screen (kidding). Jason’s big and it hurts.
When asked what piece of alien tech, if it was real, he would take from Atlantis, Rainbow answers "The Gate, cause then I can go to Atlantis and all the worlds and have access to all of the tech." He then mocked his own answer, saying it’s like being asked what you would do with one wish and asking for 10000000000 wishes. For a "real" answer he says the turtle shell invincibility thing. He thinks it’s really cool. And would be useful when fighting Jason.
He’s auditioned for the BSG spin-off and is really excited about it, though he’s only seen sides (shrugging he told us he had asked for the whole script and got laughed at).
He’s moved to LA and is enjoying the sunshine. He went on a long and humerous tirade about how grey it is in Vancouver.
He was also asked about a comedy show he and his friend did that didn’t get picked up called "This Space for Rent". It sounds really funny, very Canadian and we were told the first few episodes are on youtube. Rainbow said he really loved doing comedy. He does have an awesome smile.
Rachel Luttrell (pic) is a joy. So very, very warm and glowing, full of energy and giving on stage, loves to chat, free with laughter, and listening to her was like basking in a ray of sunshine. She fills the stage, and it overflows into the room. What a delight it was to hear her talk. She spent the first few minutes of the session chatting about her life at the moment. She grew up in Toronto, so it was nice to be back. They’re about half way through shooting season five of SGA. She also apologized profusely for changing the day of her con appearance, hoping it didn’t ruin anyone’s plans, but she’s has a Monday 6 am call at the studio so she hoped we understood. She talked a lot about her son, and clearly loves being a mother, and commented on how everyone on SGA was having babies. Caden is amazing. She wanted a tough, rolley-polley guy, and got exactly what she wanted. He’s 9 months and already walking. When asked for advice for new parents, she said she’d give the advice she is giving herself - enjoy every minute and just be in the moment. Caden is the most powerful person on set, as everything stops if he decides he needs to be fed!
The first person to ask a question was someone Rachel knew from school, and hadn’t seen her since graduation. It was really cute, and Rachel was so pleasantly surprised! It was really funny, the woman’s last comment was that Rachel had not signed her yearbook (she brandished it), and Rachel said that of course she would sign it later, as long as she didn’t show the pictures to everyone.
Rachel was in Miss Saigon in Toronto, which was the show that opened the Princess of Wales theatre (her name is probably still etched under one of the dressing room tables). Rachel would love to return to the stage at some point.
In terms of her cast mates, they all have so much fun working together, she loves playing on set. Jason is a Great Dane, a giant gentle puppy. Joe is funny, with the deadpan and smirking. David is hilarious. She misses Tori very, very much.
Someone from college also came to the microphone (she spent about at year at Sheridan), mentioned being in Starlight Express there with her, and mentioned that isn’t her name actually pronounced LU-trl, not le-TRELL or lu-TER-el (where the LU is closer to la/lu and not loo/lew, considering I don’t know how to write phonetically with the accents and such), and that he hears her in his head correcting the teachers every time he hears it pronounced wrong. Rachel sighs and says she gave up on that (and is also apologetic, hoping her correcting the teachers wasn’t obnoxious). She tells us that Joe found out the correct pronunciation a little while ago, and came by her trailer, asking why he never told her they were all getting it wrong, and getting "upset," letting her know that he felt that now he doesn’t know her any more ("Who are you, Rachel!!??! Who are you?!?!?"). *grins*
Rachel was asked about now that she and Teyla are mothers, how that effects or changes her role in communing with the Wraith queens, and thus the queen vs mother dichotomy. Rachel said that she felt mothers could definitely still be queens, and that it’s pretty awesome that the Wraith queens are the rulers of the species.
She was also asked how it is different to play an alien. Rachel said that it is somewhat different, although now she knows Teyla and how she would react to thing pretty well, she thinks. In the beginning, Rachel thought a lot about her mother’s background, as she is from a very small village in Tanzania, that does not have television or such technology (she may have said no electricity, but I can’t quite remember and don’t want to sterotype/generalize), as well as her own experiences of being considered different growing up being of mixed heritage.
She wouldn’t sing for us, as all she sings these days is lullabys for her baby.
One of the questioners commented on how gorgeous Rachel’s real hair is (it really, really is), and thus why the wig? Rachel actually said that that was her fault. When she went for the auditions, she had long hair. The auditions went well, they liked her look, and everyone said she’d get it, and then she didn’t hear, and didn’t hear, and then her agent (I think?) told her that it wasn’t actually going to happen. Rachel subsequently decided to cut off her hair. Then, a day later she got a call saying she had got the part after all. Oooops. Hence, the wig. At first it was awful, but now she has a decent wig and she actually likes the fact she has the freedom to do what she wants to her own hair, so she feels it didn’t work out too badly.
Jason Dohring made my knees wobbly when he came out on stage. And I didn’t actually expect that reaction from myself. What an intense, thoughtful, humble and gentle man. Though heartfelt, he was not particularly eloquent as every other sentence (actually every other half sentence as he employed this phrase midway through a sentence when he couldn’t find the words he wanted to convey the emotion he was clearly feeling ) that came out of his mouth was “like, you know..” But it wasn’t annoying, and it was even endearing because to me, at least, it felt like he was almost saying it as if to check in with audience because he wanted us to understand what he meant and really wanted to get it right. He speaks very slowly, and it’s like he’s deeply considering everything you’ve said as he’s forming each word of answer. It’s very sweet. Also, guh. pic.Soulful gaze. And his hair was so very, very spiky. He could play Joe Flanigan’s relation. They also speak at the same pace.
