Many Thanks! to my transcriber! Please do not repost or reproduce.
Comedienne Rita Rudner introduced Kate Mulgrew, who arrived onstage to a prolonged ovation.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. Thank you. I'm so glad Florida loves me! I'm Forida bound! How wonderful to see you all. Every time I hear that music, I cry. I suppose that will never change. I want to thank Rita Rudner for that extremely flattering introduction. She's a very funny woman. People say women can't be funny. Women can be outrageously funny, can't they?! You watched Voyager. It was hysterical, wasn't it?!
I've been busy, and I've been very happy. I have been playing the life of Katharine Hepburn on the stage in New York. (applause). Thank you. In a wonderful play that was written for me by a young and extremely talented man, Matthew Lombardo. And as you all know of course, by now, Miss Hepburn is no longer with us and this has stimulated both grief, and a parallel resurgence of interest in her life. So I'm going to take "Tea at Five" to Palm Beach in November, December, January. And then I believe I will be coming to San Francisco in March and April.
I have to say something to these ladies, some of whose faces I will recognize as this afternoon unfolds. If you … I’m sure Carol LaPlante is here. Heather. There is a small group – a core group – of women - Voyager fans originally- who have been so unconditionally supportive to me throughout "Tea at Five". I think you alone established ticket sales at that theater! And your generosity and your allegiance means so much to me – I can never actually express to you how much so. Thank you for that.
I do hope most of you get a chance to see this play. I believe the idea is to take it on a national tour then. Next fall, into the winter and into the following spring. (In Hepburn's voice) And pretty soon you'll be forgetting Kathryn Janeway and you'll just be thinking about Katharine Hepburn.
I always say how much I miss Voyager. I just ran into Tim Russ backstage. I wonder if he's still back there? Are you back there, sweetheart? I miss the crew, and I miss them deeply. There's an intensifying of relationships when you live with people in the trenches like that for seven years. And that never leaves me. However contrary to popular opinion, Captain Janeway has been nothing but exalting for me in my professional experience as an actress and in my private life as a woman. It was an extraordinary gift to be able to play this role… at a certain age. And now that I am at a… greater certain age I know how lucky I was, and you are the testament to this. Look at all of you – here to celebrate Voyager. (Applause)
I can go on and on and on about my seven years. I could tell you a million stories and I do have a zillion anecdotes. But time is very short, and what always is most compelling to me is what you are interested in, and any questions you have. And I answer them all! I love to talk about God. I love to talk about love. I even like to talk about sex – on occasion! I love to talk about friendship, art, science and I love to hear from you! Especially the young ones among you. So if you have questions, I would prefer that you come forward and ask me directly, so we can establish a more immediate rapport. Here comes somebody with a biiiigggg question!
Yelled from the audience: When’s the movie?
When's the Voyager movie?! (Applause) I don't know! We have to see how Enterprise does first, right.
Audience: No!
Kate Mulgrew: Oh, all right!! I have no idea. But I suspect that Mr. Berman, who as you well know is not only a genius, but a man very clever with numbers, will assess the value, and the market value of this movie. For my money it would be a wonderful thing, don't you think? To reunite this group? So – write Mr. Berman care of Paramount! And put my name on the envelope!
Yes darling? She's very green and very beautiful. Yes?
Q: I would like to ask you just what’s the weirdest line you ever had to say on Star Trek?
Kate Mulgrew: The weirdest line…?
Q: I mean like all these probes and things you’ve never heard of, and it’s in the future, so...
Kate Mulgrew: I couldn't possibly begin to enumerate, there were so many.
Q: (Unintelligible)
Kate Mulgrew: And I was in a constant state of…paralysis. I don't know how I overcame it… it was like learning Japanese over night, every night, for seven years. So I forget what I had to say, but I do remember clearly what I had to do. One time – that I did find to be beyond the pale… of all science, and all science fiction - and that's when Mr. Paris and I had baby lizards together! He came to stay with me. He came to stay with me with his lovely daughter Taylor last month in New York for a week and I said 'Uh uh. No more lizards!' Stay in your room, Mr. Paris!' So. That was the most extraordinary episode. Thank you! Very interesting woman. What are you supposed to be?
Q: Orion slave girl…
Kate Mulgrew: Oh. Very sexy. Oh. Very green, and very sexy. Yes? Oh. Here comes – not green – not sexy! Serious. Yes sir?
