That Live Action Animation Panel

[00:00:00] Hi everybody and welcome to the SyFy Sista Podcast. I am Sabrina Wood and I'm joined today by my sister, Event Blackman Tom. Hello. Hey, that we are here today to talk about some

[00:00:44] really big fun that we had at Trek Long Island and unfortunately we don't have our other two sisters here but you're going to see one of our sisters in like the spotlight in a second.

[00:00:56] Well here. Here. You're going to hear her. Hear her here. Right here. Right now. So Trek Long Island is quick becoming just about my favorite con ever. What about you? Yeah, it's definitely I think I've made that comment that this Trek Long Island is our con. It's definitely

[00:01:16] made for our sensibilities. It's the East Coast. That's the great part. It's all Trek. Like it's not Trek but then everybody else can come also that type of thing. It's purely Trek and it's

[00:01:32] Trek for a very diverse group, the IDIC group of Trek fans. Oh yeah, everybody was there. Yeah. Yeah. They're lovers of Trek in every iteration which I totally love. There's no poo-pooing on

[00:01:48] any iteration of Trek. It's all about the love of the franchise, you know, which I adore. Yeah. And of course we love Stephanie. Yes. And of course you know two and that's another thing about

[00:02:02] this convention. There's a lot of books. A lot of books. Even though there are, you know, all kinds of panels, you know, main rooms. There's main stage. There's a couple of panel rooms and

[00:02:12] something is going on in all of them. There's a kid track. Yeah. There's a science track. It is just a lot going on but hang on for next year. Let's get it going again. I love it.

[00:02:24] It's just full days, so much fun and everybody's there. Like a lot of the stars are there. We met some of the Discovery people and oh man, I'm telling you, hanging out with them too man. And

[00:02:35] they got our fans. Right. They loved our church fans. They did. So what we have today for you as is a really special treat if you didn't get to be at Trek Long Island and see this

[00:02:48] particularly great panel hosted by none other than sci-fi sister Tamia. So here we are. It is called Drawn Together, Lower Decks and Prodigy Spotlight and it featured our good friends, Bonnie Gordon and our new best friend Gabrielle Weiss. Yes. Gabrielle, I met her in the elevator.

[00:03:12] Like we were going to the elevator and like I knew her face. Gabrielle if you don't know, plays Taylin in Lower Decks and Bonnie is the voice of the computer in Prodigy.

[00:03:23] And so these two women were supposed to give us like a thing about I don't know, animation or whatever but it turned into a whole nother thing. And Tamia you did a great job hosting this. Great questions. Great, great questions. That was what really kicked off some really

[00:03:43] fun conversations. I was in the audience, I was the sister in the room but I tell you I was rolling. Yeah because both of them are pretty good comedians. They have great comedic timing, both of them.

[00:03:58] Yeah so I knew Tamia was going to be able to moderate those two because they can definitely hold their own. You know they don't need to be prodded or anything like that. You know and they're pretty quick with it which I love about both of them.

[00:04:14] They just stole the afternoon. I'm telling you and the audience was loving every minute of it. I can't wait to hear it because I didn't get to, I was at the our vendor table so this is

[00:04:25] going to be a treat for me. Man in the vendor table. That's it that's it and thank you for coming to our vendor table out there. Appreciate you. All right so without any

[00:04:35] further ado here we go with the interview of Tamia Harper talking to Bonnie Gordon and Gabrielle Rees at Drawn Together Lower Decks and Prodigies Spotlight. Yay. Hey everybody what's up Trek

[00:04:51] Long Island fans? Hey I'm Tamia from the Sci-Fi Sisters and I'm so and I'm so excited to be here today. This is going to be a great panel for our favorite animated shows. We're going to be talking

[00:05:09] some Star Trek Lower Decks in the house and some Star Trek Prodigy. Yes. Our delightful favorites we didn't know we needed and to help us talk about them I have two incredible women here today. First up on the stage you know her from my crazy ex-girlfriend and also

[00:05:36] the voice of Talyn on Star Trek Lower Decks give it up for Gabrielle Rees. Yeah grab anyone. Fascinating. Yes. Hello everyone I chose the blue one for the uniform of course all that matching. And our other favorite voice of the computer new to our family and so beloved

[00:06:10] we love her so much everybody welcome Miss Bonnie Gordon representing the Star Trek Prodigy. What's up ladies? Also fascinating. I was like oh no Vulcans and computers were one in the same pretty much one of the same acknowledged red alert. You probably auditioned for Talyn

[00:06:32] I probably auditioned for the computer. See the crossover is amazing. That is amazing because I was actually that's going to be a question coming up later okay well this is my first

[00:06:44] time being able to sit down with the two of you and I mean first of all I'm really geeking out so just so you know I might be looking a little bit cool but I'm hardcore geeking right now. Me too.

[00:06:56] I've been told we're the most animated ones here. So I wonder I think there might be some people who perhaps haven't heard this question I know you've been asked it a million times but just in case somebody doesn't know can you guys give us

[00:07:17] a little bit of an introduction into your first contact with Star Trek. That's a great question do you want to go first? I'll go first. Do you go first? Fight for it? Paper rock scissors.

