Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 272

May 31, 2018: Actor Steve Bacic Answers Your Questions!

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Today, I turn this blog over to one of screendom’s smartest and most well-articulated actors.  Don’t believe me?  Chat Steve Bacic up at your next con!

Joanne Verbeek: “Can we see you as guest/recurring roles in tv shows/films, anytime soon?”

Steve: Yes, I’m doing a series of movies for Hallmark Mystery Channel.  They will air 4 of them in August.  They are called Garage Sale Mysteries with Lori Loughlin.  And I recently did a guest on Taken the t.v series and a second episode on Arrow.

scifirules: “Will you have Joe as your surprise guest at Gatecon 2018?”

Steve: Hey that would be awesome.  I was lucky enough to be standing outside my hotel in Toronto when Joe happened to be walking by and I hadn’t seen him in years.  Way too long.  So put some pressure on him and get him out.  Haha.

Joan Dutton: “You are such a versatile actor. Do you prefer movies or serial tv. Which do you prefer playing good guys or bad guys.”

Steve: Thanks for the compliment.  I actually love the variety and challenge of all of it.  Bad guys do tend to be more fun, however, I never judge my characters as good or bad just in a situation that has to be dealt with.

Christina Testa: “Hi Steve, thanks so much for taking the time to do this! A couple of questions for You! First up what has been your favorite project/show/movie to work on and your most memorable moment from it?  Second question is a Stargate one! What was it like working on the show and can you again share some of your most memorable moments on or off screen?

Steve: Thanks for the Q, Christina.  I’d say Blackway was most memorable.  Working with Anthony Hopkins was amazing.  My role was very challenging and I think I pulled it off. Tony actually applauded after my close up:) Such a sweet person. I had a great time with the Stargate cast.   So many to choose from.  I particularly enjoyed Richard Dean’s humour.

“And if you could work with anyone who would it be and why?”

Steve: Man, there are so many.  I couldn’t even think of a worthy answer.

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Arctic Goddess: “How and why did you get into acting?”

Steve:  Haha.  Got into by fluke or destiny:)  I’ve actually tried to quit it many times but can’t.  It’s part of me and I love it, but it just doesn’t make sense as a living.

Shinyhula: “Heck yeah I have questions for Mr. Bacic, how in the world did you guys keep a straight face with all the hijinks on Andromeda?  Who are your actor heroes past and present? What is your favorite healthy snack? Favorite (or worst!) part of X-Files creepy Pusher ep?  What current shows would you love be cast in next? Love your work!”

Steve: Thank you:)) There was a lot of cracking up.  We had to stay focused or else! It almost became a game to see who’d break first:) So many actors I love. Too many to mention.   Favourite healthy snack is fruit, especially watermelon!!! Pusher was intense, especially watching them do a full body burn on my double.  It lasted forever.  I was freaking out!! And it was funny when David ate some salami of my burnt face as a gag)) Lately I’ve been doing a bunch of different things but mostly working with Hallmark.  They’ve been very good to me.

Shinyhula: “What was your fave Andromeda ep? My personal fave is The Others.”

Steve: God, it’s been so long – but I’d say first episode of season 5 and the one where I meet my wife again played by Colby Smoulders.  She was and is amazing.

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Thogar: “Questions are always fun! Hi, Steve. I’m Tom and I’m nosy.  What would be your “dream role” to play?”

Steve: The more complicated the better, but the complexity is below the surface and isn’t evident til much later in the story.

“Do you prefer drama or comedy? Good guy or bad guy?”

Steve: All of the above with layers.

“What was your favorite project to be a part of?”

Steve:  Hard one.  It’s more pieces of different jobs for different reasons, but I loved working with Anthony Hopkins in the movie Blackway (suspense), and had a great time working with Jason Alexander in Hit the Road (comedy).

“You’ve been in a lot of scifi projects. Do you gravitate toward the genre or has that just been chance?”

Steve: Mostly by chance but I do love the genre.

“When and where can we see you next?”

Steve:  Hallmark Mystery Channel Garage Sale Mysteries with Lori Loughlin.

“Do you ever get tired of explaining how to pronounce your last name?”

Steve: Naw:)

“Is Joe going to hire you for his next project?”

Steve: He’d better:)))

“What witchcraft do you practice to keep from aging?”

Steve: It’s called stress:) I think it keeps me young.  Haha.  I try to have a sense of humour and keep moving.  A I’ve been blessed with good genes.

