We finally got to see the Goa’uld System Lords and their full strength in SG-1’s “Summit” and “Last Stand”, and actor Kwesi Ameyaw was on full display as Olokun! We are privileged to sit down with the actor to talk about his role in this pivotal two-parter as well as his appearance in the Stargate Atlantis episode, “Outcast.”

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Timecodes
0:00 – Opening Credits
0:30 – Welcome
0:55 – Guest Introduction
01:25 – Kwesi and “Children of the Gods”
05:54 – Mysterious Ways
12:42 – “Summit” and “Last Stand”
17:43 – The Goa’uld System Lord Summit
21:32 – SGA’s “Outcast”
22:27 – Advice for Aspiring Actors
32:43 – Returning in New Stargate
34:13 – A Role Kwesi Didn’t Expect To Get
36:11 – Thoughts on AI and the Industry
38:48 – Theater
40:37 – New Cities, New Stories
42:05 – Final Destination 5 and TRON
42:57 – Kwesi and Nellie
44:09 – Post-Interview Housekeeping
45:52 – End Credits

***

“Stargate” and all related materials are owned by MGM Studios and MGM Television.

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TRANSCRIPT
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David Read:
Good day, everyone. And welcome to episode 291 of Dial the Gate. The Stargate Oral History Project. My name is David Read. Kwesi Ameyaw, who played the Goa’uld Olokun, the System Lord in Stargate SG-1, and he was also a Tactical Sergeant in Stargate: Atlantis’s Outcast, is joining me today. And this is a gentleman I’ve been wanting to have on for a long time, because Summit and The Last Stand, Kwesi, were my favorite episodes for years. That whole Goa’uld Mardi Gras was so freaking cool. And I’ve been wanting to have you on for a while now, sir. So, thank you for being here with me. How are you doing?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Thank you for having me. I’m doing well. Thank you. Yeah, time flies. I remember that, like, it was yesterday, but it really was not. It was quite a while ago. That was 2001 when I shot that.

David Read:
I wanna step back a little bit and get to know you first as a person. When did you fall in love with the craft? When did you know this was something that you had to do? And tell me about your journey as an actor.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Wow, that’s a big question. I guess in high school is when I became aware that it was something that I really loved. But I didn’t put it together that it was a job that a person could actually do until a couple of years later. And ironically, it was on the set of Stargate SG-1. I had moved to Vancouver. I finished high school in in Calgary, Alberta, and I’d moved to Vancouver. And at that time, a lot of people I knew were working on film sets, because the film industry was nascent, and there was a lot of work for people. There was a lot of work. And they needed a lot of people that they could rely on. And one of the gigs that I got was as a soldier on, I think, it was actually the first episode of SG-1.

David Read:
Children of the Gods? You were involved in that?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
I’m not sure what the episode was called, but I just remember it was a new show, and they were looking for big guys to be soldiers. And the very first scene that we shot, the gate was opening, and we were all just firing guns at it. I don’t know what episode that was.

David Read:
Were there guards coming through?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Well, because it was all visual effects, so, at our angle, we were just firing at this thing. And then I don’t know what happened.

David Read:
OK. How many days did you shoot that?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
That was, like, a week of shooting. And I remember I had spent the summer doing that kind of work, like, just, you know, contracts here and there. And that was one of those gigs that I got. And it was a week of work, and I worked with some really interesting, experienced, knowledgeable people that actually had tactical experience and were showing us how to handle these guns and these weapons and stuff. And I was really impressed by the experience. And I remember getting a paycheck from that, and kind of being shocked that I was actually getting paid money to do that, because it had just been so much fun. So, from there, that was kind of the spark that, “OK, well, this is a job that people actually do this, and I just have to figure out how to get more.” And, you know, that was, like, 1990…

David Read:
1997 [is] when the show started. The first director was Mario Azzopardi. So, if that’s him, then that’s it.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, that was 96ish. And then I stopped doing that work. I went to school to study it. At that point, I wasn’t necessarily convinced that I could make a living doing this. So, I thought I better just get a proper job. And so, I went to the university to get my undergrad, and I was gonna pursue going to law school. And then what happened is, I met up some people in the theater department, and I took a class and ended up doing a play that was part of some guy’s masters project, and it was David Mamet.

