Robert Beltran and Ethan Phillips Peoples Chat 10/12/98
PEOPLE Online: Welcome Robert!
Robert Beltran: Thank you, that's very nice. I seriously doubt it.
Robert Beltran: Unless it's an old Indian war song, or something
Cybermum1: Will we learn more about Chakotay's back ground and spiritual make up this year?
Robert Beltran: WEll, I take it one episode at the time, and I don't usually bother the writers to give me any
previews, so I can't really say
MaquisMom: What kind of a captain do you think Chakotay would be?
PEOPLE Online: We're chatting with Robert Beltran who plays Chakotay, and surprise guest Ethan Phillips who
play Neelix!
Robert Beltran: Let's put it this way: I could easily beat up Kirk, it would take me just a little while longer to
beat up Picard, and with Kate I think a couple of long-stemmed roses and champagne would do the job. And
with Cesko he would be
Robert Beltran: a formidable opponent, but I would find a way to get the best of him
PEOPLE Online: Welcome to PEOPLE Online's chat with the stars of Voyager -- we're lucky enough to have
two stars online with us at this moment -- Robert Beltran and Ethan Phillips
Chani_A: Ethan, any plans to direct an episode?
Ethan Phillips: No, I'm leaving the directing to Robbie McNeil and Tim Russ
Ethan Phillips: and Bob Picardo
Ethan Phillips: I tend to concentrate more on the acting.
Robert Beltran: When are we going to get the fun-loving, cowardly Neelix back?
PEOPLE Online: Robert has a question for Ethan:
Ethan Phillips: The fun-loving cowardly Neelix?
Ethan Phillips: If you paid any attention the episode "Displaced"
Ethan Phillips: or even more to the point, "Worst Case Scenario"
Ethan Phillips: you'd SEE the cowardly, fun-loving Neelix.
Robert Beltran: [laughs}
PEOPLE Online: This is for either of you:
jcatspjs3: What can you tell us about the fire on the Voyager set?
Robert Beltran: I absolutely knew nothing about it, I just heard about it. I wasn't there at the time, I don't think
anybody was
Ethan Phillips: By the way, Robert, we happened to be watching The Swarm and you were terrific in that.
Ethan Phillips: But I felt you failed somewhat in Coda
Ethan Phillips: As for the fire on the set, Beltran started it.
Ethan Phillips: He was looking at one of the young ensigns, and the sparks from his eyes ignited the bridge.
Robert Beltran: Okay, well, I didn't want to get into it, but I heard that Johnny was so excited
Robert Beltran: about his one line per episode, that he dropped his cigarette on the carpet
Robert Beltran: and it ignited the whole bridge.
Ethan Phillips: Actually, what happened was the crew was watching Bob's work in the episode "Scientific
Method"
Ethan Phillips: and got so excited that they spontaneously combusted.
PEOPLE Online: Uh, hello??!!! Guys? How about some viewer questions? Ethan, why don't you field this one
(Robert, chime right in!)
FirstContact21: What's it like on the Voyager set, are the actors close, are their any practical jokers?
Ethan Phillips: The actors are very close
Ethan Phillips: and I think the biggest practical joker is either Mr. Beltran or Mr. Russ.
Robert Beltran: Yes, we're close. Practical jokes do not abound, but lots of frivolity does.
Ethan Phillips: :That's a good point -- we do have a good time.
Ethan Phillips: The hours are very long, and you've got to have fun.
Robert Beltran: People don't come to the set with whoopee cushions, but there is a lot of spontaneous -- it's
much too spontaneous to even relate how it happens
raincat13: Ethan -- are you offended that your character was named as one of the worst dressed on tv?
Ethan Phillips: That's just one man's opinion.
Ethan Phillips: In terms of upholstery or furniture, I think he looks pretty good.
Ethan Phillips: For a couch.
PEOPLE Online: We're chatting with Voyager stars Robert Beltran who plays Chakotay, and Ethan Phillips
who plays Neelix!