So, what the audience learned about him during the Q&A:
- If he wasn’t acting, he doesn’t think he’d be doing anything special with his life (said with a self-deprecating shrug).
- For fun/when not working he spends time at home with Lauren (his wife).
- Actors he loves and would love to work with include Brando, Gary Oldman, Kevin Kline.
- Next, he’d like to transition into some leading man roles, so he can have more pull for making a difference through social programs, and then he’d like to go back to character work.
- In terms of Tv vs movies, he had always felt that there was less pressure for television, work, but movies have more riding on them (he imbued the word “movies” with a sense of awe and respect) but now he’s less scared of the idea of doing movies, and thinks that yeah, he could probably do it.
- He calls Kristen (Bell) for advice sometimes cause she’s smart about things.
- He would totally be game for a Vmars movie, but he doesn’t know its status as Rob is pretty busy right now
- He was asked what question he would like to be asked and after thinking for quite a while, he told us he didn’t know and to ask about his shoes (see pictures). Though the answer to his own question wasn’t very exciting as he sheepishly confessed that they were from some department store and weren’t that fancy.
- Playing an asshole, with all the snark, is fun, cause if you said that in real life you’d get in trouble.
- What he would have liked to see in the future of Veronica Mars would be Logan and Veronica back together eventually.
- There were lots of Moonlight questions, where its evident he takes his craft very seriously, but since I don’t watch the show, I remember next to nothing about these.
- In terms of favourite episodes, he loved Return of the Kane, the episode where Rob first directed, and also the episode where Aaron beat him.
- He thinks Logan in the future would never become Aaron, he may/probably would have the impulses, but would stop himself
- He was asked about going to Africa, and would he find it to hard to see all the poverty and such, said no it’s so important to actually go and see, because it’s better to know, and then it’s easier to do something about the problems when you know and have seen them.
- In terms of his favourite snack food, every once and a while will eat a ton of junk food - cinnabon (he loves those and was pleased to find out we have them here), chocolate and then he wondered if that counted as snack food or junk food?
Terry Farrell(pic)), had a baby and moved with husband to the northeast, wouldn’t tell where (politely). Now she takes care of her son, quilts and is making a mosaic table, and is happy with her life. The number of people (men) who told her she looked great was kind of disturbing, but she was gracious. She was charming and a sweetheart, but also clearly very not comfortable in herself in the "you like me, you really like me?" big hole of why would any one like me, please like me, need, which was a bit off-putting. But she didn’t feel fake in any way. Acting on DS9 made her too tired and she couldn’t enjoy it, though the people she worked with were a joy. She also thought it would be more hard-hitting in terms of twisting and commenting on the current politics of the time. She is still bitter about being fired, both from DS9 and Becker (apparently Ted Danson’s biggest regret, or so she heard later on) and it was a you want more money, ok, goodbye rather than if you do not pay me more money I am going to leave thing, from her POV. She would love to somehow be written back in for a DS9 movie.
Masque was short and sweet this year, lots of amazing costumes. My highlight (and clearly many other people’s) was clockdroid, wow, wiliqueen. Flappy hands of amazed non-verbal joy upon seeing the magnificence that is your costume. Wow. The best in show workmanship and best master class presentation, so well deserved. *applause* Wow again. I’m so glad I got to see it. pic)
Wore ballgown Inara for the Saturday. Pic from the last time I wore it cause I didn’t take any this time Hadn’t worn it to this con before, and its fun to be all decked out. It was well received as a hall costume, and got a hall costuming award ribbon, yay! Though I doubt I’d wear it as one again for a full day, cause end of the day, ow, cause corset=no slouching=my back and shoulders are kinda still sore. It was still fun. And when in costume, it definitely gives random people in the halls more of a license to talk to you, which creates a nice, friendly atmosphere.
Forgot that wearing my tardis shirt (the phone box sign - pic) meant that many a man would stop to "read" my boobs. *sigh* "Funnily" that did not happen at all when I wore the shirt to the Maria taping. Though possibly Rainbow Sun Francks’ father in passing in the hall either attempted to read it or checked puffgirl_two out. *grins* Full head turn and sunglasses off.
General trend observed at the con:
In terms of actor guests, if you want the attention of a female one, bring a baby to the con (both Rachel and Terry cooed over babies in the question line, obviously wanting to visit with them (Terry made grabby hands)), and to get the guys attention, bring a dog (both Rainbow and Gareth went nuts over Darcy).
link to photobucket album
And now, you probably won’t hear from me again until the thesis is done… *hugs* I wish writing it went as fast and was as easy as writing this con report (seriously, it took me a month to write as much on the thesis as I’ve written here. How, I don’t know…) And once that happens, with the being done, I’m going to try to remember/re-learn how to make posting a habit again, cause I miss you and being fannish all a lot.