[00:07:34] I used to fall asleep watching TNG with my mom. My mom is a big Trekkie and my dad would go and have to summer in West Tech I'm from Texas he had to summer in West

[00:07:46] Texas for work for like two to three months out of the year so we would bunk with my mom in the main bedroom and she would watch Star Trek to sleep. Yes everyone yes. Yes it's the ship

[00:07:58] noise. Yes it is it's really relaxing. It's Jordy just like explaining everything that's just like you know and so I have loved it ever since so when I called her that I booked a Vulcan it was

[00:08:10] a epic epic moment. Oh my god did she do it? Yes she was like hold on I was like because I don't tell them what I auditioned for because I didn't get it so it happens a lot and my dad will like curse

[00:08:22] God and you know wonder why and he asked me too many questions like dad I don't know I don't know why but I so I call them make sure they're both on the phone when something does happen like this

[00:08:32] and like crazy girlfriend and other things and so um it was it was really fun my mom was like hold on let me press pause I'm watching Deep Space Nine okay what are you talking about guys?

[00:08:43] I was like well this is perfect. How much do we love your mother? We love her very much. My family knows nothing of Star Trek I'm like the black sheep of the family meaning I'm the nerd

[00:08:55] and they don't understand any of my my interests or likes but I was a big fantasy sci-fi geek but didn't really get into Star Trek until I lived in Vegas and I was part of the closing cast

[00:09:06] of Star Trek The Experience. Yes I was one of the actors in that and they hired me I did the audition I improved everything had no idea what I was doing and the man the person hiring me goes

[00:09:18] we're hiring you I don't know why please watch Star Trek because you you can't use the prime directive as an excuse every time someone asks asks you a question and I was like but I can

[00:09:31] I was like I cannot answer that it'll break the prime directive and he was like there's only so many times you can repeat that before they just go this person has no idea what she's

[00:09:38] talking about uh so I started watching Star Trek as research and fell in love with it and then uh on geek and sundry was a part of shield of tomorrow the Star Trek yes yeah hello

[00:09:49] this is the Star Trek TTRPG show of Star Trek Adventures I was lark sage did that for two years there's way too many episodes on YouTube of that and then uh pulled every possible

[00:10:01] stream to get the audition when I heard that there were animated series happening uh probably not the right way to to audition I was because I didn't have a voiceover agent at the time even though I

[00:10:12] did voiceovers professionally for 15 years I was unrepresented voiceover wise so I you made it happen girl oh I did I manifested that really hard that's what you call yeah I brought I was brought in

[00:10:25] for Gwynn so initially for Proportogy and recorded eight episodes of as Gwynn and then did all the scratch for Janeway and then they were like and now you're a computer I was like cool

[00:10:40] that was my start in Star Trek I digress I've had a lot of coffee I'm so sorry I love it I love it I need I'm gonna feed off of that coffee energy okay okay so here's a question that I like to

[00:10:51] ask people because for me and I think for a lot of us fans Star Trek is so impactful in our everyday lives and how we carry ourselves and how we treat other people in the world um I'm interested to

[00:11:07] know from you guys what is a probably the most significant thing that you have learned from doing your roles or and or from being part of the Trek family either way that's my gosh

[00:11:18] I love this question um it is an honor to be a Latina Vulcan yes yes right I mean the diversity there I don't think it's I mean from the actors the other actors who have played Vulcans it's I

[00:11:34] think I think people have told me I'm the first is that correct please correct me if I'm wrong you guys know more than me maybe not but um as a female Vulcan I'm just gonna own it

[00:11:44] Viva la Latina Vulcan you know and so um that's definitely an honor and the being you know how inclusive and diverse the Star Trek world already has been and is even thriving more

[00:11:56] so in these generations is spectacular so it's it's an honor it's wonderful what I love about you know being a multifaceted faceted nerd and going to comic cons and gaming conventions and anime conventions and seeing all the different types of fandoms nothing beats the Trekkies and I

[00:12:20] am not I am not saying this because you're all sitting in here yes there's a lot of crossover I know a lot of you are like D&D what represents it but you know you're a lot of you are

[00:12:29] are multifaceted nerds as well but there is something about the Trek community that is so and so accepting of people who are different and us wanting to actually create what the federation stands for um you know you hear about toxic fandoms and gatekeeping I really feel like the

[00:12:48] Star Trek community embraces everyone no matter what show your you love what characters you connect with and the the amount of charity work that the Star Trek actors and the community does you know Billingsley is a perfect example Chase is a perfect example there's so many

[00:13:07] Armin there's so many charities that everyone's connected to and you all show up you show up like physically with your wallets um online like you are all like getting emotional again coffee

[00:13:24] uh lack of sleep and coffee you all are so special uh and being able to come as a fan and then be a part of the other side and seeing it from both sides and seeing how much the actors really

[00:13:43] care for all of you like none of us would be here without all of you and that goes with a lot of the charity work that all of you do a lot of the charity work that they believe in

[00:13:51] you keep it going and you keep the i the Roddenberry vision of of what Starfleet is and what it stands for alive so give your yourselves a round of applause because there is nothing like Star Trek

[00:14:06] fans nothing was that did that answer the question I concur yeah right I think that was the question it's good stuff man that's good stuff it's true like I mean the sci-fi sisters you know

[00:14:17] with like Hollywood food coalition and stuff the amount of work that they do and put in and the amount of work that the community comes in and and shows up for like y'all are unbelievable

[00:14:28] unbelievable thank you for being you yes and and accepting everyone thank you for just yeah do that do the thing that's right do the thing do that Starfleet thing that's a t-shirt

[00:14:43] I like that one the spell it t-h-a-n-g do that thing do that thing do that Starfleet thing go ahead make note of that Sabrina hey hey collab collab okay so Gabrielle I've got a question for you

