LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS, MING-NA, ELYSE LEVESQUE AND ALAINA HUFFMAN CAST IN SCI FI’S ‘SGU: STARGATE UNIVERSE’
New York, NY – February 25, 2009 – SCI FI Channel has confirmed Lou Diamond Phillips, Ming-Na, Elyse Levesque and Alaina Huffman as cast members of the highly anticipated new original series SGU: Stargate Universe, which began production last week in Vancouver. They join the previously announced stars Robert Carlyle, Justin Louis, David Blue, Jamil Walker Smith and Brian J. Smith in the latest adventure of the Stargate franchise produced by MGM television.
Edgier and younger in tone, SGU will take the franchise in a dynamic new direction, appealing to longtime Stargate fans and first-time viewers alike. The two-part premiere of Universe is being directed by Andy Mikita (Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1) and lensed by Rohn Schmidt (The Shield, The Mist). The series is expected to premiere in October 2009.
SGU follows a band of soldiers, scientists and civilians, who must fend for themselves as they are forced through a Stargate when their hidden base comes under attack. The desperate survivors emerge aboard an ancient ship, which is locked on an unknown course and unable to return to Earth. Faced with meeting the most basic needs of food, water and air, the group must unlock the secrets of the ship’s Stargate to survive. The danger, adventure and hope they find on board the Destiny will reveal the heroes and villains among them.
The cast includes:
Robert Carlyle (Trainspotting, The Full Monty) stars as Dr. Nicholas Rush, one of the most brilliant scientific minds, whose motives are not what they appear to be.
Lou Diamond Phillips (Che, La Bamba) is Colonel Telford, a proud lifelong military man, who puts his faith in the chain of command. Stubbornly confident, he’s highly regarded by his superiors. He is the chosen leader of the ill-fated expedition.
Justin Louis (Hidden Hills, The Fighting Fitzgeralds) portrays Colonel Everett Young, an experienced Stargate team leader. Married, with years of tough decisions under his belt, life has taught him never to take anything for granted. He stays on top of his team so they stay alive.
Brian J. Smith (The War Boys, Hate Crime) is Lt. Matthew Scott, a junior member of the Stargate team. Green and rough around the edges, he is thrust into the role of leader well before he’s ready for the responsibility and must learn to command, earn respect through action, and manage the diverse personalities aboard the ship.
Elyse Levesque (Smallville, Men in Trees) stars as Chloe Armstrong, the daughter and aid of a U.S. Senator. Politically savvy, but with a wild side, she is considering following in her father’s footsteps, until she finds herself trapped on the ship. As tensions rise, her character will be tested and her place among the group revealed.
David Blue (Ugly Betty, Moonlight) stars as Eli Wallace, a total slacker, who just happens to be an utter genius with anything he puts his mind to – mathematics, computers, video games. A lack of confidence has left him with an acerbic sense of humor.
Alaina Huffman (Smallville, Painkiller Jane) portrays MSGT. Tamara Johansen. Unable to afford medical school, the Air Force was the best option for the strong-willed field medic. Faced with the mounting pressure and a lack of in-depth experience, she will be forced to rise to the extraordinary occasion of needing to treat the seriously wounded.
Jamil Walker Smith (Waynehead, Sister, Sister) portrays MSGT. Ronald Greer, a Marine with a temper you don’t want to mess with. His past is mysterious but it’s clear something dark formed the hard shell around him.
Ming-Na (ER,Vanished) is Camile Wray, a human resources executive with the international oversight committee that governs the Stargate program. Now the highest ranking member of that division left stranded on the ship, she carries herself with a misguided sense of superiority over the other military and civilian survivors.
Brad Wright and Robert Cooper, of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, will serve as executive producers and writers on the new series.
Stargate Universe will debut as a two-hour movie event on SCI FI and will be distributed by MGM Worldwide Television Distribution.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,100 titles. Operating units including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching approximately 120 countries and territories around the world. MGM ownership is currently as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgmchannel.com
SCI FI Channel is a television network where “what if” is what’s on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com ) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 95 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies.
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Imo, they’re not attractive as they were in sg1 + sga
hithere | January 16 @ 1:32 pmIts comming together at least lets hope that the last two spots are filled well.
chibblynibbler | January 16 @ 1:45 pmI look forward to “AIR” lets see if it keeps up to what we’ve come to expect from the franchise
Matthew Scott = John Sheppard
Jedi_Master_Bra'tac | January 16 @ 1:45 pmEli Wallace = Rodney McKay
Ronald Greer = Ronan Dex
@Hithere ha ha i am gona wait to see the women before i comment. I don’t know many of them but i knew non of the Atlantis cast either. They seem to look the part can’t wait for Universe.
promethius30 | January 16 @ 1:49 pmJohn Sheepard = Jack o’neill
promethius30 | January 16 @ 1:50 pmRodney Mckay = Carter
Ronan Dex = teal’c
two-hour movie event?!
slowsnailstudios | January 16 @ 1:55 pmi thought it was supposed to be three-hour….
It just keeps getting better with the more I hear about “Stargate: Universe”! All the casting has been superb and I’m happy with who’s been chosen to play these latest character additions to the “Stargate” franchise! :)
I’m looking forward to hear who they’ve cast for the main female characters! :)
Alan | January 16 @ 1:59 pmI hope it succeeds for the people who like it. The more cast they announce, and the more they talk about the characters, they don’t seem like people I want to devote my time to.
