Moderator: Jules.

Moderator: Michael Praed got his first big break in a production of The Pirates of Penzance (with Tim Curry) in London's West End. There he was spotted by the producers of the Robin of Sherwood show, which led to a very interesting television career. We are excited to welcome Michael Praed to the SCIFI.COM chat arena.

Moderator: Brief word about the drill - please send your questions for our guests to me, Moderator, as private messages. (To send a private message, either double-click on my name or type "/msg Moderator" on the command line - only without the quotes.)

Moderator: <Lagniappe> to <Moderator>: My question: Mr. Praed. You have been in stage productions, musicals, film and television. Do you have a preference, and if so, why?

MichaelPraed: Good evening and welcome to you all

MichaelPraed: My I apologize for the fact that this caht was moved

MichaelPraed: It was to take place in LA, but I suddenly returned to England...Where it's 2 AM

MichaelPraed: As I am still on LA time, hopefully my answers will be lucid

MichaelPraed: I am delighted toi be here tonight

MichaelPraed: I don't have a preference particularly between film and stage

MichaelPraed: Though being in a musical does present the most glorious bizz when three thousand or so people scream their heads off

MichaelPraed: After all there's nothing wrong with a bit of discreet or indiscreet adoration

Moderator: Lindy> to <Moderator>: How did you get the part of Phileas? What was your first impression of the show/character?

MichaelPraed: I got the part of Phileas through the tedious audition process

MichaelPraed: My first impression of the character was that here I could perhaps do something interesting

MichaelPraed: Very early on it became quite obvious that Philaes was not a typical architype.

MichaelPraed: James Bond for example "is" He always gets the girl, and he always wins

MichaelPraed: What drew me to Phileas is that he very flawed

MichaelPraed: He treats people monsterously on occassion and doesn't always win

MichaelPraed: That was a joy because it somehow feels more real

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Dabee> to <Moderator>: Hey, Michael....I am going to use my "Duh" card....we saw you in a Robinhood movie....did you play Robin in a series, or just the movie? Love Phileas, BTW...he is a great character, never know what he is going to do

MichaelPraed: I played Robin in a tv series

MichaelPraed: And you're not allowed to use the DUH card, because I have the monopoly on stupidity this evening

MichaelPraed: Which will be evident later on no doubt

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Grace> to <Moderator>: Without giving any "spoilers" for those who haven't seen it yet - a quick ?? about "Dust to Dust". Specifically, do you know if the teaser-scene happened before or after the events in the ep?

MichaelPraed: I haven't seen Dust to Dust I'm afraid.

MichaelPraed: That's my first DUH

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <ndannais> to <Moderator>: What exactly was that stuff they wrapped you in to look like spider webs? It looked rather uncomfortable!

MichaelPraed: I don't know what it was exactly

MichaelPraed: But is was sort of like malliable cotton wool. And that was not uncomfortable, but what was uncomfortabl;e was that I had to stand absolutely still -- literally for hours -- in order to keep the continuity of the web

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Fogg> to <Moderator>: The relationship btwn Rebecca and Phileas is interesting...can you give us some details about her background? How closely are the two related?

MichaelPraed: We're brother and sister. JUST KIDDING

MichaelPraed: I believe we are second cousins

MichaelPraed: Rebecca came to stay with Phileas when her mother died when she was a girl

MichaelPraed: Phileas's father therefore became her gaurdian

MichaelPraed: I know there has been some debate concerning the "EWWWW "factor, which took all of the members of the cast a bit by surprise

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Grace> to <Moderator>: You and Fran have a wonderful chemistry together. Is there a direction you'd like to see P&R go, things you'd like to see for them, in season two? (no 'ifs' about S2, we have faith it will happen! ;))

MichaelPraed: The only direction I would like to see P and R go is from London to Montreal

MichaelPraed: Anything else would be an unmitigated bonus

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <yurikosan> to <Moderator>: You seem to have parts in a lot of "costume" things-Pirates of Penzance, Robin Hood, Vampire movies, "space movies", and now Phileas. Does it get annoying to have to wear period clothing or is it kind of fun?

MichaelPraed: It is annoying, yes.

