A R T I C L E S   &   I N T E R V I E W S

Title: Teyla Made
Publisher: Stargate: The Official Magazine (Issue #14)
Publishing Date: Jan/Feb 2007
Byline: Natalie Barnes
Source: http://www.titanmagazines.com/titanmag/app?service=external/Product
&sp=S12&sp=SPTM305&sp=Scty=en-US
Scans: Page One, Page Two, Page Three, Page Four, Page Five, and Page Six.

Dancer turned sci-fi warrior, Rachel Luttrell proves there’s no such thing as the weaker sex. As the gung-ho Athosian leader, Teyla Emmagan, Luttrell epitomizes the modern-day kick-ass female. Here, she discusses love and leadership in the Lost City.

Rachel Luttrell has spilt her lunch all down her beautiful emerald dress, but she is still smiling. Unlike the warrior she plays in Stargate: Atlantis, pint-sized Luttrell is more pocket Venus that pocket Hercules—a far cry from the role of tenacious fighter, Teyla Emmagan, who has very little to smile about herself. Having seen much of her family culled by the Wraith, kidnapped numerous times, and plagued by terrifying nightmares, it’s not been an easy life for Teyla. With her primary focus divided between her people and her team-mates from Earth, she’s been on a journey of self-discovery.

“I think myself, as well as the writers, have gotten a better handle of who she is, so they are fleshing her out a little bit more,” says the actress. “In the beginning they were just touching on the fact that she was from a different galaxy and she had different influences in her life and now her influences have been people from Earth. Obviously she’s changing and evolving because of that.”

One of the most apparent shifts in Teyla’s nature is her softening of character, and the strengthening of her relationships within the Atlantis team. Still wary and slightly withdrawn, Teyla is slowly letting the others into her life. “At the very beginning of this season we had a meeting, all of the cast members with the producers, and their primary focus for this year is about what connection and bonds we have within our team, the friendships we have, and what that means,” Luttrell explains. “They gives us the onus to us, to find those moments within the script. But they had been writing those as well. She’s developed in many, many ways. She’s been exposed to different viewpoints, and that has affected who she is. For instance, last season’s Michael—I love that episode specifically because of the relationship between Teyla and this Wraith, Michael, who’s now been transformed into a human, and what that means. So her relationship now with this archenemy per se, is beginning to shift, and her perception of him is opening, and perhaps not all of them are evil horrendous monsters, maybe some of them are a little easier to negotiate with. So that shifted. And in this season as well, there’s actually a very interesting episode, which is predominantly about John Sheppard, but it also deepens my understanding of the Wraith.”

Affecting her both mentally and physically, Teyla’s Wraith DNA and the mental connection she shares with Atlantis’ deadly enemy has been developing steadily since her arrival in season one, yet both Luttrell and Teyla have yet to understand the full extent of its power. “That’s a huge part of who Teyla is, and it is touched upon [in season three],” shares Luttrell. “I’m hoping that they’ll continue to do it, because it’s a very unique, very interesting aspect of who she is and she doesn’t know how much she can use, and to what extent.

“Michael was a favorite episode of mine because of this and I loved working with Connor. He’s a really wonderful actor and I think we played off of each other really well, and it felt like I had something to bite into and toy with. There were so many levels present in the scenes that we did with each other. Michael was a pleasure to act with.”

Of everyone in Stargate: Atlantis, Luttrell is most interested in seeing a relationship develop between Teyla and Dr. Weir. The two women share much in common, in particular, their experience as leaders—Dr. weir as the leader of the expedition to Atlantis, and Teyla as the leader of her people. “I think there’s a lot there that we can touch upon,” says Luttrell. “We haven’t really had a lot of opportunities and the writers haven’t really been catering to that, unfortunately. Dr. Weir is usually left on the base and I’m out there battling with the boys, but it’s something I’d like to see a little bit more of. But having said that, I’m enjoying the fact that they introduced Ronon’s character into the script and into the series, because he’s the only other main character who’s from a similar background and our influences and how we perceive things as opposed to how those on Earth perceive things. So I’m looking forward to that deepening.”

Another relationship which seems to be progressing, is that of Teyla and John Sheppard. The will they/won’t they couple shared many an intimate moment since their first meeting. Might Sheppard be a potential love interest for the ever-softening warrior? “I love all my cast mates and I love all the characters,” smiles Luttrell. “They’re all great, they’re all unique and that helps the show be as dynamic as it is. A lot of people think that Teyla and Sheppard are meant to be together, and who knows. The scene that I shot just before I left for the hiatus begins with me walking down this hallway talking to this girl about me wanting to tell some man how I feel. The writers weren't specific, so who knows who it is? It could be one of our main guys, or it could be someone completely different."

Luttrell’s thoughts on this matter seem to be at odds with those of her character, who has often hinted at having strong feelings for the heroic Sheppard. “I don’t know which direction I want it to go in,” she laughs. “Having met all of these fans, there are those who are like, ‘Teyla and Sheppard all the way!’ And then there are those who are, ‘Teyla and Ronon all the way!’ So it’s interesting, and they’re battling each other! Whenever I watch a television show and there’s been a love tension between two characters, what’s interesting is how that tension plays out, it’s not necessarily the fact that it starts—because then where does it go? If it’s toyed at, and it’s ‘Oh my goodness, are they going to get together? Do they? Do they not?’ and then somebody comes in and shifts their focus, that to me, as an audience member, is always more exciting.”

