Merridius: Good evening! Welcome on our second English chat. It is also the first chat with an actor who played in the Star Wars Trilogy. Welcome Gerald, welcome Mr. Home!
Gerald_Home: Thank you. This is my first ever chat - and it's with Star Wars Poland! I have told many SW actors about this chat.
Merridius: We are very pleased, Gerald. It is an honour to welcome you here. Really! Maybe you will say a few words about yourself before questions? :)
Gerald_Home: Your English is excellent. The honour is mine. What should I say about myself......? I'm Irish - NOT ENGLISH!!! And I'm a slow typer.
Merridius: I can say that we all are amateurs of Irish pubs. They are very famous in Poland.
Gerald_Home: And Polish alcohol is famous all over the world.
Merridius: Thank you, Gerald. OK. Let's start with the questions. Please don't be shy!
Merridius: Maybe I will start. How did you get to play in Star Wars?
Gerald_Home: I was in a mime show. George Lucas wanted 9 Mime Artists to play characters in scenes with Jabba. We are in the credits, after "Ewoks", as Mime Artists.
Gerald_Home: I was one of about 100 people to audition. They wanted Mime Artists because we can act without words.
Gerald_Home: But I have never done any other mime work since then! All my acting now is with words.
Gerald_Home: I got the part of the Mon Calamari Officer during filming. I had to audition again for this part. Do you know I spoke dialogue as this Officer which wasn't used in the film?
Gerald_Home: You can see my script pages on my website.
Merridius: I hope that most of us have seen it by now.
Gerald_Home: For example, one of the lines I said was to Ackbar: "Sir, the shield around the Death Star has lost power". But it was cut. Instead.....do you know what replaced it??? Answer: Ackbar says, "The shield is down!"
NLoriel: Gerald, the Mon Calamari Officer was aboard a star cruiser. How much of it was 'real', how much was added in post-production? We see it only via the camera, you have experienced it "for real"...
Gerald_Home: Excellent question. We were surrounded by blue screens. Only George L knew what was going to be in these Battle of Endor blue screen scenes - so he directed them, not Richard Marquand.
Gerald_Home: Just before Ackbar say, "It's a trap", I'm behind him, trying to find something to do! I mean, nothing on the set was real. Nothing worked. The lights you see me touching didn't work.
Rycerzyk: Did you like Tessek from the beginning or maybe you rather wanted to play another character?
Gerald_Home: I loved playing Tessek, but a lot of what we 9 mime artists did was cut from the film. We should have had more scenes with Jabba.
Gerald_Home: My favourite part in all the SW films? The Emperor!
Nexus: Are you familiar with the back-story of your characters developed in Star Wars books and comics?
Gerald_Home: I only heard about them when I came into the SW universe 3 years ago. Till then, I thought Tessek had died in the Sail Barge explosion - but now I know his brain is still alive!
Gerald_Home: Did you know Tessek was in the early dratfs (scripts) for Episode 1 (or maybe episode 2). Instead they created a new character called senator Tikkes.
Gerald_Home: You can find photos of Tikkes on the internet.
Merridius: Here, for example.
Gerald_Home: Wow - that was quick!
Merridius: We are just doing our job. :)
Gerald_Home: I think you're mind-readers!
Uliczka: How long did the make up take?
Gerald_Home: Tessek - or Squid Face, as he was then called (not Squid Head) - took 45 minutes. I was strapped into him. That means tied in. Mon Cal Off was quicker, because he wasn't made for me.
Gerald_Home: Tessek's head was a mask that was made to fit my head and face. By the way, I couldn't see out of his eyes. I saw through his mouth!
~Rycerzyk: I read you were disappointed that you were one of many aliens in the shadow. When did you stop regretting that you agreed to play Tessek?
Gerald_Home: Yes, I was disappointed - for many years - because we were supposed to be in more scenes with Jabba. But now I know that people like Tessek in the shadows, because it makes him look mysterious.
Gerald_Home: So it's thanks to the fans I have met in the past 3 years that I am not disappointed any more!
Nexus: Did you get any instructions on how to play the Mon Calamari officer/Tessek or did they just ask you to come up with something and improvise?
Gerald_Home: These are excellent questions. I haven't been asked this before...... The only direction I was given for Tessek was, "He's a Bad Guy"!!! No one told me how to move or react. We had a week to rehearse with Jabba before filming began. Mon Cal Off - the only thing I knew about him was that he was a Good Guy!
Gerald_Home: By the way, I was also in the Briefing Room scenes with Mon Mothma.
~Crishu: I have a question about George Lucas. Once I heard he was very nervous when he made the film. What you can say about this?