MichaelPraed: Because the costume designers in their efforts to remain historically accurate, insist on providing me with period underwear

MichaelPraed: Seriously though, one of my favorite "bits" is wearing those glorious costumes

MichaelPraed: Which I truly believe is one of the stars of the show

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <SeriousJa> to <Moderator>: What role has become most dear to his heart?

MichaelPraed: That role would be Otto in Noel Coward's Design For Living

MichaelPraed: For perhpas, some unexpected reasons

MichaelPraed: I was asked to take over this role in approximately five days

MichaelPraed: And it was a mammoth undertaking

MichaelPraed: Not only because the part was vast

MichaelPraed: But because I had no precident for such a journey

MichaelPraed: And to be perfectly truthful, it nearly broke my back

MichaelPraed: However it turned out to be the single most challenging, stressfull -- but ultimately rewarding jon I have had the pleasure to do

MichaelPraed: With the noteble exception of Phileas of course!

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Lindy> to <Moderator>: How old were you when you decided to become an actor (or found out that you could make a living at it?)

MichaelPraed: I was sixteen

MichaelPraed: And I'm still exploring the answer to the second question with varying degees of success

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Zhaansacolyte> to <Moderator>: Did the riding scenes in the Steely Joe ep remind you somewhat painfully of cracking your skull in "Riders"?

MichaelPraed: Ah, yes!

MichaelPraed: For those of you who don't know, I suffered a severe concussion shooting "Riders" when my total lack of equine skills landed me head first into a wooden pole

MichaelPraed: with the beast

MichaelPraed: (whom I sincerely hope is ina tin by now)

MichaelPraed: careening off in the opposite direction dragging me behind it because he foot was caught in the stirrup

MichaelPraed: To add comedy to insult and injury,

MichaelPraed: the vile French paramedic (swine!) had decided at this exact point to have lunch

MichaelPraed: Consequently there was no one around to treat what after all could have been a potentially catastrophic event

MichaelPraed: Mercifully there just happened to be, as one of the extras, a registered nurse who demanded that I was sent to hospital

MichaelPraed: And that little sojourn

MichaelPraed: was iotself a comedy of errors because when you have a concussion one of the things they do is to wake you up every 20 minutes or so and ask you various questions

MichaelPraed: Given that I speak little French, and they little English

MichaelPraed: it was it ludicrous state of affairs

MichaelPraed: And because I had mentioned I recently seen a Alain Delon film they somehow thought I was his son

MichaelPraed: and were mystified that I couldn't speak the language

MichaelPraed: That is how it came to pass that I nearly died in a French hospital

Moderator: <Bernadette> to <Moderator>: did you improve on your french when in Canada?

MichaelPraed: In many, many ways!

MichaelPraed: AND I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU A SMATTERING NOW

MichaelPraed: BUT I"M AFRAID THE MODERATOR WOULD TERMINATE THE CHAT RIGHT NOW

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Mel> to <Moderator>: When you played Cardinal Rishalou in the Cardinal's Revenge you didn't sound or look at all like Fogg, was it hard to seperate the charichters so much when you were playing them pretty much at the same time with the same cast (also was is odd acting so diffrent with Fran and Chris)?

Moderator: STATION IDENTIFICATION:

Moderator: Just a reminder..We'rte chatting with actor Michael Praed, Phileas Fogg on the SCI FI original series The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne. If you have a question for our guest, please send it to me, Moderator, as a private message. . (To send a private message, either double-click on my name or type "/msg Moderator" on the command line - only without the quotes.)

MichaelPraed: No it wasn't hard

MichaelPraed: Because Phileas and Richleau were so completely diferent

MichaelPraed: No it wasn't different acting with Fran and Chris

MichaelPraed: Infact it made something of a refreshing change

MichaelPraed: In point of fact,

MichaelPraed: I adored playing Richileau

Moderator: <tadpole> to <Moderator>: I hate to interrupt full flow but I got up at 2am local time specially to ask if you have a job in england coming up

MichaelPraed: Good morning, tadpole

MichaelPraed: Yes. I am going to be doing a play called Not Now, Darling

MichaelPraed: As you might have guessed from the title, it is a comedy.

MichaelPraed: More than that it is a farce written by and directed by Ray Cooney

MichaelPraed: I'm looking forward to it very much, as I have never done a farce before. It goes on a tour of England first, and then hopefully into the West End. Gow Willing!

