It was mentioned in comments, but does deserve more of a tribute than a mention.
Andreas Katsulas, the actor who brought G’Kar to life through both deliberate actions and memorable words, died from lung cancer on the morning of February 13.
His performance as G’Kar was nuanced and masterful, as we saw that character grow from being selfish and bitter to one who literally embodied the heart of the station’s purpose, and everything that those who wanted peace imagined it could be.
Most of G’Kar’s heart came from Andreas’ talents as an actor. He will be missed.
The next show to go out was recorded well before this happened, but we will talk about it for the following show.
update: There are online tributes to Andreas, at Pat Tallman’s and Jeffrey Willerth’s Galactic Gateway, and over at Bill Mumy’s website. Pat has also created a way for fans to submit notes of condolences and well-wishes for Andreas’ family over at the Galactic Gateway forums. There’s a thread specifically for those thoughts, which she will print out and take to his family at the memorial service a few weeks from now.
Thanks to ISN News for the Bill Mumy link
Very sad news. He was one of the great actors on B5, bringing G’Kar alive through make-up and prosthetics. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
May you rest in peace Andreas.
🙁
Really sad.
Well i just heard and it is a great loss.
Nothing else to say other than its terrible news.
Feelings go out to his family and friends.
Rest in peace.
From the stars we come and to the stars we return…
***
Think of all the great G’Kar scenes. As Stephen Furst mentioned in his interview, it’s a great actor who can bring to life a character while wearing eight pounds of latex.
What came to my mind is the scene in the prison cell between Garibaldi and G’Kar, where Garibaldi tries to return the Book of G’Quan-
G’Kar: You keep it for now. Besides, I’m somewhat closer to the source.
“We are all the sum of our tears. Too little and the ground is not fertile and nothing can grow there; too much, the best of us is washed away.”
— G’Kar, “Objects in Motion”
Rest in pease, Andreas, and thank you.
“To absent friends, in Memory still bright.”
Rest easy, sir. You will be missed.
A sad day indeed. “The flame also reminds us that life is precious, as each flame is unique. When it goes out, it’s gone forever. And there will never be another quite like it.”
“The universe is driven by the complex interaction between three ingredients: matter, energy, and enlightened self-interest.” (Survivors)
Indeed, a saddened day has come. Andreas will surely be missed by both Sci-Fi, and non Sci-Fi fans alike. Fantastic actor, and a wonderful choice for the Ambassador of Narn. I truely don’tthink there could be anyone else that could have fit the role any better.
Rest in Peace Andreas…Your craft has served you well.
A sad day indeed as another fine B5 actor journeys beyond the rim.
Whilst JMS provided the words, Andreas brought them and the character of G’Kar to life. This was probably best demonstrated in the fifth season episode The Paragon of Animals, when the declaration of principals of the new Alliance is read out by Sheridan and G’Kar.
Sheridan points out that G’Kar is a much better speaker before he starts to read the declaration and this is proven when the scene switches to G’Kar continuing to read the declaration. Whilst Bruce Boxlietner may have deliberately under performed his reading of the declaration I think the scene clearly demonstrated that the delivery of a line is just as important as the words that make up that line.
Andreas could have made a reading of a phone book interesting, given the scripts by JMS he left us enthralled and should there ever be a movie version of B5 I doubt there is anyone who could fill Andreas’s boots in the role of G’Kar.
I look forward to the next podcast though I suspect you will need several podcasts to adequately describe what Andreas Katsulas and the character of G’Kar brought to Babylon 5.
From the stars we come and to the stars we return…
I adored the character he made so incredibly real. A brilliant actor, he brought such incredible nobility to G’kar. May he rest in peace- I feel so incredibly sad that we will never see him portray the role again.
What sad news! G’kar was the strongest emotional character on B5. He borught JMS’s words to life like no one else could. He will surely be missed.