David Read:
Oh, man. That’s not insubstantial.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Right. But that just blew my mind. “Oh, wow, this is it. This is what I wanna do.” And it went from there. So, I ended up finishing my undergrad where I studied theater and political science, as opposed to political science, which would have taken me to law school. And I got an agent towards the end of my undergrad, and I just started auditioning, and that was it. I just kept on it. And there was some feast and famine. That’s just the nature of the business. But I just refused to give up, even though my mother would have liked it if I had, I think, at some point. But I just kept on it. And one of the shows that I was always auditioning for was Stargate. Eventually, they gave me a job in summer of 2001 which is what we’re talking about right now, which was the Olokun role.

David Read:
Before I get to Olokun, is there any specific role, Kwesi, where you took on a part that changed you or helped shape you or adjusted your perspective on what you were dealing with, or something that profoundly impacted you in a way that you weren’t expecting or didn’t necessarily see coming? Have you been blessed with such a role?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
I think every role, in some way, adjusts your humanity, because it makes you see things from a different point of view. So, to pick out something specific, I think that same year that I did the Olokun role, I did a role on a show called Mysterious Ways, where I played the son of a traditional healer in an African village who has to make a decision about whether he’s gonna follow the old traditions, or try and carve out his own path. And that really spoke to me, because I was really reflective of my life at that moment in terms of choosing a career path that wasn’t traditional. There was no notebook that I could refer to. I really had to blaze my own trail, so to speak. So that role was profoundly effective to me. I don’t know if that episode of that show worked out for other people, but for me, that was a turning point in the sense of, I understood that acting is a craft, and that it’s something that a person has to really dedicate themselves to, and that, if you take the work seriously, the work will take you seriously. [This] is a way that I kind of metabolize that, I guess.

David Read:
When you mentioned… When you spoke of your mother and your career path… My folks who are watching, I have had those conversations in the past [with them], and there’s, of course, a balance of honoring what they want in your life but also maintaining your own sanity. And they’re not wrong when they say that you have to provide for yourself here, but you also have to provide yourself in here and in here. And how you walk your path through life is always kind of a dance through that, unless we are extraordinarily successful in what it is that we do creatively. That is a blessing. But you can have it both ways if you’re willing to put in the work. I Uber when I’m not doing this to make ends meet but I also get to do this, and I think that it’s important that we don’t ignore the creative threads in our life that wanna help us weave through this journey.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
I think you said it really well. Unless it’s blindingly obvious that you’re super successful, people are gonna worry about you because they care about you. And it’s not a matter of they don’t want what’s… They want what’s best for you, but they also want what’s safest for you, because they don’t wanna see you struggle. No one wants to see you in pain or in anguish because things aren’t working out the way that you want them to. But like you said, you’re the only person that knows your heart and knows your journey. And at some point, I think… One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in life is that you have to really have faith in something, and faith is in believing things that you can’t see, but that you can feel. And that’s not about what somebody else tells you or what other people perceive. It’s about you and what you perceive, and, obviously, within reason. I mean, we know people that sometimes believe in the wrong thing, and that doesn’t work out, but I think a person has to have a reasonable sense of faith and willingness to go out and chase their dreams down. And sometimes you trip, and you fall, but you get back up and you keep moving towards it. And having that mentality that it’s possible, I think, is so important. And it’s hard. It’s like I said, it’s feast or famine. And when you’re in the middle of a dry season, it can be really difficult to believe that things are gonna work out, but it’s really important to do so because you have to be your best friend. You have to have your own back. And what I’ve learned more than anything else through this journey, is that I’m the only person who can give myself faith. You know what I mean.