[00:15:01] tell me okay because I came late to my crazy ex girlfriend right so I'm not a person who who naturally wants to watch a lot of singing in my in my in my fun right and my friends like

[00:15:21] Lawrence and people are like how do you even know me because I'm a performer and this is what I do but have you seen her do yoga I saw the yoga right Valencia that character like she was crazy

[00:15:34] and she was wonderful and I mean I thought she was so spectacular and weird and lovable and real and odd like she was just all this mix she was so cool and then we get to character too yeah right

[00:15:48] yeah she grew because first you're like oh oh has anybody else out here watched my crazy ex girlfriend it's so good right if you haven't it's fine it's on the next forever yeah that's where I was going

[00:16:01] was saying that like because like I that show got me hooked right I started watching one episode and I was like singing I don't know and then I was like okay but they're actually singing well

[00:16:12] and it makes sense and it's funny this is very dark and funny it's really dark and funny right it's a great point it's a great show so I want to know what would Valencia across over into

[00:16:25] Star Trek that would be so cool I can see her on lower decks um what I was going to say what would Valencia think about to lend how would she react and and would there be a chance for them

[00:16:38] to be friends oh my gosh like real friends yeah like you mean like the universe of Valencia watching Star Trek and becoming a Trekkie that's where I was going like her wife Beth would

[00:16:49] have been like what are you watching and she's like you've got to start from the top because I kind of happened with Philip my husband I had just shared that my mom's a Trekkie because he always

[00:16:59] puts on Star Wars and then like walks out of the room which maybe a lot of us understand he just feels the force he just from the other and I'm like why I was like why are we watching this

[00:17:10] again like where like what's this I can never follow the storyline and and he just like presses play and walks away and I'm like that's enough you need to you need to learn

[00:17:19] sit down hold my beer and learn what Star Trek is welcome to this universe and I sat him down and we started with TOS of course and then you start with like the beginning it's a very good

[00:17:30] place to start and we just got hooked all over again so I feel like and I got to rewatch it again with him like me as well as an adult versus with my mom so this is before all of lower

[00:17:43] decks was booked for me too so I feel like Valencia and Beth would go through that as well like what are you doing have a seat and Beth would introduce it to her and she would be hooked

[00:17:53] science you'll delivered and I think she would I was talking to someone earlier about Valencia versus Talyn like comparisons and contrasts and I really think they're the same kind of entity and vibe and she was saying that they're completely different I was like

[00:18:12] hold on honestly I think that they're both sarcastic they're both shade and they're both honest you know they're just like honest beings of their own planets and that can either get them to

[00:18:23] trouble be out of control or at the same time be respected and also feared and I think Valencia would totally get that now would she be like in the Star Trek world I think she really likes her

[00:18:37] little queen dumb in West Covina she likes to roll that on the Queen of Rural Planet she already is there whatnot but I do feel for me as an actress the straight man character is what my

[00:18:49] niche is where I play not necessarily monotone but like Daria or straight up just kind of like just like straight up I get the lines that you don't because the writing is so well done

[00:19:03] that you don't have to enforce any more anything into it and just trust the writing they trust me as an actor and it just rings bells and and hilarity so Valencia and Talyn do that I think

[00:19:15] for everybody I agree I love them both I love both those characters go ahead Bonnie I was thinking speaking of crazy ex-girlfriend I haven't thought about this in years but when

[00:19:24] it went off the air I wrote a song and posted it to Rachel Bloom and it was like uh can we please have more shows like crazy ex-girlfriend so I can get cast on TV it is fun and diverse and cast

[00:19:39] women with curves with musical numbers and heartwarming scenes since it's gone off the air there's a hole in my heart that can only be filled by Rachel so can we please have more shows like crazy ex-girlfriend nothing really rhymes with Rachel

[00:19:59] thanks it was like a very like like not not not question mark thank you stay tuned yeah that was beautiful both of you all have beautiful voices you know I mean singing voices as well as speaking voices you know I mean and

[00:20:18] you're like vocal acrobats and I love that but did you ever have any aspirations to bring singing into your roles in Star Trek? I'm in the A okay uh oh I like that oh NDA that's a very good answer

[00:20:38] yeah NDA sure sure sure sure I mean we just got our notice so well also I mean I do bring it in because I because of the parody stuff I do you know like the you know now you got the bridge back

[00:20:57] gurg is away like I find my own way of sharing my love of music and my share of nerdy like fandoms so you know it's hard watching the strange new world's musical episode I was like

[00:21:11] ah ha ha ha so jelly so jelly right out and then you know being a quirky nerdy right head I'm like just singing discovery I'm like telly why you take my role like you know like so

[00:21:25] I'm kind of like trying to you know find a back the back door that's not a dirty way a way to like continue you know being in the space but also you know keeping the music the humor the love

[00:21:39] of Star Trek my own way and also Vulcans are very good singers yes so yes I will always say yes music is math maybe you know like a movie of lower decks just putting it out there oh I'm saying

[00:21:54] right right maybe um but one thing to say as a singer technically speaking I love looking at the lines like sheet music because it's not necessarily had it's it's you know when when you're putting

[00:22:10] on something on screen you're present with the other person like that person you know you have to really pay attention to and then when it comes to just being in a studio with nobody yes the answer

[00:22:21] is nobody else is in the room with you with all the scenes I've just met tawny this February I know right and they did just they put it all together later you have to trust your rhythm

