On-Line Chat ~Dragon*Con 1999
Wayne Alexander and Mira Furlan

The following is a transcript of the live ICQ chat with WAYNE ALEXANDER and MIRA FURLAN of Babylon 5, held on Friday, July 2, 1999 at 8PM ET from DragonCon '99. As is customary, questions were submitted to the moderators who then resubmitted them to the guests. It has been edited to remove administrative messages.

Shayla says: Wayne Alexander is here now.

Wayne says: Hi Guys, how are you doing?

moderator says: any ? for wayne

Wayne says: Wayne Alexander played a lot of tag and hide and go seek as a child....

Wayne says: Oh and played Lorien and Sebastian on Babylon 5!!!

moderator says: <gizmo_rio> Here's one for Wayne. "I loved the way you portrayed Sebastian. What did you use to congure up that character. He was utterly

moderator says: chilling!"

Wayne says: Thank you! I conjured him from the script. JMS and I concentrated on who the man was now as apposed to who he was back in the 1880's. That was our approach.

Wayne says: I just thought of what my temper was like on a really bad hair day and took it from there.

moderator says: <swordsman> Hello, what does Jack the Ripper think of the convention?

Wayne says: He likes the babes, it makes his fingers twitch.

moderator says: <A_CLONE> to wayne: do you knew the card gamed "babylon 5 ccg"?

Wayne says: I know the game but I've never played it, my brain is too small.

moderator says: <TRON_3> how was it playing with other actors, did they actually like the theme..?

Wayne says: The other actors were wonder to work with, but I'm not sure what you mean by theme?

moderator says: <A_CLONE> to wayne:do you have a signed card of your own?

Wayne says: I have two signed cards in the Fleer/Skybox autographed set. I also have my own personal trading card made for me by Fleer.

moderator says: <KONRILL> do you think they will make a full-grown movie out of B-5

Wayne says: All I know are the rumors.... I know there has been a lot of talk with JMS about a movie, but he wants to wait til Star Wars plague is over.

moderator says: <Swordman> what was the easiest/funniest character to play ? Jack or Lorien ?

Wayne says: I thought Jack was laugh riot.... second only to Hitler. Lorien had no sense of humor at all (only kidding). Neither part was particularly easty, but I found them both very rewarding.

moderator says: <A_CLONE> to wayne:"i meant in the card game "babylon 5 ccg" do you have a signed card of your own?

moderator says: ok Mira as showen up

Mira says: Please note that MIRA is now here

moderator says: for Mira <Satai_Leo> Mira, are you planning on attending Agamemcon IV?

Mira says: maybe; I don't know

Mira says: this one was a nice experience.

moderator says: <Swordman> for wayne was it a sursprise for you to be chosen for Lorien or did you knew you would have another character after Jack ?

Wayne says: I'm not sure what you're asking. My characters have many cards in the game, but the only autographed card I know of is Fleer/Skybox.

Wayne says: I was a very lovely surprise.

moderator says: <Harimau> to Mira: did you like to play Delenn in B5?

moderator says: for wayne<KONRILL> You talk of rewarding,did the serie have an impact on your way of thinking

Mira says: I loved it. It's rare to get a complex part when you are an actress. This is a male-driven world, and female parts are often very ....ah.... simple, boring.. There are the boring mothers, or sexy whores, and it used to drive me crazy.

Mira says: That's why I am grateful for the role that is written in such an intelligent and subtle way.

Wayne says: I found it a philosophical experience playing Lorien. I can't really say that the show changed my thinking any.

Mira says: Delenn was at the same time, tough, vulnerable, emotional, militant, strong, and it was my privilege to play her

Zarg says: Mira, Is she here?

moderator says: <Satai_Leo> Mira, what aspect of Delenn did you choose to accentuate more when you were playing her?

Mira says: I tried to follow what Joe wrote, so whatever indication the writing gave me, I tried to follow it

moderator says: <TRON_3> to Mira (with grettings from the B-5 dutch fanclub)Ever think of going into politics (you got our vote)

moderator says: for wayne was it a sursprise for you to be chosen for Lorien or did you knew you would have another character after Jack ?

Mira says: NO! are you crazy? I HATE POLITICS from the bottom of my heart!! That's what I ran away from in my country..politics

moderator says: <Swordman> for Mira do you think the yougoslavian problems have change your way of acting or seeing your role in the show ?

Mira says: I don't think so, But everything that you experience influences the way you do things.

moderator says: <dennisdc> Did you look at other's portrayals of Jack when you were preparing for the role?

Mira says: So, yes, definitely, I am a different person after what I went through and that has definitely changed my acting.

Mira says: In other words, the answer is both yes and no.

moderator says: <Raw_Deal> Mira - what are you up to these days?

Mira says: I'm living in babyland.

Mira says: having fun with my little son Marko

Wayne says: I have certainly seen other portrayals of Jack as a viewer, but didn't let them influence me in this particular case as we were focusing on who the man was 500 years in the future. Not who he was in his past.

