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.
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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.
Imo, they’re not attractive as they were in sg1 + sga
Its comming together at least lets hope that the last two spots are filled well.
I look forward to “AIR” lets see if it keeps up to what we’ve come to expect from the franchise
Matthew Scott = John Sheppard
Eli 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.
John Sheepard = Jack o’neill
Rodney Mckay = Carter
Ronan Dex = teal’c
two-hour movie event?!
i 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! :)
I 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.
Just 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.
@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” ;)
It’s coming together nicely – I can’t wait!
It’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.
Well 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… Read more »
All 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.
I’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.
Matthew 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.
I’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.
Considering 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.
@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… Read more »
I’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.
they do all kind of look alike, though. moreso than the other Stargate franchises.
here is my run down on my characters for SGU justin 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… Read more »
Looks forward to next casting announcements. Those boyz looks promising. Hope they don’t screw all the things up in “Air”.
I’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… Read more »
I completely agree with katikatnik.
My feelings exactly!
I think way to many people are looking for similarities where there is bound to be some in any show you watch! Creating any show or any good story for that matter requires certain things, especially if you are creating an Action/Drama/Sci-Fi show. One… you’ll need Protagonists, Antagonists …excreta. Then you need to take into account that this is Stargate so if you use the Military which even without 100% military personnel from Earth you get the same sort of hierarchal structure out of necessity remember the speech Dr. Elizabeth Weir gave to Kavanagh? There is going to be the… Read more »
im still dissapointed that sga ended and i’m not going to watch sgu i just find it hard to adjust to the whole soap opera thing. i agree with the person who said they will take there team fix else where. i will get my daily doze of sheppard and co. from my dvd sets and wait until the movie comes out in the mean time no more sci fi for me and that is a promise. good bye sci fi and hello dvd sets jmo.
I think it will be exciting to see how this show will go :D
And also on another note Ronald Greer seams like a typhical marine but what’s up with his Rank? Senior Sergeant? I think they meant Staff Sergeant because there ain’t a rank called senior sergeant….
I think if they were going to try and do something new they should have gotten new writers, producers, directors, etc.
I still think they should ditch the Senators daughter character Chloe Walker. I think she will turn out to be the new hate figure for the Keller haters lol.
i’ll wait to see who the ptb pick for the females of the cast. *that* is the number one thing that makes me want to follow a show, the female star(s). that’s why i didn’t even try star trek enterprise, because of who they picked for the vulcan (female lead). it doesn’t even have to be an actress i’m familiar with, just someone i’ll be able to get into and follow through the series (like sam carter/amanda tapping).
we’ll see…
i agree with katikatnik (except for the NCIS which i don’t watch) plus i see lots of ship and not enough of the Stargate system, which is what the Stargate Franchise is.
But i’ll watch an episode or two to see how it turns out, i hope the Destiny has Puddle Jumpers…
That was my thought as well when I heard about this new show. When did it become Starship instead of Stargate? Wasn’t this from the begining the adventures thru the Stargate? So many Galaxies, so many unexplored worlds and realms! The Characters who have to face dangers and challenges with their enimies, their allies,their friends, and themselves. Thats what’s been bugging me the most. When did this become a trek thru the stars in a bloody ship instead of thru the gate itself?!? Star Wars = A war in the stars Star Trek = A trek thru the stars StarGate… Read more »
Nothing about Universe had really bothered me yet, while everyone else complained I was only excited. But now I am starting to worry that the character Chloe Walker will be really annoying. Who needs a spoiled brat rich girl on a starship? It’ll be really tricky to make her annoying but likable when dealing with the rich girl stereotype its pretty preset, and we always hate them. And all that stuff about using the intergalactic communications devices to spy on her friends all sounds ridiculous and uninteresting.
Not that I like soap operas, its just that no one has said soap opera except the fans. Ppl just assumed younger audience = The OC.
I’m more curious to know who the villains will be.
