Dial the Gate is privileged to welcome the return of Elyse Levesque to our show to explore “Earth Abides,” her brand-new series on MGM+, as well as share more memories from the sets of Stargate Universe!

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Timecodes
0:00 – Splash Screen
0:10 – Opening Credits
0:38 – Welcome
0:59 – Guest Introduction
03:37 – SGU: An Amazing Cast
07:05 – Earth Abides on MGM+
14:29 – Elyse as Maurine in Earth Abides
19:58 – Stargate Quality in Earth Abides?
23:08 – A Show for the Post-Pandemic World
25:00 – Elyse Directs!
28:03 – Elyse’s Band
29:48 – Elyse’s Feelings on Chloe
34:03 – Robert Carlyle’s Accent
35:59 – Viewing Your Finished Work
43:50 – Post-Interview Housekeeping
46:43 – 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:
Hello, everyone and welcome to Episode 292 of Dial the Gate. The Stargate Oral History Project. My name is David. Read I’m in Destiny, Florida right now. So, this is why the digs are different. I am privileged to welcome back to my show Elyse Levesque. You will know her as Chloe Armstrong in Stargate SG-1. Excuse me. What? Did I just say Stargate SG-1 Elyse?

Elyse Levesque:
You did.

David Read:
Stargate Universe! I’m losing it.

Elyse Levesque:
You had a one in three chance of getting that right. And the odds were on your side so that’s awkward.

David Read:
How are you?

Elyse Levesque:
Great start. I’m good. I’m good. So [as I was] saying before, I’m in L.A. It’s sunny, it’s hot out right now. I took my dog out just before we did this for a little bathroom break, and I was, like, “It is a beautiful day here in L.A.”

David Read:
Do you still have your cocker spaniel?

Elyse Levesque:
No, I never had a cocker spaniel.

David Read:
You never had a cocker spaniel?

Elyse Levesque:
No, that’s Brian.

David Read:
I thought there was another one who had a cocker spaniel.

Elyse Levesque:
I think Alaina also briefly had a cocker spaniel.

David Read:
That’s it. Cassie was Brian’s cocker spaniel.
Elyse Levesque:
Cassie was Brian’s cocker spaniel. I’m sure she’ll try to make an appearance at some point. She has gone into her little puff over there. But she is a tiny little thing. She’s a maltipoo. She’s very cute. She’s very cute.

David Read:
Have you heard from any of the old gang recently? Anyone in your immediate circle that you keep in touch with more than any of the others?

Elyse Levesque:
I’m very good friends with Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman. I actually just spoke to him 30 minutes ago. We’ve maintained a really close relationship. It was immediate connection, immediate friendship, the moment that he and I met. And we’ve really sustained that this whole time. He’s one of my, like, closest friends. He lives in L.A. We see each other once every couple weeks. But pretty much everybody else, it’s, you know, we keep in touch on social media. We see each other’s lives on there, which makes you feel like you’re connected. David Blue, from time to time, him and I message a little bit. I haven’t seen Alaina in so long. I think we did a little, I think it was 2018, Stargate reunion, SGU reunion here in L.A. at John Lennox House, which was really nice. I got to see Ming[-Na Wen] [and] Jamil [Walker Smith]. I actually, weirdly, run into Jamil all the time in L.A.

David Read:
He’s just in your orbit. Just randomly.

Elyse Levesque:
He’s just in my orbit. I feel, like, one time I was driving down the street and I saw him walking. I see Jamil from time to time.

David Read:
What an amazing group of people. Not just the core cast. But, like, you mentioned with Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman, the people that all got sucked into this thing, who were joining a moving train of a franchise. Not everything had to be discovered and figured out the first time along. There was a lot of rules that were already set in place. It must have been the ride of your life.

Elyse Levesque:
It was amazing. It was such a special… I think I’ve said this multiple times, but it was one of the highlights of my career, and that started pretty early. So, I can’t be sure if I peaked when I was in my early 20s, but it’s possible. If that’s the case, I can live with it. But it was just such an exciting show to be a part of. It was such a massive show to be a part of. We had this built-in fan base. I think because the showrunners and producers were so trusted by MGM, they would really let them have creative rein. Rob[ert C. Cooper] and Brad [Wright]. So, they were able to make the kind of show that they wanted to make. Oftentimes in this industry, you have to make a lot of compromises. Especially when you’re starting out. Once you’re, like, Taylor Sheridan, they’re just, like, giving you money, and they don’t even ask questions. Rob[ert C. Cooper] and Brad [Wright], because they’d had these two very successful shows under their belt, I think MGM and Sci-Fi just really trusted them to go and make the show that they wanted to make. So, it was a pretty massive thing to be a part of, and we got to do so many cool things throughout both seasons. And then really fun things in conjunction with the show, which was, like, going to Comic Con, getting to go to England to do Cons, or Chicago or, you know, all over the world.

