Dr. Daniel Jackson
Movie version
James Spader
Some say the original and the best.. others disagree..
I must admit that I enjoy watching the Stargate Movie just as much as I do the series' episodes, and I don't think that there's too much of a gap between the portrayals. Infact, I even think that they are uncannily similar in many ways.....
I rather liked Spader's performance of Daniel. He did bring to it a slightly older attitude maybe, but considering what his life was like before Catherine came and plucked him from his lecture hall and took him to the Stargate - who could blame him?
I thought the antagonism between Daniel and Jack worked better in the movie because Jack was a more abrupt, angry person and they hadn't yet gone through the "bits' that brought them together (like at the start of the series - although even that was a bit rocky at start)
There's just something about Spader's softly spoken voice (IMHO) that really gave Daniel the edge. His boyish good looks (even at his age) added to the appeal as well (yeah I know.. it's the long floppy hair and glasses look again :) ). He portrayed him as an inquisitive man, who was passionate and interested in all around him. Even in the movie we saw a deeply hidden strength in Daniel, as he was the first (and only one) to actually stand up to Ra face to face. He tried to 'learn' about Ra, to understand him, to comprehend what he was doing.... and this characteristic is still in the Daniel of the series, even today.
I first came to notice James Spader in "Pretty in Pink" - come on.. he spent a scene on screen sans shirt.. who doesn't remember it ;-D and then through other shows...
There's something about this guys soft voice, that drawl He has that just really gets to you - you know? But I'm not a avid watcher of his career, however I will try to catch a movie of his when it's on.
Born on February 7th 1960, in the area of Boston, Massachusetts, USA (an only child from what I can gather???) James grew up wanting to be an actor. His parents were teachers, but at the tender age of 18 he moved to New York and enrolled in the Michael Chekhov Studio to study drama after dropping out of the Phillips Academy (in Andover where he attended with Peter Sellars) in the 11th Grade.
In 1978 he got a small role in "Team Mates" and that lead to bigger and better thing (thankfully!) and he popped up playing the role of Dr Daniel Jackson in the Movie version of Stargate (opposite Kurt Russell's Colonel Jack O'Neill), where he won critical acclaim for his performace of the awe-struck, clumsy Egyptologist /Linguist who solves the mysteries of the Stargate.
Spader is married (as of 1987) to his partner of 19 years (19 years!!!! Sheesh!) Victoria Kheel, and they have two children - Sebastian and Elijah (COOL NAME - Sebastian!!!) though I don't know how old they are - sorry!
He won Best Actor at the 1989 Cannes Film
Festival for his performance in Sex, Lies and Videotapes.
His philospohy towards acting is: "If I don't need the money, I don't
work."
the above biography of James Spader was taken
from two sites:
and from Kristin's James Spader Website..
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