David Read:
Truly decide. If you’ve been blessed with instincts that have proven themselves in the past, if you don’t explore them when they present themselves with an opportunity again, sometimes you can never get over it. You can chew on it and say, “Oh, gosh, I wish I had just tried. What would it have cost to just try, as long as I was still taking care of myself? What would it have cost to have just pivoted and do this?” And with anyone listening to this, always pursue your instincts, because you can always dust yourself off and try again.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Exactly. And I think we just live in a world where there’s so much possibility. I mean, right now, we’re living in a time where there’s a lot of skepticism and concern about what’s gonna happen. But you gotta put some of that aside, and you really just gotta bear down on what it is that you believe in, and what you’re working towards and use everything that comes your way as if it was part of your journey, as if it was meant for you to get stronger. I always like to look at… I say this now because I’m in in a good mood, but sometimes obstacles will come my way, and I like to think that this obstacle is, like, when I go to the gym and I pick up some weights. You know what I mean? This is making me stronger. It’s an opportunity for me to develop my skills and to really… If I move past this, there’s gonna be something great on the other side of it. And so, trying to keep that mentality, I think, is really important. You gotta keep your head up. It’s so easy to give up, but it’s so much better to keep fighting.

David Read:
That’s exactly right. Tell me about returning to Stargate as Olokun. Who was this guy? What did this look like on the page when you were auditioning for him?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Wow. So again, this was 2001 and we’re in 2020. So, this is a long time ago, and I’m pulling memories to recall. I remember I had auditioned for Stargate SG-1 numerous times. So much so that I knew all the faces behind this. When you go into the room and they’d be sitting behind a desk, it was very kind of an intimate situation. And I had gone in there many, many times, and I believe that for this role, because I had been in there a few times, and because I had developed a familiarity with some of the producers and directors, I don’t know that I had to audition for this role. I don’t know how it actually came about, but I believe that this role was offered to me. But I don’t really remember.

David Read:
So, this was Martin Wood directing.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
That’s Martin Wood. Exactly.

David Read:
This is the fifth season at this point, and he’s been with the show since day one as an assistant director and a producer. So, I’m not surprised, especially if you’ve already established a rapport with these folks, and you come in and it’s like, “This is his right here.” I completely get that. So, what was that like?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
So, he’s been one of those people that has just been a real[ly] bright light in in this industry and I think he’s been supportive of a lot of people. I’m not just speaking for myself when I say this. He’s one of those people that just gives an actor a lot of confidence, and a lot of… He’s just a really positive, knowledgeable person. So, when he gives you that, “I believe in you. Let’s go for it,” you believe in yourself. And so, I feel, like, I had a lot of that energy, of “Yeah, let’s do this. I feel really good about this.” And then again, the concept wasn’t really revealed to me until I basically showed up for work. Actually, no, I showed up for wardrobe fitting, and then I started to get a picture of what we were doing.

David Read:
What was that picture? What did that look like? I’m sure you didn’t just see your costume. You probably saw some of the others. It’s like, “What is this gonna be?”

Kwesi Ameyaw:
I think I saw renderings of the others. And if I had my photo album ready, I could show you a picture of what I was wearing. But I basically had a sarong, and then I was shirtless, and then I had these things on my arms, and then I had this crown, I think. I can’t really recall.

David Read:
Kind of, like, a band with a golden piece on it.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
That’s it.

David Read:
Bad ass.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah. So, from your perspective, that’s how it looked. From my perspective, I wasn’t sure that it was gonna look silly. But I also knew that I was working with serious people, and they had a vision that I just needed to fall in line [with] and deliver on that vision. Because I couldn’t see the whole picture. And that’s also what happens as an actor a lot of times, is that you get to see what you’re gonna… It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. And so, you know what your piece is gonna be but you don’t know how the whole picture is gonna come together. So, you just have to have faith that, “I’m gonna play my role. I’m gonna be my piece,” and that the rest of the picture will come together. And I might feel a little awkward in the moment, but that’s OK. It’s not about me. There’s something greater that we’re working on. And when I saw the episode later, I was, like, “Oh, wow. OK, I get it. These guys, they knew what they were doing.” So, I’m glad I just trusted them and went for the ride. It was pretty cool. And then later on, when other people would see it, and they would get a message and be, like, “Wow, no, I saw that SG-1 that was pretty cool.” I remember a friend of a friend of a friend was in Vegas, and he turned on the TV and he saw that episode. And there may have been some psychedelics involved, but he was really blown away by that. So that was pretty cool.