David Read:
And it’s a built-in fan base that just keeps on paying dividends.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, lots of perks came along with it.

David Read:
Lots of mixed opinions. But you know what? It’s never boring.

Elyse Levesque:
You can’t please everybody.

David Read:
No, it’s true.

Elyse Levesque:
And I’m super proud of what we made. I know it was a departure from the style and tone of the previous incarnations, but I think, upon reflection, I re-watched, like, the pilot, Air Part 1 and [Part] 2. And there was Part 3, right? Was there three parts?

David Read:
Yes. That’s it. It’s my favorite of the three. And I’m gonna be real with you. It’s my favorite of the three, and a number of the cast… Brian has been wonderful. David has been wonderful. But a lot of them just don’t wanna talk about it. And from my perspective, that’s a real shame, because you’ve been wonderful. Alaina [was wonderful]. But a lot of them have just been, like, “Nah, I moved on to the next thing.” And I’m still trying, like, with Jeffrey Bowyer[-Chapman], I’m still trying my hardest. But, like, Louis Ferreira, I’d love to have [him on], Jamil [Walker Smith], I’d love to have [him] on. And all you can do is ask.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, for sure.

David Read:
I hope that there’s the right project that comes along that I can say, “Hey, let’s talk about this. And talk about that.” But speaking of orbits. MGM+ Earth Abides.

Elyse Levesque:
Have you read the book?

David Read:
I’ve not read the book. I’ve just now downloaded it on Audible. Should I read the book first before watching the show? Can I do them both simultaneously?

Elyse Levesque:
No, I don’t think so. I was reading the book while I was reading the first couple of episodes, and for me, it made things kind of blur, and I couldn’t separate which was which, when I had to go to do the work. I was, like, “Wait, is that in the book or is that in the show? So, I think you pick a lane, and you do one or the other, and then do the other thing after. I feel, like, often what happens is, if you’re a fan of the book and you watch the thing, you’re disappointed, because you have these certain ideas or expectations etc., coming into it. I think it’s almost better for you to watch it not knowing and then go back and read the book.

David Read:
That’s what I did with Harry Potter. I would go to the movie and then read the book because it was a more in-depth experience.

Elyse Levesque:
It’s like a 500-page book. So, it’s gonna take you a while anyway, so the show will be over by the time you’re finished that book.

David Read:
Is it a limited series, or is this the first season of potentially more?

Elyse Levesque:
I mean, it probably depends [on] how it goes. It was certainly the intention [for it to be] a limited series. But who knows. If it does well, it could be morphed into something, as we know that that happens. Especially nowadays. There’s things like Shōgun. I think they did one season with the intention of just one season, and then it was such a success that they…

David Read:
Squid Game. OK, so you guys are telling a complete story?

Elyse Levesque:
I guess. I don’t know if I’m allowed to [say].

David Read:
That’s fair.

Elyse Levesque:
We are telling a large swath of the story. How about that?

David Read:
What is the elevator pitch for this series? I didn’t just pick you at this time to randomly come back on and tell us about a random show that you’re working on. This is a genre show that is very large scale, [with] big ideas. Tell us about Earth Abides.

Elyse Levesque:
Oh boy. Earth Abides is [a] post-apocalyptic story about a man named Isherwood, who we all call Ish, who wakes up after, like, a coma induced from a snake bite to discover that he is the last person alive. And the story is [about] him reconnecting with the natural world. Along the way, finding other people [and] having an opportunity to begin again, but from a place that is more connected and in tune with the natural world. And I think the bigger thing about this series, especially today, versus in 1948, when it was written, is what happens when everything that defines you as a human being is taken away from you. Who are you then? Without fame. Without your lovers. Without technology. Without certain things that you know cater to your identity.

David Read:
All of our modern trappings.

Elyse Levesque:
All of our modern trappings are taken from you. Who are you? And who could you choose to become if you were given a second chance? It’s a show about community and family and chosen family.