Sylvia | January 16 @ 2:06 pmJust doesn’t seem to have that happy, feel-good vibe that the other two shows have. And that’s what I’m looking for with Stargate. Oh well, people’s tastes vary so hopefully, for these guys, many will love the show.
I’m still open minded. I’m pleased that they aren’t going as young as I was afraid they were going to.
Jaames | January 16 @ 2:08 pm@Jedi_Master_Bra’tac: Ronon doesn’t usually have an explosive temper. And I would hardly say Rodney’s sense of humor comes from a “lack of self-confidence” ;)
Aaronjw | January 16 @ 2:12 pmIt’s coming together nicely – I can’t wait!
carrollwoman | January 16 @ 2:15 pmIt’s disappointing to see that the first thing mentioned about the women are their looks, yet the looks of the men aren’t mentioned at all.
maxbo | January 16 @ 2:24 pmWell they didn’t go the “OC” route to terribly much. The more they reveal though the more I have doubts about this show. Sorry, just can’t seem to get behind this one like I did Atlantis or SG1. Me, myself,I still feel jaded about how all of this went down despite assurances to the contrary. Apparently I don’t seem to be the only one who feels this way. I hope the show works for those who want it to do well. I know a lot of people felt the same when Atlantis first arrived but changed their minds as the show progressed maybe this will happen for Universe. I will not be one of them.
Kara Sheppard | January 16 @ 2:24 pmAll the guys look the same. Even the black guy–they’re all scruffy, unshaven jockish types. Even the computer nerd. How boring. Can’t you guys avoid typecasting? Can’t you go for original faces and features, something different? You were doing pretty well with variety with McKay/Shep/Zelenka/Ronon….at least they didn’t all look like the latest batch of hollywood slacker movie brats.
Doesn’t bode well for the adult segment of your audience. Assuming you’re still remotely interested in appealing to anyone over 18.
md | January 16 @ 2:34 pmI’m hoping that the characters aren’t as similar to existing ones as they seem. I remember before “Atlantis” started lots of people (including me) were concerned that Sheppard was basically Jack with a different name. But after the first few episodes, it was clear to me that Sheppard was a well defined character in his own right. Hopefully, the same will be true of the “Universe” characters. That said, I have a feeling that I’m not going to like Greer too much.
GusF | January 16 @ 2:42 pmMatthew Scott will be written off or reduced to recurring by the second season when the writers realize they have no idea what to do with him. Greer will fill the “action man” role and Everett will be the required leading military man, and there will be no place left for Scott, since Stargate writers write roles, not characters.
AutumnDream | January 16 @ 2:54 pmI’m hoping that the characters are not going to be younger versions of SG-1 and SGA. I mean, Eli Wallace – sounds a bit like McKay. No?
Still, I’m looking forward to Universe, especially since they are looking for advise from an outsider Scalzi.
McKay | January 16 @ 2:59 pmConsidering they can’t keep a nemesis defeated, I’m curious how long it will be before Destiny encounters a lost tribe of Ori and their followers.
Stryse | January 16 @ 3:34 pm@md
Louis and Carlyle hardly fit your “scruffy, unshaven jockish types” comment. Besides those pics are their acting headshots. They are supposed to make them look “good”, if you can call it that. The real decision comes from the audition, not from the headshot.
The real question for me is just this: Can these guys mesh into what “feels” like a Stargate team?
I don’t like soap opera’s. I’m not into back-biting and hidden agendas. A Stargate team may disagree at times but ultimately they support each other and work together.
We won’t be able to answer that question until well into the first season, so as a Stargate lover I can say that I will at least give it a full seasons viewing to win me over.
Jaames | January 16 @ 3:44 pmI’m excited. It looks like it could be really excellent. Too bad it’s now headed for Fall instead of Summer, but I think that’s also a good thing as it’ll give the writers/creators more time to work on things, and more time to get the SG1 and SGA films out. But, looks interesting… to me at least, my opinion.
zack | January 16 @ 3:57 pmthey do all kind of look alike, though. moreso than the other Stargate franchises.
Sylvia | January 16 @ 4:12 pmhere is my run down on my characters for SGU
mrs john sheppard | January 16 @ 4:12 pmjustin timberlake will sing sexy back all the time and seranate the girls on the ship, jesse metcalfe will supply drugs and alcohol, shane west will supply his guitar and throw stuff at them, barney the purple dino will sing I LOVE U them song to make sure he gets the crew into harmony, chad michael murray will get every alien girl pregnant if justin doesnt beat him to it and alfonso herrera will be the rebelious one since he came out on rebelde and sings with RBD. any one want to add more ??? oh im working on the girls. so stay tunned for days our stargate universe he he just a bit of humor!
Looks forward to next casting announcements. Those boyz looks promising. Hope they don’t screw all the things up in “Air”.
universacred | January 16 @ 4:28 pmI’m sorry, but the way I see it, they took away everything that made me love both SG-1 and SGA: a very small team of people who would die for each other, people who had no hidden agendas, who didn’t plot to stab each other in the back, people who were experts in their fields. That’s what made me turn in week after week. I could always count on both shows being a fun team adventure, not a brooding dark soap where you take bets on who does whom first – even though the ending of Atlantis did start to show these signs too…
Oh well, I will take my “team-fix” somewhere else. Fortunately, there are still shows like NCIS…
katikatnik | January 16 @ 4:57 pmI completely agree with katikatnik.
Sylvia | January 16 @ 5:17 pmMy feelings exactly!