Moderator: davodd> to <Moderator>: Michael - I hear you are looking forward to attending the AuroraCon for Secret Adventures of Jules Verne fans when it happens and were instumental in picking the name.

MichaelPraed: Actually I can't take credit ffor picking the name. I think that was Morne, who along with KAte Raymond run my fan club

MichaelPraed: And they both had better be logged on right now, or they are in serious trouble!

MichaelPraed: As am I, because there is a very good chance that the dates of AuroraCon and The Convention conflict

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Sithdragn> to <Moderator>: <Sithdragn> Michael, do you have a favorite scene from one of the SAJV eps? What made it stand out for you?

MichaelPraed: Yes I do have a favorite scene

MichaelPraed: It comes in the Victorian Candidate, which I don't believe has aired in the US yet, so I must noppt give anything away. Except to say that it was directed by one of my favorite people on earth Ian Sharp...Who some of you may recall directed the first season of Robin Hood

MichaelPraed: Needless to say Ian and I had more than our fair share of good times both on and off the set

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <EOTU> to <Moderator>: Had you read much Verne before taking on the role of Phileas?

MichaelPraed: Absolutely none!!!!

MichaelPraed: And at this juncture we should add ignorance to stupidty!

Moderator: <davodd> to <Moderator>: OK, Michael - who's idea was it for Phileas to have such strange sideburns?

MichaelPraed: Well, I always wanted to play Phileas as Elvis Presley but they wouldn't me where sequins. But they did allow the facial hair. To be serious though, Philaes' sideburns are not a million miles away from the Victorian convention. They are way too pointed, obviously -- but I felt that given that Philaes is a rebel it was a concession to fashion that would pass scrutiny

MichaelPraed: But more important than that, I felt that I would look absolutely ludicrous with a pair of bushy squills adorning my face!

Moderator: <ndannais> to <Moderator>: Phileas seems to be rather cynical; what do you think made him take such an interest in Jules Verne?

MichaelPraed: CYnicism and interest are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Phileas's interest in Verne is multi-leveled. His absolutely in awe of Verne's extraordianry mind, coupled with his compacity to resolve "problems" in a way that Phileas couldn't Phileas recognises the visionary in Verne and feels protective toward him

MichaelPraed: And it would be fair to say, there is a paternal, or fraternal element to their friendship

Moderator: <Psyco-Otaku> to <Moderator>: If you got a chance to change anything about Phileas Fogg, What would it be?

MichaelPraed: That's such a good question, I need a couple minutes to think about it

MichaelPraed: Actually that's a bold faced lie, I'm going for a beer

MichaelPraed: I think if we do a second season

MichaelPraed: there REALLY should be

MichaelPraed: at the very least

MichaelPraed: one orgy scene per episode

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <kalena> to <Moderator>: Do you, personally, have anything in common with Phileas?

MichaelPraed: Another good question

MichaelPraed: DUH!!!

MichaelPraed: I'm sorry Kalena, I don't know what to say to this

MichaelPraed: As an actor you clearly draw on "experiences" and I dare say there simply must be parts of me in Phileas

MichaelPraed: The specifics however are quite difficult to articulate

MichaelPraed: There is one area where we totally differ

MichaelPraed: and that is I have a yellow streak running down my back and hsitorically a disasterous time with ladies. Not to mention

MichaelPraed: being brought to the brink of bankrupcy at the poker tables

MichaelPraed: So now that I think about it,

MichaelPraed: and this is a very sad thing for me to acknowledge...The only real thing Phileas and I have in common is our unabashed and unashamed vanity

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Bernadette> to <Moderator>: Michael we really want to say that we hate the haircut

MichaelPraed: Yes, it is an interesting "thing", isn't it?

MichaelPraed: It's got a sort of "William Shatner thing" going for it

MichaelPraed: I wonder if anyone is making a comparison between the very long hair in Robin Hood and the very short in Phileas? Whatever, the haircut was entirely my fault

MichaelPraed: I had decided

MichaelPraed: to let my natural grey come out, as it were

MichaelPraed: And as a consequence needed to have a very short haircut

MichaelPraed: Of course not long thereafter I got offered the part, so there was little -- actually nothing that could be done about it. Sorry. I suppose I could wear a wig.

MichaelPraed: GA

Moderator: <Psyco-Otaku> to <Moderator>: Are you a fan of any Scifi shows like Star Trek, or Farscape?