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Suzan Harmon: “Who is his personal hero? Not professional.”

Steve: My brother Frank.

Delphi: “If you could have guested on any series in television history, what show would it have been?  What existing show would it be?”

Steve: New Girl.  Love that show and all the characters.  Soooo funny.  And Hawaii Five-0.  It’s in Hawaii duh.  Haha.

SG90: “Was there any role from your past you would love to reprise?  If so, what is it and why?”

Steve: I wish the Beast on X-Men would have worked out for all the obvious reasons.  Great franchise.

Sooner: “How do you as an actor with long hours manage to balance your work and family life?  You look as great now as you did all those years ago.  What’s your secret for staying in such good shape?”

Steve: Thanks you’re very kind.  Not gonna lie. It’s getting tougher and tougher. But as long as I can get to the gym and keep being grateful for all I have, I can manage:))

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RedRedBlueGreen: “You seem to do a lot of scifi projects.  Is this intentional?  Is there something about the genre that draws you to it?”

Steve: I think it’s just how things have worked out. I do enjoy it very much.

StephenP: “A couple of questions: 1. What was your favorite role and why?  2. Who was your favorite co-star and why?  3. Tell us your funniest on set experience.”

Steve: Actually fave role was Miro on The Guard because he was such a cad – and hopeless yet still a hero. Fave co star – Anthony Hopkins is a gem.  Funniest set experience?   Too many to mention :))

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May 30, 2018: This Week’s Best Comic Book Covers!

My favorites…

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The Amazing Spider-Man #800 (cover art by Alex Ross)

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Black Panther vol. 5: Avengers of the New World Part 2 (cover art by Brian Stelfreeze)

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Bloodborne #4 (cover art by Piotr Kowalski)

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Dark Souls Covers Collection (cover art by Aituar Manas, Alan Quah)

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Descender #30 (cover art by Dustin Nguyen)

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Judge Dredd: Under Siege #1 (of 4) (cover art by Max Dunbar)

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Quantum and Woody! #6 (cover art by Ariel Olivetti)

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Saga #52 (cover art by Fiona Staples)

And which were your favorites?

May 29, 2018: Dark Matter Virtual Episode 4.01 collected links! And BTS photos from the vault!

First off, in the event you missed it and are dying to know how Dark Matter‘s fourth season premiere would have played out, here are the links to a breakdown of Episode 4.01:

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

And raiding the archives for these pre-production BTS pics:

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May 28, 2018: What am I still doing here?

I’ve been asking myself that a lot of late.  What am I still doing here in Canada when I could be enjoying a nice leisurely extended stay in Japan?  I mean, yes, there are these projects to finish up, and the dogs to consider, but these projects aren’t going to take forever to complete (They just feel that way sometimes) and I’m not above disguising my dogs as infants to ensure smooth travels.

Anyway, while I sit here in Toronto, this is what I’m missing…

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Bathing with Gudetama

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The Cowboy Bebop Cafe

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Mascot raves

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Alcopop

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A.I. Police

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Transforming cat armor

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The Hello Kitty bullet train

I mean, seriously!

May 27, 2018: The Joseph Mallozzi Program!

Amid all the fine dining, the fried chicken eating, the vast consumption of varied chocolate-themed desserts, I am often asked: “How do you not weight 300 pounds?”.  Twenty years ago, I could have chalked it up to a high drive metabolism but, in recent years, the truth is somewhat more complex.  I’ve never really paid attention to my weight.  I don’t even own a scale.  What invariably motivates me to get into shape is when I put on a suit and the pants are too tight.  It’s either slim down or overhaul my entire wardrobe.

During my first season on Stargate, I was at my heaviest, roughly 20 lbs heavier than I am now.  This I attributed to a sedentary lifestyle (that saw me spending more quality time with my laptop than my significant other), no time for exercise, and the production’s delicious catered meals (something I didn’t have to worry about when I moved to Toronto because their production catering is absolute shit). It also didn’t help that we never cooked.  The only meals we ever ate at home were those I ordered in.

Fortunately, around that time, I hit upon a diet that effected a rapid transformation.  Called The Snake Soup Diet, it involved ordering the snake soup at the Hong Kong airport, then traveling to Tokyo where I was violently sick for a week.  I returned to Vancouver 15 lbs lighter, started working out, and kept the weight off.  [Note: My former writing partner unintentionally  invented a variation of this meal plan called The Hot Seafood Casserole diet which involves visiting your mom, then driving home and forgetting the leftover Seafood Casserole in the backseat of your car on a hot summer’s day…].

