Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 12, 1994 TAG: 9408030004
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ian Spelling
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The situation begs the following question: Will actress Michelle Forbes, who passed on the chance to transfer the independent and outspoken Ro Laren from ``Next Gen'' to ``Deep Space Nine'' - leading to the creation of Nana Visitor's Major Kira character - make the jump to the upcoming ``Voyager'' series?
``There was a lot of talk of my going onto `Voyager,' but I'm not ready to commit to that any more than I was ready to commit to `DS9' or any other series,'' Forbes says by phone from her Los Angeles home.
``If they ask me to make guest appearances as Ro, and my schedule allows, that I'd do. I like Ro very much and always enjoyed playing her.''
Ensign Ro is just one of many interesting characters the 29-year-old actress has portrayed.
Born and reared in Houston, Forbes attended a performing-arts high school. At 16, she traveled to Manhattan to audition for a role in ``The Black Stallion Returns'' (1983).
She didn't get the part, but she decided to stay in New York to pursue an acting career. Her tenacity paid off when she landed a role on the long-running soap opera ``Guiding Light.''
``I played a schizophrenic psychologist from Venezuela, thank you very much,'' Forbes says, laughing. ``I had a three-year contract, and two and a half years into it I said, `I can't do this anymore.'
``They were very nice and let me out of my contract.''
Forbes went on to various stage and television acting jobs in New York before moving to Los Angeles where, in 1991, she was cast in the ``Half a Life'' episode of ``Next Gen.''
She played Dara, the daughter of Timcin (David Ogden Stiers), a Kaelon scientist about to engage in a suicide ritual that was his people's way of relieving children of the burden of caring for elderly parents.
Though Forbes was in just one scene, she made an impression on the ``Next Gen'' producers. When they needed an actress for the fifth-season episode ``Ensign Ro,'' they thought of her.
As Ro, Forbes appeared in several more ``Trek'' adventures, including ``Preemptive Strike,'' the last regular episode.
``It was nice to be there at the bitter end,'' she says. ```Preemptive Strike' was a good way to say goodbye.''
In between ``Trek'' stints, Forbes squeezed in guest spots on ``Shannon's Deal'' and other series and appeared in the films ``The Reluctant Vampire'' - ``I don't know what happened to that,'' she says - and ``Kalifornia'' (1993).
When not acting, Forbes, who is single, can often be found hiking with her dogs, skimming through bad scripts or reading good books ``that'll probably turn into bad movies,'' she says.
``I lead a pretty quiet life.''
Her next work project will be a Los Angeles theater production of ``Call It Clover,'' which is about three New Orleanians who dream of a better life.
Forbes co-stars as a woman who is paralyzed - a new acting challenge.
``I can't be locked into one thing,'' she says. ``There will always be a new challenge in front of me, something else to stretch me and challenge me on every level - intellectually, emotionally, psychologically and physically.''
Con calendar July 22-24
Toronto Trek VIII at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto, Canada, featuring Nana Visitor and Majel Barrett. (Call 416-699-4666)
FANEX 8 at the Sheraton North Towson in Baltimore. (410-255-5186)
Creation at the Sheraton Center in Pittsburgh, featuring Rene Auberjonois. (July 23-24 only; 818-409-0960)
Creation at the Melbourne Auditorium in Melbourne, Fla., featuring James Doohan. (July 23 only; 818-409-0960)
Trek/sci-fi alert
If you have Trek or science-fiction 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.
by CNB