David Read:
I can only imagine. I can certainly get the impression of being, “Oh gosh. Part of me feels like an idiot.” But in terms of the costume and everything else, if this isn’t done right, this can really be cheesy. What was it like in that room full of heavy hitters? The great Cliff Simon, may he rest in peace. Vince Crestejo. Anna-Louise Plowman. When the dialogue was coming to life, did you feel any of that at any point on set, like, “This is a big deal. Everyone coming together here. These are the true adversaries of the protagonists in this series.”

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Again, it’s, like, you show up for work. You just wanna make sure you’re on time. You wanna make sure that you know what your words are. You wanna make sure that you’re delivering the dialogue correctly and with the right inflection, where you want them to be. You wanna make sure that when the director has a note for you, that you’re able to incorporate that. So those are the things that are processing in my mind. You don’t really have time to think about, “Oh, this person is this person.” And I’ve been star struck before, don’t get me wrong, but in that moment, there was something about…

David Read:
You’re doing a good job.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah. There was just this thing of, like, these guys finally trusted me [and] I gotta deliver. So, I didn’t wanna show any sense of nervousness or fear. Because that character just didn’t have any. There was no nerves. There was no fear. There was no second guessing. This character knew exactly what he was doing. And there was a confidence and a self-assuredness that I had to bring into that room. And so even though I did feel not necessarily outmatched or anything like that, there’s a certain intimidation factor. Let’s say because, like you say, there are some heavy hitters in the room, and you wanna make sure that you show up and you deliver. And so that was the only intimidation factor for me. But I felt like I took that, and I put that into my work, and that was, for me, the most important thing. And also, I think, at the time, at that moment in time, I was doing a play as well. I worked on the show during the day and then I’d go rehearse at night. So, I didn’t really have time to reflect on being intimidated or being scared or being nervous. I was really just trying to make sure I hit my marks and got everywhere I needed to be and did the job.

David Read:
There is a certain amount of just relying on the people around you to help uplift you. And just taking a part in the process, you can pinch yourself later for doing a specific assignment. But I completely get where you just kind of let yourself go and do your thing and then hope that the work speaks for itself.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
That’s it. And there are certainly… Like I said, there was an awareness that this is a big show, and that a lot of people watch it, and there was a certain pressure in the air. But like I said, my top priority was get to where I need to be on time, make sure I know my lines, be present, so that I can be receptive to whatever I need to be told, or whatever I need to hear, and do the job. And ultimately, it was a really memorable experience. It was a fantastic experience in terms of just feeling, like… From the kid who did that David Mamet play five years earlier to being on set with these big shots. It felt good. It felt really good. And I wanted to earn that feeling.

David Read:
Absolutely. There was an Atlantis appearance that you had briefly in Season Four’s Outcast, where you were actually on Earth this time. You were playing a tactical sergeant. Same kind of feeling, same kind of group of people behind the scenes, but different group of people in front of the camera. Any memories from Atlantis?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, there was a different group of people in front of the camera, but the director was Andy Mikita. And he’s someone that I also had known for years and years from being on sets, and so it was a very good feeling. I felt really like part of the company, even though I was only there for a few days. It felt really good to play that role, and I had fun with it. And just a really good memory. A good experience.

