Bujold Vs. Mulgrew
- Thread starter JeffinOakland
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She was terrible. She lacked chemistry both with the other actors and the part itself. Kate was perfect for this role. Thank God Bujold was fired. I've never seen such bad acting.
What I don't understand is why the character was named similarly to Kate Mulgrew. Was this to serve as an enticement, since she'd already been rejected for the part?
haha, no but they were probably inspired. I can't recall the entire story except they had to change the name because they didn't want Nicole Janeway again and they were going to do Elizabeth Janeway for Kate but there is a living author with that name. so they decided to go with a modern spelling, Kathryn, instead of traditional Katherine.
Understood! Personally, though ... I prefer Catherine with a "C."
Kate Mulgrew asked for the name change saying she could relate to Kathryn more than to Elisabeth/Nicole.
At least that's what I read somewhere ... Anyone who can corroborate or refute this?
At least that's what I read somewhere ... Anyone who can corroborate or refute this?
BUT...........if an actor's to play Hitler, for example, he's not expected to "relate," he's just got to play him. That's where the director comes in, if the actor's having trouble with the part, telling him - or her - to just say the lines with conviction and ... and so forth.
Well, we all have our own opinions.
I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say.
Hitler is a person that existed so if you're going to play him, the option of changing his name does not exist.
Captain Janeway, on the other hand, is completely fictional.
If an actor finds it easier to play a character simply by changing the character's name, why not do it? If it's a new series and the name does not bear a particular significance, it should be no problem to change the name. It is also the director's interest that the actor (esp. the main one) plays his/her role well, so if (s)he feels (s)he can do better when the character is a given a different name and there's nothing in the scripts that would need to be dramatically altered due to the change, then I think it's just fair that they do in accordance with the actor's wishes.
Oh, I agree! The name of a completely made-up character in a space show is of no import (provided that it speaks well, as in sounds 'good.') But an actor asking for it to be named after them, so that they feel they can put their stamp on it ... that's just Kate being a prima donna. That's it. She had VOYAGER by the balls and she knew it.
The show's got a schedule to keep, everything's ready to go ... they needed somebody good in the part and she's miffed at being a "replacement" after having done a couple interviews for the part, already ... AND having been rejected! So ... what could Rick Berman do? What could anyone do in those circumstances? You placate her wounded ego ... and hope to Hell that she's as professional as she's so reputed to be.
The show's got a schedule to keep, everything's ready to go ... they needed somebody good in the part and she's miffed at being a "replacement" after having done a couple interviews for the part, already ... AND having been rejected! So ... what could Rick Berman do? What could anyone do in those circumstances? You placate her wounded ego ... and hope to Hell that she's as professional as she's so reputed to be.
And how do you know that this was what happened? Couldn't it have been a case of her wanting to play the part as well as she could so she asked for a name change simply because she felt she would be able to play the character better?
Of course, I can't know that this was what happened ... but you make it sound like you know for 100% that she just wanted to "put her stamp on it" and be "a prima donna"? Why are you so sure? Did one of the producers talk about this in an interview?
Of course, I can't know that this was what happened ... but you make it sound like you know for 100% that she just wanted to "put her stamp on it" and be "a prima donna"? Why are you so sure? Did one of the producers talk about this in an interview?
They re titled her Elizabeth when then hired Kate but then re titled her Kathryn after she got the job (Quote from her Memoir):
Jeri Taylor is conversing with Mulgrew
" Oh, by the way, you should know we can't, after all, use Elizabeth as Janeway's first name, there happens to be a living author with that name, so we've decided to call her Kathryn. We thought that would please you."
"Very much," I Responded. "How do you spell it?"
"K-a-t-h-r-y-n. Do you like it?" Jeri Taylor asked.
I swallowed, on the verge of suggesting the spelling of my own name, Katherine, which I considered the more classic version, but I caught myself and said, "It's lovely. How nice." ---excerpt from Born With Teeth
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Just exploring the possibility, whilst enjoying a refreshing glass of sangria. Nothing more than that, sir. The Coffee Black Cat knows what happened. See above! Catarina always knows ...
Is there a rule/law stipulating that certain names cannot be used? Like there are, I'm sure, thousands of Peter Smiths in Britain and America so if I wrote a book, couldn't I just call my main hero Peter Smith? That's strange ...
And if that's the case, does any (potential) author first have to sit down and study all the names that they must not use before even deciding on the name of their main character, let alone minor characters?
Gotcha ... Sir ...
(you deserve it with a capital "S", I love it how much more respectful your contributions sound than anyone else's when you add that "sir" ... 
).
Respect is my middle name, Sir.
Rick Berman explained it but I cannot seem to remember exactly. It's worth looking up.
This could be wrong but I think Kate Mulgrew was one of the people they wanted from the start. It was down to her and Bujold and they picked Bujold. But when she quit they called Kate.
Again, Bujold was the choice of Paramount's boss (they wanted a big name to lead the show and I guess that he was a Bujold's fan). Rick Berman wanted Susan Gibney, a familiar face of ST series (TNG and DS9). Berman being only a producer (even if he led the team with Piller & Taylor), he had to work with Bujold, even he was afraid that it doesn't work.
Besides, if Mulgrew had been the second choice, why producers lost time to summon again the pretenders to the role of Kathryn Janeway, to spend some new auditions?
Please, just read Mulgrew's varied interviews given between 1994 and now and you will read that she spent at least 2 auditions - after the departure of Bujold - to obtain the role.
If memory serves, there have to be either none, or more than a certain number of people with that name before you're allowed to use it. The number is quite low if memory serves.
Not that she's not qualified but I'm glad they did not. I wouldn't be able to stop making the connection to TNG as Geordi's crush.
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