CrazyOboist: Robert, is there still any chance for a Janeway/Chakotay romance? Or is that completely,
without a doubt, dead?
Robert Beltran: Well, as we all know, nothing is dead on ST, including people who have died
Robert Beltran: So although I'm afraid that the affair is for the moment dead, I think that the writers if they
choose could revive it if they wanted to.
Robert Beltran: For the moment they're enjoying instead of getting turned down by the Captain I'm getting
turned on every week by the guest stars
Ethan Phillips: The fans should look forward to a very intense and rich relationship between Seven of Nine and
Neelix.
El_Unico_e_Incondicional_Phenix: Don Robert Beltran, saludos - I would like to ask you of your involvement
with the communities in need of people to look up to like yourself - especially the Latin American
population........
Robert Beltran: yeah, I hear she keeps a stun gun next to her.
PEOPLE Online: We're chatting with two of our favorite Voyager stars, Robert Beltran and Ethan Phillips
(stick around, Kate Mulgrew will be joining us at 9 p.m.)
Robert Beltran: I have a problem with people looking up to role models outside of their own family, but if
they do need a role model,
Robert Beltran: I"m involved with various charities, and I started the East Los Angeles Classical Theater Co.,
which takes
Robert Beltran: Shakespeare to underprivileged children as an educational tool. I'm doing my best.
Robert Beltran: This Sat. Oct. 17th I'm hosting a benefit for the Down's Syndrome Society of LA. It starts at
8pm at the Pomona Fairgrounds.
AussieBecca: Ethan, I recently saw you in For richer or Poorer Any plans for some more movies?
Ethan Phillips: I have a nice little role in a John Travolta film, Civil Action
Ethan Phillips: due out, I believe, at Christmas.
PEOPLE Online: Here's a question that was posted for Robert, but really applies to Ethan as well-- I'd like to
hear what you both have to say:
Cybermum1: Most likely you will be identified as a Star Trek actor for a very long time. What sort of work
would you like to be doing in 10 years. Do you feel that that Trek identity will be difficult to overcome?
Robert Beltran: Idon't think anybody will ever be able to see Ethan Phillips without spots on his face.
Robert Beltran: But I think I can overcome the tattoo on my forehead.
Robert Beltran: I honestly don't think there's going to be a problem as far as being typecast as a ST actor.
Ethan Phillips: I think Bob has a great future, doing either a situation comedy, Here's Chakotay.
Ethan Phillips: And there's also talk of him appearing in a new UPN sitcom Those Crazy Indians.
Robert Beltran: [laughs]
Robert Beltran: It's coming on right after Desmond Pfeiffer.
Trekgirl98: Will there be a Neelix Cookbook?
Ethan Phillips: There is, actually.
Ethan Phillips: And it is coming out in January of 1999.
PEOPLE Online: If you are just beaming in, we're chatting with Robert Beltran and a surprise guest Ethan
Phillips!
Ethan Phillips: It's filled with all the recipes, not only from Voyager but from the other three series as well.
patcc63: Did you watch Star Trek ( original ) as a kid?
PEOPLE Online: Stick around, the Captain of Voyager, Kate Mulgrew will be joining us later!
Ethan Phillips: Yes, I did.
Ethan Phillips: And I enjoyed it very much.
Robert Beltran: No. I turned the channel as soon as I saw the ugly yellow shirts and the stupid boots that they
wore.
Ethan Phillips: [laughs]
Ethan Phillips: One of my favorite shows as a child was a movie of the week called Barrington.
Robert Beltran: They're responsible for me having to wear those stupid sideburns that everyone in Starfleet
has to wear.
kpizzano: Do you see your character expanding in a different direction this year Neelix
Ethan Phillips: I see him as expanding in his waist.
Ethan Phillips: : As I get older, I seem to gain more weight.
Ethan Phillips: I think that he will probably have a mid-life crisis,
Ethan Phillips: and try to look more like Chakotay.
chakkate: Will we get more backstory on Chakotay this year?
Robert Beltran: Yes, we are. I can't expand.