Anyway, with neither the access nor the inclination to acquire some snake soup or suspect seafood casserole, I recently opted for a new plan of action when I noticed my suits were feeling a little…snug.  I have friends who swear by the keto diet or paleo diet or vegetarian diet and while I applaud their commitment and the results they’ve seen, these diets aren’t for me.  I wanted something that would allow me to lose weight, but not leave me hangry.  So, I decided to create my own eating plan, one that incorporates my preference for early dinners, my general disregard for breakfast, and my appreciation for chocolate-coffee beverages.  It goes something like this…

1 – Never eat after 6:00 p.m.  I know, I know, very difficult to do for most, especially you Europeans and your 10:00 p.m. dinners.  But, damnit, I’m usually hungry by 5:00 p.m. and have no interest in waiting any longer.  If I’m ever invited to a dinner party where dinner is served after 7:00 p.m., you can be damn sure I’ll have eaten before my arrival.  So, yes, 6:00 p.m. is usually my cut off time.  No late night snacking.  And, truth be told, I never have the urge.

2 – Intermittent fasting can, if its proponents are to be believed, do everything from increase muscle mass and decrease body fat to stave off aging.  It involves – well, not eating for long stretches, usually some 16 hours.  Although I didn’t seek to follow this specific stratagem, I found I was unconsciously doing so every time I skipped breakfast and, instead, opted for an early 11:00 a.m. lunch.  I’m never hungry in the morning.  I’ve never been a big fan of breakfast (don’t even bother inviting me out for brunch).  I found that whenever I DID eat breakfast, I would be absolutely famished throughout the day.   So, instead, I skip it and fast for 17 hours.

3 – Early lunch – anything and everything.  This is why I hesitate to call this a diet because I don’t restrict myself.  Fried chicken, pizza, ice cream and cake. Whatever.  Maybe if I watched what I ate, maintained a cleaner, healthier diet, I’d see even better results.  I could be a hard body, kicking sand into the faces of unwary beach nerds.  Or, I could just continue to enjoy porchetta sandwiches and chocolate chip cookies.

4 – My mid-afternoon sweet brew.  Around 3:00 p.m. every day, I stop by one of my favorite coffee shops and order a mocha latte or variation thereof – almond syrup, nutella, ginger and cinnamon – as long as they compliment the two main ingredients: chocolate and coffee.

5 – By the time dinner rolls around, I’m rarely hungry, but I’ll eat all the same, usually a light meal comprised of greek yogurt with protein powder, fruit and all natural peanut butter, or a couple of soft boiled eggs with cheese.

And that’s pretty much it.  Oh sure, I’ll have the occasional cheat meals.  Go out for dinner.  Eat a little later than usual.

Oh, and hit the gym an average of 3-4 times a week.  A shoulder injury prevents me from lifting weights so I’ll just hop on the treadmill and alternate between a two minute brisk walk and one minute sprint for 45 minutes.

I know, I know.  It sounds crazy and maybe it is, but in the two weeks I’ve been on my specially-tailored-to-me-diet-plan, I’ve lost two inches off my waist and I am back down to my fighting weight.  So go figure.

I mean, sure, I could try paleo or keto or go vegetarian or attempt to suppress my appetite by consuming an 8 oz. glass of water and sheet of newsprint before every meal, but why make myself miserable if this is working?

Your mileage may, of course, vary.

But I’m curious.  How do you all stay in shape – or shed the pounds to make weight in the lead up to your UFC match?  Do tell.

May 26, 2018: Congratulations to The Expanse! And what does this mean for Dark Matter fans?

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A well-earned congratulations to the cast, crew and fandom of The Expanse.  Your pluck and perseverance paid off in the form of a fourth season pick-up courtesy of sci-fi fan Jeff Bezos at Amazon.  Enjoy the ride!

On the heels of the announcement, many Dark Matter fans are wondering why Amazon doesn’t pick up a fourth season of their favorite show too.  Well, while it’s technically possible, the odds are stacked against us for the following reasons…

1 – Unlike The Expanse, Dark Matter was never considered a marquee show and, as such, never received the warm critical reception or celebrity endorsements that really bring attention to a show…and any post-cancellation campaign.  We were, admittedly, a budget-challenged production (delivering at roughly less than one-third the production budget of Syfy’s big sci-fi originals), but made up for it in heart and humor.  It’s one of the big reasons why, while our fans loved us, we remained off the mainstream radar.