Q: I know you've been involved in your husband's campaign. Do you have any political aspirations yourself?
Kate Mulgrew: I was involved in my husband's gubernatorial campaign last year in Ohio. I observed that of course that it's impolitic to be politic in these meetings, but as we all well know, the country went to the right and that is a deep sorrow for the Hagan family. Do I have any political aspirations for myself – no sir, I do not. I think I've done all I can do to try to be the best actress that I can be. And what is a very short space of time. But thank you. And a most appropriate question, coming from a Borg! They always were a chatty group! Yes? Yes?
Q: Thank you for coming.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you.
Q: I have a question – you said you would answer anything.
Kate Mulgrew: I'll answer anything.
Q: A couple of years ago you said your mother had Alzheimer's disease.
Kate Mulgrew: Correct.
Q: How is she doing?
Kate Mulgrew: Well you know that it's a … it's a disintegrating disease. She's not doing well. She's not doing well at all.
Q: You mentioned that she might be on some new program.
Kate Mulgrew: Yes. But it fell through. Yes, I wanted to get her into that critical study but obviously there was a problem with the pharmacological aspects so it never happened. And after they pass at a certain point from the moderate to the severe phase there is very little that can be done. So this has obviously touched you in your life. Yes. Alzheimer's. I would prefer to be…this sounds very caustic but I think that I would prefer to be… shot. It is the loss of one's self. And my mother was a great painter. Mother of eight. Vibrant. Deeply alive. Whose gift of language and laughter – whose love of whiskey and dancing was unparalleled and … with whom I had a deeply intimate relationship… and to see her lose that I think is more crushing than if I were to have witnessed any other kind of dissolution of character. So my heart goes out to all of you who are suffering this. But there will be a cure in time. If we are generous. If we are consistent. If we are steady. So… thank you. Thank you for your question. Yes? Yes darling.
Q: Hello.
Kate Mulgrew: Hello, how are you?
Q: First I'd like to say it's an honor to meet you. I admire you as an actress so much.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh. Good.
Q: Now I'd like to ask you a question.
Kate Mulgrew: Yes. I just want to make sure that baby's all right (a baby had been crying throughout Kate's presentation). Is that baby all right? (Someone in the audience responds 'Yes'.)
Q: Since the passing of Miss Hepburn in June, how has it affected the emotions that you put into playing her on stage?
Kate Mulgrew: What a wonderful question. Are you an actress?
Q: I am an aspiring actress.
Kate Mulgrew: You are an aspiring actress.
Q: Actually I'm planning to do a one-woman play for my senior year this year.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh my God, darling, do you really want to do that while you're still so young?
Q: Yes. I'm very ambitious!
Kate Mulgrew: Well what a wonderful thing to say to me. It did impact me in a very strange way. Now I've been playing her for months… for years. I guess it's been a year and a half now, right honey? Referring to my husband, who's sitting over there. My evolution with this character has been my own, since I never met Miss Hepburn. My creation of this character has been largely through my imagination and of course through my research. But it's intense. And it's private. And it's between us. So she died on a Sunday, and I had to perform on Tuesday – Monday is the 'dark' day in New York. And I went on to a stage that was very quiet. To a full house. In which you could have heard a pin drop for the evening. Obviously there to celebrate a woman who changed the nature and the shape of the movie industry and womanhood in this country forever. And when it was over, I said to them, 'I'd like to have a moment to share with you something that Katharine Hepburn said all her life. And she did. She said, "I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of death….must be wonderful. It's like a long sleep. But let's face it. It's how you live that really counts." And she really lived. And it really counted. And in that moment, I must say, I felt a terrible kind of personal grief. And that is my right as the actress without imposing myself on her family, which I did not do. So… thank you for what is a very gracious question.
Q: No. Thank you!
Kate Mulgrew: You know when they're that young, and they're that beautiful and they want to be an actor, I never know quite what to say. Keep walking darling! Chin up! You can do it!
Yes sir?
Q: Hi.
Kate Mulgrew: Hi.
Q: First off, my daughter's a petty officer in the United States Navy…
Kate Mulgrew: Is she?
Q: Yes. And your role of Janeway has pretty much motivated her in her code of conduct on how to behave on a flight vessel. So…
Kate Mulgrew: Dear God…!