David Read:
I’m hearing a lot of SGU in this answer. [Are] you noticing that?

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, there is. There are similarities to that, definitely. In this case, it’s much smaller. Because it’s pretty much all of humanity has been wiped from the planet. But I think what is really unique about this show… Because we’ve seen the post-apocalyptic story before. It’s been done many times. I think what sets this one apart is that the real through line is hope. It’s optimistic. It’s like a hopeful take on the end of the world. It’s that. It makes sense.

David Read:
I watched the trailer, and I’m gonna be honest with you again. My first instinct was, “Too close. Too soon. Pandemic. Virus.” And then the themes of hope and perseverance threaded through this trailer are, like, “Oh, OK. This is not what…” I’m thinking in terms of, like, Shelter in Place, and all these movies that came out at the time. This is very different. Are you getting that impression as well?

Elyse Levesque:
Hundred percent, like 100%. I also think we need to tell this story while we’re so close to it. Also, we could go through something like that again. Who knows? We live in a very global world. That is possible. That threat is lingering at all times. And I just think right now, with the state of so much stuff, it is refreshing to have a story that is really about coming together, despite differences, despite coming from completely opposite walks of life.

David Read:
All of our issues. All of our petty issues.

Elyse Levesque:
All of the stuff that human beings get caught up in, and kind of putting those aside and working together. So, I just think, [or] I hope, rather, that people are hungry for that kind of storytelling, because so much that we see on streamers and whatnot… Some of it is just really bad, in my opinion.

David Read:
It’s content. It’s not art.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, it’s content. Most of it is content. And that’s, like, a terrible word, but it is what it is. The majority of stuff on there is not art, but a lot of the stuff that we do ingest is heavy and dark and the worst of humanity. And this [show], while not escaping the darkness that can live inside all of us, is determined to see beyond that. And I think that’s what’s just really unique and a breath of fresh air about the show.

David Read:
I’m hearing Brad Wright’s words in the back of my mind, “We wanted to create a show about people during heroic deeds and people rising above themselves and their situations to affect their community in a broader, more positive way.” Who is Maurine? Who is this character for you? And who is she in the circumstances that she is first introduced to us within? Who is Maurine?

Elyse Levesque:
Well, first of all, one thing that’s interesting, and I don’t think this gives too much away, is [that] Maurine is very different from Maurine in the book.

David Read:
OK. So, she is adapted?

Elyse Levesque:
She’s adapted. Yeah. Not everyone is adapted as much as some smaller characters are in the book. Maurine is mentioned throughout the book, but this character Ish, certainly the way he was written back then, really didn’t have a lot of tolerance for women, namely. That obviously has been adjusted. She’s sort of this, like, tertiary character that they did a beautiful job [with], I think, of bringing so much out of something that was just not there. So, Maurine in the show, at least when we meet her, she’s very despondent. She’s alive, but she’s not really living. She’s had some past trauma, which we don’t really know what it is, before the event.

David Read:
So, it’s not just them [being] blank slates and after. It’s them carrying some baggage too.

Elyse Levesque:
She’s in a relationship with this man named Jorge. They were with other people before the world ended, but they found each other along the road, and they’re in sort of this agreement of companionship. And he’s really trying to connect with her, and she really shoots him out. She won’t tell people what happened to her. And then something happens, a new character comes in, and Maurine has a profound connection with this character. And it’s a young girl that the community ends up taking in, and she sees herself reflected in this little girl, and it becomes clear that they share a past trauma. And through nurturing her, they end up having this really beautiful relationship where they heal each other. And we start to see Maurine, over the course of the show, just really blossom and open up and start to allow people in. So, without giving away too much of a journey, that’s sort of the gist of it. And then the other thing that’s really fun about her, that I really loved as the actor getting to play her, is that she’s, like, a local fashionista. It’s, like, the world’s ended, but she’s still wearing, like, Gucci. She’s got her vintage Hermes sweatshirt on her Gucci belt [and] her Prada shoes.

David Read:
Did she own these before or did she visit some stores afterwards and have her way with them?

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, people have asked me that. And I think because… I had a conversation with Todd Komarnicki, the show runner, before we started filming, and he filled in some backstory for me that she was a trophy wife.

David Read:
So, she’s comfortable wearing this stuff.

Elyse Levesque:
So, she probably had a lot of these things and brought it with her and maybe, you know, if she along the road saw, a high-end consignment store that was broken into, I could see her going in there and swiping a Gucci hat.