2 – From what I understand, Amazon had the second window streaming rights to The Expanse.  By green lighting a fourth season, they will essentially be expanding their existing library.  In the case of Dark Matter, however, the scenario was slightly more complicated as it was Netflix that owned those second window streaming rights worldwide.  In a best case scenario, they would have picked us up.  When they didn’t, we faced an uphill challenge attempting to sell the show to another streaming platform (ie. Amazon) given that they would be picking up a fourth season without the streaming rights to the first three.

3 – Timing is everything, especially when it comes to standing sets.  Unlike The Expanse, Dark Matter’s sets were struck months ago.  A green light would require us to rebuild.  Not impossible given the fact we have all of the plans filed away, but extra costs would be incurred.

4 – Finally, there’s the issue of cast availability.  Since the cancellation, the former cast members have been very busy and, even in the miraculous event we were to get a fourth season pick-up, there’s no guarantee we could get everyone back – and I couldn’t imagine continuing the adventure without the whole family onboard.

Having said all that, I’m not quite ready to throw in the towel just yet.  I firmly believe that so long as the fanbase is out there clamoring for more, there will always be hope.  In my mind, the best case scenario would be a page out of the Farscape playbook.  That show’s trajectory was very similar to Dark Matter‘s – cancelled by Syfy on a cliffhanger at the top of its game – yet its fandom never gave up.  Farscape fans hung in there, remained loyal and loud, and they were eventually rewarded with a mini-series, Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars.

The odds are admittedly stacked against us, but we’ve faced even longer and won. Like that time we first faced off against Ferrous Corp on that mining planet.  Or that time Wendy the robot tried to fly us into a sun?  Or that time we were captured by the Galactic Authority and locked up in the Hyperion-8 Maximum Security Galactic Detention Facility?  Or that time we were caught in the destruction of EOS-7?  Or that time TWO was infected by an alien, THREE was whisked away by Alt. Portia, the Android was taken off-line, SIX seemingly sacrificed himself, and FIVE was left in command of The Raza in the company of two unlikely allies: Ryo Ishida and Wexler?

All we need is faith, focus, determination…and an online campaign dedicated to targeting Jeff Bezos and Amazon.

May 25, 2018: Suji!

Relaxing with dad

Suji vs. fly

Suji vs. banana chips

May 24, 2018: Fried Chicken Fight – Toronto Edition (Round 1)!

Sure, I enjoy Iberico pork and shaved Alba truffles on risotto as much as the next guy,  but sometimes you want to take a break from the wagyu and o-toro and just enjoy the simpler things in life.  Like Nutella.  Or cabeza tacos.  Or, as was the case over recent days, some fried chicken.

I’ve had a hankering for fried chicken going on weeks and so I called on Toronto’s resident fried chicken expert, Elliot Sokolsky, to lead the way.  Unfortunately, since the last time I saw Elliot, he’s adopted one of those crazy diets where he avoids sugars and starches and fried chicken, but he made an exception for the occasion. (And, I’m hearing, regretted it soon after, but that’s a story for another blog post.  Maybe on his blog.)

Ivon Bartok (who no longer eats fried chicken and, instead, opted for one of those grass and shrub smoothies) and Akemi (who doesn’t like fried chicken) joined us for moral support…

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Our first stop was Gdous Juicy Chicken House (223 Spadina Ave.), a Taiwanese fried chicken chain that opened up in Toronto’s Chinatown about a month ago.

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Since we need to pace ourselves, we simply went with the double drumstick order. It was very crisp, with a surprisingly light coating, and the meat was tender.  My only criticism – the flavors were restrained and I felt they could have used more seasoning.

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The restaurant is in the midst of a soft opening, so a lot of its menu items are not yet available, but I look forward to coming back and checking out the spicy wings on my next visit.

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Don’t we all?

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Our second stop was one of food personality Anthony Bourdain’s favorites, the venerable Popeyes (400 Queen St. West), a ubiquitous establishment I – believe it or not – have never visited.

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Akemi and Ivon = super excited!

