Michael Dorn on his feelings about DS9?

[T'Baio]

Has anyone ever heard or seen an interview where Michael Dorn discusses his feelings about DS9? I can't really find anything beyond lip service or other press stuff like "it was nice," "The Next Generation will always be my closer friends" and "I liked DS9." But are there any in depth interviews with him about it out there?

I'd really like to know what influenced his decision to go to DS9 and how the offer/idea came about, how he felt about his experience there compared to TNG and what his feelings about it all ended up being in the end. I think he would have a unique perspective on what the set was like in comparison to TNG, where we all know they loved each other and had a great time, party time, all the time.

 

[RyuRoots]

I can't remember where, but I remember seeing a video interview with him where he said that he took the offer to come to DS9 because he liked the idea of being able to further flesh out this character that he'd brought to life for seven years, something to that effect.

 

[od0_ital]

Wish I still had the TV Guide with the article about Michael Dorn joinin' the cast of DS9, just before 'Way of the Warrior' aired...

Not sure if it helps at all, but when he was at a Dallas scifi con back in '04, all he had were TNG 8x10s on his table to choose from. I went with an INS pic, and supplied a Worf/DS9 action figure for autographin'.

 

[ALF]

There must be an interview somewhere with that content.

Interesting query... although admittedly I was excited when I saw the thread was "Michael Dorn on his feelings.../". So I thought it would just be Dorn talking about emotions and how he feels about life and stuff. How often he cries, etc.

 

[Sykonee]

The DVDs have a few interviews with him for his Crew Dossier special feature (S4). Quite amusing anecdotes about things like having two trailers and getting to work with Farrell.

 

[DevilEyes]

I'd really like to know what influenced his decision to go to DS9 and how the offer/idea came about, how he felt about his experience there compared to TNG and what his feelings about it all ended up being in the end. I think he would have a unique perspective on what the set was like in comparison to TNG, where we all know they loved each other and had a great time, party time, all the time.

From the interviews and cons I always get the impression that the DS9 cast all loved each other and are still great friends and all unlike, say, the cast of VOY... (kind of ironic, since DS9 was a show with conflict on screen while the VOY crew were, on screen, one big happy family... )

 

[Deckerd]

I'd really like to know what influenced his decision to go to DS9 and how the offer/idea came about, how he felt about his experience there compared to TNG and what his feelings about it all ended up being in the end. I think he would have a unique perspective on what the set was like in comparison to TNG, where we all know they loved each other and had a great time, party time, all the time.

From the interviews and cons I always get the impression that the DS9 cast all loved each other and are still great friends and all unlike, say, the cast of VOY... (kind of ironic, since DS9 was a show with conflict on screen while the VOY crew were, on screen, one big happy family... )

The BBC did a retrospective some time in the '90s of the Star Trek phenomenon after TNG had ended, including interviews with the cast. One funny moment was Marina Sirtis and Michael Dorn being interviewed together. Sirtis mentioned 'trekkies' and Dorn said 'they're not trekkies, they're trekkers'. Sirtis said sorry and Dorn said don't let it happen again and then they both started corpsing.

I think some of the Voyager cast are still very good friends. These people are professionals from all over who get flung together for a gig. It's hardly surprising some don't get on and some form lifelong friendships. I don't know what else you expect.

 

[Trek Survivor]

From the interviews and cons I always get the impression that the DS9 cast all loved each other and are still great friends and all unlike, say, the cast of VOY... (kind of ironic, since DS9 was a show with conflict on screen while the VOY crew were, on screen, one big happy family... )

Interesting - I've heard the opposite. That there was a bit of friction between certain cast members of DS9, a lot of it stemming from how serious Avery Brooks could be. Wasn't there also some friction when Terry Farrell tried to rally others to demand a pay increase, they backed down and she was left standing alone, only to subsequently be kicked off at end of season six? (Sorry, she "chose to go" - but only because once making those sort of demands, you either back down and lose all face, or leave!)


Regarding Dorn, he mentions on one of the DVD extras that when he came to DS9 they were all nice people but they were all so serious, and the mood on set was deepy committed and serious, with little fun. He says he was warned "not to disturb Avery, Avery needs absolute concentration on set..." - Dorn's reaction was "yeah, right!" and he proceeded to inject his own element of fun and silliness.