David Read:
But does it put her in a place where other characters have a harder time relating to her and taking her seriously? It’s like, “Girl, have you seen the world we’re living in?”

Elyse Levesque:
No, because I think every character has a coping mechanism and that’s Maurine’s. And it’s such an accepting community that they create that there’s maybe some jokes at her expense. But funny enough, she’s not so high end that it’s like, you know, high society, necessarily.

David Read:
It’s not absurd.

Elyse Levesque:
It’s not absurd. She’s not in, like, a three-piece Chanel suit but she’s got a Gucci emblem belt, or something that is, like, iconically fashionable one piece, usually, in her patched together ensemble.

David Read:
Can I ask you a really esoteric question? You’re wearing product. Is the product that you’re wearing product placement, or where you given any terms of guidance, in terms of making sure to show certain things? Are some of the brands sponsoring this, or is it just that you happen to be wearing the siren stuff?

Elyse Levesque:
I guess. I don’t actually know how that works with clothes like that. Because it is like a thing, right? If you’re wearing Adidas or whatever, you have to get clearance. If you’re gonna put an iPhone, even, in your show, you have to get clearance. So that’s a really good question. I’m assuming that they crossed their T’s and dotted the I’s.

David Read:
But you didn’t have any direction in that regard? Interesting. You’re not a walking billboard.

Elyse Levesque:
No. I mean, who knows? Maybe it was all knockoffs.

David Read:
Is there anything that you think Stargate fans can look forward to in terms of the quality of the characters, story, visuals, things that they have come to accept from the high-quality products that, for instance, SGU put out.

Elyse Levesque:
Well, I think so. The story is a very different story, and it’s lumped into the sci-fi genre. And I suppose that’s really only because it is a post-apocalyptic story, but it’s very grounded in reality. So, it’s different in that way, but the ways that it is similar are the high-quality production value that MGM just brings to the table. I went to the premiere on Wednesday night, and I hadn’t seen it all put together. I had only seen my stuff in ADR, so it’s my first time seeing it all put together. And I’m not in the pilot, so I got to just relax and watch it, which was so nice. There was no pressure on me. It is so beautifully shot. It is like a feature film. It’s, like, Terrence Malick meets, like, not Marvel, but something of that [sort], like, visual budget. It looks expensive, but it also is…

David Read:
I got I Am Legend vibes.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah. That’s a great one. But [Earth Abides is] shot in a way that is really poetic which is why I referenced Terence Malick. Because it has his kind of sweeping, moving light coming in, like, close ups of flowers, [this] kind of visual esthetic. And then in terms of the acting, I only saw… It’s Alex[ander] Ludwig carrying the entire first episode, pretty much by himself. And he crushed it. He did. I was, like, “Dude must have been exhausted.” I don’t know how he did that. So much was demanded of him emotionally in that first episode, and he really landed that plane. So, I was there. I was present with the other actors. I saw what they were doing. High quality acting. I think beautiful characters. Like Stargate, [it] did a really good job of having all these different personalities that kind of came together to make this collective. And some shows don’t always manage that.

David Read:
You have to get the players in place. It’s not just the dialogue that’s on the page. The players have to come together and interact with one another, and only then, sometimes, it’s, like, “Oh, this would work better this way, but this is what we have.”

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, absolutely.

David Read:
You indicated that this was a story that you’re glad is being told sooner rather than waiting for a longer time. Do you think it would been perceived differently had we not gone through the pandemic?

Elyse Levesque:
I’m sure. Because now we can all relate to that feeling of being alone [inaudible].

David Read:
“Alone and isolated” is the last that I got from you.

Elyse Levesque:
We all know how it feels to have some things that we take for granted taken from us. To have our creature comforts [taken, like,] we can’t go to a movie theater, we can’t meet up with friends for dinner, or even just walk around outside without a mask on. We all lived through this thing. In some cases, some people lost people. So, I think it hits differently, and I can understand why it would be too soon for some people. I think because it is such a healing approach to this difficult subject matter that that will make it hopefully a little more palatable for people. I also do think we’re masochists. We like to watch our own trauma.

David Read:
Oh man, is that true in some cases? “Let’s see how much torture I can really put myself through.”

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, exactly. It was, like, when the pandemic was happening, I think Contagion was the most streamed movie for a minute. Everyone was watching it, because we’re, like, gluttons for punishment.

