Exclusive Interview! Edward James Olmos Talks Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, and More!

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, the new direct to DVD movie set in the Battlestar universe hits stores today (and, in abbreviated form, on SyFy early next year). In honor of its release, we chatted on the phone with the Director (and star) of the series and movie, Edward James Olmos about what it’s like to step behind the director’s chair, further plans for even MORE Battlestar, and when we can expect to see him on another geek culture show.

And if you’re hankering for even more Olmos, check ...

out the audio version of the interview, which has a full fifteen minutes of chat time with the Admiral, including extended answers to the following questions:

CBC: You’ve directed a couple of episodes of the series, as well as a few movies, American Me and Jack and Marilyn of course. But how did you first approach the Battlestar people about saying, Hey, I want to direct an episode of the show, and want to take it from the acting to the directing?

EJO: Actually it was them that came up to me and asked me if I would be willing to direct. Right after the initial mini-series was over, and we were getting into the regular episodic series, by the second show, they asked me to direct the ninth show of that season

CBC: Directing a TV movie/DVD movie is more to take on, and ‘The Plan’ is obviously big in scope. What challenges did you find directing the movie that you weren’t expecting say from directing the individual episodes?

EJO: I think it was one of the highest honors I’ve gotten in doing the show, being asked by the studio to direct the film. The film is definitely the most ambitious work I’ve done on the Battlestar Galactica front. It definitely encompasses perspectives that we all knew could become needed, which is the Cylon’s point of view, the why and how they did what they did. So to me, it became a very strong commitment to the decimation of humanity, and showing what happened. So the first half hour is just brutal. And the second from there on out, you start to see the outcome of this, and why it happened the way it did.

CBC: I’ve noticed from the stills and whatnot, this DVD version seems to be a little bit… racier than the TV version of Battlestar. Was that a conscious effort on your part, to push the envelope?

EJO: It’s definitely was something that’s a reality of the piece that should have always been there. I think had it been done for another kind of network, more cable, pay-per-view cable, it would have been a more intense ride than on Syfy. Not that SyFy didn’t deserve it, and they got a full, strong emotional ride, we’re just talking about the visuals being more honest to the moments we’re talking about. So in other words, the reality is a little bit stronger in the DVD version.

CBC: With The Plan, the main series, and even Caprica [the prequel series], do you feel like there are other stories to tell from the Battlestar universe?

EJO: Yeah, I think there’s a lot of them, and I’d love to be able to do that. It’s up to the owners of the properties to see where they go. I know that Glen Larson is right now in the middle of creating the full-length motion picture that will be released in theaters. We’ll see how that works out… And I wish him nothing but success, because he deserves it.

CBC: Is there a moment in The Plan that you are particularly proud of?

EJO: The performance of Dean Stockwell, and all the performances across the board are just unbelievable – what these actors have given us, the reality that they created. And of course the newest one, the newest artist that came in to work with us, Lymari Nadal, actually got presented in the miniseries for one split second, and then she never worked again on the show. She came back to become a character [in 'The Plan'] that we not only appreciate, but that we’re thankful that we got to meet her, and got to understand her. Its an amazing contribution to the show, and it connects so well. It’s unbelievable. It’s very beautifully scripted by Jane Espenson, too, so my love to the writers of this program especially.

CBC: Last, and probably least, with Tahmoh Penikett, Michael Hogan, and Jamie Bamber all appearing on Dollhouse this season, when will you be showing up?

EJO: I think I’m going to come in probably in the seventeenth season.

CBC: We’ll be sure to set our DVRs for that.

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