Battlestar Galactica’s Lucy Lawless Recalls Intense Filming Environment

The 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica remains one of the best sci-fi series ever made, with a loyal fan following who still enjoy rewatching the episodes. For many of the series actors, however, the experience of making the show was hardly an enjoyable one. In an interview with Business Insider, cast member Lucy Lawless revealed the show’s intense tone and producers’ obsession with secrecy created a culture of “fear” and “anxiety” on the set.

The original 1978 Battlestar Galactica series, from creator Glen A. Larson, was a lighthearted space adventure that followed in the thematic footsteps of Star Wars. For the 2004 reimagining, however, executive producer Ronald D. Moore took a darker path, with a series that reflected the social and political complexities of a post-9/11 world. That resulted in some intense storylines that had a profound effect on the actors, leaving many anxious and insecure about their future on the show, as characters were killed off unexpectedly.

Battlestar Galactica

Release Date

December 8, 2003

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

4

Creator

Ronald D. Moore, David Eick

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Lawless is currently promoting the new season of her series My Life is Murder, where she also serves as executive producer. She recalled her time on Galactica, and said the working environment was too intense to be positive for the actors. She said:

In my opinion, the actors were kept in a state of insecurity, which I don’t agree with as an executive producer. I don’t agree with that at all. Because they didn’t want any spoilers getting out there at the time — people didn’t know if they were going to be killed off, and they were extremely nervous. So there was a culture of anxiety on that show.

Lawless joined Galactica during its second season playing D’Anna Biers, a journalist who is later revealed to be a Cylon known as “Number Three.” Her arrival on the set was also a source for anxiety for some, she said:

It was difficult coming in, because they felt if I was coming in, then one of them was on the way out. They were really nice people so I could tell it wasn’t because they were awful, but there was a little bit of a culture of fear. And that was a shame. That isn’t conducive to a very joyful, lighthearted environment, because human beings need the green of trees and the blue of the sky and all that stuff to be truly mentally happy and nourished on some level.

Battlestar Galactica Actors Recall A Tense Environment

Lawless isn’t the only Battlestar Galactica actor who recalls the intensity on the set. During a 2017 reunion panel at San Diego Comic Con, actress Mary McDonnell (who played President Laura Roslin) said that actors were not told ahead of time if their character would turn out to be a Cylon. That led to some anxiety on the set among the actors:

Aaron Douglas, who played Chief Galen Tyrol, revealed during the same panel that he accidentally saw a script during production that revealed he was a Cylon. He was forced into the stressful situation of not telling anyone, including other actors, of the plot twist for over three months.

Lawless appeared in 16 Galactica episodes in total across three of the show’s four seasons. When she joined the cast, she was already famous for her role as Xena, The Warrior Princess, and was transitioning to different roles. She has appeared in a number of popular films and TV series, including The X-Files, Spartacus, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man, Parks and Recreation, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Salem, and Ash vs. Evil Dead. Her current series, My Life is Murder, is currently streaming on Acorn TV and BBC America. .