Ben talked to LotsofInterviews.com about how he became an actor, about his work on Farscape and Statgate SG:1 and what his plans for the future are.

How did you first get into acting? Thank goodness you didn’t ask “why” I got into acting as that would have made me reexamine the motivations of a very young and impetuous man. I had been doing school plays and the odd local TV commercial for most of my life, but acting was always subordinate to academics, athletics and a healthy social life… I got into acting as a career by deciding one day rather late into my college years that it seemed like an interesting way to earn my crust (paycheck). I broached the subject with my college professors who immediately handed me a copy of a book entitled something like “Why you should never go into acting and what to do if you can’t help yourself”. I read and reread that book which gave some sound advice on how and where to find work… then I formulated a kind of broad plan which involved getting and taking any audition for a gig which would pay me to perform. So straight out of school I found myself singing and dancing as an exceptionally low paid apprentice position in a summer stock theatre. As professional positions go, my first gig was firmly at the bottom of the acting food chain.

How did you get your role on Farscape? The same way an actor gets almost every job, I auditioned with a lot of other guys. I was very lucky that Rockne O’Bannon and David Kemper culled me from the crowd. It was their passion that I was the right guy for the role that steered my casting through the process of studio and network approval.

When you first got your role on Farscape, did you have any worries about working on a Sci-Fi show? No. I love science fiction and was totally stoked to be working with the Henson company.

For some the episodes you had to wear heavy makeup, what was this like for you? Wearing prosthetic make-up is a physical burden… over time I imagine it is psychologically a burden as well. It is strange to discover just how differently people respond to you when you appear much older or look like a Neanderthal. In the short term however, the make-up was wonderfully freeing for me as a performer.

You have written two episodes of Farscape, what made you want to do this and did you enjoy it? Well… it seemed like a good idea at the time. I certainly enjoyed it, but getting up a 3 AM when you think you have the fix for Act 2 scene 3 is a little tiring when you are supposed to be on set at 6:30 AM. And spending the week off for Christmas working on Act 4 does not always sit well with the family. But to see an idea and a string of your words become a reality is an awesome and scary experience.

Do you miss working on the show? Absolutely.

There are some Farscape webisodes planned, do you know anything about them or when they are planned to shoot/be released? As far as I know, economics are the hold-up. When the Webisodes can be made in such a way as to be an appropriate follow-on from the series, they will be made, but to do it right requires more money than is currently being made available… at least that’s my understanding.

What was it like moving from Australia to Canada when you got your role on Stargate? Well… technically I moved back to Los Angeles and commuted to work in Vancouver. Though Vancouver is a great town, I never really lived there in the same way as I did in Sydney. I did get to know the folks at the US/Canada border station pretty well. Lotta Stargate fans at the border crossing there.

You have also written an episode of SG-1, what was this like compared to writing for Farscape and would of you liked to of had the chance to write more? I have a “story credit” on that episode… very different from doing the hard work of writing the episode… writing credit belongs to Martin Gero. If I had been on Stargate longer I might have wanted to write a script. But the writers on Stargate managed to succeed for eight years without me penning a script. I figured best to leave well enough alone.

Do you know anything about the third film yet like when it starts filming? I usually scour the internet for news on that… so no, I probably know less than you.

Do you know if there are plans for you to appear in the new Stargate Universe series? I wish… I love the look of SGU and think they have a great cast… all they have to do is find away to get Cameron Mitchell out there. Maybe the next planet they arrive at, Michell is standing there waiting for them saying something like… “And I thought I was lost!”