[00:22:35] trust your speed and also trust specifically for Vulcan like like an AI robot or computer what the what the resonance the sound the tonality the volume that you know all of the the rhythm of

[00:22:49] what it is to be known and then make it your own and um it was a lot of audible memory I think that would make sense of what Leonard Nimoy created for Vulcan and then you have to so I tell people

[00:23:05] like you know what do I do to prepare this might be a terrible actor answer but it's true it's like what would Jesus do it's what would Spock say or how would Spock say it and then I say it

[00:23:15] that's a t-shirt and I told Brad I told Brad when Winters are our producer who I recorded a lot of the episodes of Till and with he's so awesome I know he's so awesome and I told him I was like

[00:23:25] that's definitely how I'm I just literally envision a scene and TOS of him saying this line and then I say it I just copy and paste exactly that way so as a musician I think that makes

[00:23:35] sense it does I feel like in voiceover in general and you've done other things in video games a music background even if you're not a singer studying music and taking voice lessons is such a help for vocal

[00:23:48] voiceover jobs you know as a computer I don't get to do very much there's no improv even though I've tried and they vetoed that like thank you so much Bonnie but yeah stick to the lines thank

[00:23:59] Admiral Janeway's like do I have access to this and I'm like no that's not a line I'm like it is now I'm sorry go away Janeway the right way the wrong way the Janeway but no so

[00:24:13] but especially when it comes to like video games and anime we're giving a very specific time we're giving flap and it becomes like a music game it becomes a rhythm we have to match our voices

[00:24:23] to the lips not quite per se in lower decks and and prodigy because the the animation is done after as far as I know I'm not in lower decks I don't know but a musical background also helps with your

[00:24:36] pitch your tone breathing correctly screaming correctly so many voiceover actors ruin their vocal cords by you know taking jobs I talk about I'm gonna smack you I talk about my hand a lot

[00:24:49] but like doing the you know fight scenes or the zombie stuff the zombie stuff they ruin their voice like after the first session because they don't know how to do it properly and a music background

[00:25:00] comes in handy not being a good singer you don't have to be a good singer just study your voice it's an instrument it's a muscle and I feel like being a singer has helped me tremendously doing

[00:25:12] video that's such a good point do all that from the diaphragm projecting knowing how to modulate we haven't booked that one yet but I will I know it right they're going way down there I don't I don't know how to feel about this

[00:25:36] she's ready to book that one no like I don't know how you guys feel but I could watch this all day you should have been at the story time with the kids I was I like I don't even know

[00:25:48] they're just like now do I also what like dude they were just throwing voices out it was fun it's like a free acting class for yourself yeah so me and five year olds are the the processes for

[00:25:59] you guys recording like on the different shows are they similar or there are a lot of differences I mean you guys you mentioned not being recording together you know like well especially after COVID so many of the studio regulations have changed I've been on a few shows with

[00:26:15] Cartier Network where the entire cast is in a recording session together and the energy's there it's so much fun you know it's like we're bouncing off each other we're laughing but then

[00:26:24] now it's very again all by yourself I recorded all of Prodigy season one for my bedroom because we were in lockdown and you know so every now if you hear like a red alert and like

[00:26:37] like a cat that's my cat you know he's like he's like me too me too he's um didn't I guess he didn't know he Yapa is famous uh but yeah did you get him a kogan account he has a cameo if you

[00:26:55] but yeah I feel like uh it's it's changed a lot the industry's changed a lot you know a lot of it's done remotely because of of COVID regulations and um it's lonely because you are just acting

[00:27:07] you know not just with these shows just in any voiceover you're just you have to you have nothing there to work with and uh so you do have to it's a lot of imagination it's a lot of

[00:27:20] it's an imagination exercise and improv exercise and just hoping that you're getting what their intention is if you don't know what happened in the scene before you're like I hope this

[00:27:32] is right and well I love not talking to anybody I love not interacting with anybody okay well that's great no but it's um it is interesting to not be bouncing off and even a table read for instance

[00:27:47] like just sitting down and reading the script the writers the producers the creators Mike everybody just trusts everyone's role including from the beginning to the end um I I enjoy taking you know one set of lines three times in a row so you can give them three variations

[00:28:04] and um we don't work with the director hand in hand the way you work with the director on screen or on Broadway and theater it's just such a different relationship so they take those

[00:28:16] three sets of lines that the producers make sure that we're capturing the idea and they pick them later and then sew them all together I think that's so neat and so um I feel like with Lower Decks the

[00:28:30] animation solidifies I'm sure their storyboards already created but the animation does definitely start coming into full once they hear us so we're part of the inspiration it's a and then like this Wednesday coming up I feel like it's my last session with Lower Decks

[00:28:48] you guys yes let us lament um where we're just filling patches like there's like a few holes here and there that either the editing now needs to match or the rewarding needs to match and what

[00:28:59] not and I will savor it I'm very sad just so you know with Lower Decks the timing is so fast so like kudos to the actors the editors the animation team that the show is the speed and the

[00:29:16] and the back and forth the fact that they are not in a ring together and able to back and forth like that it's like they all know each other so well they know their characters so well

[00:29:27] so kudos to you and the rest of the cast because as a VO actor I'm just like that is just so impressive you guys are just on it constantly and the timing is perfect and yeah so yeah they

[00:29:36] definitely are like that was great Gabriel can you just do it faster oh it's always about being fast that does faster we have 22 minutes to pack a full hour episode that actually does deserve

[00:29:46] a round of applause because Lower Decks is our jam you know I think I think I speak for many of us here when I say save Lower Decks just like we saved Pat prodigy right y'all saved prodigy though