David Read:
The Strand was watched a lot. I know it shot straight to the top. And what are you people doing? Go watch puppies playing or something.

Elyse Levesque:
Puppies playing is the best.

David Read:
Exactly. Anything else that you’re going out for that we need to be looking for that’s on the radar soon?

Elyse Levesque:
That’s the only thing that I have coming out in the next little while. I’m in the process of actually trying to direct my first thing.

David Read:
Tell us about this.

Elyse Levesque:
So, it’s written. It’s something that I’ve written. It’s a short film based on a personal experience that I had a few years ago. It’s like a dark comedy. The log line is a woman who meets her boyfriend’s family for the last time.

David Read:
Some things need to be said.

Elyse Levesque:
Stuff happens. Some stuff happens.

David Read:
And you’re relating to this material?

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, it’s based on a personal encounter that I had, and yes, we actually just finished our crowdfunding campaign. Just over a week ago, I guess.

David Read:
What’s the project called?

Elyse Levesque:
It’s called Hot Chocolate, which is sort of a MacGuffin. That’s not really what it’s about.

David Read:
I’ll be putting links in the description below.

Elyse Levesque:
Thanks. So, it’s not we’re a ways away from filming, but we’re in pre-production.

David Read:
Michael Driscoll.

Elyse Levesque:
Michael Driscoll, that’s my buddy, my co-director, and we’ve collaborated on some things before together, and it’s my first foray into this.

David Read:
You know what? You’re ready. I mean, you have been surrounded by such amazing talent, and you yourself have had the opportunity to exercise all kinds of demons through the work that you’ve done. I think it’s just the next logical step.

Elyse Levesque:
I feel that way.

David Read:
It makes a lot of sense to tell our own stories.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, I got some things I need to say.

David Read:
Have you seen A House Is Not a Disco?

Elyse Levesque:
No. I’ve heard about this, though.

David Read:
This is Brian’s product. This is Brian’s project. I’ve been meaning to get a copy of it, and I haven’t seen it yet.

Elyse Levesque:
Did he create it himself?

David Read:
He directed it?

Elyse Levesque:
[inaudible]

David Read:
Yeah. No, it’s all good. I’ve been trying to get him back on to discuss it. You guys are telling some deep stories. And please, I will keep my feelers up, because I want to see this when you guys have it assembled.

Elyse Levesque:
Thank you. I appreciate that. It’ll be a while. I think we’re aiming for an April shoot schedule, and then, even though it’s a short film, it can take a surprisingly long amount of time in post-production, especially because when you’re doing things on a shoestring budget, and you’re calling in a lot of favors, people are, like, “I have real jobs. I’ll get to your sound design when I finish with Handmaid’s Tale.”

David Read:
There are other things on the left. You can have it good, cheap, or fast.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, exactly. That’s the good, cheap, or fast. That’s the rule.

David Read:
I’ve got some fan questions for you if you’ve got a few more minutes.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, sure.

David Read:
All right. Ian Zaine. I apologize. I’m reading these cold. “Will your band Couple of Bitches…Maybe Three release a new smash hit single? LOL.” So, this is the first time hearing of this.

Elyse Levesque:
We were called Coupla Hot Chicks…Maybe Three.

David Read:
Oh, yeah, that’s wrong.

Elyse Levesque:
Maybe the band needs to regroup, and our comeback name will be Couple of Bitches…Maybe Three.

David Read:
Coupla Hot Chicks…Maybe Three. What was your genre?

Elyse Levesque:
We were, like, a parody hip hop group. Kind of, like, Lonely Island. We would do these songs based on things we were angry about, like, boyfriends who were dumb. We had one called Over It. We had one called Vagine Rhyme Time. We had a Christmas one called It’s CHRISTmas (Do Tha Jesus). We had one called One Ring, which is about women who were so desperate to get married that they turned into Gollum. So, it was a Lord of the Rings inspired dub step. And actually, I think, was our pièce de résistance, hands down, our best work.

David Read:
Don’t turn yourself into someone else’s idea of perfection.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah. But we had a lot of fun with that. I think the band has broken up. We might not be coming back together anytime soon, but it was super fun, and of the moment that it was.

David Read:
Morris says, “I’ve always wondered how you felt about Chloe. She often seemed to be defined by her relationship to others. Eli and Scott. Do you wish that wasn’t the case?” I think that really took a turn in Season Two, though, because things started happening to her.

