Robert Beltran - Chakotay 1 Star Trek Voyager

Part 1 Cast and Crew talk about Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay.

No copyright Infringement intended. Just a fan of Star Trek Voyager and Kate Mulgrew. A great series with a greater actress.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Robert Beltran
• Kate Mulgrew
• Chakotay
• Kathryn Janeway
• Star Trek
• Voyager

[mannyrule]

I watched his video interview which he speaks negatively (understatement) about star trek (Skitz interview) and the fans.

It really was a disappointment since we would like the actors and actresses to at least like the parts they play. When Shatner said "get a life" and Nimoy wrote "I am not Spock" people reacted badly too.

[mannyrule]

With Shatner, it was a skit, with Nimoy, a play of words.

For Beltran, it could have been 1) playing along (like being the only straight guy in a gay bar, or being the only home team fan in the bleachers of the visitor's team) or 2) a popularity gimmick (people know you either because they like you or they hate you) 3) a scripted interview gimmick (lets play Devil's advocate) or 4) he really does hate Star Trek.

[mannyrule]

Regardless, I have to acknowledge the Actor who played the character "Commander Chakotay". Chakotay, not a born leader, but a well trained one. Chakotay, loyal to his boss but not blindly so as not to see wrong from right.

And if Beltran is someone who hated his job playing Chakotay, the commander who loves his job, then at least there, he was a good actor.

[mannyrule]

For the character, Chakotay will always be part of Star Trek and Star Trek Voyager. Principled leader, loyal, self sacrificing for the good of the team.

For the actor, well, your only as good as your last best gig.

As for me, as well as many others, we ask ourselves if we can work 7 years for a job we hate that pays a lot of money, or rather work 7 years with a job we love that pays mediocre.

[Hyoral]

as someone who doesn't know Robert Beltran i find it really hard to believe that he was just playing Chakotay for the money. this guy like Kate Mulgrew is theater trained and has moved on after Voyager to the theater again. most TV watchers don't think much of that but i think it was his greatest asset and still is. he gave his opinion and had vocal input on what he wanted out of this show while he was working on it & said clearly that he would quit if the stories continued ignoring him

[Hyoral]

that doesn't sound like someone who has no emotional stake in the show he's a part of, it's someone who cares enough about the integrity and attention to his character that he's willing to be outspoken about it. if he didn't care he would have just played the part as the writers saw fit and never said a word. well he didn't. he fought for his vision of the character and the show all the way until the end and was disappointed as many fans were that it wasn't as deeply realized as possible

[samthor]

Robert Beltran walks to the 7-11.... what?

[xJoeEDangerouslyx]

@PetraKenobi But I've heard a lot of the stories and rumors out of Trek, and none of them involved Beltran in any way. Even Mulgrew was said to want to leave at one point, but Beltran was a good soldier from what I've gleaned. And people genuinely speak glowingly about him. Garret Wang is known for speaking his mind, and I've heard nothing but good things from him.

So my opinion would be that he was there by choice. He does work a lot, so he didn't need the job or the cash.

[xJoeEDangerouslyx]

@PetraKenobi It depends on the show. I know NextGen was planned for 6 seasons, and when they went to 7, it was a big deal b/c all the actors had to be resigned. Stewart made a lot before, so they had to justify paying him even more. For Deep Space And Voyager, the actors were all signed for 7 seasons, but they had the option of releasing any or all of them. (as in the famous Harry Kim/Kes story) So, yes he was contractually bound, but he could have gotten a release if he really wanted to.

[PetraKenobi]

@hubbaman9885 But if you're on a show like that, aren't you bound by legal contract to remain there? The writers simply failed to use what they had with a lot of characters (seasons 4-7 became all about Janeway and or Seven of Nine). And I have a feeling he DID go to the writers/producers, but they ignored him (I mean, they DID foul up the whole Janeway/Chakotay thing)!

[hubbaman9885]

If it is true that the guy didn't care for doing series or whatever, that is a shame, but if that was true, then he lacked the integrity to do something about it or he should have just moved on from the show. I personally thought there were plenty of episodes that focused on him. Peoples ego can certainly be out of proportion. Granted I understand the posible of fear of being typecasted in the role, all of those actors and actresses face that, that is why you learn to move on from it.

[hubbaman9885]

@PetraKenobi Well I don't, I'm not gay. lol

[QuebecEric]

I always thought he was very wooden as Chakotay. Because of that, he was my least favourite character on the show. In "Caretaker", he had some scenes where he showed some emotion, but it was like he stopped trying after that.

[ThePinkDragon92]

@MissShello HOT.

[MrFlibble2011]

Beltran is a douche. That is all.

[dragongirl4741]

His reactions to Star Trek later could very well be too that he has done a lot more work than just Voyager and it is possible that he is irritated that people only care that he was in ST: Voyager. That is understandable.