I’m NOT happy with the choice of actors so far. Did anyone else realize they all look alike in some way? They all have long faces with big long noses. Can they pick someone to look different? Give them some kind of character. I don’t know maybe I am just used to the SG1 and SGA teams. I think SGA could have easily made more seasons. Hey writers, How come the (Mean, Warrior, Fighter, Rouge style) Guys are always Dark Skinned and the nerdy, brainy guys are always white. Can we switch it up a little maybe add a Native… Read more »
I wish I could say that these choices are a surpise,but sadly they are not. It is apparent that the appeal of this new series will *not* be my demographic set. And I have to agree with katikatnik. If this is what I want to watch there are plently of nighttime soaps to choose from. I’ll leave this one for the *kids* to enjoy.
I Agree with Michael Sacal, we need MORE DIVERSITY. I love Stargate I’ve been watching it since I was 14, but I can count on one hand how many main characters on SG1 and SGA were of ethnic backgrounds. IMO at least two of those new male characters could be different ethnicities. All I’m seeing now is a whitewash with one token black.
Can anyone say BSG? What is with the guy and the hidden agenda? I hated the new BSG and it seems universe is going along those same lines. Also Universe does not support Worm Hole Theory.. News Flash that is what Stargate was based on… Wait not only BSG But Lost in Space as well, with the evil member among the crew. Give me a break where is the trust the bond that happened in SG-1 and SGA? I just hope that that the SGA movie goes back to what we loved about the show… and stops this silly infighting… Read more »
They range from blah to downright ugly. It doesn’t feel like a very attractive cast yet. I hope they get some really attactive ladies to balance things out. For some reason I keeep thinking Chloe Walker is going to be like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. Yuck!
What really troubles me about this show is that it’s really starting to remind me of St:Voyager. Except they can’t steer. I realize that preliminary character descriptions do not tell the full story of how the characters will be realized, but based on those alone, this sounds like a bunch of disfunctional misfits trying to grow up. In space. The fact that the pilot has already been pushed back to fall from summer only a week after they announced “Summer of 2009” doesn’t give me a lot of hope either. Still, if I can be entertained by Lexx I’ll give… Read more »
I don’t know.. I think in my mind, it will be very hard to live up to what Jack, Sam, Rodney, Ronon, Teal’c and others have done up to now…They can never be replaced, so I hove they won’t try to do that, but invent a totaly new, fresh and interesting characters. Well, I’ll wait and see :)
This show just worries me and I’m still so sad to see the cast of Atlantis gone for good. No offense to Battle Star fans but I think they are going in that direction…sci-fi soap opera. If I wanted to watch a soap opera I wouldn’t be watching the sci-fi channle…sorry.
“What really troubles me about this show is that it’s really starting to remind me of St:Voyager” Isn’t it ironic that a lot of people said the same thing about Stargate Atlantis five years ago? :) I’ve been thinking about how Universe has been compared to Galactica and I remembered how a lot of people made similar comparisons between Babylon 5 and Star Trek (not DS9, but the others. The B5/DS9 thing is another discussion altogether). I came to the conclusion that, just because both Universe and Galactica take place on a spaceship and the crews are looking for the… Read more »
I’m just hoping that the female characters will be cast for more than their “t&a” value… in this case the example of Sam Carter should be followed.
I am happy to see that there are male characters to appeal to all age groups…. I’m looking forward to the show….
I can’t read all the post and maybe it’s been expressed but why do BLACK (non-white, non-asian) men always get VIOLENT roles in Stargate? Teal’C, Ronin, Ford, this new Greer guy… For instance: “Dr. McKay’s part was originally written as “Dr. Benjamin Ingram,” an African-Canadian scientist… it was decided to replace Ingram with Rodney McKay.” Don’t get me wrong, I dig Rodney but a smattering of non-white brain power would be refreshing. A doctor? A gate tech… oh wait. On SG-1 there was 1 non-speaking role for a black woman gate tech. What are they saying, black men are all… Read more »
…and no, I’m white.
I remain unimpressed with what will be a very bad, but probably cheaper, copy of Stargate: Atlantis. The actors on SGA must have been costing too much, not to mention the fact that the quality of the show didn’t come cheap either. SGU:90210 will, hopefully, crash and burn so that the Atlantis movies can get the budget they deserve.
I feel like I’m too old for the target demographic they’re aiming for. I’m not finding any of these characters appealing. I’ll give the pilot a shot. But….something tells me I’m not gonna like it.