Elyse Levesque:
It did. It did take a turn because she was abducted by aliens.

David Read:
She got probed.

Elyse Levesque:
Sick powers. But then it was all in relation to Rush.

David Read:
Robert Carlyle. What an actor to play off of. Man, oh, man.

Elyse Levesque:
And to be directed by because he directed an episode. That was pretty fun. Pretty awesome to have him directing. I think that’s a really good question, and I think that it’s true that a lot of who Chloe was, was in relation to her relationships with these two men, and that while that did expand and grow, in Season Three, I have a feeling it would have continued to grow, and that she would have… For me, her journey was [that] she was young.

David Read:
And she had to find her place. She didn’t have a place with this group. She was an outsider.

Elyse Levesque:
She was this, like, civilian daughter of a Senator who was not… I mean, nobody was supposed to be there. But who was thrown into such uncertain, foreign circumstances, and loses her father, and is stuck with all of these strangers in deep space. And she was of the age, of the kind of person who would, I think, be maybe more inclined to identify herself in relation to others,

David Read:
I can only imagine, in her position, someone who had such a bright future, in some cases, a fairly planned future, in the shadow of her father, kind of trying to get out of that shadow that once he was gone, there’s almost, like, “OK. Now I’m really standing on my own two feet, and I have to figure out who I am within this group of people, because no one ain’t gonna catch me in bed at noon. I’m gonna be putting myself, at the very least, to work helping this situation, whatever the situation is.”

Elyse Levesque:
Totally.

David Read:
I really regret… There’s a lot of regrets with SGU. I think that your character was probably gonna have one of the larger arcs out of any of them by the end of where this thing was going. Did you get any inkling of what Brad [Wright] and Rob[ert C. Cooper] were leaning into with whatever had happened to her?

Elyse Levesque:
I don’t. I feel like there were some conversations when we were close to finishing the second season, but I don’t remember specifics, so I’d be making it up at this point. But I really feel she would have come into her own. I actually feel, like, she probably… I could see her and Scott probably drifting apart because of Chloe’s personal journey into…

David Read:
What’s happening to her is bigger than them.

Elyse Levesque:
I could even see her twisting and becoming somehow bad, like, going with Rush, and becoming a villain. I could see that happening. I actually think that would be really interesting, and then coming full circle, back around to, you know, maybe being a little drunk with the power that she now has and not being able to have a voice and to have people sort of look to her prior to this moment. Kind of always being in the shadows a little bit, now she’s finally out in the sun getting attention for her new abilities. So, who knows. She could have gone down a dark road.

David Read:
She could have. Her mind is being unlocked. Who knows what’s behind those doors? And who knows how much is her and how much has been placed there by whoever these beings were. The fish people.

Elyse Levesque:
The fish people.

David Read:
The misadventures Of a Little Wolf, “Could you understand a word Rob[ert] Carlyle said off [the] set?”

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah. You get used to it. When he would get, like, really thick with his accent, or, like, sometimes, because I love doing accents, I would talk back to him in a Scottish accent. Big mistake, big mistake. And he would say a bunch of stuff to me really fast in the thickest accent. And I’d be, like, “I think those were curse words.” But he was such a sweetie, and he loved us, and he was so kind to us. But it’s, like, if you pissed Bobby off, you saw that Begbie. It was in there.

David Read:
Oh, I’m sure it was in there.

Elyse Levesque:
That Begbie is in there somewhere. But he’s mostly the kindest, loveliest man. I haven’t seen him in so long. I miss him. I would love to see him. Hopefully our paths cross.

David Read:
He’s so good at what he does. I watched him all through Once Upon a Time, in the back of my mind knowing, “This should have been SGU. He should have been working on SGU through all of this.” But what a great character. I don’t know if you saw him in any of that, but he was good.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah. He was Rumpelstiltskin, right?

David Read:
He was but he played layers upon layers. You didn’t know what his intentions were. Very shifty. They just gave him a steak to eat.

Elyse Levesque:
He’s so good at that, though. He’s so good. It’s such a true thing that often some of the kindest people you meet play the worst, most villainous, dark people, almost without fail. Anyone who you’ve seen who always gets cast in like villains or the bad guy [roles], they’re almost always the people with the softest hearts.