David Read:
Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to enter the industry at this stage, especially with how the industry has transformed post-COVID in terms of getting an assignment? I had long conversations with actors about how this is completely different now. Do you have any advice for them at this stage?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
The industry has changed so much from when I first started. [But] the same fundamental principles still apply. You have to develop your craft. You have to take the work seriously. What’s different now is that the way to get opportunities has changed. So, you’re not being called into auditions the way we used to be. You’re submitting tapes and so there’s a sort of vacuum feeling that comes from that, because you don’t know who’s watching these tapes. You don’t know. When I would go to auditions, when I was getting started out, you would do a take, and then the casting director would say, “OK, try it again. But try this.” So that kind of interaction was so crucial because you needed that to develop and to understand that, “OK. So, I read this and I interpreted like that, but oh, there’s a different way of doing it.” So now you’re in this vacuum, and it’s a little bit harder. So, I would say to anyone who’s starting out now [that] you really gotta double down on your craft. Find a good place to study. Find a good group of people to surround yourself with. Because the other thing too is that if you have to do self-tapes, which is sort of how it is now, it’s, like, this self-service model of getting work. You need people around you that can help you, and then you can help [them]. And to have a community of people that that you can work with when you need to do self-tape in a short amount of time, because that can start to cost money. And when I was first starting out, the cost that was associated with it was, you got to get your head shots, and you have to pay for your demo reel. And now we’re not using headshots as much because we’re not going and delivering them the way we used to. But you still need to develop promotional materials. So, if you can get a demo reel together so that people can see what kind of work you do and you do need to have sort of a budget for self-taping. If you don’t have a friend who can help you do a self-tape, and you need to go and hire a studio to do that. You need to have resources for that as well. And I think the biggest thing that I wish someone had told me is that you cannot do this for money. And what I mean by that is that if that is your priority, you will be done. You will be done in six months or a year. You’re gonna go find something else to do. Because the money is wonderful when you start to book and whatnot. But if you’re counting on that, and you’re taking that into the audition, and you’re taking that energy into the situation, it can weigh down your work. So, I’d say the biggest thing that I wish someone had told me was, “Don’t make money your priority.” Make sure that you have, whatever it is, if it’s a side hustle or a side gig, whatever it is, so that you can just keep your expenses paid. You don’t have to live lavishly. But you got to live and it costs money to live, and it’s not gonna get cheaper, so you got to make sure that your needs are taken care of, so that when you do this work, it comes from your heart and it doesn’t come from a need. It comes from just what you love and what you really wanna do. And I think people understand that, but it’s a tough lesson to learn. I remember when I was first starting, I’d do some voice work as well. And one of my first jobs was a voiceover job for a company in the state somewhere, and it was a great gig. It was just a couple of lines of dialogue, and then I was gonna get a couple of thousand dollars for it. And I was, “Great. That’s fantastic. I don’t have to do anything else now. This will be my job.” And for whatever reason, that check didn’t show up for three months.

David Read:
Oh, God. You need that. You can’t eat air.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
But this is the lesson I learned from that experience. Because I spent those three months calling every day, like, “Did it come yet? Did it come yet?” Where [what] I should have been doing is, I should have had something else going on. Let that money come when it came, be happy that I got that gig, and just be on to the next thing. Because if you’re letting money hold you up like that, it can really be problematic.

David Read:
You’re just back to square one. Once it arrives, then what do you do?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Exactly. Don’t let money be in your priorities. If you’re starting up as an actor, don’t let that be in your priorities. Let that be somewhere further down. Do this because you love it. Pursue it because you love it. Develop your craft because you love it. And then people will pick up on that. People will pick up on the energy of genuine, sincere artistry, as opposed to… They used to call it the desperation is the worst cologne.

David Read:
Because people give it off. I get it there. Since COVID, I think there’s a couple of things that I, and talking with all of you, have noticed in that one of the cool things about it is that the casting directors can cast a wider net in terms of the number of people that they can see. The cool thing about it is also that you’re not spending money on gas as much. You may be spending more time trying to figure out the interpretation that you want, because you’re not allowed to pivot over a tape. And also, the other thing I’ve heard is that, instead of sitting with you for several minutes, they’re now looking at 30 seconds of a tape that you’ve made several minutes long and spent eight to ten hours, maybe more, developing. It’s a little scary.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
And there’s this Wizard of Oz phenomenon that’s occurred. We don’t really know what’s happening when the wizard gets taped. Is he looking at it or does he have a 100 tapes? And there’s still that. But having said that, people are still working. People are still booking jobs. So, this model does work, in some way. And again, you’re right. There are some advantages to not having to drive across town in rush hour traffic to deliver two minutes of dialogue and then driving another half hour to come home and then kicking yourself because you didn’t say it the way you wanted to.