[00:30:03] seriously you actually did you actually did they did you really did Lower Decks Lower Decks Lower Decks yes I concur I concur we did that last year because I was like oh my gosh it worked yeah so I mean we're an

[00:30:24] incredibly powerful fan base you know so we can do this just get a plane fly it over Netflix it worked for us do it do it do it come on plane people I know crazy there's a plane

[00:30:40] okay so I'm gonna ask I have two final questions before we open it up to um questions from the audience so you guys start thinking about your questions make them good ones okay one question

[00:30:53] per person all right y'all one don't be coming up here if like I have a five part question subsection a just come to our tables if you have one of those come to our tables okay so for Gabrielle

[00:31:07] you know if we are able to save Lower Decks I think there should be no if in that state when we save Lower Decks are there uh do you see you have a desire for any particular types of

[00:31:21] storylines you would like to see for Talyn thank you thank you let's kick it up a notch yes baby she's already out of control I mean that should just be a short in itself it should be its own

[00:31:39] fame like its own obviously I've thought about this um I I would love to see of course more backstory of Talyn what brought her to the moment of putting her foot down with that gut

[00:31:53] instinct on Chavall you know like what brought her there um what was her training years like was she always when did the switch happen you know as an actor you love to know like when did that switch

[00:32:05] happen for the conflict um and you know we were just I was just like in included in the club of the fabulous four you know it was just wonderful to be around and and be able to

[00:32:17] play the volleyball of jokes with them and whatnot so I I would never want that to end I just never want that to end and so Ponfar. Ponfar y'all got that hashtag Ponfar. Talyn Ponfar. Let's get that trending.

[00:32:32] Let the reddit fly. Bonnie I've got a question for you that I just have to ask you about for personal interest what's up with this you being a barker for this Romani equestrian show

[00:32:48] look y'all I gotta tell you you're carny you're carny I was I was it's in the past now I can always bring it back you're all marks uh if you know what that means so I I oh gosh in between

[00:33:04] working for Disney World and doing shows in Vegas I went on tour like one does Romanian family equestrian show like you do like you do uh where we did a bunch of renfares and different types of

[00:33:20] festivals and you know it was all they were doing like backflips off of the horses juggling machetes and fire like you like you do uh I was not I was just like the you know hello loads

[00:33:32] of light you know like the winch I was basically the the butt of their insults I was the only woman and they were just like you know back to the kitchens and I just like slipping to something

[00:33:43] more comfortable sir like a coma um so that was my carny days uh we actually got into like like a war with the carneys long story but they like the the actual carneys of like the the fairs and the festivals and then like they came to

[00:34:05] the stables for the horses and we were like like standing at the horses with like swords I was like this is not what I signed up for oh my I really think like three months I was like after three months

[00:34:15] I was like I think I'm good this has been an experience I'm gonna move to Vegas that was my most yeah that was the reasonable uh yes that was the I'm gonna go to simpler life I'm

[00:34:25] gonna go to a simpler life and be a Vegas show girl uh working the star trek experience and toning Tina's wedding and singing with three bands that do not evolve so I was in it for years

[00:34:38] Orlando Vegas yay which we just by the way sorry tangent we just figured out no well we not we didn't be we just found out that we met before but I gave you a you gave me a plant

[00:34:50] oh my god it was at the crazy ex-girlfriend rap party and she's like you gave me a plant I showed up I crashed it I climbed to the fence this is like a theme no no no I don't like the fence I yeah

[00:35:03] I'm a very good climber when I need to be and I was like I need to make sure they know that I'm here no um uh the next of mine worked worked in post production and took me as a plus one

[00:35:14] and you gave me a gave her a succulent a succulent saying I kill all plants take this and I said and then it was dead like the next day I was like oh no she gave me a responsibility and I failed

[00:35:28] and then and then I just kind of like put it away and was like goodbye like to set it off like in a Viking ship blew it up oh my gosh um it was a little life long friends now

[00:35:38] I know yeah we obviously had lots of catching up to do on fact and fiction is all a blur in my life but yes I was a barker which I don't but I wasn't a barker that I don't know who put it in that words

[00:35:50] it's on my wikipedia page and I'm like how do I fix this how do I just say I had to ask you I'm like this is crazy this sounds like nuts I mean but it sounds really interesting too so

[00:36:00] did you know that there is a carny language I'm terrible at speaking it but I can understand it so if someone can say something in carny I understand it but I don't know how to word it

[00:36:09] it's a real language it's like pig latin but more complicated did not know that yes oh my god I learned that from the original Ronald McDonald because I know a lot of clouds I play poker with

[00:36:23] a bunch of magicians and clouds and parties you guys this is like poker with magicians I do and we have an honor system we do I work at the magic castle it's a thing I do a lot of magicians

[00:36:35] any who are we ready for some audience questions please okay stop me talking okay so you guys want to line up on the side over here everybody just line up on this side and we have somebody with a

[00:36:52] microphone right by the way this is my first con everyone kind of ever oh my gosh I have been I mean the minute Talyn was a thing or I was like Lamont's like this little small role and then

[00:37:14] I had one computer line in and lower decks and I was like let's get me in the cons everyone's like calm down and then Talyn happened and I'm working with Cool Water Productions Derek Mackie and Tyler

[00:37:26] over here and it's just the warmest welcome and I've been ready to meet you guys and celebrate all things Star Trek so thank you for having you you are so spoiled because again

