Katee Sackhoff Talks BSG Season 4

One of the most compelling figures in "Battlestar Galactica" is easily Kara Thrace, A.K.A. Starbuck. Originally treated by fans with some suspicion - mostly surrounding the idea that their beloved Starbuck could work as a chick - actress Katee Sackhoff successfully transformed the hard-drinking, seriously crazy fighter pilot into a fan favorite. She followed this success up with a turn as Sarah Corvus, the evil sex-bomb villain on David Eick's "Bionic Woman," and while that show might have been a loser, there's no question that she stole every scene she was in. In preparation for the anticipated return of "Battlestar Galactica," Sackhoff sat down with journalists to discuss her status as a sci-fi icon, and what's in store for Starbuck in the final season. (Couple spoilers ahead, but probably none that you haven't heard already.)

How satisfying is it to have won over the naysayers who thought that Starbuck could never be a woman?
It is completely gratifying in a sense. I think for the full, you know, the full reason that it's nice to have people identify with the character that you’re playing and appreciate the work you’re doing. I don’t think I went into this trying to win over the old fans because I think that you can’t ever please everyone...
...and I didn’t want to focus on people that were all ready in a sense, you know, spewing negative energy at me. So I just kind of, you know, did what I did and it’s nice to know that they’ve, you know, some of them have been converted but, you know, and I guess it is a little gratifying to know that, you know…For all the people who said I couldn't - you know, that it wouldn’t work with a woman. It’s kind of nice to know that it did work for sure.

Which is harder; love scenes or sex scenes?
I would say that the sex scenes are a lot harder than I think anything that I’ve ever had to do on the show. Because it’s not natural, it's just odd, it's very odd. It makes you kind of feel cheap. Like you’re being paid to or being allowed to in a sense cheat on your significant other. It’s very weird. It - so that definitely is weird. But the fight scenes are really easy and they come pretty naturally for me to be honest. But, so no I can’t - I mean, who would I want to fight on the show? Still thinking about not wanting to do the other thing with. I don’t know. I think I’ve fought everybody. I think, you know, I can’t think of anyone. I haven’t fought Sharon so I’ll go ahead and say that. I think that a fight between Eddie and I would be pretty interesting.

What did you think of the way Starbuck's "death" was handled?
I don’t know. I mean, I know that you can only keep a secret a secret for so long. I know that as soon as I showed back up at work, it was going to be on the internet but back up at work and also, you know, I mean, I do think they should have left me out until the very end. I think bringing Starbuck back in episode 16 kind of like, what the hell was that, you know. Why not, you know, wait until 20. But, you know, I guess, in Ron’s mind he had a bigger cliffhanger and I guess, you know, to have a bigger cliffhanger than Starbuck coming back from the dead is, you know, only Battlestar Galactica could pull that off. So, you know, I don’t know. I mean, would definitely have told the main cast from the very beginning, you know, having to deal with all of that with the crew and the cast and you know, it was really - it’s not something that I’d like to do again. That’s for sure.

Are there messages hidden in the “Last Supper” photoshoot?
No. You know it’s interesting that everyone thinks that there’s something hidden in that Last Supper photo like if you look hard enough you can find there's hidden messages in it. To be honest I think we would have had to have been in on it to create a hidden message and we were all just there having a photo shoot. So, I don’t, I mean, it is interesting the way people are standing for sure, I mean, you know, the plastic sheath with Anders is interesting but - so I don’t know. And the fact that they made Tricia the messiah is pretty interesting too.

How does the cast feel about the show ending?
Well, I can’t speak for the rest of the cast so I don’t know how they're feeling. As far as how I’m feeling, like, it’s interesting. Like, you know, there’s a side to me that actually, you know, the selfish side of you that wants to go on and, you know, play different roles so there’s an excitement, that kind of, I think brewing for everyone in a sense, you know, we kind of, you know, get to go off and play these new characters or, you know, hopefully and, you know, that’s why you became an actor is to, you know, to not play the same character for ten years.

