Ach, Trek enthusiasts lost another one this week as word reached the world just today regarding the passing of Rene Auberjonois. For the uninitiated, Auberjonois played 'Odo,' a shapeshifting alien with ties to a civilization hell bent on ruling the galaxy -- aboard Star Trek: Deep Space Nine from 1993 until 1999.
I vaguely recall meeting him at one of the Star Trek conventions I attended in Las Vegas. (Yes, the big annual affair which typically brings out all of the stars.) He seemed like an incredible warm person, and I think there's no discounting the man's obvious talent. He launched into a career in the 1960's that stretched all the way into the current year, and that's no small feat indeed.
Remembering his work aboard Deep Space Nine, I wasn't all that fond of his character right out of the gate. Odo was a bit gruff if not downright mean at times, seemingly put off by being surrounding by so many louder and vastly more colorful species. It's a characterization that wouldn't make much sense until viewers learned more about his background and what central role he and his race would play as the show developed.
However, like so many, I loved his interactions with Deep Space Nine's resident felon -- the Ferengi barkeep and greater galactic swindler, Quark (played delightfully by Armin Shimerman): their banter was the substance of great writing and top-notch performances, harkening back all the way to the work of Bogart and Rains in the 1942 Hollywood classic Casablanca. While Odo stood for justice, Quark stood for everything but; and the spine of this relationship stretched gloriously through the show's seven seasons. These polar opposites were often forced against their own wishes to work together -- a lesson aptly applied to all of us in real life -- and I suggest that the two actors relished these scenes perhaps as much as fans enjoyed them.
Alas, none of us are immortal, and our warmest wishes go out to Auberjonois' family as well as the Trek community.
I vaguely recall meeting him at one of the Star Trek conventions I attended in Las Vegas. (Yes, the big annual affair which typically brings out all of the stars.) He seemed like an incredible warm person, and I think there's no discounting the man's obvious talent. He launched into a career in the 1960's that stretched all the way into the current year, and that's no small feat indeed.
Remembering his work aboard Deep Space Nine, I wasn't all that fond of his character right out of the gate. Odo was a bit gruff if not downright mean at times, seemingly put off by being surrounding by so many louder and vastly more colorful species. It's a characterization that wouldn't make much sense until viewers learned more about his background and what central role he and his race would play as the show developed.
However, like so many, I loved his interactions with Deep Space Nine's resident felon -- the Ferengi barkeep and greater galactic swindler, Quark (played delightfully by Armin Shimerman): their banter was the substance of great writing and top-notch performances, harkening back all the way to the work of Bogart and Rains in the 1942 Hollywood classic Casablanca. While Odo stood for justice, Quark stood for everything but; and the spine of this relationship stretched gloriously through the show's seven seasons. These polar opposites were often forced against their own wishes to work together -- a lesson aptly applied to all of us in real life -- and I suggest that the two actors relished these scenes perhaps as much as fans enjoyed them.
Alas, none of us are immortal, and our warmest wishes go out to Auberjonois' family as well as the Trek community.
RSS Feed