Second Tier Actors Not Returning?

[koenigrules]

Here's what we know so far:
the 6-7 principal actors have been given multiple year contracts if BSG goes several seasons;
Aaron Douglas has not received a second season contract yet, nor has any of the second tier actors.
MY source reports some have already started moving on to other jobs.
So the big question is: just how many of the second tier actors will remain on board the Galactica?
I should have more info in the next several weeks if any are definitely not returning.
Stay tuned to this board & the one at galactica.tv.
Let's hope the losses won't be too great, and that Aaron will return!
KR

[Daliden]

Surely that is just standard operating procedure for serial TV? Multi-year option contracts gotta be slightly more expensive, and you can stretch your budget only so far. On the other hand, multi-year options for the main characters are a must in any series that means to have more than one season. Most of the "second-tier" actors will not have completely full schedules anyway, even if they are in smaller parts in movies etc., so schedules can be arranged. If we do indeed get a second season, there's still plenty of time to get the bit-players in (you don't have to shoot the episodes in sequence, for example).

[ladyrheena]

Valid point, Daliden.

Hope they all come back anyway!

[bluegreenturtle]

I work in TV and film and can tell you for a fact that many times actors that are not principals never see a contract. It means nothing about the future of the show or the character's future on the show.

An example that I know of for sure for another Vancouver show (because he told me so) would be David Ogden Stiers on THE DEAD ZONE playing Rev Purdy. He appears in about 2/3 of the episodes but has never gotten a contract. I would say his character is about equivilant to Aaron Douglas's character in terms of show time. These guys will rarely get contracts.

Don't read into these things too far. Also don't take Aaron's comments about leaving as anything other than exactly what he said. He's got other work to do and he's not going to fart around waiting on something that isn't even going to film anymore for a while.

[mjm800]

I think Aaron Douglas is a fine actor but the last time I saw him in a film he was in I, Robot and I do not even think he spoke he just stood there.

I know he has been in other projects since then, but my point is that BSG is good for him and it would be unwise for him to move on unless BSG plans to write him out and I do not think that they plan on doing that anytime soon. He has a good character and an interesting subplot going on; therefore, unless they plan to resolve that in season one I suspect he will be back.

[caseOrange]

i always have a problem when any actors don't return in a storyline series--seriously. There's two reasons: One, i don't want to see their character written out of the story all because of a contract dispute, work schedule conflict, etc.; and two, i don't want to see another actor playing their character after i've already gotten used to the original actor.

Now, i guess the die-hard TOS fans could call me out on that second one because of all the switch-outs made in TNS; but IMO if a quarter-century had passed between Star Trek TOS and the first Star Trek movie, i'd have been OK with it if they'd had someone else playing Kirk, Spock, Scotty, etc.

Maybe everyone who opts out of the next season can be sleeper Cylons!