Thoughts on "G'kar's" recent death...

[conuly]

Maybe it's just me. I know this happened when "Scotty" died, and it happens every time an actor like this dies...

But I don't like it. I don't think it's fair or respectful to make all your tribute-posts about this guy in terms of the character he played.

Andreas Katsulas had an existance outside of his role as G'kar. He had a family, and friends. He had people who will miss him - and don't point out that you will miss him. I mean people who will miss him because they knew him. It doesn't seem to me to be the same thing.

Yes, G'kar on B5 said some pretty inspiring things. G'kar wasn't real. Would that he were, I liked G'kar - but if I want to see him again, I can just watch another episode, watch a movie. If I want to call up Andreas Katsulas and chat with him... I can't. And that's a big difference. Andreas Katsulas did not, except in the most literal of senses, say those pretty speeches. A fictional character did. A fictional character who, by the sheer nature of being fictional, is unable to ever properly die.

I didn't ever meet the Man Who Played G'kar. And I never will. Maybe he was a horrible person. Maybe he was a miser, or a misanthope, or a drunk. Or, on the other hand, maybe he was a saint, good with children and animals, or caring deeply about causes most of the rest of us have never even heard about. I don't know.

I do know that he was a real, living person - and whether you miss him or not, he wasn't the same as a character he once played. You can see G'kar again any time you like. You can't see the dead.

It just doesn't seem right, the way people act as though man and character are one and the same. It's not fair to the person who lived.

Comments

[peebs1701.livejournal.com]

I know. It drove me crazy every time I saw a tribute to "Superman" when Christopher Reeve died. I know that JMS and others in the cast were very close to Andreas and from what little I know of him he was a good man. I would have liked to meet him.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

You win for post on my flist this morning that made me go "Hmm!"

I see where you're coming from. I actually think it may have something to do with the nature of sci-fi as fandom/collection of fans. These are actors that routinely return to playing/talking about a single character at conventions and other fan events. That, I think, sends the message - true or not - that they don't mind having a single role focused on by appreciative fangirls/boys. Because I think of when, say, someone like Raul Julia died I didn't automatically go "oh noes, Gomez!" It was more "oh no, this fabulously talented actor died and now he won't continue to play more fabulous roles."

Now I will continue to go "Hmm!" elsewhere.

[peebs1701.livejournal.com]

I know. It drove me crazy every time I saw a tribute to "Superman" when Christopher Reeve died. I know that JMS and others in the cast were very close to Andreas and from what little I know of him he was a good man. I would have liked to meet him.

[kynn.livejournal.com]

Well said.

[strangelette.livejournal.com]

You win for post on my flist this morning that made me go "Hmm!"

I see where you're coming from. I actually think it may have something to do with the nature of sci-fi as fandom/collection of fans. These are actors that routinely return to playing/talking about a single character at conventions and other fan events. That, I think, sends the message - true or not - that they don't mind having a single role focused on by appreciative fangirls/boys. Because I think of when, say, someone like Raul Julia died I didn't automatically go "oh noes, Gomez!" It was more "oh no, this fabulously talented actor died and now he won't continue to play more fabulous roles."

Now I will continue to go "Hmm!" elsewhere.