Bridges likes Stargate‘s realism

Stargate Command’s new head honcho is impressed with the realism of the science fiction show, he told U-Daily News. Actor Beau Bridges joins the cast of Stargate SG-1 this season as General Hank Landry.

“One of the things I was really impressed with when I started watching Stargate episodes was that they have been trying to keep the essence of the real military — even though it’s science fiction with aliens and the rest of it,” the actor said. “The real Air Force signs off on all the scripts. I like that. Whenever I play something, I like to be as true as possible to the real-life elements. Since I’d never really played a general before, I started researching generals all the way back to George Washington.”

General Landry is hand-picked by the departing Jack O’Neill to take his place — but fortunately it’s not up to Bridges alone to try and fill the shoes of Richard Dean Anderson. “Of course we have not only me coming on, but Ben Browder of Farscape, a much-loved sci-fi show,” Bridges said. “He’s doing the young hunk thing. I kind of order him off to the mouth of the dragon.”

Bridges also said that he’s felt welcome by the rest of the cast. “We have the regulars, Michael (Shanks), Amanda (Tapping) and Christopher (Judge), who have been really wonderful in welcoming me. It’s been a smooth ride so far.”

Read the complete story at U-Daily News. Season Nine of Stargate SG-1 premieres July 15 at 8 p.m. Eastern/Pacific on The SCI FI Channel in the U.S.