And it’s not just within Atlantis that relationships are strengthening. Having acted alongside her fellow cast members for three seasons, and now having been picked up for a fourth, Luttrell speaks very highly of those she works with. “When we’re on set, we all hang out. Torri and I are able to talk about philosophy and spirituality and how it is to be a woman in this industry, and all of that kind of stuff—we really get into it, and we hang out with each other when we’re not on set, and go for walks and that’s lovely. Jason is this big ridiculous puppy. He’s humorous and funny and we have a very silly relationship, which is a lot of fun. David is wonderful. David is somebody that I go to if I have problems with anything and if I’m endeavoring to do a new project. He’s just really great about having me sort things out, and about giving me different perspectives. He’s going to laugh when he reads this, but he’s kind of like a brother. The truth of the matter is I feel really comfortable with him and his girlfriend Jane. From the very first season they were this great support, and they just live a couple blocks from me, so if I’m feeling lonely or whatever, I pick up the phone and it’s like, ‘Yeah, come on over! Come on over for dinner. Let’s take the dogs for a walk.’ They’re really great, but everybody is. Joe’s lovely and fun and sweet. He can be very shy which I think a lot of people would be surprised to hear, but he’s so sweet. He’ll give you the shirt off his back if you need it. Paul is so great and incredibly funny. They’re all good people. We really lucked out. We’re not a show where there’s one egomaniacal person—everybody is lovely, everybody brings their all to the show, and they’re also really good people.”

As a spin-off of Stargate SG-1, there have been a few crossover episodes where SG-1 and the Atlantis team have come together, and there are still more to come. “I think they’re great,” beams Luttrell. “I think they’re a lot of fun for the fans. Teyla hasn’t had an opportunity to go back to Earth and interact with many of the other characters, but some of our other characters have, and I think it’s more fun for the fans—I hope I get to work with them more.”

Though SG-1 ends its run on SCI FI this season, it’s earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest consecutive running sci-fi TV show. Becoming part of a decade old franchise, Luttrell admits, may have been a little daunting at first, but thanks to the Stargate SG-1 cast and crew, she soon felt at ease. “When we started shooting the very first season everyone from the other cast was just so wonderful and open and that helped. I think because they had been shooting for so long, a lot of our crew members came from them, and they had become quite a concise unit working together, and then there was also this family feel to it—everybody just knew each other. So it was already a very relaxed atmosphere. Not only that, but we already had a fan base from Stargate SG-1, who were going to be interested in seeing what Stargate: Atlantis was like. The long and the short of it is, when I went up to Vancouver to start shooting I thought, ‘Well, OK, I’m going to be up here for another month, and then I’m going to go back to Los Angeles,’ and that’s how I perceived it—that I would just have fun portraying her, and the fact that we’re now in season three is just a gift, so no pressure! I have a blast. I have a lot of fun doing it. Guaranteed pretty much everyday that we’re on set we’re laughing about something or being silly. We get on so well.”

Though Luttrell waxes lyrical about her co-stars, she’s eager to see a change in her character. With little of Teyla’s backstory having been divulged, the actress is hoping for some more hints as to the warrior’s past. “I have a storyline kind of poking around in my head,” whispers Luttrell, excitedly. “Teyla is sent off on her on her own and she believes that she doesn’t have any family left. She somehow encounters a sibling; either a sister or a brother that she didn’t know was still alive. It’s an antagonistic relationship because either the brother or the sister says she abandoned them, but she didn’t know because she thought they were killed. I think that would be great. I’m always interested in the backstory and the history, so I think that would be really cool. I’ve also been pushing them to give me some sort of love interest, too, just to see a different side to her. A love interest that doesn’t come from the little triangle we have. One that comes from somewhere else, and adds layers of interest for the fans, it would be a completely different side of Teyla that I would like to explore."

Having studied ballet, trained in voice and piano, studied Shakespeare, and performed in musicals, Luttrell has indeed explored all sides of her own character. Appearing in Sleepwalker, Charmed, Touched by an Angel, and Anne Rice’s The Feast of All Saints, Luttrell is no stranger to the fantasy genre. “I’m a huge fan of science fiction,” she beams. “For instance, I was recently at the London Film and Comic Con and was just in my little area singing. I took a break because I didn’t really know who else was there. I started walking around and saw David Prowse, the original Darth Vader, and I felt like this kid. It was ridiculous! I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ I had somebody introduce me to him, and then I asked for a signature, I was so excited. Then I went back and got another signature for my dad, who will be thrilled! I got two different pictures signed, and I had a picture of me with him!

“That was my first exposure to science fiction. As a kid, I remember begging my dad to take me to see those movies, and I love them. Even when I watch them now, I’m like, ‘Wow’. I love those films, and I love science fiction and fantasy writing. My Dad started us off on The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings when we were very young, and I loved them. If there’s a movie out there with big science fiction and special effects, I’m there in a flash. I find it so imaginative. There’s so much that it can be, and not only that, but our science fiction writers seem to be ahead of the game. Years ago they were writing about cloning and people were thinking, ‘How odd is that?’ Well, we’re doing it now. I was in Starbucks yesterday, and on the front page of a magazine they were talking about bionic surgery. How crazy is that? That was a 1960s ridiculous concept, but now they’re really close to being able to fuse the human nervous system to machinery. So I just think it’s a matter of time before time travel is possible, and all of that stuff. I find it fascinating. It’s an intelligent person who can imagine things, run with it and say, ‘Yeah, that could be possible! Why not?’”