SyFy Movie - Doomsday Prophecy - STV Jewel Staite & AJ Buckley Interview

I had the opportunity to be involved in an interview with Jewel Staite (Firefly, Stargate: Atlantis) and AJ Buckley (Ghost facers, CSI:NY)about their upcoming Syfy Saturday Original Movie "Doomsday Prophecy" which will be airing August 13 at 9pm (ET/PT).

For me personally this was an awesome opportunity to speak to two actors of two of my favourite shows (Firefly & Supernatural). Sitting in the Q&A was really fun and you can tell that these two have had fun working with one another and really enjoy their jobs in general. I even managed to sneakly work in me asking for Jewel's number and twitter follow, just a shame she is married and my gf would not approve. Below you can find the highlights of the interview from the Q&A, unfortunately there were to many questions to post here.

Jewel Staite Twitter: @JewelStaite
AJ buckley twitter: @AjohnBuckley
SyFY Movies Twitter: @syfymovies

Don't forget to watch "Doomsday Prophecy" this Saturday on SyFy at 9pm (ET/PT), it sounds like its gonna be awesome.

Twitter: @cjsonic
Email: cjsonic@spoilertv.com

Can you both tell us about your characters in the movie?
AJ: My Character is a book editor who doesnt know much about his past, had a troubled up bringing and doesn't really have any connection to anyone. This sort of journey that he goes on answers a lot of questions for him. The end of the world is coming and he realises it has to be him that does something.

Jewel: I play Brooke, a young archaeolgist. She is very much out of her element on this crazy journey they are on. She is really excited, which was what i wanted to play the most. Yes its the end of the world going on but she is totally excited about everythin she is discovering.

How did you both get involved in the project?
AJ: I love disaster movies and it was going to be filmed in my home town during the hiatus of CSI:NY. So getting to go home to film is like a paid vacation. I dont get to see my family much. I read the script and spoke with the director and i was excited. In CSI i'm confined to a lab so getting to go out, dodge explosion was somethin really fun to do.

Jewel: It was the same thing for me, I'm from Vancouver as well. I've done a sci-fi movie called mothman before which won awards. I had so much fun on this shoot and I had a blast. So i knew i would have a good time. I heard Aj had been cast and i'd heard of him before and thought it would be great to work with him.

What did you both find challenging about your roles?
Jewel: I get really nervous around guns. And a lot of the time, I get put in these sci-fi movies and whatnot where I'm battling various alien races. And they put a gun in my hand and I have to kind of look like I know what I'm doing. So for this one, every time a gun was aimed at me, I would go into panic mode, especially since they were giving the gun to Rick Ravanello, who plays Henning in the movie. I mean any time you hand an actor -- who's not really trained in weaponry -- a loaded gun, you get a little nervous, even if it is blanks.

There's such great chemistry between the two of you, do you think that it came easily to you because you mentioned before that you were semi-familiar with each other?
AJ: We're very fortunate in our jobs and the careers that we've had. Just to be at work, I think Jewel comes from the same place, when we're working you're so happy and just happy to be there. And so I'm in the same place. And we're at home in Vancouver filming a movie and having a blast. So it was easy to have fun and get along.

Why do you think people will want to tune in to see Doomsday Prophecy?
Jewel: Because it's a disaster movie. Who doesn't love disaster movies? I know I do.

AJ: I got to see a screener of it. If you're into 2012's coming and any sort of conspiracy and it definitely touches - there's some stuff on there that I responded in the script like, "Oh, I've heard of this before." So they did a nice way of tying in some really good conspiracy. But it's a fun little film. I think people would really enjoy watching it. It's action packed and a lot goes on and yes, it's fun.