[00:37:38] the Star Trek conventions are the best just skip the others don't tell the others I said that she speaks truth it's true the Trekkies are the best I concur so my question yep so my question is for

[00:37:51] Gabrielle now Bonnie mentioned the fast paced speed of lower decks so my question is when you guys get into the vocal booth to record did they literally tell you speak as fast as

[00:38:05] possible or did the speed and fast paced nature come naturally I think it's a little bit of both sometimes because you do audition I mean I auditioned for Talyn and I think my pacing was appropriate

[00:38:21] at least at that point and the first episode of Talyn Wedge Dooch was very curated just with kit gloves by Mike and all the producers were there so it was wonderful to feel taken care of

[00:38:37] to find the pacing together because Vulcan as we know does have its its vocabulary it has its speed and in like what is that in a comedy world of Mike McMahon right and Star Trek you got to

[00:38:50] abide by a lot of rules that have been set in stone for decades at Fields so it was really nice to be part of that project I mean part of doing that together but I will say a lot of the experience

[00:39:03] is let's just take a whack at it let's see what happens let's just read it we just me and the producer not any actors so David is doing everyone else's lines and then we'll be like okay fine

[00:39:14] let's just pick it up a little bit just pick up the pace basically is the phrase that is said most times versus can you just be faster and funnier like an actor can typically not respond

[00:39:24] well to that but um for Talyn can you just do it better can you be funnier but um it definitely because I booked it and I was able to see what Tawny set the tone you know I auditioned for

[00:39:38] Mariner like that was my first audition had one call back for it and I remember Mike being can you be faster can you try it this way and I remember leaving that audition like didn't book

[00:39:48] that and then you see Tawny and you hear her and you're like exactly that's exactly what he said that's exactly what she should be she she is Mariner so she sets the tone you learn it as

[00:40:01] as an artist you learn the world and so I was able to do a little research and then add my Spock Vulcan spin like that I do a lot of this in the room I'm like fascinating curing curious

[00:40:16] so yes that's my long answer thanks Vince hi so so my question is because uh Gabrielle mentioned uh Talyn the potential for Talyn yeah so my question and Bonnie you can take this one too oh boy

[00:40:35] can't wait f Mary kill Star Trek characters oh fuck Mary kill yeah oh there's so many characters how do we break it down oh oh oh my gosh I'm not gonna get the names right but thank god all of you

[00:40:50] were here okay okay first contact oh oh this is his question sorry we are getting general okay I would marry all the whales no I'm getting the killer whales you saved them that's great they're so sweet like I just love that um that's like my favorite movie um

[00:41:16] it's my favorite too the one with the whale star trek for um I have to say I would probably fuck um what's his name from the the the villain in um nexus what's his name oh

[00:41:33] yes sexy and conflicting yes he can shoot me with the beam any day you like the bad boy I like the bad boy yes uh who would I marry who would I marry who would I marry I'm going with Scotty because I'm a sucker for a Scottish accent

[00:41:52] a man in a kilt with a brogue hello you know I mean I'm gonna go to the holodeck and play outlander I like this yeah look I'm looking for some period piece action here okay

[00:42:09] um you know are there kids in here I am so sorry I'm so sorry I really trust Jordy I really trust him and that you know the head you know I used to walk around with a headband in front of my eyes

[00:42:22] all the time as a kid I remember thinking I was like how does he do it I did that as an adult I was like I was just like let me test this out no so I would say you know it's just every

[00:42:35] time like now as an actor when you watch it later you're like Jordy had all the the technical exposition of this the episode so you get to like learn what we're dealing with you know

[00:42:44] and so that's like kind of marrying kinds for me it's like you know someone that you feel grounded with yeah who would you oh gosh this is hard oh Joe uh make love to okay okay whoa whoa I mean if pond far's in on the table maybe Spock

[00:43:07] okay I will say Spock and data are two of my favorite Star Trek characters and I'm also a huge Sherlock Holmes fan so I'm just attracted to intelligent emotionless like unavailable men

[00:43:22] apparently that's my goal in life so I have a cat uh who am I gonna kill oh uh oh gosh I mean the easy answer would be con but I want to be I want to be better I want to think of

[00:43:38] something more clever not Barkley but it's close it's very word although I will say if I ever get a dog uh like to myself it looked at it Barkley would be the name you know I just killed

[00:43:54] a bee this big in our kitchen the other day like he was huge and my husband kills all the bucks like all the bucks except bees like he's like not doing bees and he's some Bridgerton I got I got

[00:44:08] like this like vegetable produce box right and I was like whoa you know what I mean and like totally like I gotta kill this beast so if I had to kill anything you might be offended

[00:44:18] I will kill Boopsy oh good answer I really don't want to but I will yes I will kill you because Moopsie will kill me oh Moopsie better like you're so cute but I will kill you so I mean

[00:44:30] you asked you asked the question it's a tough one thank you that was a good question Moopsie Hi so you both mentioned how you try to you know preserve and take care of your voice which

[00:44:52] obviously is very important but um nevertheless have you had an incident where either they wanted you to do such extremes or just keep going and going for so long that you did have

[00:45:04] a problem with your voice and if so how did you recover or take care of it uh not really with Star Trek but yes with with other projects and you have to you have to not be afraid to speak up

[00:45:19] and say hey I if we continue this I will not have the integrity to keep going uh it's gotten a lot better with like unions getting involved and different things like that they have to put

