So I was a real alien at some point in my life, a Cardassian to be exact - on an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine in the 90s. In between "real" jobs, I signed up for extra casting work for movies and tv shows with Central Casting in Burbank thanks to fellow UCLA alum Ken Wada (who did it as part-time work) My first month, I landed a prime extra role on the sci-fi episode where Miles O'Brien's character was captured by the Cardassians and he was unjustly put on trial before a jury. I was one of three Cardassians on the jury directed by Avery Brooks. Series regular Rosalind Chao (who plays Miles O'Brien's wife, she was also in Joy Luck Club) was also on the set and everyone was very cordial.It was a long but fun 14-hour day at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. It took 3 hours just to do my Cardassian make-up, which was cool.
After this stint, I landed another extra role for a TV movie of the week starring Anne Archer as a doctor. I was a Vietnamese daughter crying at the sight of my father dying on the surgery table. Too bad my scene got axed in the cutting room floor, but I got my SAG card out of it. After this, the only flicks that needed extras were B-movies like "Reform School Girls" -- uh, no thanks. So that was my brief stint as an alien for Star Trek!
Do you miss it at all Nancy? I remembered how good you were when I was briefly part of the "Growing Light" ministry at Evergreen.
ReplyDeleteI miss it alittle - it feels like that was a past life so many moons ago. I guess the new chapter of my life in Hawaii is channeling my energy into writing, parenting and driving through potholes.
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