The Perfect Jax?

[2takesfrakes]

Famke is an A-List actress, and that's for certain. But things happen for a reason. As I understood it, James Earle Jones was seriously considered for the part of Sisko. Jones is a far superior actor to Avery in every conceivable way. Very experienced in theatre and memorable visually ... vocally. Am I meant, therefore to consider Benjamin Sisko to have been ill-served being cast the way he was? Brooks' acting is atrocious, but he was interesting to watch and made the role memorable. Terry's interpretation of Jadzia was no worse for wear. I thought she did just fine in conveying 1,000 years behind the eyes one minute and flirtatious, young woman the next. Terry was sexy and cute and acted well-enough. But, is it an A-List performance, or what we would've gotten from an A-List actress? No. But she's hardly alone in that category. The acting in STAR TREK has always been kind of broad, going all the way back to William Shatner and his hammy overacting ...

 

[dub]

I don't disagree that Trek, and, well, pretty much every film, television series and stage show has actors with wide range of acting abilities/styles. And obviously things happen for a reason, I just thought it would be fun to go back and speculate.

Famke may be considered an A-list actress NOW, but she wasn't in 1993. And the reason Famke turned down DS9 is because she wanted to pursue a career in film. But in 1993, it's not inconceivable that Famke could have just as easily made a different career path decision, and if she had a good experience on TNG, perhaps entertained the idea of being part of what was at that point a wildly successful franchise. She was smart to take the path she did in hindsight, but that doesn't stop me from being floored that she was offered the role of Dax back then and discuss what that might have looked like.

Didn't know/remember that Jones was offered the role of Sisko, that's interesting. But to be fair, Jones was a legend in 1993. That would have been crazy if he accepted the role. And it would have certainly been different. Not sure if I would have liked it better though because it's hard for me to picture Jones in the role of Sisko. Brooks made Sisko so unique for me (I didn't find his acting "atrocious," just eccentric), so that comparison doesn't work for me. While I enjoyed Farrell's Dax, I can easily picture Famke in the role and I can see that role developing into something truly awesome in my mind. YMMV.

 

[2takesfrakes]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/trivia
"Among the actors to read for the role of Captain Sisko was Eriq La Salle who would later be cast as Dr. Peter Benton in ER (1994). James Earl Jones and Tony Todd were also offered the role. Todd (who originally appeared as Worf's brother Kurn on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)) would make two appearances on this series - both during Season Four; first as an elderly Jake Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Visitor (1995) and he also reprises his role of Kurn in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Sons of Mogh (1996)."

And yes, I agree, entirely that it's something to think about what DS9 might've been like, had Famke played Jadzia. I honestly didn't know that she was a contender for the role. I'm not even trying to argue for, or defend, Terry's having gotten the part, instead - even though I love her. It's very interesting, the way casting could've gone. Take any movie, like uhm ... hell, I don't know ... imagine Sir Sean Connery cast as Sybok. How would that have worked? Does TFF have to measure up to Connery, or does Connery have to play down to TFF? And yet, there's always this serendipity in casting where whomever gets the part put their mark on celluloid, that way.

 

[HIjol]

Man, that would have been a whole different show with James Earl!