Gerald_Home: GL wasn't on set much - only twice on Jabba's sets. More times in the Briefing Room. And lots in the Mon Cal scenes. Remember, he wasn't the director of ROTJ. He wasn't nervous, just very quiet. He knew what he wanted. People like that aren't nervous - they're quiet and determined and they know they will get what they want.
~Duran: Which of all Star Wars episodes you like the best?
Gerald_Home: My favourite is still the first one, now called A NEW HOPE. Remember: in 1977, when it appeared in the cinemas, there had never been anything like it before.
Gerald_Home: I still love it. Especially, I like the fact that there isn't much (if any) CGI in it!!!
Gerald_Home: And I like the fact that it's not "perfect". It's real, and a bit rough.
~Duran: What was the funniest thing that had happened on the set?
Gerald_Home: Funniest thing? Me not being able to see anything the first day of filming when I kept my glasses (spectacles) on under Tessek's mask!
Gerald_Home: I nearly fell into the Rancor Pit, which was open at the time. I couldn't see because my glasses misted up (with sweat....condensation).
Gerald_Home: Also very funny at the time.....it was ver, very hot in Jabba's Palace - about 150 people were in there. Because of the heat, everyone kept falling asleep.
Merridius: Our friends from the 501st Legion probably know what are you talking about. Stormtroopers like Mike. By the way, what do you think about the 501st?
Gerald_Home: I'm a huge fan of the 501st - not just because I'm an Honorary Member, but because those guys, and girls, do a lot of work for charity.
Gerald_Home: I have worked for charity with the UK garrison and will work with mike and the Polish Outpost too in the future.
Gerald_Home: By the way, "charity" means ........ working for things like "Children in Need", War Veterans, Old People - and my favourite charity Guide Dogs for Blind People. I have raised a lot of money for this association.
Gerald_Home: BTW, there's a photo of me with a Guide Dog on my site.
~Rycerzyk: Do you like Star Wars gadgets, like figures, posters, etc? Do you have any?
Gerald_Home: I 'm not a collector myself, but people have given me lots of figures and trading cards with my 2 characters on them - so now I have quite a collection!
Gerald_Home: And I have a good collection of 501st patches/badges from all over the world.
Merridius: You said that you will work with the Polish Outpost. I think that most of us here would like to know if you are going to visit our country.
Merridius: Can I invite you to come to Poland on behalf of all Polish fans? Maybe next year? We are planning a big event for the anniversary.
Gerald_Home: Thank you. I hope with all my heart to meet you in Poland next year. So let's hope it happens.
~Yoda: What do you think about other fan organisations, smaller then 501st? For example, the Rebel Legion?
Gerald_Home: I'm also an Honorary Member of the Rebel Legion - photo put on my site yesterday. I'm one of the few actors who played a Good Guy AND a Bad Guy - so I can be in the 501st AND Rebel Legion!
Gerald_Home: The Rebel Legion also does great things. They are not yet organized into one big association, like the 501st - but I think they will be one day. But I also like small clubs and groups.
Merridius: And do you consider yourself as a Good Guy or a Bad Guy? Someone here even asked if you are Rebel or Imperial?
Gerald_Home: I'm CalamariMen!!!
Merridius: An officer even, right?
Gerald_Home: An officer, yes. and an accountant! Do you know that Tessek was Jabba's accountant - he took care of Jabba's money.
Gerald_Home: By the way, Spanish fans I met recently asked me to start a cub, so I did. And we now have the CalamariMen Club, which celebrates my 2 characters.
Gerald_Home: I ckecked with Lucasfilm - and they said it's ok to have my CalamariMen Club.
Merridius: Can we become members of this club? Do we have your approval?
Gerald_Home: Of course! All you have to do is send me your full name to the email address on my website.
~Yoda: We will be first Polish members of the CalamariMen club (men? what about women?).
Gerald_Home: There is a CalamariMujer in Spain (CalamariWoman)!
Gerald_Home: The only rule of this club is.............Don't eat the Calamari's!
~Rycerzyk: I heard that Steve Sansweet is a member of CM ;-) what about George Lucas?
Gerald_Home: Where did you hear that about Steve S??? No, he's not a member, but he knows about the club. I asked him about it.
Gerald_Home: George L can be a member - if he asks me nicely (joke).
NLoriel: OK, so, Gerald, do you often sign some Star Wars gadgets, posters etc?
Gerald_Home: Yes, at conventions I have signed all kinds of things.
Gerald_Home: But a funny thing I signed at C3 was someone's skateboard. He was a juniors champion. And in Germany I signed a Bentley car!
NLoriel: I have an RPG sourcebook I'd like to have signed by you - when you come to Poland next year :)
Gerald_Home: I'll happily sign a RPG book - I think that would be my first RPG book to sign!
