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Rest in peace, Andreas Katsulas


Andreas Katsulas, a marvelous actor, died of lung cancer on February 13, 2006.

I will always remember Katsulas fondly for his outstanding work as G'Kar in the classic science fiction series, Babylon 5, which was my favorite show during its five year run. It was an ambitious series, monumental in scope, about an interplanetary war seen through the interactions of alien ambassadors on a diplomatic space station.

Andreas Katsulas and Peter Jurasik played the ambassadors of two enemy races, and started out the series at each other's throats. We learned early on that their relationship would end many years in the future with one of them killing the other. But as the series progressed and their relationship changed, the circumstances under which their inevitable ending would occur took on tremendous meaning and poignancy.

G'Kar went through hell during the series, as he witnessed the destruction of his home world and his people, experienced imprisonment, torture, growth and spiritual enlightenment. He eventually became the leader of his people, and well deserved to be. Katsulas moved me to tears so many times.

How many actors have the talent to play such a complex character so well while wearing an extreme amount of alien prosthetics and makeup? Katsulas, along with Peter Jurasik, should have gotten multiple Emmys for their roles on Babylon 5. The fact that they were never even nominated reflects the continuing prejudice of the television industry toward science fiction as a genre. The industry doesn't even acknowledge that quality fantasy and science fiction exists, unless it skates along the edge of the genre, like Lost.

But we know.

Rest in peace, Andreas Katsulas. You were an immensely talented man. You will be missed.

1 comment:

  1. I didn't know him, as I never watched Babylon 5, but those were some great words.

    May you rest in peace, Andreas.

    ReplyDelete

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