Mira says: He's 6 months old now and he is pure joy.

moderator says: <TRON_3> congratulations

moderator says: <gizmo_rio> For Mira: you're wonderful at conveying tons of dialog without saying a word. It's not something that we see here very often. Is it a

moderator says: difference in the way actors work in Europe as opposed to the USA

Mira says: Thank you very much, but I don't agree with the statement that American actors cannot express themselves without words.

Mira says: Think Al Pacino

Mira says: Think de Niro.

Mira says: Think Meryl Streep.

moderator says: <Satai_Leo> Mira...I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for enduring VOR for all of us fans who were very happy to see you!!!!

Mira says: You are more than welcome.

Mira says: I was pretty big at that time!

moderator says: <Raw_Deal> Mira, what kind of music do you like? (any specific bands, singers?)

Wayne says: Hey, Wayne says I endured VOR too!

moderator says: <A_CLONE> to Mira and wayne: this might sound salfish but if i'll send to you a card can you sign it?

Mira says: I'm very eclectic in my musical taste. I devour everything that comes from South America from Samba to salsa

Wayne says: Wayne says sure.

moderator says: <Swordman> for wayne you said you enjoyed your 2 characters, but weren't they a bit frustrating ? I mean to be that evil with Jack and that

moderator says: serious with lorien, in the middle of very funny characters...

Mira says: I love Cuban music. I love jazz. I have a couple of musical heroes like Ry Cooder, Van Morrison, Dylan, Joni Mitchell, etc.

Mira says: oh! I forgot Santana!!!

Wayne says: What very funny characters are you talking about - Mr. Swordman?

moderator says: <Galen> for delenn: do you know if you will be making any guest appearances in Crusade?

moderator says: Wayne...Yes...thank you also...I throughly enjoyed meeting you too!!

Mira says: I haven't spoken to Delenn in a while, so I wouldn't know..

Mira says: BUT,

Wayne says: Wayne says thank you, I feel better..

Mira says: It doesn't seem that it's going to happen

moderator says: <Raw_Deal> any of you two saw the new star warm movie? liked it?

Mira says: I have not

Wayne says: I liked it much better the second time, the first time left me cold.

moderator says: <KONRILL> To Mira, are you planning a trip to europe in the near future?

Mira says: Yes!

Mira says: we are going to England in July, which is NOW

moderator says: <Hernick> Do you feel that, ever since the second half of Season 4, the quality of JMS' writing degraded dramatically ?

Mira says: I'm going back home to Los Angeles. I'm traveling to a convention in London on the 23rd of July.

Wayne says: That's something I would never say.

moderator says: <Ws19> to Mira: How old did delenn get

Mira says: I agree with Wayne! :-)

Mira says: I have no idea.

moderator says: A_CLONE> to Mira and wayne: this might sound salfish but if i'll send to you a card can you sign it?

Mira says: Wayne says she was pretty old

Mira says: Wasn't she 120 years old in one of the last episodes?

moderator says: <Satai_Leo> Mira...do you agree with what Bruce said at VOR that Babylon 5 should have continued even though Joe was dead set on keeping to his 5 year plan?

Mira says: I would have loved it to continue. but, unfortunately, it is not us who is in control. Also, things have to end, sooner or later.

moderator says: <Raw_Deal> any chance to see any of you in Israel, is there?

Mira says: I would LOVE to go to Israel.

Mira says: But I have to be invited.

Wayne says: I agree with what Mira said.

moderator says: any more ?

moderator says: <Galen> for Mira Furlan: have u had a chance to watch Crusade yet?? and if u have whats your opinion??

Mira says: Just a couple more questions, and I am leaving

Mira says: I haven't watched it, so I don't have an opinion.

moderator says: <A_CLONE> to Mira: if you want we the isreay fan club can invite you?

Mira says: OK

moderator says: <TRON_3> Are you a trekkie?

Mira says: No, I'm not

Mira says: I haven't even known about Star Trek while I was living in Yugoslavia. Isn't that a tragedy?

Wayne says: I enjoyed the Next Generation.

moderator says: <Swordman> Mira and Wayne Which character (different from yours) that you would have liked to play in Babylon5 ?

Mira says: I always thought that the part of the telepath would be something that I could do, but I'm pretty satisfied with Delenn.

Wayne says: I would like to have played Delenn.

moderator says: <TRON_3> On behalf of the dutch fanclub members,thank you very much for your time, good luck for the future.

Wayne says: But her dresses don't fit.

moderator says: <Satai_Leo> Mira and Wayne...thank you so much for speaking with us and thank you for bringing so much passion and fire to your roles on Babylon 5.

Wayne says: You're very welcome, thank you for watching.

Wayne says: I hope to meet many of you in the future.

Mira says: Thank you for watching us and showing your appreciation. It meant a lot to us throughout these years. I don't think that Babylon would have lived that long, if it weren't for you, the fans.

Mira says: Bye-bye and have a WONDERFUL SUMMER!!!

Wayne says: Stay as cute and tall as you are, good luck with the Grils(sic).