Ming-Na (Camille Wray)
Beware of minor SPOILERS for the upcoming episode “Life” in the report below.
The third Stargate series will go where Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis didn’t: It will have gay characters. Stargate Universe series creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright told fans during their stage panel at Creation Entertainment’s official Vancouver Stargate convention earlier this month.
“There are at least one and potentially more gay characters on Universe,” Cooper said in answer to a fan’s question.
Wright added, “There’s actually two.”
One of those characters is Camille Wray, the I.O.A. representative on board the Destiny, new casting documents reveal. The character is played by actress Ming-Na.
In the show’s seventh episode, “Life,” viewers will meet Wray’s long-time partner back on Earth, Sharon. The character is listed as a lead guest, and possibly recurring. Camille uses the Destiny’s long-range communications device to return home to Sharon for a brief respite.
Stargate Atlantis did have a few gay characters itself, at least in the minds of the producers — though it never made it onto the screen. Executive producer Joseph Mallozzi has stated that character of Alicia Vega was written to be a lesbian (story). But after her introduction in the Season Five premiere, she was quickly killed off in just her second appearance (“Whispers”).
Mallozzi also said that there was another character on Atlantis he always thought was gay, though the right time (read: not forced) to reveal it on screen never materialized.
The decision to include gay characters on Universe was born from the desire to focus the show on its characters and their relationships with one another.
“This goes towards our goal to make the characters on Universe as complex and complicated and realistic and identifiable as we can, to as many people as we can,” Cooper said. “And that’s not just a desire for ratings. That’s the desire to portray humanity, and make a show that is saying something about who we are.”
Stargate Universe premieres this fall on SCI FI Channel in the U.S., Sky1 in the U.K. and SPACE in Canada! Keep your browser locked on GateWorld’s own SGU Launch Center for more in the weeks ahead.
(Thanks to Morjana for the contributing)
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Is Wray going to be stealing someone else’s body when she goes to see her lover? That’s how the communication device works. Hopefully there won’t be anything too physical in this “brief respite,” talk about taking away consent…
Imitation Tofu | April 23 @ 7:56 pm@Imitation Tofu, I had had the same thought when peole were freaking out about this “brief respite” thing. The way the communication device works would seem to insure that there would not be anything too sexual going on.
redlotus | April 23 @ 8:25 pmWell, it’s about freaking time. Seriously, I mean, finally. Although I really doubt the ability of TPTB to pull this off; they can’t handle heterosexual relationships at all (the rodney/ronon/jenn fiasco still gives me nightmares), so what on earth makes them think they can write a homosexual relationship?
jaywolf | April 23 @ 11:55 pmRedlotus, re your comments about giving the show a chance. I can only give you my personal opinion. Firstly the gay issue WELL NOT an issue as far Im concerned an Im straight, as long as its relavent to the plot and that goes the same for both straight and gay relationship. The point is this is supposed to be science fiction, not a lovely relationship, whos sleeping with who show!!! I love Torchwood its done well John Barrowman is great. The only point I dont get is why a lot of the time a gay charactor is shown, its usually played by a straight actor??. John Barrowman is who he is and I respect him for that and he comes across as great guy who is in a long term loving relationship and recently interviewed saying his brodie and wants a baby SO WHAT MAKES HIM ANY DIFFERENT TO ME nothing expect his gay Im not.
But back to the point of SGU, Im not watching SGU BECAUSE Cooper/Wright and co HAVE TOTALLY “p’d off 1000’s of SGA fans, with their flippant, rude, off hand and bloody awlful remarks, THEY have shown nothing BUT contempt for SGA fans. I have been a SG fan from the begining, and the old style formatt is what I liked. I never liked BSG because it was dark, it was a drama that happen to be set in space. I dont want Dark, Edger depressing, suicides, deaths ect…
TPTB have already made it clear that anyone of 40 odd NOT wanted. This show IS NOT being aimed towards me a 44 year woman!!! That aside I know longer care whether its a hit or a miss SGA was cancelled for this, THATS WHY I’M NOT GONNA WATCH. I know many people are looking forward to SGU thats great for them, BUT PLEASE spare a thought for the rest off us, we had no say in this, the SGA backlash is huge, Im not saying dont have SGU but why at the expense of a very popular show.