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I deferred to Elliot, the Popeyes veteran, who ordered up some tenders and Buffalo Wing sauce.  Overall, not bad but there was a notable drop-off in the quality of the chicken from Jdous.

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Our third stop was The County General (936 Queen St. West) where we ordered their signature County Fried Chicken (buttermilk fried chicken, Texas BBQ sauce, dill ranch, honey garlic herbs, pickles, corn bread).  The chicken was delicious, although I could have done with a lot less of the accompanying sauce.  Also, not a fan of cornmeal-crusting and its occasionally gritty texture.  Akemi loved the cornbread!

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And that was a wrap on the Elliot-assist.  The next day, however, Akemi joined me for second lunch at Buldak: Home of Hot Taste (658 Blood St. West) for their Korean fried chicken.  I was, honestly, overwhelmed by the enticing offerings and ultimately elected to go with a combo that included both their regular and spicy fried chicken.  The waiter attempted to steer me clear of the spicy version, warning me “It’s very hot.”  I told him I’d be fine.

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The original recipe was very good and served with a side of salt so that customers can presumably adjust to their preferred level (I definitely thought it needed a pinch).  As for the spicy fried chicken – wow!  I rated it a 7.5 (on 10) on my heat scale: fiery yet flavorful, sweet and savory, with a great crunch.  Akemi, on the other hand, rated it a 10 and then refused to hold my hand for the rest of the afternoon for fear I’d somehow transfer the spiciness despite the fact I used two wet towelettes and throughly washed my hands afterwards.

THE VERDICT?

Home of Hot Taste’s spicy fried chicken was, hands down, the winner of this extended outing.

I fully intend to check out some of Toronto’s other contenders.  But not before I pay a return visit to Home of Hot Taste so I can sample their green onion fried chicken and their Blazing Fire chicken with cheese.  Who’s in?!

May 23, 2018: Comic Book Covers of the Week!

My favorites…

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Achilles, Inc. #1 (cover art by Daniel Maine)

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Doctor Strange #390 (cover art by Mike Del Mundo)

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Falcon #8 (cover art by Jay Anacieto)

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Infinity Countdown: Darkhawk #1 (cover art by Skan)

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Star Wars #28 (cover art by David Marquez)

What did you like?  What did I miss?

May 22, 2018: Housekeeping beats!

First off, thanks to all those who weighed in with the kind words regarding our virtual Dark Matter season 4 premiere episode.  As I said, more than anything it was, for me, an exercise that allowed me to put the story (a story I’ve been sitting on for longer than you can probably imagine) out there.  Time and interest permitting, I’ll get around to Episode 4.02 in the not-too-distant future, a heist episode that reveals, among other things: an unlikely alliance, the fate of SIX and Tash, and the future of both Wexler and Ryo Ishida moving forward.

A great day today, highlighted by what was probably one of my best pitch meetings ever.  Of course, only time will tell if one of my ideas gets the nod (I’m holding out hope for either the sci-fi pitch, the other sci-fi pitch, the other sci-fi pitch, the other sci-fi pitch, or the horror pitch), but I’m feeling good about the chances and look forward to the possibility of collaborating with some terrific heavy-hitters.

A question from the comments section –

Liam asks: “Quick question on something unrelated.  I’ve recently discovered that there is a stargate universe comic, called “back to destiny”, which continues the SGU story after the end of season 2. Did you have any input in this at all? Is it what you would have done in season 3, had it been picked up?”

Answer: I had absolutely no input into the comic book and haven’t a clue what direction they took the story.  If you’re curious, here are a couple of ways we could have gone given the chance –

Stargate: Universe Beyond Season 2 – What Might Have Been

At one point, Paul and I were in talks to adapt the Stargate: Extinction script to the comic book format (the feature that would have seen Atlantis make its return to Pegasus), but we never got the chance to tell that particular tale.

FirstName writes: “For the future story, maybe consider a novel (not graphic novel). I would buy that for the greater depth it would provide. Is that a possibility?”

Answer: Sadly, not possible.  The time and effort required of me to write novels covering the show’s final two seasons ensure this’ll never happen.

David Walters writes: “Now after Dark Matter and The Expanse, maybe people will finally realize we need a Sci-Fi channel, not the SYFY channel?”

Answer: The Top 10 Sci-Fi Broadcast/Streaming Homes

Meanwhile – Oh, hey, a buddy of mine just got his top secret show picked up!  Congrats, my friend!  Shhhhhhhhh.