cvxn

purns:

khealywu:

wilwheaton:

MARINA SIRTIS: Well, you have to remember that we were shooting a show about the 24th century in the 20th century, so you have to bear that in mind. My thing was because to be honest, I don’t know about Gates’ experience with the producers, but I never got an acting note—ever. I would get a call from the producer, “Did you change your lipstick? Did you do something different with your hair?” For “The Boys” in the office it was all about how I look, I knew that from the get-go. So being that as I am very “woman’s libby” as we used to call it in my day, I wanted to portray that you could be an attractive woman and still be a strong person. So for me it was really important that there was someone in the position of power and authority and obviously respect who also cared about her appearance. Because that is me—that’s me, I care about my appearance, but I also care more about society, politics and the world, so I don’t think the two are exclusive, and that’s what I wanted to show.
GATES McFADDEN: Um, I just basically wanted to look good… Actually, as most of you probably know I got let go because I was a feminist. So, second season I wasn’t there because I disagreed with the writer, I felt he was writing the character of Crusher—I had said to him, “I raised this kid on my own; he might be obnoxious about it, but he has saved the ship about 6 times. And there has to be some of those genes that are Beverly Crushers, so why is it every time anything with any wisdom is said it’s a male character who talks to him.” And it’s only me that is only about the mother, which believe me mothering is like that’s number one, just love him—no problem with that. Because I thought that had not been really portrayed on a TV show. I have a son and we have whole other disconnect sometimes where it’s just talking about things, and it’s not to do with, “oh you’re a mom, and you’re my son.” Basically we disagreed, I was asked to you know, go, I certainly did it, and I wasn’t trying to be strident. I was used to working in theatre departments where everybody respected everybody and you basically did talk about things. You can talk about script things that didn’t mean you were going to get your way. It’s like what happens right now in rehearsals, I could be directing something and I can have four actors saying completely different things, and really arguing about it. I don’t take it personally, it’s like they’re arguing for their character—that makes sense to me. Anyway, I did just really want to look good but it didn’t work out.

Marina Sirtis & Gates McFadden, on doing a 24th Century show in the 20th Century, and the reason Gates was fired in the second season. (Spoiler Alert: the producer was then fired and Gates was asked to come back (fan letters et al.) [watch here]

I never knew exactly why Gates was fired. I just knew that the writer who fired her was a hack and a dick and he chased away at least one very good writer from the show.

Now that I know why she was fired, I want to get in the time machine and punch that guy in the back of the head.

You guys I love Star Trek so much. This just made me start crying… I just love these women so much.

Someone once asked me why I idolized / wanted to be Deanna Troi, and like… a weird, awkward, nerdy, skinny, ugly kid no one liked? Of course I wanted to be a beautiful, self-possessed exotic alien with mind powers who knew how to be friends with people.

Thank goodness for Star Trek.

This is more than kind of fascinating, and also, let’s note…fans in the second season, which I think was in 1991 demanded her back. My friend was Gates McFadden’s nephew (or something) back then and we (in my school full of nerds) were all so happy when she came back.

Damn. This is a perfect storm of autorebloggables. Hezbait in the extreme.

(Source: doctorcrusher)