David Read:
That’s true.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
The self-tape does have some advantages, but there is something to be said about being in a room with people and then being able to just kind of size you up and get a sense of you. If you’re gonna spend 10 to 12 hours a day with someone for a few days, you wanna know what they’re like. And there have been stories that I’ve heard where people have been hired off of self-tapes, and then they show up on set, and they fall apart. Because they were able to do that self-tape 30 times because they had that luxury. But when you’re on set, we need to get this because of this light, [or] it’s starting to rain. That kind of pressure, for some people, is really daunting. And for the people that are professionals and have been doing this, that’s kind of what we thrive on. I say “we” because I’d like to put myself in that category. But, you know, it’s hard. It’s not easy. But I know that for myself, that was a part of my initiation process into this business. I would say [it] is having difficult situations where you had to deliver because of exigent circumstances, whether it’s light or weather or a location, we need to wrap this up and understanding that you got to get this because if you don’t, it’s a domino effect. And not taking that pressure personally but, understanding that this is my job.

David Read:
And when you are brought into the room with people, with a casting director and perhaps the director of an episode, depending on how far along you go in the process, you are given an opportunity to show how you respond under pressure. Whereas when you’re at home making that tape, you can make the tape until you get it just right. But what about your first pass at the material? What about your first instinct? You’re always gonna have another version of it, another interpretation of it. What about your first instinct? That’s where, I think, as a creative person, it would get me. Like Stephen King has always said, “You can pull out your thesaurus and find another word.” There’s always gonna be another word. But what about your first instinct? It’s kind of wild.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
It’s true. And having said all that, obviously, when you get on set, you have a rehearsal process. The camera’s got to figure out where it’s gonna go, the sound man has to figure out where he or she can stand without obstructing things. So, there’s a lot of adjustments that have to occur. But as an actor, our job is to, when it’s time to go, you gotta be ready and you gotta deliver. And when all these other elements are in place, if you’re still kind of fumbling a little bit, you can delay the process. I never wanna be that guy.

David Read:
Absolutely. I got a couple of fan questions for you. Raj Luthra, “Were Stargate to return in some new way, shape or form, would you be interested in pursuing it in some kind of a role?” Would that be something that you’d be willing to look into?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Well, I mean, this is a show with multiple universes and possibilities so there’s always a possibility for another Stargate. And I’d always be open to working with these guys. I was a kid who grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation.

David Read:
So, you’re a sci-fi fan?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Oh yeah.

David Read:
Great show.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
I watch it even now, and 30 years later, it’s still fantastic. And it’s something about a combination of the performances and the writing, it just all came together like a symphony. And so, if the Stargate people were gonna do something again, I feel like they were on that same trajectory in terms of just really great writing and adding great performers. And I would love to be a part of that, for sure.

David Read:
Absolutely. Have you seen any of Ron[ald D.] Moore’s stuff ever since? Battlestar Galactica. For All Mankind. He’s so good. And all that came out of TNG.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah. These are very prolific people. If you get to work with them or be near some of these people, it’s a privilege.

David Read:
Marcia Middleton, “Throughout your many auditions, was there a role that you were surprised to get, that you weren’t expecting to?” It’s, like, “You know what? I’m gonna take a crack at this and we’re gonna see what happens,” and “Oh, I got it.”

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, there’s been a few like that where I thought, “Well, it would probably go that way.” And then it came to me, and I was a little bit surprised. I just can’t think of the name of the show right now, but it’s happened a few times, definitely where I was surprised but pleased. There was a role I played on Luther. Lucifer. Lucifer, sorry. That was shot in Vancouver 10 years ago, there was a role on… The biggest surprise of my career, personally, was the show Legends of Tomorrow, where I got to play Dr. Mid-Nite. And that was a show that I literally got the audition, and I read it, and I thought, “This is fantastic, but I will never get this. But I’ll do the audition because it’s fantastic.” And then I got it. It was, like, “Wow, OK.” I was just, like, a contest winner for the rest of the gig. It was really fantastic. And then that turned into something really special, too. I really enjoyed that one.