David Read:
They’re exploring a facet of themselves that they don’t normally access. I think you can say that out of a lot of people who play villains, but yeah, especially that. Marsha wants to know, “Do you typically view your finished work once it’s done?” Or is there some stuff that it’s, like, “I was there, I don’t need to see it again.” How do you feel about your work?

Elyse Levesque:
It depends. It really depends. The overall of the project gets my curiosity, sometimes more so than my own actual work. Sometimes, unfortunately, I’ve been forced to watch my work, like, at screenings and things. That is my worst nightmare. I hate it. That’s why the other night, when I was not in the pilot, I was like, “This is ideal. I get to get dressed up and go to this fancy thing, and I do not have to worry about my acting. If it’s good [or] it’s bad. I just get to chill, have cocktails and free food after.”

David Read:
I don’t understand. Maybe you can fill me in a little bit, because you’ve been hired for a role that they’ve seen something in you. Why do so many talent[s] have such a hard time accepting that they’ll rise to the occasion?

Elyse Levesque:
We’re all deeply seeking approval from people outside of ourselves. I think a lot of, a lot of what motivates actors in particular is deep insecurity, which when harnessed correctly, I think, can be used to make some amazing art. But I think there are very few actors I’ve met who are so bolstered in themselves that they can confidently sit in a room and watch themselves up there in front of a room full of people. And I think we’re always our own worst critics. That’s why, for me, it’s really difficult to see myself, because I see everything I could have done differently. Sometimes it’s even vanity things, like, “Oh, that lighting is not good,” or “why did nobody powder my hair, [it] looks so greasy,” or just stupid shit that gets in your head and then it takes away from the experience that you had making it.

David Read:
That’s true. I can see that, especially because so much of what you’re putting out there is almost a demo reel for what you have access to as an artist next. Because this is what you just most recently done. And if it’s not been set up right, it’d be, like, “Oh my god, how am I gonna live this thing down?”

Elyse Levesque:
And there’s also so many things that are outside of your control. As an actor, you show up and you do your little piece, but then [it’s] how it’s edited together, how it’s color corrected, the notes that come in after the fact from the studio or the network that change things, cut things out.

David Read:
What is this thing now?

Elyse Levesque:
This is why, oftentimes, films, shows, [and stuff like that] are made in editing. It is such an important piece of the puzzle. An editor can make a bad performance look incredible, and a bad editor can make a beautiful performance look mediocre. So, they have a lot of power. It’s a really important position. So, you just don’t know you had this experience. And I oftentimes find… This has happened to me on a number of occasions where I’m doing a scene, and you’re in the flow, and you have this cathartic, amazing thing, and you think, “I really did something. I can’t wait to see that.” And then you watch it, and you’re, like, “Oh, that didn’t come across at all how it felt. Really? Oof.” And then there’s that scene where you left going, “I’m a terrible actor. I don’t know what I’m doing.” You have, like, a hangover from that experience, thinking that what you just did was terrible, and then you see it, and you’re, like, “That is far better and far more fascinating than I thought.” So, we can’t really be the judge of our own work, which is why I think a lot of people are averse to watching themselves, because we can’t be diplomatic. It can be really difficult to see yourself. Also, if you’re a perfectionist, there’s always things you’re gonna be, like, “I should have done that.” Especially in film and TV in particular, you don’t often get the rehearsal time that you would get if you were doing a feature or if you’re doing a play. So, you don’t get to excavate to the deepest of the possibilities of the character. And then you go home and go, “Damn it! That’s what it is. Oh no. Why didn’t I think of this when we were filming five hours ago?” But you only had two days to prep that scene, whereas with a play, hopefully you’ve got a month or something like that, or more.

David Read:
Yeah. But an editor and a director have got you by the material that’s captured. Do you ever feel like a marionette?

Elyse Levesque:
Probably. Probably sometimes. But it really depends on the project. On Earth Abides I did not. It was, like, a beautiful collaborative experience where I felt challenged in a really fun, uncomfortable [way]. But I was kind of craving that kind of way. Whereas I felt like the marionette on the procedural where you get hired, you do, like, a guest spot, and you’re literally just coming in, and it’s like a paint by number performance. They have a very specific thing they want you to do.

David Read:
Go do it. Take your check. Get out.

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah. And those jobs can still be fun, but you can definitely feel the dance monkey kind of thing happen in those scenarios, versus, when you get to collaborate with something, which Earth Abides was very much that.

