Michael Dorn to Guest Star on ST: Discovery

[Mark_Nguyen]

Looks like Dorn WAS approached for the role but turned it down on account of them cheaping on his pay. Good on him, I say. He's done his time and is a working actor - and I daresay he'd be making more at a convention, or any other role, than this; so the choice would be straightforward enough. An appearance has to be worth it for them both.

http://www.cbr.com/michael-dorn-turned-down-star-trek-discovery-role/

Mark

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Wow, less than 1% what he made in his final contract as Worf? That's pathetic.

 

[Borgminister]

Meh. Grain of salt.

 

[donners22]

Just shows how overpaid he was for Nemesis, I suppose.

 

[BillJ]

They probably offered him scale for a bit part.

 

[Paul Weaver]

How much did Kelly get paid for EaF?

 

[donners22]

How much did Kelly get paid for EaF?

De said, 'I'd be honored.' And not only that, not only did he say 'I'd be honored,' but he refused to take any more than SAG scale [salary]. He could have held us up for a lot of money, and he didn't.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Encounter_at_Farpoint_(episode)

 

[RAMA]

I find it interesting social media mentions Dorn's pay was the reason he turned down the role. I'm not sure that's what he meant, but even so I hope he didn't think he was going to get series regular pay.

 

[Sakonna]

I find it interesting social media mentions Dorn's pay was the reason he turned down the role. I'm not sure that's what he meant, but even so I hope he didn't think he was going to get series regular pay.

Actually, that would be the standard expectation for something like this -- if you're asked to come back for a guest spot on a show you were once a regular on, or reprise that character in a spin-off, you would typically make one full episode fee at your series regular rate. If it's going to be TRULY in and out, you can probably get away with offering them 25K for one day, but that really is the floor for this kind of situation. Though I grant this is a little unusual, in that so much time has passed -- usually there haven't been 18 years since the last series regular appearance.

The fact that they so extremely lowballed him is the first bit of news I've heard about Discovery that has me giving them the side-eye. It's insulting, and most producers and casting directors would have known better.

You can draw upon personal connections, which I'm sure is why DeForest Kelley agreed to do the TNG pilot for scale, because Gene was involved. But no one on Discovery worked with Michael Dorn in the TNG/DS9 days, so there would be none of those favors to call in.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Actually, that would be the standard expectation for something like this -- if you're asked to come back for a guest spot on a show you were once a regular on, or reprise that character in a spin-off, you would typically make one full episode fee at your series regular rate. If it's going to be TRULY in and out, you can probably get away with offering them 25K for one day, but that really is the floor for this kind of situation. Though I grant this is a little unusual, in that so much time has passed -- usually there haven't been 18 years since the last series regular appearance.

The fact that they so extremely lowballed him is the first bit of news I've heard about Discovery that has me giving them the side-eye. It's insulting, and most producers and casting directors would have known better.

You can always draw upon personal connections, which I'm sure is why DeForest Kelley agreed to do the TNG pilot for scale, because Gene was involved. But no one on Discovery worked with Michael Dorn in the TNG/DS9 days, so there would be none of those favors to call in.

All of this.

 

[Orac]

Thank goodness this story is bullshit and not a terrible spoiler.

 

[Noname Given]

The real question is: Are those normal klingons? Or some altered ones or ancient ones? I guess we have to wait and see...

^^^
IMO - TMP era and TNG era Klingons weren't 'normal' Klingons compared to what was shown on the original Star Trek TV series - so I gotta ask, why is this such an issue when we've had 5 different versions of Klingons to date in the 50+ year history of televised and filmed Star Trek?

 

[Cake]

I find it interesting social media mentions Dorn's pay was the reason he turned down the role. I'm not sure that's what he meant, but even so I hope he didn't think he was going to get series regular pay.

The information comes from this article:

http://trekmovie.com/2017/04/10/no-michael-dorn-is-not-set-to-appear-in-star-trek-discovery/

"I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that Mr. Dorn did not say he was going to be on the new Star Trek show. In fact, he went to great lengths explaining why he would not be on the new show – that there had been interest expressed, but he was not offered enough money. He said they had offered him less than 1 percent of what he made in his last contract as Worf."

 

[Jonny]

If he does make a guest star appearance than I personally think that'd be cool.

 

[jamestyler]

You can draw upon personal connections, which I'm sure is why DeForest Kelley agreed to do the TNG pilot for scale, because Gene was involved. But no one on Discovery worked with Michael Dorn in the TNG/DS9 days, so there would be none of those favors to call in.

Joe Menosky at a stretch? None of his episodes seemed to focus on Worf but there's at least that link to the past.

I read the article differently (and not been back since it was published) and thought he was referring to Cleopatra or other projects, but I can understand if it was linked to Disco; those in charge of money likely wouldn't just smile and nod if someone asked for $25k (or whatever, really) for an actor to have quick scene or two when they could lowball, skip it and save money.

 

[fireproof78]

I always figured we'd get an "Admiral Archer" hand off.

 

[Commodore_Sarvour]

It's not officially confirmed. But considering the guy who said it was klingons was actually on set during filming, and actually fired for it, AND it fits together with the "klingon Sarcophagus" concept art (which was confirmed in the trailer), it's pretty likel they indeed are klingons, however much I would like them to be not.

The real question is: Are those normal klingons? Or some altered ones or ancient ones? I guess we have to wait and see...

I would have to check vids to see which breakdown/reveal it was, but basically, one (or more) Ancient Sleeper Ships, from the time Klingons began to be a spacefaring species, turn up. Klingons have a longer and more confusing history than either humans or Vulcans.

Anyone notice how the Sarcophagus Ship's interior set looked like a creepy cathedral?
Anyone recall a line from an episode about the Klingons killed their gods? Idk if Worf or B'Elanna who said it; maybe they both mentioned it.

So now we have Ancient Klingons, who not only look different from modern, Imperial Klingons, but ideologically different Klingons, that could be hostile to the modern Klingon Empire, and vice-versa.
And we still have Human-fusion/Augmented Klingons, who are part of the Empire but generally regulated to border regions.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Actually, that would be the standard expectation for something like this -- if you're asked to come back for a guest spot on a show you were once a regular on, or reprise that character in a spin-off, you would typically make one full episode fee at your series regular rate. If it's going to be TRULY in and out, you can probably get away with offering them 25K for one day, but that really is the floor for this kind of situation. Though I grant this is a little unusual, in that so much time has passed -- usually there haven't been 18 years since the last series regular appearance.

There's also the question of which episode he would appear in, because if not the pilot (which will be aired on TV) then arguably this is also a performance for a different medium, with possibly different pay. I doubt, for instance, that Dorn got the same pay to lend his voice to "an episode" of Star Trek Online as he did for an episode of TNG or DS9.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

There's also the question of which episode he would appear in, because if not the pilot (which will be aired on TV) then arguably this is also a performance for a different medium, with possibly different pay. I doubt, for instance, that Dorn got the same pay to lend his voice to "an episode" of Star Trek Online as he did for an episode of TNG or DS9.

Streaming TV services such as Netflix and Hulu abide by the same terms of the Screen Actor's Guild as network and cable TV does when it comes to pay scales. I would assume CBS All Access is in a similar situation, or else we would have heard a stink being raised by the SAG.

 

[Tim Thomason]

I always figured we'd get an "Admiral Archer" hand off.

That makes more sense, especially since CBS already has Bakula under contract with NCIS: New Orleans.