ELIOT STEIN'S INTERVIEW WITH PATRICK STEWART
(C)ELIOT STEIN
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: When did the acting bug first hit you?
At what age?
PATRICK STEWART: I didn't know that it was a bug. I was
first lured into a play when I was 12 years old! At that time I
didn't know anything about acting...but the teachers at my
school had a drama society and in this upcoming production
there was the role of a 12-year old student....I accepted it
largely because I was flattered by the attention of my
teachers...and I thought it was a neat thing to do!
What I soon discovered was that entering into this world of
imagination...that both the rehearsal room and the stage was
a pleasantly better place to be than the real world.
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: How familiar
were you with the original "Star Trek" series when you were
given a script for "Generations"???
PATRICK STEWART: Hardly at all!!! It was not possible to be
in the Western World and not have heard of it...and the
familiar phrases...I do recall the first time I heard "Beam Me
Up Scotty..." at the time I had NO idea what it referred to!
In the late 60's...early 70's...I caught my children watching
"Star Trek..."and I never saw a complete episode. In
1987...when I was offered the role of Picard...I had to turn to
my children to find out what it was all about!!! In my meeting
with Gene Rodenberry and Robert Justman...I pretended to them
that I knew more about the program than I did. Half of what
they said to me was meaningless. I had to pretend to
know more about "Star Trek" than I did!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: Did they tell you how the Picard
character should be played?
PATRICK STEWART: They never discussed the character. It
was 6 months later that there was any mention of the role of
the Captain. I assumed than that I was going to be the token
Brit on the crew!
My interest in the project deepened at
that point....As then I knew their interest in me was for the
leading role!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: What role has stretched your
enormous talent most: The Tempest, A Christmas Carol,
Jeffrey, or Star Trek?
PATRICK STEWART: It was "Christmas Carol"...I was alone
on stage for two hours..apart from telling the story...I play
more than 40 characters...but in terms of stamina and
concentration it would be "Star Trek."
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: Is there one role you haven't played
that you feel your career would be incomplete without?
PATRICK STEWART: There is a movie role...which I am very
excited about...which I hope will be in production in 1996...I
unfortunately can't talk about it...It is the best script and role I
have seen to date...In addition...there are a number of
Shakespearean roles I haven't played that I'd like to do...King
Lear...Macbeth....for example!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: You narrated a great video called "The
Planets" and now you will be doing another
educational/entertaining space production called "From here
to Infinity"...why have you chosen these out of probably
hundreds of offers that come your way?
PATRICK STEWART: There are many space related projects
(C)ELIOT STEIN
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: When did the acting bug first hit you?
At what age?
PATRICK STEWART: I didn't know that it was a bug. I was
first lured into a play when I was 12 years old! At that time I
didn't know anything about acting...but the teachers at my
school had a drama society and in this upcoming production
there was the role of a 12-year old student....I accepted it
largely because I was flattered by the attention of my
teachers...and I thought it was a neat thing to do!
What I soon discovered was that entering into this world of
imagination...that both the rehearsal room and the stage was
a pleasantly better place to be than the real world.
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: How familiar
were you with the original "Star Trek" series when you were
given a script for "Generations"???
PATRICK STEWART: Hardly at all!!! It was not possible to be
in the Western World and not have heard of it...and the
familiar phrases...I do recall the first time I heard "Beam Me
Up Scotty..." at the time I had NO idea what it referred to!
In the late 60's...early 70's...I caught my children watching
"Star Trek..."and I never saw a complete episode. In
1987...when I was offered the role of Picard...I had to turn to
my children to find out what it was all about!!! In my meeting
with Gene Rodenberry and Robert Justman...I pretended to them
that I knew more about the program than I did. Half of what
they said to me was meaningless. I had to pretend to
know more about "Star Trek" than I did!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: Did they tell you how the Picard
character should be played?
PATRICK STEWART: They never discussed the character. It
was 6 months later that there was any mention of the role of
the Captain. I assumed than that I was going to be the token
Brit on the crew!
My interest in the project deepened at
that point....As then I knew their interest in me was for the
leading role!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: What role has stretched your
enormous talent most: The Tempest, A Christmas Carol,
Jeffrey, or Star Trek?
PATRICK STEWART: It was "Christmas Carol"...I was alone
on stage for two hours..apart from telling the story...I play
more than 40 characters...but in terms of stamina and
concentration it would be "Star Trek."
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: Is there one role you haven't played
that you feel your career would be incomplete without?
PATRICK STEWART: There is a movie role...which I am very
excited about...which I hope will be in production in 1996...I
unfortunately can't talk about it...It is the best script and role I
have seen to date...In addition...there are a number of
Shakespearean roles I haven't played that I'd like to do...King
Lear...Macbeth....for example!
ELIOT STEIN-HOST: You narrated a great video called "The
Planets" and now you will be doing another
educational/entertaining space production called "From here
to Infinity"...why have you chosen these out of probably
hundreds of offers that come your way?
PATRICK STEWART: There are many space related projects