David Read:
I’m really interested in it. So, this is when you’re gonna sit [and] you think you’re gonna bear through this one and see how they pulled it off?

Elyse Levesque:
Yeah, I think I will. I actually want to see this. I’m usually pretty horrified to see myself. I don’t know if I watch… I come in technically at the tail of [Episode] Two, but you actually kind of meet me in [Episode] Three. And I don’t know that I’ll watch Episode Three with anyone. I’ll maybe watch it first by myself.

David Read:
And a glass of wine?

Elyse Levesque:
Sometimes I’ll watch myself muted first because I hate the sound of my voice. And then I’ll watch it muted and go, “Okay, do I kind of believe? Do I look like I’m acting? Hmm.” And then, if I’m, like, “It looks tolerable,” I’ll rewind it, and watch it with the sound on. So, I just gotta give it the clearance first, and then maybe I’ll watch it with friends.

David Read:
How many episodes total are there? Do you know?

Elyse Levesque:
Six.

David Read:
There are six of them? OK. Wow. I am really excited about it. It’s right up my alley, and when I saw you were in it, it’s, like, “Oh, I know who I need to get in touch with.” So, I really appreciate you taking the time and exploring the character a little bit with us. And talking about SGU with you is always a blast. So, it means a lot to have you back on and to explore the work with you.

Elyse Levesque:
Wow. Well, thanks so much for asking me. Happy to chat about all things.

David Read:
Absolutely. Well, I’m gonna go ahead and wrap up the show on this end, and you take care of that little girl of yours.

Elyse Levesque:
I will. We can take her for a nice big walk.

David Read:
W.A.L.K.

Elyse Levesque:
You gotta be real quiet.

David Read:
I’m gonna wrap up the show on this side, Elyse. Thank you so much for spending time.

Elyse Levesque:
My pleasure. Take care, and hopefully we’ll talk to you soon.

David Read:
Absolutely. Be well.

Elyse Levesque:
Bye. .

David Read:
That was Elyse Levesque. Chloe Armstrong in Stargate Universe. So, if you look at the link below, there should be information on where to watch Earth Abides. It’s gonna be on MGM+ and highly recommended. It looks really interesting. Alexander Ludwig, I enjoyed him in The Hunger Games. I really enjoyed him in Vikings. This looks like a fantastic cast, so I think it’s gonna be a good time. I appreciate you all tuning in. I cannot thank enough to my moderating team. Antony, Tracy, Jeremy, Marsha, Sommer. Thank you, guys, for popping me up and making me look good on this end, while handling all the folks on the backside. [Thank you to] my producer, Linda GateGabber Fury. Big thanks to Frederick Marcoux at ConceptsWeb for keeping dialthegate.com up and running. If you enjoyed this content and you wanna see more of it on YouTube, please click the Like button. It does make a difference and will continue to help us grow our audience. Please also consider sharing this video with a Stargate friend, and if you wanna get notified about future episodes, click Subscribe, and giving the bell icon a clip will notify you the moment a new video drops, and you’ll get my notifications of any last-minute guest changes. And clips from this live stream will be released over the course of the next few weeks on both the Dial the Gate and GateWorld.net YouTube channels. We’ve got a couple of more episodes heading your way, I believe. Let me see here. Tomorrow. Yes. Stargate SG-1 Complete Trading Card Review Seasons One through 10. That’s gonna be dropping tomorrow. There is a lot of information in there. And if you’re wanting to look at any specific sections, you can use the chapter menus to explore specific sets of Stargate SG-1 Trading Cards that Rittenhouse Archives released. And then a little bit later that same day, Steve Charendoff from Rittenhouse Archives. We interviewed him for an hour and a half, and he’ll be telling his story about how he launched his career, his company, and a few stories about these Stargate SG-1 Trading Cards as well. Aaron Craven, who played multiple roles in SG-1 and Atlantis, is joining us next Thursday, November the 28th. And Blu Mankuma, Sheriff Knox on Stargate SG-1 will be joining us at 12 noon on November 28th. Really close with Don S. Davis, so gonna hopefully get some Don stories to share with you all. That’s what I’ve got here. We’ve got the complete list of episodes at dialthegate.com for seeing what’s coming down the pike. Episode 300 is gonna be coming up very soon with a special guest. And we’re gonna be wrapping up Season Four here very soon. My name is David Read for Dial the Gate. I appreciate you tuning in, and I’ll see you on the other side.