Of course, he can be a bit full of himself, so take this with a pinch of salt!

Another thing he says is he doesn't feel DS9 quite mined as much of Worf as he thought they could have.

 

[GeorgeKirk]

I always thought he went to DS9 because he liked having a steady paycheck.

 

[Deckerd]

I always thought he went to DS9 because he liked having a steady paycheck.

You're saying that like he's different from every other actor on the planet.

 

[Ward Fowler]

^^ Yeah, my guess is that was the exact reason.

 

[John200]

Wonder if he considered doing Voyager.

 

[John200]

I always thought he went to DS9 because he liked having a steady paycheck.

Hell I would.

 

[Reverend]

I always thought he went to DS9 because he liked having a steady paycheck.

You're saying that like he's different from every other actor on the planet.

I'm pretty sure even a lot of non-actors like having a steady wage too.

 

[GeorgeKirk]

Wonder if he considered doing Voyager.

I imagine he would've done Barney the Dinosaur if the price was right.

 

[DevilEyes]

From the interviews and cons I always get the impression that the DS9 cast all loved each other and are still great friends and all unlike, say, the cast of VOY... (kind of ironic, since DS9 was a show with conflict on screen while the VOY crew were, on screen, one big happy family... )

Interesting - I've heard the opposite. That there was a bit of friction between certain cast members of DS9, a lot of it stemming from how serious Avery Brooks could be. Wasn't there also some friction when Terry Farrell tried to rally others to demand a pay increase, they backed down and she was left standing alone, only to subsequently be kicked off at end of season six? (Sorry, she "chose to go" - but only because once making those sort of demands, you either back down and lose all face, or leave!)

Well I suppose I really don't know a lot of stuff about the behind the scenes goings on on DS9, since I've never heard that Farrell was booted off the show, and I know that Brooks has the reputation of being serious, but I've never heard that people had issues with him over it. What exactly did you hear?

 

[doctorfoto]

The one word I remember over the years about the DS9 cast, in interviews and articles was "professional". From what I understand, while the TNG cast would regularly hang out and do things together off-set, the DS9 crew would come to work, shoot their scenes, and go home to their families.

That said, as I'm sure in any work environment, especially when everyone's working alongside each other for seven years, there's bound to be some friendships and some conflicts that form over that length of time. The Ferengi actors regularly hung out socially and to reherase. Brooks and Lofton were like father and son off-set, going to basketball games and whatnot, and Siddig and Visitor got married and had a child together. So I'm sure there was closeness between the cast members, but it may not have been as all-encompassing as TNG.

 

[Green Shirt]

I imagine he would've done Barney the Dinosaur if the price was right.

Yuck. "I did Barney" sounds more like gossip for Twitter than a line in an actor's resume'.

 

[BolianAuthor]

As a fan of both TNG, DS9, and also the show "CHiP's", I'd kind of be interested to know if there are also any interviews where he talks in some detail about his time on "CHiP's", or an interview with him taken during that show's run.

 

[DevilEyes]

The one word I remember over the years about the DS9 cast, in interviews and articles was "professional". From what I understand, while the TNG cast would regularly hang out and do things together off-set, the DS9 crew would come to work, shoot their scenes, and go home to their families.

That said, as I'm sure in any work environment, especially when everyone's working alongside each other for seven years, there's bound to be some friendships and some conflicts that form over that length of time. The Ferengi actors regularly hung out socially and to reherase. Brooks and Lofton were like father and son off-set, going to basketball games and whatnot, and Siddig and Visitor got married and had a child together. So I'm sure there was closeness between the cast members, but it may not have been as all-encompassing as TNG.

Nana Visitor has said in various interviews that shooting DS9 was amazing time for her the way college is for some people, that there were lots of wonderful and fun people and that she is still friends with many of them, and that going to cons is like a school reunion.

Isn't Andrew Robinson godfather to Visitor and Siddig's son? I also remember Siddig talking in interviews about the times when Colm Meaney used to take him to Irish pubs. Rene Auberjonois said in one of the DVD extras that he and Nana had become such good friends by season 6 that shooting a love scene seemed almost incestuous. Alaimo, Combs and Biggs seem to be quite close IRL. I got the impression that there was a lot of friendships on the set.