David Read:
That just goes to show. Never doubt. Never not try. If it’s something you really want, put yourself in front of it. At least you can play it for yourself.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, that was it. And I remember reading the script and thinking, “This is fantastic, but they’ll never give it to me. But you know what, I’m just gonna have fun with this, and I’m just gonna do it for myself.” And that was probably the biggest lesson that I could take out of that is that you should always just do it for yourself, and if it comes back to you, that’s a bonus, but if it doesn’t, you did it for yourself so you didn’t lose anything.

David Read:
Absolutely. Stargate: Seed, “Any thoughts on AI and the industry, as far as storytelling and AI replicating the likenesses of actors? Perhaps thoughts on de-aging?” Curious if you have any impressions this point at this stage?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
It’s still such a nascent realm of technology that it’s hard to tell how this is gonna really unfold. My gut instinct is that storytelling is always gonna be a fundamentally human experience. So, whether that is in a theater or whether that is on a TV screen or a movie screen, you’re gonna need people. You know what I mean? There’s only so much that AI can do. But having said that, there is a lot that AI can do. I’m just like everybody else. I’m wondering what will happen. But in the meantime, I do feel, like, you’re never really gonna eliminate humans from this process. I think that storytelling is heart to heart. You know what I mean? It’s not machine to human. We’ll see what happens. Famous last words. But my belief is that people are still gonna be necessary for a while. Actors, storytellers, that need is not gonna go away. There will be an adjustment. There will be some changes, like things have changed. We’ve seen it. But I believe that people are gonna be necessary for a long time.

David Read:
I’ve been seeing these videos online… The stuff that social media throws at me, it’s, like, “Why am I getting this?” People pulling these creatures from the ocean, like, they’ve caught something, and they’re these completely alien things. And as you know, they sit them down. We got one guy [who] sat something down in the deck. It began to turn into smoke underneath. And I was, like, “This machine is dreaming. These are the similar images that I have when I [dream].” Nothing is fluid or makes any sense. It’s always transformative. You need a human being to make things concrete. I’m sure we can have them do some of the more mundane stuff, but you need a human to be creative. Otherwise, it’s just soup.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah. These tools are helpful and they will certainly be useful as time goes on, but they are tools, nonetheless. I don’t think they’re gonna make the decisions for us.

David Read:
Absolutely. Anything that we should be on the lookout for you, Kwesi? Anything that you would like to leave us with? We’re all hoping for Stargate to come back at some point in time here. You’re obviously a sci-fi fan. What do you want us to be on the lookout for? Where do you think we’re going in terms of what comes next with the artistry?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
For me, right now, the last year has been doing some theater. I’ve [been] doing some really great plays, and I’ve really enjoyed that. So that’s not something you’ll see on screen, but I have done some really fun work on screen in terms of… I don’t know my resume in front of me, so I always forget the names of these things. But I just finished a Lifetime movie called Nobody Dumps My Daughter, which is airing on Lifetime. And I also just finished a movie called A Family Affair, which I’m not sure [but] I think it’s an independent. But I’m not sure where it will be shown. And there’s been some voice over work and constantly auditioning. There’s a new show in town called Tracker that’s being filmed in Vancouver, and I’ve been putting out some auditions for that as well. So, we’ll see what happens. And we’re at the end of November now, so things kind of tend to wind down a little bit as we get into the holiday season. But I feel really optimistic about 2025, in terms of what’s possible and what’s gonna be coming our way. I feel like now that the strike talk is behind us and that we’re well ahead. COVID is well behind us as well. I feel, like, 2025 is the first year that we can all really move forward. Hopefully, you know, knock on wood.