Lastly, I know they are a lot of anrgy people writing on this comments board an thats on both side of coin, What I dont get is why everyone is shouting an begin rude to each other. As whether or not any of you agree or disagree THERES IS NO EXCUSS for rudeness. Everybody is entitled to there own personal opinions, beliefs, life syles ect.. If your not happy with something then debate the subject DONT use insults because you just loss the argument. Jesus this world is bad enough as it is at the moment, theres little tolerance on either side.
The Stargate Franchise is First and Foremost a SCIENCE FICTION SHOW for enterainment and escapism. I see very little either of these at the mo.
Fed up SGA fan
Chucknician | April 24 @ 3:21 amWow, i always assumed that SciFi shows had more enlightened viewers, especially since most challenge the notions of morality and religion quite heavily. It seems i was wrong.
Im surprised how many very religious viewers SG-1 gets especially given how very unchristian its was in its last few years.
Personally i think people need to get a grip, so SGU has a gay character, so what, get over it. Im an atheist, but i still enjoyed BSG despite its rather religious content. If you cant handle a few gay people on TV, go live in a cave.
rovex | April 24 @ 8:15 amOh for goodness sake, love is love. Exactly what this show is going to be showing two people who LOVE and CARE for each other. Isn’t most religions based on that…Oops I forgot, it’s acceptable as long as it’s between opposite sex…
tetrion | April 24 @ 9:37 amIt’s a shame management is trying to prohibit any discussion on the subject claiming it has nothing to do with SGU. Well it does have everyhing to do with SGU.
Curois | April 24 @ 10:38 amThey decided to add gay characters to the series, which I applaud. This is, in today’s society, quite a big ordeal, as is proven by the myriad of strong responses on the subject here.
@All the anti-gay people: I’m disappointed management decided to remove my previous comment, because I went to great lengths to be as insulting as possible to anti-gay people. Is that how an adult should behave? No. Was it satisfactory? Hell yes!
I think their attempt at being “inclusive” will cost them viewers who see this as another “hollywood” attempt to force US States to accept Gay Marriage.
The reason I enjoyed Stargate is the same reason I enjoyed A-Team, Fall Guy, Simon and Simon, and many other 80’s Action/Adventure shows. They were good clean fun!
If this show has sex, and the gay themes constantly in the A story, this show will not live beyond a first season.
Additionally, Notice how the gay character is an attractive Lesbian rather than a gay Male character. This is obviously done to appeal to the 16-49 demographic of Men who like the thought of seeing two hot women kissing.
This shows that they know that the general public still does not like to see their shows overrun by gays, which are still a small minority of the viewing audience.
RgyelXVI | April 24 @ 11:16 amIt’s important to remember that we don’t “hate” gay people. Christians are supposed to love everyone platonically, male and female.
I agree with RgyelXVI.
Vladius | April 24 @ 11:47 amI have to say words fail me, at this whole situation, its just so sad to see SO MANY INTOLERANT PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES what ever happen to the saying “agree to disargee”, so my last comment on the matter is this:
For me, cant make the assumption for anyone else, this is just my POV, the principle of the Stargate shows lay dead and buried. Just to remind you again this is what I think they there were again, please dont shout me down this is just my personal feelings:
Fun & Witt
Action lots off, John/Jack or Cam,Sam with there
earth bound P90’s trying to make a difference expect when they have zaps or wraith stunners LOL.
Hero’s in whatever form, male,female or alien.
Mythology/ Ancients and archeology meets the science geeks.
Good guys beating bad guys with the occasional good guy butt kicking, but good wins out in the end.
Characters to love and get behind.
Hints at sex or romance, lovable rouges that you want to get the girl an usually don’t BUT now an again they score, BUT NOT SHOVED DOWN YOUR THROAT, just hints and innuendo’s and flirty banter.This also goes for the girls meeting guys, an if there was a gay charactor the same applies.
Family orientated.
Great stories/ great plots.
CGI and effects BUT NOT INPLACE OF THE STORY.
Aliens good and bad.
Banter.