I know you've both done a lot of sci-fi work. Is that something you look for or is it just the way things work out, that once you do sci-fi you tend to get more sci-fi roles?
AJ: The more that I've done it the more that I want to keep doing it. I would love to, like with CSI, whenever that ends, I would love to go into some sort of sci-fi series or some sort of thing. They're really fun and like Battlestar Galactica, that's an amazing show. Edward James Olmos and just that whole - it was so well written. There are unbelievable sci-fi shows that are out there. So I would jump at the opportunity to continue in that world. And going back to what we were saying with the fan base and how much they follow you on that, when you get that love and respect from people it makes you want to continue in that genre and do good work for them.

Jewel: Yes, absolutely. I also think that as an actor I just look for really fun characters to play. And a lot of really well written female characters happen to be in sci-fi. I mean it just sort of works out that way. But I do know a lot of actors that are kind of chomping at the bit to get in with the sci-fi fans, so to speak, because they really are so loyal.

Jewel, congratulations on the new series how does it feel a lot different, it being a non-sci-fi show?
Jewel: It feels so different. It really does. We've been doing rehearsals and wardrobe fittings and dadadadada, all that stuff. But we went to camera last week and I definitely noticed a difference. And she's the polar opposite of a lot of the characters I've played. Especially recently like Dr. Keller in Stargate: Atlantis. She's just the opposite of that. She's kind of an older, slightly washed up actress who is very manipulative and can be very nasty and will do anything and everything she possibly can to book the part. And she's so much fun to play. And she's always in these ridiculous outfits and way over dressed. And just kind of acting like a jerk. And I'm really having so much fun. It's like a total stretch for me and I'm digging it a lot.

If you could go back and play a previous role, or even work with certain people again, who would it be and why?
AJ: Wow. I got to work with David Strathairn in the Blue Car. And it was cool. I actually never got to have scenes with him, but I remember being on set and watching him work, and this is before he had his Oscar nomination. One of the most fun characters I think I've had the privilege of playing is definitely the Ghostfacers. I love playing these guys, it was such an exciting experience when we were asked to write the spin-off and get to direct it and do all that sort of stuff. And we had great help from everyone across the board. But it was such a collaborative effort, I think to get to do more Ghostfacers would be unbelievable.

So Jewel, what is it like to be thought of as one of the best looking girls in Sci-fi?
Jewel: I don't know, I don’t think of myself that way. I go to these sci-fi conventions everyone once in a while. I don’t think the fans get excited about seeing us, they get excited about seeing each other. It’s not really about the actors, it’s about making friends with like-minded individuals and you just happen to be there. I don’t get as much attention as you'd think.

You are both connected to two big shows Firefly (Jewel) and Supernatural (both) and do you get to interact with the fans often? What is it like being part of that atmosphere?
Jewel: I think sci-fi fans are the most loyal fans out there, they will follow you loyally where ever you go which is great as an actor.

AJ: I agree. My first real experience was with Supernatural and Ghost Facers. It had me feeling how dedicated they were. The only reason Ghost Facers came back was because of how dedicated they were, with the blogs and the websites. I always knew how important fans were, but the dedication of Sci-fi fans is second to none.

Are you more recognised for Firefly or for Stargate Jewel?
Jewel: I think in terms of the fans it's usually 50/50. In terms of which show had a bigger impact on my life, I mean Stargate was obviously a longer job. I was on that job for three years, and I got to shoot in my hometown, see my family and friends and sleep in my own bed, which is really great.

But with Firefly, it feels like unfinished business. It's like you know when you have this really amazing love affair with someone and then you break up over something stupid and you can't stop thinking about them and you always wonder, "What if?" It's sort of like that. Nathan talk about winning the lottery, he was like, "If I win the lottery I'm going to buy the rights to Firefly and we're going to make another movie." And we're all like, "Whatever Nathan." There is no bigger Firefly fan than Nathan Fillion, let me tell you.

If you had to describe this movie in three words, what would it be?
Jewel: Three words…

AJ: A, J, Buckley

BOTH LAUGH

Jewel: Okay wait, no I'm going to answer this for real. I just have to think. Okay, adventurous - adventuresome, that's my first word, exciting and perilous. There you go.