David Read:
I love all the independent stuff that is now coming about, where a lot of these other cities are coming online with content. It’s not just Los Angeles. Vancouver was one of the first places to really start getting back into it. I was in LA, doing some work at private locations, and trying to get in touch on Dial the Gate with a lot of the folks in Vancouver. It’s, like, “We’re already back working.” I was thrilled to hear it. You guys got the protocols in place, and you just got trucking. I don’t think anyone will ever starve working out of Vancouver, especially with all this independent stuff that’s now coming online. More opportunities for unique, diverse stories and work. I think things are gonna continue to stay busy.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, I think you’ve said it really well. The infrastructure in Vancouver has developed in such a way that there’s tremendous capacity here. There’s amazingly talented and creative people here that love being here. I think that initially there was a sense of, you’re being sent to Vancouver to film your project because your project’s not that good, and we don’t wanna spend that much money on it. Whereas now it’s, like, you’re being sent to Vancouver, and that’s a bonus. And it’ll be a great thing for your project. Oh, I also forgot to mention Final Destination 5. I’ve got a part in that. And then you may wanna look out for… What is it called? The one with Jeff Bridges. It’s a remake of the Jeff Bridges movie. Science fiction.

David Read:
Is it Starman?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
No.

David Read:
Tron?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Tron, yes. Jeff Bridges is not in this one, but there’s a new Tron coming out [that] I may appear in. I don’t know if I should say that out loud. I may have jinxed myself. But I did work on that, so we’ll see if [inaudible].

David Read:
I can’t wait. The Tron is cool. Especially with some of the technology that we have now. I can’t wait to see what Disney is gonna do with it.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, it looks pretty amazing from what I saw. And I hope I’m allowed to say that.

David Read:
I don’t know what you’re talking about. Kwesi, this has been really special for me. I appreciate you taking the time, getting to know you a little bit, and sharing a couple of Stargate stories.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Before you go, I just wanna…

David Read:
Yes, please. I love show and tell.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
This is Nelly.

David Read:
Hi, Nelly.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
She’s being very patient with me today. She wants to go outside and just wanted to say hi to her and say hi to all you people.

David Read:
Is she a part poodle?

Kwesi Ameyaw:
She is a terrier poodle cross, but we think she has some dachshund in her as well.

David Read:
Yeah, maybe some schnauzer. She’s got long… I love the floppy ears and the long beard. She’s absolutely beautiful.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
She’s a great dog. She’s a rescue dog from California. She’s been with me for just over a year, and she’s fantastic.

David Read:
Dogs are the best people.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
Yeah, exactly.

David Read:
Thank you for sharing her and for sharing some of yourself today. Hi baby girl. It’s meant a lot to have you, and I really appreciate you taking the time. I’m gonna go ahead and wrap up the show on this end, sir.

Kwesi Ameyaw:
OK. It was my pleasure to talk to you. Thank you so much for having me. And all the best.

David Read:
Thank you, Kwesi. Be well. Kwesi Ameyaw. Olokun in Stargate SG-1. [I] really appreciate everyone tuning in today. Christian says, “Are you doing something special for the 300th episode?” That is absolutely my plan. I do have some folks you will recognize who are lined up for the rest of the year. Just waiting on some things to go down there. There was an error with the live feed, which is my fault, so I’m gonna be posting the full episode after this as a standard video, so the live feed is gonna disappear. So, you guys who are waiting at the beginning of the episode will be able to see the full interview with Kwesi. I apologize for that one. We’ve got no Wormhole X-Tremists episode today. We’re gonna be moving that to next week. As far as the lineup for the rest of the season, we are moving our way toward 300 episodes. I’ve got an interview with President Stev[en M.] Charendoff of Rittenhouse Archives. It’s gonna be heading your way this coming week, as well as a complete overview of Stargate SG-1’s trading cards from Seasons One to 10. Aaron Craven, who had multiple roles in Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, is gonna be joining us on Thanksgiving Day in the US here, Thursday, November the 28th, as well as Blu Mankuma. Sheriff Knox in… What was the episode? Nightwalkers. SG-1. [He] is gonna be joining us as well on November the 28th. My name is David Read for Dial the Gate. I really appreciate you tuning in. Thanks so much [to] Antony and Marsha and [to] all the folks behind the scenes who are helping me to keep this show going after all this time. You guys have a wonderful weekend, and we’ll see you on the other side. Bye-bye everybody.