This is the goodbye letter I shared with my NV fans on the NV forum I wanted to share it with the fans on this forum as well... Dear New Voyages Cast, Crew, Fans and Friends, The past three years have been some of the most extraordinary of my life. It has been a wonderful joy to portray such a beloved Star Trek character. To be accepted not only by the fans but by the original actor who portrayed that character is beyond a dream come true and I thank you all for this wonderful journey through the stars. Alas the time has come for me to move on and it is with gratitude, fond memories and sadness that I say farewell to ‘Star Trek: New Voyages.’ As I reflect on these wonderful years, I realize how difficult it was for me to make this decision. Pavel Chekov is and will remain one of the most wonderful and endearing characters I have had the great pleasure of being associated with. Through his eyes, his mind and heart, I have experienced a full life of love, heroism, camaraderie, friendship and even death. It is therefore time for me, Andy Bray to move on to explore new characters and tell new stories. But even as I say goodbye, I know that Pavel Chekov will always remain a cherished part of me and I him. I want to thank the extraordinary producers, directors and showrunners who helped bring New Voyages to life: James Cawley, Jack Marshall, Dorothy Fontana, Doug Drexler, Max Rem, Erik Korngold, Marc & Elaine Zicree, Michael Reeves, Tasha Hardy, David Gerrold, Rod Roddenberry, Erik “Gooch” Goodrich, Scott Moody and so many more. I want to thank the cast, a wonderfully talented group of actors who took on the gargantuan task of bringing classic Star Trek to the 21st Century: Jeff Quinn, Ben Tolplin, Kim Stinger, Ronnie Boyd, Meghan Johnson, Kurt Carley, Charlie Root, Cali Ross, John and Annie Carrigan, Lia Johnson, Christina Moses and all of the wonderful extras and crew. And I want to especially thank Julienne Irons and Johnny Lim, two extraordinarily talented actors who are also two of my closest friends - you are my West Coast family. I want to thank April Webster and the wonderful folks at Paramount and ‘Star Trek XI’ casting for giving me the opportunity to read for a part in their monumental film. It was an honor and privilege to be considered for this film. I also want to thank JJ Abrams for reinvigorating Star Trek with a new life and a new imagination. Thank you to George Takei for an inspiring performance in ‘World Enough and Time’ and for your warmth and generosity. And a special thank you to Walter Koenig. What a joy to know someone like you and what a gift you are to the Star Trek fans. To receive your wisdom and encouragement is one thing but to have had the opportunity to co-portray Chekov with you in ‘To Serve All My Days’, that is a once in a lifetime journey I will never forget. Thank you my friend. Finally, I want to thank all the fans immensely for all the support you've given me over these past 3 years, for all the kind words, words of encouragement and the laughs we have shared. I wish the cast, crew and fans of New Voyages all the best on all of their future voyages. I will be the first in line to download and watch each new episode you produce. My friends, all the best, and all my thanks, ANDY
Hey Andy Thanks for all your hard work on New Voyages. I have really enjoyed your performances and thought you made an excellent Chekov. By the way, what happened to the thread on the New Voyages forum? I saw it there, then it was suddenly gone!
I'm so sorry to see this. I thought Bray, along with Kelly, was the best at recreating his TOS character. Quinn had the best reinterpretation, and he's gone too. But, as NV tought us, Trek will live on, so long as there are dedicated people putting their love into it, as NV continues to do. Good luck, Andy, and thank you! You certainly had more respect for the character than the new movie Checkov seems to- I think in this article he puts down Koenig. So- casting call for the new Checkov? Can he be 6'3", 44 years old, and an Armenian/African American/Native American mix? No, I didn't think so.
Andy, All the best to you. Yes, I too am sorry to see you leaving, but truly hope that your future will be bright and full of adventure. Cheers and thanks for everything. Starhawk
Andy, I wish you the best in your future efforts. It was an honor and a pleasure to meet you and be able to watch you at work. You will be greatly missed, and recasting your part will undoubtedly represent a significant challenge to New Voyages.
This is absolutely heartbreaking. You turned in a fantastic performance, and you'll be missed. Thank you for everything.
Request denied. Now get back to your station before I have you court martialed, Lieutenant. authortativly, K'riq Sa Minister of the Church of Abandoning Ship
So long, Andy. Thanks for all the fi.. um, wait. That's wrong, that's YOUR line. Sorry to see you go. I liked you as Chekov. You will be missed. I do wish you the best in your future undertakings. I believe you have the talent to really succeed. Tony
Good luck Andy, it was a pleasure to talk to you during the B&F shot. May fortune follow you on your journey..
Andy, this is sad news, but good luck. You were a real bright spot to New Voyages. You're going to be missed.
Thank you guys for all your support and kind words! Yes, it's sad to move on from a character I've played for so long, but both John Lim and myself felt it was time to move on from New Voyages. Our careers are in Hollywood and that's where our focus needs to be.
John Lim is leaving too? I didn't know that. Thats sad as well. I still think it's very dodgy that your leaving thread got deleted on the NewVoyages board.I know that the board is heavily edited, but you'd think that they would let people thank you and wish you well. I'm a big NewVoyages fan, but I'm very unimpressed by the amount a censure on that board. Deleting your thread seems very ungrateful to me, considering all the hard work you've put in!
John Lim, left a year ago, before "Blood and Fire". John moved to L.A. and He and I had both hoped he might be able to return, but that has not worked out, his life and career have changed. Andy has been reluctant to commit to another episode and has been back and forth with me about his potential departure for many months, and gave Me no time to announce his departure properly. I felt that at least on our site and forums it was our place to give / make the proper announcement and send off for him. Andy did not afford me that courtesy, I barely had one or two days notice from him about his departure, before his postings began appearing on boards all over the internet. We are revamping the website and forums for a major overhaul, and Andy's departure story was planned for that re-launch around the 15th of this month, so that is why his thread was pulled. We thought it would be nice and that it was our place to have announced his departure, and Thanked Him and done that right, we were not given the chance by Andy himself. Andy apparently felt that it was his place to make that announcement, and so he has. I was absolutely, personally upset that Andy did not allow me that courtesy as producer of the show. We had a difference of opinion, in how that should be handled, but in the end, I wish him well, and Thank Him for his Contributions to the show. James Cawley
Thanks for clarifying things James, obviously all the facts where not available to people like myself outside of New Voyages. I just found the way Andy's thread disappeared very odd, but thanks for the explanation. Hope the revamp goes well, and looking forward to Blood and Fire.
Um, wow. Were you like this to him on the set, too? Cuz frankly, you're coming across as rather arrogant and "I'm all that, I'm in charge, you're a lowly slimeball beneath my shoe who should worship me." I mean, man ... he gave you months of notice, off and on, he gave you a final notice, and it still wasn't enough. He posted a simple message wishing y'all the best, and you go and delete it because it wasn't how you wanted it posted. And I thought Shatner was an arrogant prima donna.
RE-read my post, I am not arrogant. Andy Did not give me months of notice. He notified me,and whithin a short time, before I could do anything to even properly Thank Him, he posted his notices. It is a difference of opinion between the two of us, over how it should have been handled. Nothing more, and it is not the end of the world. James
You know, sometimes there's just no way to make a graceful parting of the ways. John and Andy both did a great job and have a solid body of work to show for their efforts. Under the circumstances I think James is right to chalk it up as a difference of opinion and leave it at that.