by Brooke
This year at Dragon Con, the cast of Battlestar Galactica delighted its loyal fan base with a great turnout from our favorite crew. I had the pleasure of attending this year’s BSG panel on the final morning of the Con. Edward James Olmos, Tricia Helfer, Aaron Douglas, Grace Park, Jamie Bamber, James Callis and the great Richard Hatch entertained us for an hour with their very presence, even though half of them were hurting from the previous night’s party.
Considering BSG’s most recent run ended six years ago, the cast’s ability to draw a full crowd and even induce happy tears at a convention is impressive. Of course, BSG has become a classic – many fans still hold the characters and stories of the crew of the Battlestar Galactica dear to our hearts. But how does the cast surprise and enchant us, year after year?
1. The cast is a fixture on the Dragon Con scene.
Several of the cast members have been attending Dragon Con for years. No matter which actors show up in a given year, they are becoming a vital part of the convention’s core celebrity guest list. You can tell they’re comfortable interacting with congoers, and do so frequently and willingly.
Several of the cast members have been attending Dragon Con for years. No matter which actors show up in a given year, they are becoming a vital part of the convention’s core celebrity guest list. You can tell they’re comfortable interacting with congoers, and do so frequently and willingly.
2. They show up and they show out.
The actors don’t just make an appearance. They DO Dragon Con. They have a panel every day. They party with the people. They interact with the fans like no other cast.
The actors don’t just make an appearance. They DO Dragon Con. They have a panel every day. They party with the people. They interact with the fans like no other cast.
This year, Aaron Douglas hosted a series of events at bars around the convention to raise money for the Lymphoma Research Foundation. He shook hand after hand, took endless pictures, told jokes over loud speakers, got smashed and charmed everyone’s pants off. Other cast members showed up at his events in support, generously chatting away with starry-eyed fans all evening. On Dragon Con Sunday, they were the stars of the Colonial Fleet party. They don’t set themselves apart from the crowd. They join the crowd. |
3. They talk about things that matter.
At the panel I attended this year, Richard Hatch, Edward James Olmos and Grace Park wowed us with their insight and their graciousness towards their fans. We learned about James Callis and Jamie Bamber’s habit of late-night philosophizing.
At the panel I attended this year, Richard Hatch, Edward James Olmos and Grace Park wowed us with their insight and their graciousness towards their fans. We learned about James Callis and Jamie Bamber’s habit of late-night philosophizing.
They all answered questions fully, eloquently and with no fear or hesitation. And, as expected, a grumpy and hung over Aaron Douglas cracked us up. “I feel like my liver crawled out of my ass and is punching me in the balls” is Dragon Con 2015’s greatest quote, and I don’t care what you say. | “I feel like my liver crawled out of my ass and is punching me in the balls” is Dragon Con 2015’s greatest quote, and I don’t care what you say. |
4. They love each other. Their affection and admiration for one another is obvious. Edward James Olmos touched on the cast’s close friendship during the panel. More than any other cast I’ve seen at Dragon Con, these guys seem to have each other’s backs. They act like one big family, and the love is contagious. |
BSG may have finished its run on TV for now, but as long as the cast continues to reach out to fans and keeps up its united front, the characters will live on.
SO SAY WE ALL!
SO SAY WE ALL!