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What We Left Behind: Deep Space Nine Star Andrew Robinson on the New Star Trek Doc, Garak, Cardassian Sexuality, Doctor Bashir, and Irony in Trek - That Shelf

Highly Logical speaks with Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star Andrew Robinson about the new retrospective documentary What We Left Behind, the legacy of Elim Garak, Cardassian sexuality, Doctor Bashir, irony in Star Trek, and more!

Text version of the interview in the link!

Anonymous asked:

Pls allow me to tell you the story of how I realized I'm in too deep with my love of Andrew Robinson- I cant think of anyone else who'd understand like you: so he guest starred on an episode of x-files and we see the cryptid of the week's silhouette in fog shift from a man into an animal. I solved the episode ten minutes in at that shot bc I know how Robinson walks from rewatching Garak episodes so often, and recognized it. I'm in too gosh darn deep....

I share your pain, and your joy. I do, completely, understand.

nytimes.com

A Woman For All Men Video Channel - NYTimes.com

Watch A Woman For All Men videos on Times Video from The New York Times.

The fact that Andy Robinson did a Sexy Movie is something with which my brain can’t quite cope.

(look at the colours on his face oh my god he looks like a painting)

Andrew Robinson Interview Star Trek Deep Space Nine

This was the first appearance of Andrew Robinson as Elim Garak in the series. Garak would eventually become an important recurring character, making his final appearance in the series finale “What You Leave Behind”. Getting his characterization right was important to both the crew and the actor himself. Of the origins of the character, producer Peter Allan Fields says that “we needed a Cardassian who didn’t act like one, so I finally put him in a tailor shop, and nobody hit me, so we kept him there.” Director Winrich Kolbe says of the performance that “we agreed that Andy could push the envelope, but he couldn’t leave the Cardassian platform. We had long talks about wardrobe and makeup, but we also talked about attitude, so that he would retain that stiffness that you see in all Cardassians.” Finally, Andrew Robinson himself says of the character, “he’s all subtext. If a smart guy like Garak says that he’s ‘plain and simple’, you realize that he’s not plain and not simple. And that there is a lot going on. Regardless of how innocuous or simple each line is, there’s always something going on underneath that belies the line. And his eyes and the tone of his voice say something different than the words he’s speaking. It’s not an easy thing to work with subtext, but when you do it well, you really get people’s attention.” (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Past_Prologue_(episode)

news.usc.edu

Andy Robinson makes our day with a raw look at the performer’s craft

The actor, director and instructor delves into his personal life for a candid look at the evolution of a career on the stage and screen.

Anonymous asked:

Hey there! Do you know whether or not the actors shipped Garak x Bashir? I heard that apparently in an interview they were talking about how it could have became canon ( and i've been scrambling to find the source ever since )

Well, Andy Robinson sure did:

Amazon.co.uk: Some fans have speculated about Garak’s private life.

Robinson: Yes, and his sexuality. I started out playing Garak as someone who doesn’t have a defined sexuality. He’s not gay, he’s not straight, it’s a non-issue for him. Basically his sexuality is inclusive. But—it’s Star Trek and there were a couple of things working against that. One is that Americans really are very nervous about sexual ambiguity. Also, this is a family show, they have to keep it on the “straight and narrow”, so then I backed off from it. Originally, in that very first episode, I loved the man’s absolute fearlessness about presenting himself to an attractive human being. The fact that the attractive human being is a man (Bashir) doesn’t make any difference to him, but that was a little too sophisticated I think. For the most part, the writers supported the character beautifully, but in that area they just made a choice they didn’t want to go there, and if they don’t want to go there I can’t, because the writing doesn’t support it.

(from this post)

Plus many many other things he’s said/done which I have posted about but can’t find right now, darn it all–

And as for Siddig, he may not have intended it, but he certainly went along with it, and he grins/giggles when Andy brings it up… If he doesn’t actively ship it, he appears to be willing to entertain the concept!

Everybody, I know there’s more stuff. Can you add on, please?

The only thing I contribute to Garak is the playing of Garak, is this kind of reptilian civility he has.

Andy Robinson, telling the con audience that he has no more idea about Garak’s past than they do, he just acts him. From this video posted by mkkstartrek. 

(on being asked about tennis) What made you ask that question? Was it the way I picked up the tennis ball in that episode? (yes, it was) Yeahhh! You know, my wife thinks I’ve wasted a decade of my life on the tennis court, but when I saw that one scene in that episode, I was _vindicated._

Andy Robinson, in this video posted by mkkstartrek

His eyes will tell the truth. His voice may sometimes intimate the truth. But his words will always lie to you.

Andy Robinson, speaking about Elim Garak in this video - thanks to poster mkkstartrek