Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 8, 1994                   TAG: 9402100225
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ian Spelling
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

`DS9'S' LOFTON, 15, HAS FEET ON GROUND

At other times they seem genuinely impressed with the 15-year-old's star status, bombarding him with questions such as: "What's it like working with Avery Brooks?", "Can you get me onto the set?" and "Could you get me Terry Farrell's autograph?"

Dealing with friends is one thing. Meeting fans is another.

"A lot of people who I don't know at all know me," Lofton says during an interview at the Los Angeles office of "DS9's" publicist.

"They say, `Aren't you that guy on "Deep Space Nine"? So I say, `Yeah, I am.'''

"I get recognized a lot now, even more than when we started the show. It's real weird, but I like it. It's kind of fun."

Lofton, who has grown several inches since the series began and now stands 5 feet 10 inches tall, beat out more than 200 other child actors to win the coveted role of Jake Sisko.

Most of his "DS9" roles pair him with Brooks, who plays his widowed father, Cmdr. Benjamin Sisko, or Aron Eisenberg, who plays his young Ferengi friend Nog.

"Jake and his father are getting even closer now that Jake has adjusted a little bit to the space station and is getting over his mom's death," Lofton says.

"It's great because Avery and I have become friends off the screen. I can relate to him more, and it's easier for us to play our characters.

"Aron is great, too. He's a really funny guy."

Lofton, a California native, lives in Los Angeles with his mother, who manages his career, and his younger sister, Merone.

Though his parents are divorced, the teen-ager remains close to his father, who is an engineer.

Lofton's professional life began with the snap of a camera. A photographer saw him in a park and "discovered" him.

Soon afterward he had an agent and was appearing in industrial and educational videos, as well as television commercials for Tropicana orange juice and McDonald's.

By 1990 he had landed a small role in the sleeper film "Beethoven." Then, after several more commercials came his part on "Deep Space Nine."

When he is not acting or making up for missed hours at school, Lofton likes to spend time with his friends and family, play basketball, ride his bike and watch science-fiction movies. His favorite activity? Playing video games at the local arcade.

Peering into the future, Lofton says he plans to continue his acting career.

And he is eagerly awaiting the day when he can plant his own children before a television set, pop in a tape of a "DS9" episode and show his brood their dad as a kid.

"That's going to be great," he says enthusiastically.

Con calendar

A fifth of Gallifrey One at the Red Lion Inn, Glendale, Calif. (818-956-5466).

Shevacon '94 at the Sheraton Inn, Harrisonburg, Va. (Feb. 18-20 only, 248-7804).

Creation at the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, N.Y., featuring Marina Sirtis and George Takei. (Feb. 19-21 only, 818-409-0960).

Creation at the War Memorial in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with Gates McFadden (Feb. 19-20 only, 818-409-0960).

Trek alert

If you have Trek news or trivia to share - or if you have questions relating to ``Star Trek'' - write to Ian Spelling, in care of the Features Department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. Be sure to enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you would like a reply.