Q: My wife also was a dedicated fan to Voyager because of your portrayal of the first female captain of a fighting vessel. And so I think you're the second most sexiest female character in all of the Star Trek series. (Audience reacts with hoots and jeers)
Kate Mulgrew: Let's just stop right now! The second most sexiest female of aaaallllll the female characters! Boy! I wonder what he means!? This is a tough one! We won't get into that, will we?
Q: Well, you would be first, but you didn't have detachable body parts…
Kate Mulgrew: Detachable being the operative word!
Q: I just wanted to know. Did you, in your wildest dreams when you took on the role… did you ever think that you would be such an incredible role model for women?
Kate Mulgrew: No. And it's been the single greatest by product of Voyager. I really … I had no idea. None. I've said this often, but it's very true. I had no idea. And I had my work cut out just trying to figure out how to command this ship and get away with it. But to find out, which I did rather quickly, the influence that this female captain had, particularly on young women, absolutely exalted me. So I took it quite seriously - that responsibility. And has it moved me? Yes. And am I grateful? Terribly. But you see, you're the living with the real thing – never to be confused. You are living with the real thing. She is to be honored. And she is to be thanked, right?
Thank you. Yes? Yes, ma'am.
Q: Hello.
Kate Mulgrew: Hi, how are you?
Q: Good! I have kind of a lighter question…
Kate Mulgrew: A what question?
Q: Lighter question. So..
Kate Mulgrew: Lighter. Oh well!
Q: I really enjoyed the episode "Shattered". It was a very good way to look at the rest of th past seven seasons during the last season…
Kate Mulgrew: "Shattered"… what's happened?
Q: Okay…
Kate Mulgrew: This isn't really fair. When you do seven years, right. I'll know it, but I don't… who was shattered?
Q: You were. You were Captain Janeway from before the first season…
Kate Mulgrew: Ah…
Q: And Chakotay was Chakotay from season seven. And you went all the way around the ship to different areas of the seasons. Like engineering was when Seska was there. And time anomalies…
Kate Mulgrew: Time anomalies… Oh, I hate time anomalies, they give me such a headache! Yah!
Q: Okay… here's your question.
Kate Mulgrew: Okay, go ahead…
Q: How did you like playing Bride of Chaotica?
Kate Mulgrew: I loved playing Bride of Chaotica! I mean talk about light! But… to get one shot at that over seven years. They weren't going to let Janeway get too carried away with that! I never laughed so hard in my whole life. Was he something, Chaotica? That man was outrageous! I had the time of my life. I'd just met my husband when I did that episode. Who knew I was to become the true bride of Chaotica! Thank you, thank you very much.
Yes, hello. Hi!
Q: I just wanted to say I had the great pleasure to see the play in Hartford during the first run, as well as when you brought it to New York.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh, did you go into the city?
Q: I did, I brought my parents to see it.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh did you…
Q: It was wonderful! I did notice differences between the Hartford run and the New York run, and I just wondered what was the explanation behind that, because I actually… it was a little vulgar I think in Hartford. I thought probably that was part of it. But there were certain scenes that were done in the Hartford run that just really hit me and it was very impressive. And I didn't see that in…
Kate Mulgrew: You're talking about act one, where I come on in my bathing suit, and then I change in the middle of the act.
Q: Well…
Kate Mulgrew: And then there's that wonderful montage at the end.
Q: Yes…the spotlights…
Kate Mulgrew: I know. I know. We won't bore everybody here with… there are very few who have seen it… it did have to be concentrated. It did have to be edited, you're right. And I felt very strongly that to streamline it was more important than to dazzle. To tell of her life as it was when she was thirty-one. And so you can fault me and the playwright – that we felt it necessary. And it will undergo further changes as we travel, actually.
Q: Well it was wonderful both times.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. Thank you very much. Very nice of you.
Yes darling? (The next questioner is a very young girl)
Q: How do you feel about being the first female captain in the Star Trek series?
Kate Mulgrew: How do I feel about being the first female captain? How do you think I feel? How do you think I feel?
Q: Honored?
Kate Mulgrew: Honored. Have you ever done anything first, as a girl, in your life?
Q: Ummm…
Kate Mulgrew: In a class of boys, have you been first?!