MOST OF ALL GOING THROUGH THE STARGATE TO EXPLORE an usually mucking it up but making amends in the end. PURE Escapism for an hour a week and finally SCIENCE FICTION. We all live in the real world 24 7, is it asking SO MUCH to have 1 hour a week where there is no political agenda’s. YES the world is NOT perfect, and many shows dont reflect real life issues. BUT I really thought Stargate was an entertainment show, I’m trying to be PC because now it makes you scared to say your POV because of the name calling and being horrible to each other, so appolgises to anyone an everyone for my POV.
I just think this is so sad!!!!!
Chucknician | April 24 @ 11:50 am@Valdius Exactly! I have a whole lot more I’d like to say on the issue but my post will just be removed.
@RgyelXVI Its kinda funny I fit their new demographic exactly(25 here) and I’m not happy with the direction they are taking with SGU at all.
Vyse99 | April 24 @ 12:49 pm@RygelXVI: While I applaud the inclusion of gays in SGU, I agree with you with the somewhat “easy way out” TPTB chose by going for the standard beautiful lesbians :)
Curois | April 24 @ 12:57 pmReally all that was said was that there will be gay characters. SGU isnt going to be queer as folk in space, so even the most hard line homophobes can relax just a bit. My guess is that it will be mentioned a few times and MAYBE there will be a kiss in one episode, thats it. Most people wont care, those saying it will kill the show are just out of touch with reality, and think the whole world is like their own small circle. I can assure you in the UK and Canada it wont affect the viewers at all, even a full gay male main character wouldn’t adversely affect ratings.
rovex | April 24 @ 1:12 pm@curois; So what you are saying is, us straight peeps, who’d rather not see a GLBT theme on SciFi only belong in the middle ages, while you enlightned gays are so futuristic, that you actualy belong in space and SciFi? I’m not saying that I wont watch SGU because I may catch gayness off my TV, but for the same reason I wont watch UFC, or jackass. It’s sad that a franchise that I held so dear, is trying to get ahead of itself. It was always supposed to be fiction. If I’d want to see reality, I’d look out the window and see the next door two women makeout.
US06154 | April 24 @ 1:26 pm@US0154 So true, there’s a lesbain couple here at school that I constantly see holding hands and kissing. I don’t watch sci-fi to see what I see everyday I watch sci-fi to see things I can’t want won’t see in real life. It might be tired and old to some, but I love the classic SG forumula and its so sad seeing SGU depart from it.
Vyse99 | April 24 @ 1:39 pmTo management, you can’t have this discussion without getting into gay rights or any of that other crap. Why? Because as soon as somebody mentions that they don’t want to see gay people on TV, for whatever reason, whether it be political, religious, or just because they don’t want to see it, the other side gets pissed off and starts into name calling, thinking that that’ll hurt our feelings, then our side starts to get defensive and attack the other side, its a vicious cycle.
You can’t have this discussion without that happening. The only way to avoid it is to not have it at all. I realize that the site owners have their own justifications for why they felt it was newsworthy, but this should not have been posted as a news topic, except maybe in a transcript of the ENTIRE conversation that Brad Wright and Robert Cooper had on their panel. Of EVERYTHING that they said, why is THIS deemed the most newsworthy? If you don’t want this topic to devolve into gay rights, whatever, then lock it, because there’s no way that it can’t.
Browncoat1984 | April 24 @ 3:09 pmThank you to everyone for contributing to this conversation. There is obviously a great diversity of opinions, and I’d like to think that we’ve done a fairly good job of engaging them (insofar as it pertains to Stargate).
Rather than continue to firmly keep this thread on topic and upset folks (or end up stifling your discussion), I am going to close it now. If you would like to continue the conversation, I recommend you visit GateWorld Forum, where we have two active threads on the subject of homosexuality in SGU:
http://forum.gateworld.net/forumdisplay.php?f=128
Since this is such a personal issue (and hot-button topic), please take special note of the forum’s own rules and how the moderators there are handling these threads.
We’ll have more from Brad and Rob in the days ahead, once I manage to get past Finals Week. :)
Thank you!
Darren Sumner | April 24 @ 4:11 pm