Interview with Battlestar Galacticas Colonel Saul Tigh

Interview with Battlestar Galactica's Colonel Saul Tigh - actor Michael Hogan

It was a great pleasure to do able to take part in a discussion with Battlestar Galactica's infamous Colonel Saul Tigh, aka actor Michael Hogan. Michael immediately came across as a really down to earth guy who was very passionate about the work he did.

How have you found being at the Expo today?
Michael: It has been great being here and being able to meet all the fans.

Have you managed to come to terms with the fact that Tigh is one of the final 5 Cylons?
Michael: I was really happy with the way the character was developing until the Cylon story-line. I will always bring it up with the writers if I am not happy with a story-line, for example when they wanted Tigh to go down to New Caprica in season 3 I did not agree because I thought the character would never leave the ship. I questioned it but the writers insisted, and it turned out to be a great move for the character.

               

Michael: With the Cylon story-line, there was allegedly a poll somewhere on the Internet which listed the characters that were most likely to be part of the final 5. Tigh was 2nd to last. The writers had thought it out. I argued against it because I had a gut feeling that it was wrong. But I had no facts to argue with so I went along with it.

Do you hate wearing the eye patch?
Michael: Yes - when I remember it is on. It really causes problems with my sense of balance. When the writers told me that they wanted to debilitate Tigh, I asked them to let me know what they intended to do. I like to research my characters, so if they had said they were going to give him a limp I would have gone to a hospital to research limps. I think it would have been an insult to all those war veterans out there if I had not done it properly.

Michael: Anyway, they called me about a week before the start of filming to say they were thinking of having him loose an eye. I was not sure about it, but asked them to let me know when they had finally decided. I arrived on set for the filming, and asked the writers if they had made their mind up yet, and they said ‘Yes - we are going with the eye. We thought you were really cool with that'. So we went with the eye. They wanted something permanent - so went with the eye.

Does the story have a proper ending?
Michael: Yes, it will end properly. I have always seen Battlestar as one very long movie, rather than as episodic TV. It has a start a middle and an end. The TV movie is the last part.

Is there any chance that there will be any more seasons or movies?
Michael: I would never say never. After all it is a money making concept. But they have torn down all the sets, the CIC, my quarters, Adama's quarters, they are all gone. It was real strange turning up one day and finding just steal girders. They did take stills of all the main sets, so I suppose they could do green screen from the digital stills, but it would not be the same.

Was there any chance of getting any souvenirs?
Michael: No chance. They were all taken away for auction. We were finishing the last scene in the board room - the one with all the miniatures and things used to plan the battles, and this guy from the auction company was there like taking things away straight away.

During an exclusive chat with GameOn, Michael showed just what a genuine relaxed guy he was, when he ignored the pleas of the show organisers that he was needed elsewhere, and just sat down, gave amusing anecdotes about his life and his thoughts on Battlestar Galactica in general.

When Smiles commented that he did not know who he was, Michael said ‘Don't worry, I'm just some old guy from a TV show'. He then went on to tell a story about a recent trip he had taken. He said that the woman behind the check-in desk at the airport kept looking at him. She eventually said that he reminded her of someone from her favourite TV show, but he could not be because he was really old and only had one eye. Michael admitted that he was that guy.

Rasher also asked him which season of Battlestar he preferred. Michael said that he preferred season 3, the one mainly set on New Caprica. He said it was very radical, with the introduction of the terrorist activities, suicide bombings and such. He found this a really hard part to play and get his head around, not agreeing with terrorist activities and then being a terrorist leader fighting for the survival of the human race was a hard part to play.

He also commented on the story-line where Tigh had to kill his wife just as they were being rescued from New Caprica. He said it was a fantastic story-line, after she had fraternised with the enemy Tigh really had no choice but to kill her just as they were due to leave.

We would very much like to thank Michael for his time and for giving us such a good insight in to the man behind Colonel Saul Tigh.