Q: No…
Kate Mulgrew: On a playing field, have you been first among boys? No. So you don't know the feeling. It's unbeatable! And I was nervous, and very filled with trepidation. Patrick Stewart had done such a wonderful job. Not to mention Mr. Shatner – the divine – the irreverent – the admired Mr. Shatner, whom I adore, actually. I thought 'Oh, my God, how can I possibly do this?' And I determined within the first season that there was only one way, and that that was to bring Mulgrew to Janeway, and that the devil take the hindmost. And that's exactly what I did. And even the brass at Paramount I think had to agree midway through the first season that despite the fact that our strongest demographic is young males and a lot of those young males could be, in life, my sons, I won them over, slash seduced them with my command. And that was a great, great day, I'll tell you that.
Yes darling? Is this – no – I'm talking to you? Yes? Hi. How are you?
Q: (another young girl) Okay.
Kate Mulgrew: Good! Are you a little nervous?
Q: Yes.
Kate Mulgrew: Yes.
Q: First of all it's a really great honor to meet you.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you.
Q: And I just want to know how much…
Kate Mulgrew: But we haven't actually met, have we? What's your name?
Q: Erin.
Kate Mulgrew: Well come here and let me shake your hand! A young girl – how old are you? 17. Come here – and don't be nervous. This is a first, isn't it? A first for a young girl. What do you want to ask?
Q: How much of your own personality did you transfer to Janeway, 'cause she had a lighter side, but she was always very disciplined, so I was wondering if you were like that in life or if you had to make that… or you had to create that yourself?
Kate Mulgrew: What do you think?
Q: I'm not sure, actually.
Kate Mulgrew: You're not sure. I will share a little secret with you when it comes to prime time television, which is so grueling and so rigorous and the hours are so demanding. And the language and the specifics of this particular series so costly to me, that had I not been able to imbue Janeway with a great deal of Mulgrew, and vice versa, it never would have worked. We're very much alike. She is of course, by a scintilla the better scientist! But I love her discipline – we share that. We share a great constitution – ability to stand up with the best of them, for long hours. And to fight the good fight. Her same passion. Her humanity. And I think, I would say, most importantly, her complexity as a human being. Which I hope made her a deep and fine captain. Thank you.
Q: Thank you.
Kate Mulgrew: Yes?
Q: Kate! (Very enthusiastically!)
Kate Mulgrew: Hello! How are you?
Q: I'm fine, how are you?
Kate Mulgrew: I'm fine, thank you!
Q: That is so nifty!
Kate Mulgrew: Good! She's obviously in command! Yes?
Q: And I’m Irish.
Kate Mulgrew: And you're also in the captain's suit. What is your question?
Q: My question is – I really, really liked you in "Throw Momma from the Train".
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you.
Q: You were hilarious.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you!
Q: And I was just wondering - are you ever considering doing any more comedy – because that was funny.
Kate Mulgrew: I would certainly consider comedy if comedy will consider me. Yes, it's a two way street. I was talking to my husband about this coming out here on the plane today. You never know – it's all serendipitous - about one's career. Most of my roles have been strong, leading female role model types. Doctors, lawyers, captains, that sort of thing. Now I'm playing a movie star. But I'd love to take a shot at comedy, because I think if I don't … I can not… I'm terribly worried about that baby (a baby cried almost constantly throughout Kate's presentation). I don't know that I will have understood myself as a whole actor. So thank you for that question. And I hope I do get an opportunity to do it.
Q: I hope you do too.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you darling. Very attractive – indeed very Irish! Yes ma'am?
Q: Hi. I was wondering with the play – which I'd love to see, by the way – but do you have any plans to do any movie or television work in between – from city to city?
Kate Mulgrew: I'd like to. I want to explain something to you, while we have this moment, about my life. I got married to that man, who's been in a coma now for some time over there. That lovely man standing… stand up sweetie so everybody can see my wonderful husband. I married him in the fifth season of Voyager. So from that moment to this he has visited me every ten days on a plane with the possible exception of the governor's campaign. But we have not been able to live together. It was first the series, then the campaign, and now this play, which was in New York and is going on the road. So I would love to do a great number of things in my life. But if I do not go home and get into that kitchen… there's going to be trouble! So I'm going to spend a little time with my beloved husband.
Yes?
Q: I must say this now that I finally see you - and that you are THE sexiest woman in Trek!
Kate Mulgrew: He doesn't care about detachables!! Thatta boy! Thank you!
Q: I had read that you have a slight aversion to horses, which is why they didn't put that into holodeck programs for you?