NLoriel: If i recall correctly, there is even some photo of you in at least one of them.
Gerald_Home: Really? In one of the RPG books? You see, I'm still quite "new" and still have a lot to learn.
Lady_Aragorn: Have you read any books from Star Wars EU?
Gerald_Home: The EU? I have read Tales From Jabba's Palace and many books by my new friend Troy Denning - Star by Star, Tatooine Ghost, The Dark Nest Trilogy.
~Nexus: What's the weirdest/funniest thing you've ever signed?
Gerald_Home: I can't tell you........it's x-rated. Let's just say - it was a certain part of someone's body!
ShVagYeR: Do you have a favourite character from EU?
Gerald_Home: I'm not an expert on the EU. Let me think.......I liked the insect characters in the Dark Nest books.
NLoriel: Those killer bees?
Gerald_Home: Yes. I pictured them like giant cockroaches.
NLoriel: Killer Cockroaches from Outer Space.
~Bobik_Fett: I would like to ask you about something that is not related to Star Wars... What is your attitude to George. W Bush and is there any character from the Star Wars Saga that, in your opinion, could be compared to him?
Gerald_Home: George Bush is a Killer Cochroach from Outer Space - but less intelligent.
Gerald_Home: I'm still trying to think of the most evil character in SW...George Bush is more evil than any of them - and so is Tony Blair.
Merridius: Let's leave Bad Guys for a moment.
Gerald_Home: Yes, let's talk about nice things.
Yoda: How do you feel as a Celebrity? :)
Gerald_Home: "Celebrity" is a strange word and a strange thing..........my best work as an actor has been in the theatre, seen by few people, but the things people talk to me about are Star Wars and the Mr Muscle TV commercials I used to make. That's cool.
~Duran: Can you tell us something about other actors? How they played theirs characters? Who did the biggest number of mistakes, doubles...etc.?
Gerald_Home: I can't tell you this on a chat site! But I will tell you if and when we meet. I can tell you about Claire Davenport, who died a couple of years ago. She played the Fat Dancer [Yarna d'al Gargan].
Gerald_Home: Claire and I became great friends on the Jabba's Palace set and rehearsed many bits that weren't used in the film - there's a photo of us on the DVD from last year.
Gerald_Home: Well, one day, on set, Claire had a "crisis": she lost her confidence, because of how she looked. She wasn't an ugly woman, but her character was ugly.
Gerald_Home: So one day, she was in floods of tears, crying, "I can't go on set looking so ugly. I can't do my dance dressed like this". But I quietened her down and eventually she was able to do her dance.
Gerald_Home: Actors often have an event like this - it's called a "crisis of confidence".
Gerald_Home: I can think of another actor who was saying his lines much too loudly and in a theatrical way. Richard Marquand needed him to do lots of takes, until his speech was more natural and less theatrical. (But I can't tell you his name!)
~Rycerzyk: If you had the opportunity, would you like to play in Star Wars again?
Gerald_Home: Of course!
~Duran: Which Star Wars actors have you told about today's meeting with Polish Star Wars fans? And how did they react?
Gerald_Home: They all want to go to Poland. I don't think any Star Wars actors have been to Poland before - so everyone wants to go.
Gerald_Home: Which ones? Kenny Baker, Jeremy Bulloch, Femi Taylor, Garrick Hagon who I was with in Budapest. Biggs Darklighter. He has done SO many films, it's unbelievable.
Gerald_Home: And I think I told Ian Liston (Wes Janson) too........and Dermot Crowley (General Madine).
ShVagYeR: That's great news. Do you think they would they accept an invitation for chat session like the one we're having today?
Gerald_Home: I have to be honest - I don't think many others would do a chat. As I said before, I'm still very "new" in this SW parallel universe, so I love doing interviews and having this chat, but a lot of the other SW actors have been doing this kind of thing for a long time, and they don't want to do any more interviews.
Gerald_Home: But, don't worry, I'll ask them when I meet them next.

DarkMiagi: Well, ladies and gentlemen, since it's very late indeed, I suggest we stop at this point.
DarkMiagi: On behalf of the ICO staff and all the fans, I'd like to thank you, Gerald, for coming here today.
Merridius: We have been talking for 3 hours, it's really long.
DarkMiagi: I do hope you had a pleasant time here.
Merridius: Because we had. It was an amazing thing for us. Thank you, Gerald. Should I say: see you in Poland?
Gerald_Home: Thanks ICO - DM and Merridius - and everyone who asked questions. I hope I've answered them all.
Gerald_Home: I've had a great time. DZIENKUJE. and of course..... May the force be with you all.