[00:45:30] time limits on things uh when you do like a video game or a fighting like scene session they always put the heavy screaming and stuff towards the end so you're not fatigued throughout

[00:45:41] the day um but I mean as someone who is a voice over actor and a singer I I suffer from vocal problems all the time just from overuse and abuse and I talk a lot in case y'all didn't know

[00:45:55] wild to think about but uh it's just all about knowing your body knowing what your limits are hot tea vocal rest uh there is a if you look up Chinese soap soap Chinese throat syrup online the

[00:46:13] first thing that will come up is this syrup I can't pronounce but it's in a red jar it looks like black tar and we call it hulk juice what no no that's not it it's a lot of words that I I'm terrible

[00:46:28] but I will you know I'll find me at my table I will show you a picture of it it's it's like a miracle excerpt tastes like sweet minty licorice and it's very good and it we call it hulk

[00:46:39] juice because the person who did the voice of the hulk in the cartoons back in the day discovered it and would like take take uh spoonfuls of it and it would save him

[00:46:49] and you would get through all those screaming scenes uh do you know what I'm talking about I do it's so good there's this also this one bodega in New York it's like starlight diner

[00:47:00] that saved my voice they closed recently right they saved my voice for my Broadway shows all the time and there was something in that honey tea something in that and I would bring it

[00:47:11] it was probably this syrup I you put it in hot water it's come Korean it was something Korean though I mean it was wow just a miracle so yes I have lost my voice only teaching versus acting and

[00:47:24] singing or whatever yeah children children make us lose things no but and it's when I was like just recovering from a cold and going back too soon so I would say you learn your lesson

[00:47:35] because then I had laryngitis for three weeks um the last show on Broadway that I did kind of a cold like progressed into different variations of flues and science infections and

[00:47:48] I remember having to just beg to go to work and just lip sync I was like I might my my sick leaves days are over they're washed out can I please come and I would try to just be there physically

[00:47:59] so those days do happen and you just got to reschedule and be be kind to yourself and heal so luckily with a voiceover we just you know it's a quicker easier reschedule so it's definitely worth it yeah thank you good question uh hello I killed sorry

[00:48:20] Cali just kidding just kidding uh wrong team sorry um considering your previous and current experience with track with lower decks with prodigy shield of tomorrow that won crazy lasers

[00:48:33] and feeling show that you did oh yeah uh if you what if you were to uh to pitch a Star Trek show what do you think you would want to explore nda because I'm trying all right now we'll talk

[00:48:50] I mean I'm all about the musical I'm a Broadway broad yes and foremost so oh my god a Star Trek musical yeah just show just like a musical show wait did you see calm the musical

[00:49:03] I was the computer I've been it was like two lights but I was there I was no calm the musical have you seen it it was so funny not oh it was in New York oh oh oh it was so funny anyway

[00:49:18] yes that's let's put that let's do that the musical I love it so guys are doing great on time we got about like five minutes left okay gab russell wanted to know what was your favorite song in crazy girlfriend

[00:49:34] on crazy girlfriend like that I did it's all about me um either both um oh man the one that keeps me up at night laughing the most is um I had a stroke I had a stroke it's uh it's it's uh

[00:49:51] making makeover is this like kind of like um this random that's the show guys if you don't know it's so good and and dark highly encourage you guys to watch it story to mental health

[00:50:01] yes growth and um journey and that one for some reason makes me laugh all night long like just it's a making makeover she's she's like kind of having her her break a point that everything's

[00:50:12] fine when it's not and it's um oh mickey you're still fine it's like a spoof off of that I am a disco queen so we'll never have problems again is also one of my favorites but one of

[00:50:22] my favorites to do was um with pat all's all's walled excuse me um no pat um no I was like wow I'm sorry I didn't see that up his name he was also remmy and um

[00:50:37] um the rat uh yes who said it right that's what I said right maybe um anyway um uh the cringe it's a it's it's a spoof a parody song off of um the monster mash and it's all about like having

[00:50:57] cringey moments in your life that you are like oh that was really awkward and we did shoot at a graveyard um overnight and I remember talking to my mom like saying good night we're gonna be here

[00:51:09] till five in the morning and everything and she's like so what are you guys doing tonight I was like oh we're doing that um we had like these skeleton outfits super fun lots of green lighting you know

[00:51:17] the whole thing and my mom was like oh where are you guys shooting us like we're on location and she's like where I said we're going we're gonna just shoot at a graveyard and she went oh

[00:51:23] well be careful okay thank you please pray for me so um that's one of my favorite ones the cringe for sure thank you hi uh a real quick question for Gabrielle Ruiz are you a main cast

[00:51:45] member in lds season five because Talyn deserves it oh thank you I am a main cat no I'm still in the same contract I'm a I'm a very grateful recurring guest star she's a main character in her heart

[00:51:58] in your heart all right yes you know and and Valencia was that too so I feel like that's my that's my fate in my career that you know they they they find out they're in love with me those are the

[00:52:08] ones people remember yeah I think and you know that character isn't known to be beloved until it's you know on its feet and being established with the other characters and also you know

[00:52:19] letting the jokes land the way they do so I'm happy just to be involved thank you I'm just happy to be nominated yeah exactly that's that's exactly the vibe a couple more minutes let's

[00:52:30] see if we can get through the hi so um I was just going to ask the the strange new worlds crossover with lower decks it's uncanny how much the voice actors resembled their characters yeah and I

[00:52:44] just wanted to know if if that's intentional like does which comes first the actors face or the characters face oh that's a good question I mean I'm definitely not in charge but I think I could