So it’s kind of nice, I think that it is sad just because I don’t think - the work environment on Battlestar Galactica is absolutely amazing and I don’t think it’s something that comes along a lot and, you know, I’ve done so many canceled television shows I can tell you that it's not normal to enjoy going to work and to enjoy the people you work with. So I know that that - chances are I’m never going to find that again so that’s sad as well. But you know as far as moving on with the show, I don’t think that’s really - I’m really going to feel the pain of it until the very end.

Would you be mad if you turned out to be a Cylon?
Well I think the reason the four actors were upset about being Cylons is that I think, you know, you play for years making choices as a character and then to realize all those choices you made would have been different had you known. It’s interesting, it’s kind of like, you know, you get the wool pulled over your eyes for four years and then lo and behold, you know, your character’s something completely different. So that’s, you know - but I would be completely indifferent. I think, you know, I have love for this character and I think we all do as far as everyone for their character on the show, but I - they were pretty angry. I still think Michael Hogan hasn’t come to terms with it. I don’t think he’s ready to accept it yet.

How was it being directed by Ron Moore?
I’ve got to say he’s the first director I’ve ever worked with that after every take he says thank you. And I noticed that because it’s not something - I think what the crew does, what an actor does, at times can be overlooked because it’s what we're supposed to do and to have someone thank you after every take is very interesting. I found that, you know, after a take I stood a little taller, I was a little happier and I was like wow, that must have been really good. Even though I didn’t ask him because God forbid, he said no I was just saying thank you, but that was shit Katee. You’re going to have to go again. So he was a great director. Granted I only had one scene with him but one thing that I noticed that I’ve never had happen before and it goes to - speak to his character as a person. He’s a fantastic man.

Will Lee and Kara ever work?
I don’t know. You know, I don’t think that Lee and Kara will ever be happy together. I don’t think that - I don’t think they’re meant to be together, you know. I think that they’re meant to be best friends, they’re meant to push each other, they’re meant to have those arguments that drive you, you know, that’s the purpose that I feel that they serve in each other's lives. I don’t think that they were ever meant to love each other. So, you know, with that being said, I don’t think they’ll ever end up together, I never did really, you know.

I think I said earlier, I think it was in an interview yesterday, where I said if anyone is fitting for her and if there’s anyone that she would actually allow herself to be happy with and be with, it’d probably be Leoben, you know. Anders is too weak for her emotionally. Lee is too much of a boy scout. He makes her feel guilty for her anger and her - who she is, you know, her faults. He makes her feel guilty just by being who he is. And so if there was any person that she could let her guard down with and be happy with, probably Leoben.

What did you think of the prophecy in "Razor" that Starbuck was the harbinger of doom?
I think that when I read that very end I went, of course she is. Like what else could happen to Starbuck, I’m like, come on, you know, lay it all on me. The worst possible thing and there you have it, fantastic, she’s going to kill everybody, great. I think that that is something that has been carried through the entire season so far. As far as whether or not anyone knows, you’re going to have to wait and find out on what it really means, you know. It could mean so many different things.

What prop are you going to keep?
That’s easy. I’m getting in my flight suit with my helmet and my gun belt and driving home. I’m going to bronze that f-ing thing, I swear to God. I’m going to bronze it and put it in my bathtub so every time someone comes over and showers, they have to stand next to that flight suit. It was hell for so many years that it’s only appropriate that I get to take it with me. Granted I have to drive over a border so maybe I’ll put the guns in the trunk and write prop on them.

Comments

[sungoddess]

I love you Katee, and I love Mee Vee, but someone needs to edit out those "you knows". It is seriously distracting to read.

[Dinah]

I agree, great interview if only there hadn't been 38 give or take " you know " in it. How come it wasn't edited? If I made a drinking game out of this interview and the rule was to drink when you read the words " you know ", I'd be 3 sheets to the wind half way through!!!!!