Kate Mulgrew: I don't think… I don't know that that's why they didn't. Do you have more of your question…
Q: Well, yeah because it was about… a little while after that that I'd seen you in Roots, The Next Generation and you were on a horse.
Kate Mulgrew: After a fashion. Yes. I've done a lot of riding. If I get paid for it, I ride. But I hurt myself on a horse when I was 20, badly. Took a spill. It was my own fault. And I am not a very good rider, obviously. This was a Tennessee Walker. As you know, to get them into a gallop requires some kind of minor explosion. So I was thrown by this horse and I hurt my back and that scared me. I don't trust them. Do you know what I mean? When you get hurt by them you don't trust them, anyway. Yeah.
Q: Thank you for bringing us all home.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. Thank you. It's true, Picard was on a horse a lot, wasn't he? I won't get into that… or a small dog, or something! Yes ma'am.
Q: I have a two-part question.
Kate Mulgrew: Two parts.
Q: Yes.
Kate Mulgrew: Uh huh.
Q: Have you ever tried cream or sugar in your coffee? And how much coffee do you drink in a twenty-four hour period?
Kate Mulgrew: I love these intensely personal questions! They are very disconcerting. I always have cream in my coffee! And in a twenty-four hour period I would say I drink - on a good day – four cups of coffee. On a bad day – maybe twenty! Love coffee. Do you know that when I do this play I can't drink coffee, which is a great sorrow. Because it is very bad for your esophagus and very bad for your vocal chords. And it causes acid reflux, which is what happens when you're on the stage alone for two hours. So the coffee went and the tea went in, and life became rather miserable. But I'm back to it now as you can tell. Yes?
Q: Captain!
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you.
Q: In your recent interview on the Caroline Rae show, you talked about being able to enjoy aging gracefully and with wisdom – it's a wonderful philosophy! And I wondered if your current portrayal of Kate Hepburn helped to develop that philosophy, or if you really were feeling like that and it just reinforced those good thoughts.
Kate Mulgrew: Wonderful question, thank you – coming from a woman of a certain age, right so we share this. When a woman – and particularly a woman who has been an actress all her life - says 'I wish to age with grace and wisdom', be careful. Because what she really feels is that it's a vale of tears. Aging is hard – very hard. I'm finding it harder than I thought it would be. Hepburn has helped – especially the old girl. (In the older Hepburn's voice) You know, I can get rid of all that. And what it really does is remind me of what gives me joy, which is my work. But let's face it. When you've spent your life selling yourself, it's very hard to say good-bye to the girl, and hello to the middle aged woman, and embracing all the time, the older woman. I think that our culture is not kind in this regard – does not help us. The emphasis on the cosmetic is extreme. And…
Q: So you won't be forging the forefront to…
Kate Mulgrew: To what?
Q: To be the female representative - to have the cheering crowd out there, dancing and singing and celebrating.
Kate Mulgrew: Well I certainly hope I do. Let's face it. We're all going to get old. And what's more, we're all going to die. So let's try to do it with a little grace, right? Thank you.
Yes. Now. Speaking of aging with grace, madam, will you please come forward. This is one way. She looks great! What is your question?
Q: Well, I was going to ask if you'd ever met Katharine Hepburn, but you already answered that question. But she was… when you played her… did you have to get permission from her or anything like that?
Kate Mulgrew: No. Nor did we seek permission from the estate. We didn't have a problem with them. But she has not been… with us for some time. She's not in a state to have made that decision anyhow, I don't believe – the last year or so. So, no, simply, to answer your question.
Q: Was she aware that you played her?
Kate Mulgrew: I don't think so. Members of her family came to see it in Hartford, and I think that they enjoyed my performance, and had a problem with some of the text, which of course they would. They've been fiercely protective and private about Hepburn's life for 96 years. So why would they find this, you know, something that they would embrace. However we have been very honest, and it is a tribute to her, so I hope that the remaining Hepburn family will understand that I am doing this as a tribute.
Q: Thank you.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. I like your spirit.
Yes sir?
Q: Hi, how are you doing today?
Kate Mulgrew: How are you?
Q: Oh…
Kate Mulgrew: Are you having fun in Las Vegas?
Q: Oh I'm having a blast.
Kate Mulgrew: Are you all gambling? Is everybody gambling in this room?
Q: I had a win the other day.
Kate Mulgrew: Did you? What did you win?
Q: $8.75!
