"A little knowledge…" Part II

One of the problems with having heroes or someone we admire (or desire *G*) is that we often discover a little nugget of knowledge that we don't want to hear, didn't really want to know. All too frequently it happens with athletes (OJ Simpson ring a bell with anyone?), but it can happen with actors, too. (Cybil Shepard boinking Elvis Presley?)

After the initial shock has worn off, we become filled with anger, betrayal and even despair. (Or maybe not, depending upon how 'big' the news is). How many of us feel disappointed or personally let down? Do we even have a right to place that all on our heroes' shoulders?

I suppose you're all wondering what this has to do with Voyager? Well, over the past six months, I've read many articles and heard interviews with some of the stars from Voyager (specifically, Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan). My opinion of the actresses changes when I read something, or hear something that truly annoys me. Then I begin to question myself. These women are just that - women - who also happen to be very talented actresses who play the roles of women I admire. And there's the problem - is it the actresses or their characters that I admire? Is it easier to 'forgive' the actress or the character when they do or say something that I don't like?

Should I be a harsher critic of their real lives than the 'screen lives'?

Before I confuse the issue any further, let me give you a couple of examples. In Equinox I & II, Janeway goes a little too close to the edge. For instance, when she leaves Lessing alone in the cargo bay and drops the shields, exposing him to the alien life forms. Captain Janeway certainly disappointed me then. Her actions were reprehensible, yet I came back for more. I gave her another chance. And even in the dreaded Fair Haven/Spirit Folk episodes, her actions there were personally offensive to me, yet I gave her another chance (and was rewarded with the Borg children episodes.)

In Real Life, I tend to be less forgiving, I think. Kate Mulgrew, for all her charms, wit and beauty, has said some things in interviews and at conventions that just turned me right off, almost angered me. At the Australian conventions this past March she made a blatant appeal to heterosexuality.

As reported on several sites:

It just sticks in my craw when I read something like that. Was it really necessary? And then I get mad because Kate Mulgrew the actress can't live up to my expectations. And I will admit it affected my 'viewing pleasure' for some time after I'd read that.

Seven of Nine, on the other hand... well, I can't be too disappointed with her actions on Voyager. I can always justify her behavior by telling myself, "She's a Borg. She doesn't know any better." (Of course, at some point, that excuse just won't fly).

I have, however, been sorely disappointed with Jeri Ryan from time to time. I confess, the first time I saw her, I thought "Blonde, big boobs - no brain." Later on I found out she was a National Merit Finalist in High School. That takes brains.... lots of them. I was impressed as I could be. Here she was beautiful, talented, smart, funny (check out her interviews some time - they can be a hoot). And then... Braga. I couldn't believe that she could be so stupid/conniving/whatever to be carrying on with him. How could she? I was crushed when I found it was true. And it took me weeks to not think about it every time I saw Seven of Nine grace the screen.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I often get disappointed when my 'heroes' don't live up to my expectations, and it affects how I see them on the shows. Does anyone else have that trouble? Does anyone else have trouble separating the character from the actress?