As Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama, actor Jamie Bamber has become a leading man for science fiction's newest hit -- the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. Born in London, 32-year-old Bamber has also appeared in "Band of Brothers," "The Scarlet Pimpernel," and the Horatio Hornblower series.
GateWorld caught up with Bamber at Collectormania 7, held in Buckinghamshire in the U.K. in April. In this interview, the actor talks about working with his fellow cast members, Lee's displaced role on the Galactica, and the predicament in which he finds himself in the show's upcoming second season. Beware of spoilers through the Season One finale, "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 2."
GW: As Apollo you've had some very intense scenes this year on Battlestar Galactica. Which of your work are you proudest of?
JB: I think I like the stuff I have to do with Starbuck in the twelfth episode.
GW: The argument?
JB: Yeah -- well, there's something about it. It's sort of an explosion of jealousy that is a complete surprise to him because I don't think he's ... he's not fully aware of what he feels. There's something quite like a gut reaction that really was exciting to play. It was a surprise to me.
GW: So did you know beforehand that that scene would be coming?
JB: Yeah. When you read the script you know that something's coming, but you don't know quite how it's going to play out until the day. And it's always fun working with Katee [Sackhoff, "Kara Thrace"] -- she's a good actress.
GW: Apollo seems to draw inspiration from Adama and from President Roslin, from their leadership; and yet he's always ready to challenge their authority. Do you see him as a natural leader or as someone who wants to fall in line but who can't find someone to line up behind?
JB: I think he's his own man. I think he's a natural leader, but I don't think he's realised that yet. We are exploring it.
At the end of the first season he's on his own again. I mean, he's always been an isolated figure in the first place because he doesn't really belong on the Galactica. He doesn't even intend to be there but then the end of the world sort of catches him on the hop and that's where he has to make a start. He cuts a role out for himself as the "CAG," something he perhaps wasn't intending to do.
And I think he comes into his own gradually. He surprises himself. But then again, at the end of the first season he disobeys an order, so that's basically burned all his bridges that he had with the crew of the Galactica.
So he's a lone thinker in many respects, but I think more and more you'll see him start to come out with true leadership qualities.
GW: So can you give us any idea of where this takes Apollo in Season Two?
JB: I can give you a bit of an idea. I think I've read four scripts out of the 20, so I don't know that much. But the Galactica still needs him despite themselves. He's a prisoner because of what he's done, but he's still needed because when situations arise he's still one of the best pilots. There aren't that many pilots full stop.
He's used to command, he's used to following orders. So when the Cylons are pressing he has to come out of the brig. But he has to give his word, his parole, that when he's off-duty he'll return to his prison. He's in a strange limbo of finding himself being given authority but having none, it's a strange situation he finds himself in.
GW: You've mentioned you enjoy working with Katee Sackhoff. Are there any other actors with whom you particularly relish working?
JB: Oh, yes. Eddie Olmos ["William Adama"] and Mary McDonnell ["Laura Roslin"] in particular are just fantastic to work with because you just have so much to react to when they're with you on set. They're great.
I haven't done anything with Tricia [Helfer, "Number Six"], and I think that would be fun. I've done a bit with Grace [Park, "Sharon Valerri"], I suppose.
But I like to work with everyone. It's a really nice bunch of people, and everyone brings a lot to their particular roles. And the more people you work with the more interesting each day is.
by - M. Welch from Gate World
Boomer: Just keep it up, old buddy, you're going to get us into real trouble.
Starbuck: Ten thousand light years from nowhere, our planet shot to pieces, people starving, and *I'm* gonna get us in trouble?
GateWorld caught up with Bamber at Collectormania 7, held in Buckinghamshire in the U.K. in April. In this interview, the actor talks about working with his fellow cast members, Lee's displaced role on the Galactica, and the predicament in which he finds himself in the show's upcoming second season. Beware of spoilers through the Season One finale, "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 2."
GW: As Apollo you've had some very intense scenes this year on Battlestar Galactica. Which of your work are you proudest of?
JB: I think I like the stuff I have to do with Starbuck in the twelfth episode.
GW: The argument?
JB: Yeah -- well, there's something about it. It's sort of an explosion of jealousy that is a complete surprise to him because I don't think he's ... he's not fully aware of what he feels. There's something quite like a gut reaction that really was exciting to play. It was a surprise to me.
GW: So did you know beforehand that that scene would be coming?
JB: Yeah. When you read the script you know that something's coming, but you don't know quite how it's going to play out until the day. And it's always fun working with Katee [Sackhoff, "Kara Thrace"] -- she's a good actress.
GW: Apollo seems to draw inspiration from Adama and from President Roslin, from their leadership; and yet he's always ready to challenge their authority. Do you see him as a natural leader or as someone who wants to fall in line but who can't find someone to line up behind?
JB: I think he's his own man. I think he's a natural leader, but I don't think he's realised that yet. We are exploring it.
At the end of the first season he's on his own again. I mean, he's always been an isolated figure in the first place because he doesn't really belong on the Galactica. He doesn't even intend to be there but then the end of the world sort of catches him on the hop and that's where he has to make a start. He cuts a role out for himself as the "CAG," something he perhaps wasn't intending to do.
And I think he comes into his own gradually. He surprises himself. But then again, at the end of the first season he disobeys an order, so that's basically burned all his bridges that he had with the crew of the Galactica.
So he's a lone thinker in many respects, but I think more and more you'll see him start to come out with true leadership qualities.
GW: So can you give us any idea of where this takes Apollo in Season Two?
JB: I can give you a bit of an idea. I think I've read four scripts out of the 20, so I don't know that much. But the Galactica still needs him despite themselves. He's a prisoner because of what he's done, but he's still needed because when situations arise he's still one of the best pilots. There aren't that many pilots full stop.
He's used to command, he's used to following orders. So when the Cylons are pressing he has to come out of the brig. But he has to give his word, his parole, that when he's off-duty he'll return to his prison. He's in a strange limbo of finding himself being given authority but having none, it's a strange situation he finds himself in.
GW: You've mentioned you enjoy working with Katee Sackhoff. Are there any other actors with whom you particularly relish working?
JB: Oh, yes. Eddie Olmos ["William Adama"] and Mary McDonnell ["Laura Roslin"] in particular are just fantastic to work with because you just have so much to react to when they're with you on set. They're great.
I haven't done anything with Tricia [Helfer, "Number Six"], and I think that would be fun. I've done a bit with Grace [Park, "Sharon Valerri"], I suppose.
But I like to work with everyone. It's a really nice bunch of people, and everyone brings a lot to their particular roles. And the more people you work with the more interesting each day is.
by - M. Welch from Gate World
Boomer: Just keep it up, old buddy, you're going to get us into real trouble.
Starbuck: Ten thousand light years from nowhere, our planet shot to pieces, people starving, and *I'm* gonna get us in trouble?