Kate Mulgrew: Do you know what happened the last time we were here? We came down in the morning to get in a taxi. And my husband said, "Oh let's have a cup of coffee at the bar." Well of course only in Las Vegas can you sit at a bar and have a cup of coffee. And you must gamble, right? Because the thing is right in front of you. So he gave me a twenty and put a twenty… and he put it… I'm hopeless, I can't… and I put in my little… it was poker, wasn't it darling? Dee dee dee deee…Four thousand dollars! Not a penny of which he had by the time we left the hotel. He gave it all to the maids, and all to the bus boys and all to the waiters on his way to the taxi.
Yes sir?
Q: Okay. I've had three of my questions already asked so …
Kate Mulgrew: Ask me something new.
Q: I'm trying to pull something completely out of the air because I don't like asking Star Trek questions.
Kate Mulgrew: You don't.
Q: No, I try to come up with…
Kate Mulgrew: Isn't that why we're here?
Q: There’s more to you than just Star Trek…
Kate Mulgrew: Yes, well you can ask me anything. Ask me a Star Trek question.
Q: Well, first let me say I want to thank you because your portrayal of Katharine – actually I'm reading the book 'Kate Remembered' which is my first biography that I'm reading…
Kate Mulgrew: Oh good.
Q: Believe it or not, to the point where I am now, it matches the play pretty closely.
Kate Mulgrew: Yes it should.
Q: It does. Up until we start reading naughty bits about her and Howard Hughes … I was trying to come up with an original question because my wife has seen a lot of movies of you on the Lifetime network.
Kate Mulgrew: Uh huh.
Q: But this is probably the first Star Trek question. When you were doing Unimatrix part one and two…
Kate Mulgrew: Unimatrix…
Q: That's the imaginary war with the anomaly…
Kate Mulgrew: The Borg. Borg episode.
Q: In the end you actually were assimilated and in the next episode you're wearing about fifty to sixty tons of latex on you. Did Jeri Ryan actually come up to you and say 'Now you know how it feels?' Did she basically dance around the set going "Ha, ha ha"?!
Kate Mulgrew: No, but one of her detachables did! The only thing she did….and it was kidding … and it was fine! But you know, she had to suffer that for – how many episodes? For half a season at least, right? Before that stunning transformation! Oh dear.
Q: … I heard she couldn't breathe because …
Kate Mulgrew: Who couldn't breathe?
Q: Jeri Ryan.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh… yes… yes…we all have to work hard and we all have to do things! I don't believe in complaining as an actor!
Yes ma'am?
Q: I saw you in Tea at Five in New York…
Kate Mulgrew: Yes…
Q: And I thought your performance was breathtaking.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you.
Q: My question is, can you tell me about your feelings and how the dynamics of the acting ensemble changed when Jennifer Lien left the cast and Jeri Ryan came into the cast of Voyager?
Kate Mulgrew: How did it change? Well, it was hard. 'Cause Jenn had been there, and then Jeri came in. I think it was hardest of all for the two of them, actually, because they had two episodes together before Jennifer was out. And we were talking about two entirely different characters. And let's face it. Seven of Nine was a brilliantly written character. And technically played by the right actress, all right. So everything fit with Jeri Ryan. Jennifer Lien is a wonderful actress. And you see they couldn't find the right way…to Kes. Not with the same stunning impact. I mean they had Seven of Nine down, right? It was a perfect concept. And so what I had to do was applaud… heavens you know it was my show…anything to… I thought it was terrific. But I felt very badly, and very sad for Jennifer and about the loss of Kes. And you can never reconcile these things because they're both personal and professional. But as an actor I fully recognize that here walked in a character that was going to exalt the series. And she did. So. Is that my answer?
Q: Yes, thank you.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. Yes. Five minutes, all right. Yes ma'am?
Q: Hi Kate.
Kate Mulgrew: Hi, how are you?
Q: Good.
Kate Mulgrew: Good.
Q: I just want to thank you for everything. When I first met my husband he was very into Star Trek and I was not. Every Saturday night we had to watch Next Gen. And I was like "Why?!" So….it really was Voyager, it was Janeway that has really brought me about and now I come to these like three and four times a year. And I also want to thank you for "Tea at Five".
Kate Mulgrew: Is this your husband?
Q: Yeah!
Kate Mulgrew: I remember you! Fondly!!
