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Q&A with SG-1's Judge
April 9, 2007
©2007 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc.
This month, MGM announced the extension of the hit Stargate SG-1 franchise, greenlighting two movies based on the popular Sci Fi series for television and home entertainment marketplace. Titled Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, the movies will star SG-1 cast members Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks. MGM had the opportunity to speak with Christopher Judge. In the show’s remarkable ten-year run, Judge is best known for playing the character Teal’c. A former All Pac-10 Conference football player at the University of Oregon, Judge has also lent his voice for a number of animated series and videogames.
MGM: Was it a difficult transition moving from sports into acting?
CJ: Not really. It requires a similar discipline. For the role I played for the last ten years, the physicality was a big part of it. I actually worked out harder for Teal’c than I did playing football.
MGM: How did you react when you first landed the role of Teal’c?
CJ: I still tease Brad Wright (Stargate SG-1’s Producer) that he robbed me of the joy of landing the role. When we were screen testing Stargate before the series began, we had an audition for the executives at MGM and then we had a separate screen test for Showtime. In between the two screen tests, Brad came over to me and he said “do it like you did it the first time and you got it.” For each role there were three actors trying out for each part - three Carters, three General Hammonds but there were ten people auditioning for the Teal’c character. So after the first audition, they said they’d call out the people's names and that everyone did a fine job. I noticed everyone leaving the room but realized I was the only Teal’c left. I knew right then in the room that I had gotten the part. Usually for an actor there’s an excruciating period from the last time you go in for a role and the time when you wait to hear back from your agent saying you’ve gotten the part, that’s a great feeling. I still tease Brad about it that he robbed me of that feeling. A part of me was relieved that I didn’t have to wait any longer to know that I had the role.
MGM: What’s it like being a part of the MGM family?
CJ: One of the most memorable days ever was when Michael Shanks, Amanda and I first
walked on the SG-1 set. It was one of the largest sets in Hollywood. Seeing it for the first time, it felt like the Golden Era of MGM with the big, huge budget epics and we really felt a part of that grand old MGM tradition. So often as an actor, a lot of it is feeling disconnected especially when you are not working or in between jobs. Acting is a very nomadic existence, so when you are connected to the storied legacy of MGM, it’s an overwhelming feeling.
MGM: Why do you think your character is loved by viewers/fans?
CJ: He’s extremely well written and the character helps bridge our sense of wonderment between human beings and the fantasy world with his tremendous sense of loyalty. He’s the embodiment of what we all strive to be, honest, loyal and trustworthy.
MGM: Have you learned or applied things to your personal life from playing the character?
CJ: In life situations, there is no gray area, there’s only right or wrong. Anytime you try to rationalize a gray area, you usually know you are doing something wrong. It’s given me a tremendous amount of insight into being a parent as well.
MGM: What’s it like living in Vancouver?
CJ: It’s beautiful. Vancouver is obviously very different than Los Angeles. It’s a slower pace of living but as I’ve gotten older I’ve come to appreciate it. One of my passions is golf and there are some of the most beautiful golf courses I’ve ever played on here in Vancouver. I’ve also cultivated a great love of snow. I’ve become an avid snowboarder and it’s a great place to raise kids.
MGM: What other projects have you done that you are really proud of?
CJ: I really love voice work. The project I’m most proud of other than Stargate is a voice series I did called The Book of Virtues. I played this very wise buffalo and told historical and biblical stories to kids on the show. My kids loved it and all of their friends loved it.
MGM: How’s your family life?
CJ: Family life is wonderful. I have a soon to be wife, a wonderful daughter with her and my three other kids are also doing well.
