Posted in: Audio Dramas, TV | Tagged: Gates McFadden, Gates McFadden InvestiGates, star trek

InvestiGates Host Gates McFadden Talks Podcast, X-Men '97 & Much More

InvestiGates Host Gates McFadden (Star Trek: Picard) on the TOS star she wished she had as a guest, working with her "space sons," X-Men '97, and more.

Gates McFadden has accomplished so much since her on-screen debut in an uncredited role on Saturday Night Live in 1981. Appearing in some of the biggest TV shows like Another World, The Edge of Night, L.A. Law, Dream On, and, of course, Star Trek: The Next Generation. She's also done a few films like The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984), When Nature Calls (1985), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and Taking Care of Business. She's also done choreography for TNG and films Dreamchild (1985) and Labyrinth, in which she also did puppeteering work.

While McFadden does the occasional acting gig from live-action and voiceovers, reprising her role as Admiral Dr. Beverly Crusher for Paramount+ Star Trek shows in the TNG sequel series Picard and the Netflix animated series Prodigy, she's also emerged as the voice of Mother Aksani in the season one finale of the Disney+ animated series X-Men '97, the legacy sequel series to X-Men: The Animated Series. Since partnering with The Nacelle Company to host and executive produce the Star Trek documentary, The Center Seat, celebrating 55 years of the franchise, McFadden's moved to host a podcast called Gates McFadden InvestiGates: Who do you think you are? now in its third season.

The InvestiGates host spoke to Bleeding Cool about late Star Trek figures she wishes she could have had on the show, her interaction with The Original Series star DeForest Kelley, whether she sees herself working as a choreographer, puppeteer, or director again, her season two update on X-Men '97, and the missed opportunity to share simultaneous screen time with both Crusher boys Wesley (Wil Wheaton) and Jack (Ed Speleers).

Gates McFadden on TOS Guest Wish List for "InvestiGates," Space Sons

Bleeding Cool: This is a little poignant, but has there been someone you wish you had on your podcast, InvestiGates, who is no longer with us whose story you wanted to hear?

There are many. I think…I'm blanking, Dr. McCoy.

DeForest Kelley?

Yes, DeForest Kelley was such an interesting person. He was so kind and generous. What a life he had! He was there at the earliest of the TV filmings when they had canvases as the walls of a room. I wish I could have had him on. That would have been so much fun. I would have loved to also have Nichelle (Nichols), Majel (Barrett Roddenberry), and all the people who were related to the early shows and certainly some of the early writers and Gene (Roddenberry). That would have been interesting.

Did you have any conversations with DeForest Kelley when you were filming the premiere episode ('Encounter at Farpoint') of TNG?

Very short ones. We ended up…it was more…we did a promo together and then we ran into each other at the first convention where it was the two doctors. I had a lovely experience interacting with him. He was quite a beautiful human being, funny, and great.

You've accomplished a lot in your acting career. You've also done choreography and puppeteering and directed an episode of TNG. Have you considered returning to any of those non-acting roles in Hollywood again?

I was asked to teach again. I had a large academic career teaching at universities and graduate programs in the theater department. I was asked again last week about returning to do that. I don't know. So many of the programs have changed and schools, universities in general. Some are so corporate that it's a different thing than when I went to school in the 70s, where it was more like you were on this campus, and you all interacted. It wasn't so much this gigantic world. I don't know. That's something I'm thinking about. I'm also doing some writing, and we'll see.

Has your time on TNG molded how you felt about doing regular episodic television? You've done several guest spots on everything and like your contemporaries in a similar fashion, but is that something you think about joining a cast for the show and getting into that again?

That would be fantastic, but you don't say, "Hey, I'd like to join your cast" [laughs]. If only it was that easy, Tom. There's about a million [shows]. Do you think I can write to 'Slow Horses' and say, "Hey, I would love to be on your show? Can you put me in the cast?" I love some of those characters. They're so fabulous. What fun to play them, right? That would be so much fun. TV series are different now. They're much more like shooting film.

They have continuing stories, but they're high-end the way they're shot. Not that we weren't, but ours was not done as a film. The way so many of the top series are. Look at 'Succession.' I can't imagine how much that cost an episode. It must've been phenomenal, but it's a great show. There are some terrific shows on television, so I'm sure I'll do a shout-out [laughs], and I'll let you know how many offers I get back, okay [laughs]?

Have you recorded all your lines for season two of X-Men '97? How did it feel to join the franchise, and what resonated with you about Mother Aksani?

I love the character. It's still unfolding. I am so thrilled to be doing it. It's cool and I love doing voice work. It was a new world for me. I've had to learn all about it, and it's exciting and fun. I was thrilled to be asked to, and she's a character that's getting more, and more is going to be revealed. I've done, season two lines are finished, and we'll see what happens from there.

Final question: It's a two-parter. Are you disappointed you couldn't share the screen with both of your space sons at the same time? What do you think the future holds for Admiral Beverly Crusher?

I would have loved to have had both. That would have been tremendous, but I also understood why it wasn't going to happen. They had so many characters to fit into ten episodes and all the situations (from the season). Terry Matalas did an amazing job getting as many in and doing it so beautifully. Yes, I can only hope that maybe someday there'll be something that comes up because I love both of those actors very much. I enjoy working with both and we did on the cruise this last year. We did the 'Crusher Family Comedy Hour' and we all improvised and that was fun because we get along, I love to improvise, and it was wacky.

Gates McFadden InvestiGates season three, which features guest stars like Sonequa Martin-Green and David Ajala from Star Trek: Discovery, Michelle Hurd and Todd Stashwick from Star Trek: Picard, and more, premieres on November 15th, and part two premiering December 3rd.

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