MichaelPraed: I grew up on Star Trek

MichaelPraed: And did a musical with Brent Spiner, so I waS AN AVID VIEWER OF ST:TNG

MichaelPraed: Unfortunately I haven't seen Farscape, although I understand it is quite brilliant. I must say I would like their ratings!

Moderator: <kalena> to <Moderator>: Many of your roles seem to have been very physical. Do you do any of your own stunts? Is that difficult?

MichaelPraed: I try to do as many of my own stunts as is possible

MichaelPraed: When actors say "I do all my own stunts" they are being less than conspicuous with the truth. Because the role of the stunt coordinator is in fact NOT to provide a great fight sequence...It is to insure the stars of the show, or anyone else do not get injured

MichaelPraed: So your ability to be

MichaelPraed: actively a part of your own stunts is exponential with your particular talent and the degree of danger

MichaelPraed: For example...

MichaelPraed: Anytime you see me falling off a horse, that will be a stunt man

MichaelPraed: They will then cut to me landing on the floor, and when it's done properly you shouldn't be able to tell the difference

MichaelPraed: I do my own sword fighting and fist fighting and there is one stunt that I really shouldn't have done, which I did do which was in the Richlieau where I dove off a ten foot high gallows.

MichaelPraed: Although in point of fact I was tyerribly disappointed when I saw that sequence because it looked as if it were a three foot gallows...But there goes my vanity speaking

Moderator: Our Time is actually over, but Michael will take a few more questions

Moderator: <Danaan> to <Moderator>: As you are only 41 (Belated happy birthday) are you playing Phileas as an older man?

Moderator: <Psyco-Otaku> to <Moderator>: If you wrote an episode for SAJV, what would it be like?

MichaelPraed: No, I was playing him as 17. What are you talking about??

MichaelPraed: Actually I was amused to read on ther bbs posts, someone thought I was 50!!!!!

MichaelPraed: That hurt!!

MichaelPraed: As to the second question...I refer my answer to the previous one about orgies!

Moderator: <Fogg> to <Moderator>: Michael, it was lovely to see you with John Rhys Davis again. What was that like for you both?

MichaelPraed: It is often a delight to touch base with people you ahven't seen in ten years or so, and John Rhys Davis was no exception to the rule

Moderator: <Jaina2000> to <Moderator>: Were you suprised by the large fan response to your return to Tv since so many years have passed since ROS? And say I wish I could be there :-)

MichaelPraed: I am continuely surprised, not to mention delighted by the response

MichaelPraed: And having recently got my computer I have dipped in to the SCIFI bbs

MichaelPraed: and am heartily encouraged by the loyality. Anmd thank you all for that

MichaelPraed: By the way,

MichaelPraed: do any of you out there know anyone whose television is connected to the box that is connected to Mr Meilsen and the ratings? What I'm getting at is this...I have a bank account...there is a fund in there. Do you see what I'm saying?

Moderator: <Goblin> to <Moderator>: I"ve been sending this questions over and over... Will there be a second season???????

MichaelPraed: Yes

MichaelPraed: there will be a second season if we get the ratings

MichaelPraed: It's really as simple as that

MichaelPraed: So spread the word

MichaelPraed: Keep everything crossed (I've got a round turn and two half hitches in mine) and all will be well.

Moderator: Final question...

Moderator: Micael, we often end our chats with this question. What advice do you give to aspiring actors?

MichaelPraed: Chance the consequences. Do it, go for it

MichaelPraed: You tend to find out pretty quickly if it works

MichaelPraed: Don't confuse success with talent

MichaelPraed: Or no success with lack of talent

MichaelPraed: Without getting melodramatic

MichaelPraed: Marcus Aurelious said "A man's life is what his draems make of it." A sentiment held by every major philosopher

MichaelPraed: If it's truly what you want, then it's almost you r duty to go for it.

MichaelPraed: My god, maybe there is more of Phileas in me than I had previously imagined!

MichaelPraed: Thank you for a delightful chat

MichaelPraed: I look forward to doing this again very soon

MichaelPraed: Spread the word about the show, because at the end of the day its success is entirely in your very capable hands

MichaelPraed: Good night

MichaelPraed: Good Bless

MichaelPraed: and Love

Moderator: Michael. You've been WONDERFUL. Thanks