Edward James Olmos as Commander William Adama on Battlestar Galactica. Photo copyright of Syfy.
In today's Sci-Fi Blast From The Past, veteran actor Edward James Olmos talks about playing Commander William Adama on Battlestar Galactica.
No one can ever accuse Battlestar Galactica’s Commander William Adama of being a quitter. For over a year he’s been leading a determined and seemingly endless fight to protect what remains of the human race from being wiped by the Cylons. This battle became a very personal one for Adama in the final seconds of the show’s first season when he was unexpectedly shot by Lt. Boomer, who turned out to be a Cylon sleeper agent. That scene caught most fans by surprise, and Edward James Olmos, who plays Adama, wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“First off, working on the two-part episode [Kobol’s Last Gleaming] that closed out last year was an extraordinary experience,” says the actor. “I truly appreciated the actual story and Michael Rymer, who directed the Battlestar miniseries that preceded the show’s first season, did a wonderful job on those two episodes as well. The cast, including myself, were amazed at the impact it had on us when we filmed the scene where my character is shot. What’s especially nice is that everyone involved with the series kept that a secret and didn’t talk about it outside of work. In doing so, the audience could really respect the scene, and I’m very grateful to those who made that possible.”
At that moment, Olmos is called away to shoot a scene for the second season Battlestar episode The Farm. The actor stands just out of camera range and in one of the open doorways to the Galactica’s command deck. Director Rod Hardy yells, ‘Action,’ and as Olmos walks into frame, a thunderous applause fills the air along with the sound of peoples’ voices chanting the name Adama. In this scene, the Galactica crew is celebrating the commander’s return to duty after almost losing him to Boomer’s (Grace Park) assassination attempt. Adama is genuinely moved by this show of support and, after a few words of thanks, says, “Let’s get back to work.” Although his voice sounds strong and he appears confident, Adama’s brush with death has left its mark on the man.
“I think viewers are going to find my character far more ‘confused’ this season,” muses Olmos. “We start to learn more about the abilities of the Cylons, and it really becomes difficult for humankind to deal with what they uncover about these creatures’ capabilities. So Adama is now struggling with the question, ‘How do we defeat these things?’ Meanwhile, there’s also the fact that he died twice on the operating table. A near-death experience usually changes a person and that’s definitely true here. Adama ends up with a different sense of balance and that makes it tough for those around him.
“My character has been driven to a point of trying to understand what happened while he was bedridden and in a coma,” he continues. “Adama isn’t in the first four episodes this season. Well, he is, but, again, he’s unconscious, and there’s been a lot going on. So he’s trying to figure out why certain individuals are behaving the way they are. In the episode we’re currently shooting, Adama takes back command of Galactica from Colonel Tigh [Michael Hogan], who’s been in charge during his absence. They’ve all had a rough time of it; there’s been a great deal of destruction, the unity of the fleet has been severely disrupted, and both Adama’s son Lee [Jamie Bamber] and President Roslin [Mary McDonnell] have disappeared.
“The situation is very bad, and quite tragic, and it takes a toll on Adama. Within a week of being back on duty he suffers a setback, and I’m amazed that the show’s producers and writers are doing this. They’re not trying to keep their heroes and heroines pristine at all, which I think is so smart. It makes the ordeal these people are facing all the more real to audiences.”
Last year on Battlestar, Adama knew that despite their differences, he could count on his son and the president as well as Colonel Tigh for their trust and support. In season two, however, that’s not always the case, at least at the beginning. How this will affect the characters is anyone’s guess, including Olmos’s.
“Those three relationships are truly the core of Adama’s soul, and they’re being extremely well drawn out this year,” notes the actor. “The writers are often writing right up to the day of shooting, so you don’t know exactly where these relationships are headed. Right now there’s a tremendous amount of discord and conflict among the characters, and that’s really helping drive the piece. As human beings there’s a very delicate line that you walk trying to embrace another person while at the same time guarding yourself. As actors, we’re having a wonderful time working on the level.
“The second season has just been extraordinary. They’ve been pushing the creative envelope insofar as what they’re asking us to do with our characters, and it’ll be interesting to see where it takes us. My only fear is that the writers won’t be able to sustain the intensity they’ve built up. People have really grown to appreciate the reality base of the show, and if that were to go then they’d be like, ‘Well, it was nice while it lasted.’ However, the writers are doing an incredible job and my instincts tell me they’ll continue doing so.”
An accomplished director and producer, Olmos had the opportunity last year to step behind the camera on Battlestar to direct the episode Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down. “One of the challenges with that story was that it was humorous, but it would’ve been a mistake to try to do it as a comedy,” explains the actor. “So the situations themselves had to be humourous. Another challenge is the amount of time you have to shoot an episode. It’s hard to do that in eight days, but luckily the actors on this show are so strong that they make it look easy. Directing is just a matter of documenting that work, so it was a very pleasant experience.
“I think the most rewarding scene in that episode for me is the one at the table where Colonel Tigh’s wife Ellen [Kate Vernon] almost seduces Adama’s son with her foot. I thought that was really well done by everybody and the cinematography was just beautiful. The funniest scene is where Baltar [James Callis] is making love to Number Six [Tricia Helfer] and Starbuck [Katee Sackhoff] walks in. Of course, no one else can see Six, so there’s Baltar with his pants down around his knees and looking like he’s humping the table. It’s absolutely hysterical.”
Having played Lt. Martin Castillo on Miami Vice, Olmos is familiar with working on a hit TV show. While Battlestar hasn’t quite yet attained the same pinnacle of success, it has captured the attention of a wide audience, a fact that pleases the actor to no end.
“I’m very excited that the mainstream press and media have embraced the series and commented on it,” he smiles. “Hopefully, they’ll stay with it and we can continue to evoke the feeling in people of wanting to stick around and watch more. I think the whole Sci-Fi world deserves this type of respect. This genre can be very motivational as well as provocative and ingenuous, and it would be a great shame to waste that.”
Steve Eramo
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