The Next Generation Cast Calgary Expo Reunion
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Last weekend, fans attending the Calgary Expo in Calgary, Canada were able to see the entire cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, plus surprise guest John de Lancie.
Over fifty thousand fans attended the weekend event, with the highlight of the convention being the TNG:EXPOsed event which took place Saturday evening.
The Next Generation cast shared stories, which brought both laughter and tears to the audience and cast alike. Wil Wheaton spoke about leaving the show and how he felt afterwards about that decision.
“I left Star Trek: The Next Generation when I was eighteen years old,” said Wheaton. “And initially, I thought it was a really smart business career move. And In some ways it was, and in more ways it wasn’t.
“And what I was unprepared for was how much I was going to miss the people who are on this stage and how much I was gong to miss this spacesuit that I hated wearing.”
Wheaton felt ashamed of leaving, but appearing together with the entire cast at the Calgary Expo was like, “coming home,” he said, choking up with emotion. Marina Sirtis than ran over to hug Wheaton.
LeVar Burton lightened the mood, telling Wheaton that he was a “pain in the ass.” But Wheaton was “OUR pain in the ass,” said Burton.
Thanks to Patrick Dodds for the tip and for the photo used in the article.
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I think it would be great to see some of this content included in the new Blu-Ray box set version of Star Trek The Next Generation.
I agree with Zander. Paramount has been stingy with extras on its DVDs and Blu-Rays in the past. Maybe this time it will be different. Great to see the band get back together if only for a day.
I’m curious if Muldaur was invited?
Damn, these guys are getting old. But, I remember watching the premiere of TNG and thinking “this shit’ll never last” so I guess I’m not one to talk.
Wow, Patrick and Jonathan are looking so old now. I feel sorry for the guy who paid £300 for this photo. Patrick’s got his eyes closed LOL.
Ergh. Wish I had been there, what a rare and perhaps final reunion. A strange cast photo though. Is that Marina Sirtis? It looks absolutely nothing like her at all. Has she, er, filled out a bit? Patrick Stewart looks like a bored mummy (he usually looks much better, check out his fan site at http://www.thepsn.org and you’ll see he hasn’t changed that much.) Gates McFadden looks much the same as does Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton (barely visible there). Nice of Wil Wheaton and (is that?) Denise Crosby to drop by; sounds like they regret their early TNG leavings. Frakes looks far older due to that graybeard, man he should wear contacts and shave that off immediately. His babyface might re-emerge, or perhaps he likes the literary Elder style. Well, what I want is to get to the one with Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Avery Brooks, and Scott Bacula being advertised as headliner guests at Destination Star Trek London convention, to be held at ExCel in London October 19-21, 2012. Not a cheap trip however. 🙁
I’d feel crazy standing behind everyone, take a picture with them like that. I can only imaging how many people they rushed in, snapped photo, and rushed out…that would have been fun to watch. I like to see that one on video :O)
But, ya, I wish I could have gone too. To see them and visit Calgary, that would have been great, but I have school and bills and stuff, and because I just lazy.
Calgary was a blast! I wasnt going to pay $500 CAD for the photo but I did do photo ops with Patrick and Brent. Both were really engaging earlier in the day. I’ve never met any of the tng cast, so to meet them all in calgary was amazing.
God how time passes! I remember watching the first episode when I was about seven years old. Michael Dorn looks great (he’s almost 60 I think) and Gates McFadden (65ish) hasn’t aged a day!! I don’t want to be sassy but I think Marina has had work done…her face looks different. After seeing this, I really wish the TNG cast would get one last movie to really close things.
Muldaur had an acrimonious departure from TNG, by all accounts, and may not be as loving of Star Trek as she used to be.
Did you think they would be getting younger? Do people not age where
your from? Or, is that a negative put-down that your not aware of making
about aged people? You want them to remain hot and sexy, you want to
see a young hot Data with tight bulges, Picard with his young junk flapping in your face, gyrating his aroma into your pleasure-senses? You make me sick 🙁
Hmmm, that’s what everyone is thinking or saying about you behind your back.
Hey who is the guys standing in the background of the star trek actors, security?