[00:52:55] totally rock the bob and that blue headband you know and and the attitude in the stank face um so I would I would love to I mean this is not your question but I'd love to cross over but um I

[00:53:07] would think it's a little bit of both I feel like on your podcast uh Tony talked about you know the hair the hair of the mother and daughter dynamic yes yes and like you know they made sure that it

[00:53:20] really fit Don's look as well as you know um Tony's really beautiful big hair and fluffy you know she has a really fluffy black hair and they made sure the ponytail of of Mariner was like that as well

[00:53:32] it changed because Tony booked it yeah I would make a great console as well just okay one more okay one more question unfortunately I'm so sorry my love find us at our table

[00:53:48] so my question sorry my question is um for you it's you I know you've done a lot of video game work as well as um like TV and stuff is there any difference between recording for a video

[00:54:01] game and recording for 100% so a lot of the video games especially the ones I'm in that come from Japan and overseas like Street Fighter Mega Man Fire Emblem Code Vein they uh in the anime as well

[00:54:14] comes from overseas um and the animation's already done the voices are already done in in Japanese in in Korean and whatever language they're originally from and it's my job to match it as

[00:54:25] best as possible again like I was saying earlier with the being a musician it's like a rhythm game and what they give you they'll give you like a paragraph and the mouth is going like this

[00:54:36] and that's all you got and I'm just like there is no way who translated this she's like my chicken noodle soup yeah and I'm just kind of like there's no way this fits so

[00:54:46] it's a lot of uh flexibility to where you have to match the um you know the flap you have to match the timing you have to there's so much more you have to think about that you kind of

[00:54:56] and you have to focus on acting and make sure you're giving a great performance so it's a lot it piles up with animation especially like working with Nickelodeon Cartoon Network you know I'm

[00:55:06] sure the same with Lower Decks we get a lot more freedom because it's mostly in animatic form and the animation hasn't been finalized yet so uh and I was very lucky to do all the scratch

[00:55:16] voice for like Janeway and Gwen so I went in and recorded like everybody's voice before the actors got into record because so the animators would have something to work with and and

[00:55:24] have something you know so I did a lot of Janeway and if somebody goes in and just records the line like um like a storyboard artist or somebody who doesn't get her cadence and her energy behind it

[00:55:36] uh you're gonna lose a lot of that the animators are just gonna record like hello this is the protostar hello this is the protostar you know so you you have to match the energy and it's a lot more freedom with your acting because the animators then

[00:55:50] match it to you instead of you trying to match another performance in a different language if that makes sense what was the question yes the answer is 42 well everybody I want to thank you all so much

[00:56:13] for joining us today we really appreciate it we love you this might be my last time to say this in person do you we love you you're such a wonderful addition to lower decks

[00:56:30] you know honestly honestly thank you so much and just like all of Star Trek lower decks will always live long and prosper oh absolutely right let me tell you no matter what happens but do pitch the

[00:56:44] movie I would love to I am available and we're serious about saving lower decks right y'all yes yes Bonnie we love you you are such a wonderful addition to the Trek family and you're just such

[00:57:00] a beautiful human being you're such a great part so no matter what happens to prodigy so sorry and I want to thank you both for doing the panel thank you guys for coming out thank you all so much

[00:57:11] live logs and proper you guys smile we're gonna take a photo with you guys as well oh panel photo if you don't want my oh yeah you don't leave yet we want to take a picture with all of you

[00:57:26] put on your picture face okay did I tell you or did I tell you that was absolutely hilarious oh my gosh wow that got off the rails a few times and the funny thing was to me it was so nervous going

[00:57:55] into this and I don't know if you could hear it really but you know I was watching it like when when she got up on the stage and everybody said oh it's like my sister to me and the whole

[00:58:03] audience went yay it's a beautiful round like what me yes you sis you oh man so good oh yeah I was just you know everything like that everything was like that at Shrek Long Island

[00:58:21] I really it just brings out the good vibes it's a good vibe spot let me tell you I can't wait to go back I really do enjoy that venue I love the uh I just love the good feelings

[00:58:37] that go on there you know um Stephanie is such a good human you know she wants everything to be right she just comes at it from such a great place um she embodies the trek you know morals

[00:58:53] the IDIC she definitely you know she she puts that in everything she does and she's a really good friend so I'm really proud of her um and I'm glad this has become a success for her she had a very

[00:59:05] diverse group of stars there that you know brings out the diversity and all and everybody I mean everybody wanted to see everybody yeah so it was just really great so I think a lot of I'm sorry

[00:59:16] go ahead no I just include those yeah Stephanie I think a lot of um con directors say they have a diverse uh lineup but you really need to take notice of what Stephanie is doing um because

[00:59:32] she's definitely talking IDIC but she's putting it into action and when you bring all those diverse fans you're a diverse artist talent you're gonna have diverse fans show up

[00:59:45] you know we saw it on the trek the trek crews uh this year they had a diverse lineup and I mean I don't know how many times people say I came because of all of the diversity on the on the lineup

[00:59:57] you know and we had said it more than once that there are so many different types of people here that we never that we've never seen before so kudos as you said to Stephanie yeah yeah

[01:00:11] all right well so where can everyone find us? You can find us at sci-fi sisters.com that's s-y f-y s-i-s t-a-s dot com join us on the mothership that's m-u-t-h-a-s-h-i-p and the sci-fi sisters book club both on facebook on instagram ticktocks and threads sci-fi.sisters

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