Q: But my question is, if there was one thing that you change in the seven years of Voyager what would it be and why.
Kate Mulgrew: Having to go back to this woman (the previous questioner) - that there had been room enough for all of us. I would have changed that. Simply put, that would be it. Okay. Don't gamble too much!
Q: Thank you again Kate.
Kate Mulgrew: (to the husband) Listen to everything she says! She's the boss.
Yes sir?
Q: I'm in his shoes also. My wife never watched Star Trek until we started watching Voyager and she saw you as such a strong person that we had a baby girl in February and her name is Kate. I'll show you a picture of her.
Kate Mulgrew: Oh, let me see! What an honor. Oh, Kate. Oh what a doll…. (to Tim Hagan) Oh, sweetheart, come and see. She's so adorable. How old is she? Oh congratulations. What's your name?
Q: Scott.
Kate Mulgrew: Scott, nice to meet you. Thank you so much. How great. I wish her a wonderful life. Encourage the passion, right? And the autonomy. And remember. She has to be different than you. I found that very difficult as a parent, imposing all of my values on my kids. It's hopeless. They're going to be who they're going to be. And give her those angel's wings. That's the best gift. Thank you. Yes?
Q: Hi.
Kate Mulgrew: Hi, how are you? I'm going to make a guess. See this lady, can everybody see her? This is a real gambler, we've got over here! Am I right or am I wrong?
Q: Yeah.
Kate Mulgrew: Yeah, uh huh! What's your question?
Q: Well, my daughter Nicole's out in the audience. She's seventeen years old and she wants to be an actress. As she graduates from school next June, she wants to move to California and start to do acting. What kind advice can you give me as a mother because I'm kind of like having a hard time to let go, and I don't want her to leave.
Kate Mulgrew: You're having a hard time letting your daughter go.
Q: Yes.
Kate Mulgrew: I think that that's the deal when you become a parent. And the most important thing you can do, and the only thing you must do is let your daughter go. She's seventeen.
Q: Move to L.A. and…
Kate Mulgrew: She will always be in your life.
Q: Yeah…
Kate Mulgrew: Let her go.
Q: Okay.
Kate Mulgrew: Right?
Q: She's going to tell me that Captain Janeway told you it's fine!
Kate Mulgrew: Your love is so shining and so clear that I can assure you that she feels the same. This will endure forever. And she will always be able to say 'my mother gave me the courage'.
Q: Right, thank you.
Kate Mulgrew: Thank you. Thank you. One more? One more. It's very hard, isn't it? To let go. I had a terrible time of it. I'm doing it just now. My husband on the other hand has been terrific. He's got two girls. He lets them go.
Yes?
Q: Hi.
Kate Mulgrew: Hi.
Q: I've been looking forward to seeing you all weekend! When Voyager came out I was fourteen, and I had … didn't have any positive female role models. And you really were the only one I had when I was growing up through my teen-age years and one reason I decided to go after acting and writing was because of you and I was wondering how you felt as person having your character you played and also the person you are influencing people, especially young girls.
Kate Mulgrew: Well I feel… It's daunting. And it's important. And it's wonderful. And if I could do it even a little bit right, I will have done something far greater than all of my acting skills put together. Because you – and young women like you – are shaping your lives – you're defining yourselves. If I have any kind of a hand in that – however small – however infinitesimally small – it still is more significant than anything I can do on a superficial level. So it's huge. And I think I said earlier, and I will reinforce it, I take it very, very seriously. You're the future, aren't you? And you should go striding into life, sweetheart. Flying into life. It's over very quickly. Go high. Shoot high. Promise me you will.
Q: I will, I promise.
Kate Mulgrew: All right. Atta girl. Thank you. Is that it? One more? What? I have to sign this now (referring to a large banner with pictures of Trek Actors) Oh God. I'm too high up. Oh. Should I sign the little sweetie pie?! Or should I sign that mouth of devil land?! Let me sign on John Ethan's forehead. For which he was well paid, by the way! And my dearest pal. There. Okay.
I guess that's it. This chord has been hazardous. You're terrific. I hope I will see some of you in the autograph line, and some of you anon. And some of you perhaps on the road. And all of you, at one time or another, as we come together in this venue, because this is … fundamentally … has been a life changing chapter in my life – that is Captain Kathryn Janeway – and you allowed it - so from the bottom of my heart, thank you very much. Have a great weekend.
