As the number of TV's lesbian characters has seriously dwindled over the past year, Stargate Universe, a show that falls into a genre notorious for pushing social and political boundaries, is poised to make history with it's premiere Oct. 2. It's fitting that Ming-Na, the actress who voiced Disney's only real proto-feminist, the warrior Mulan, steps into Stargate Universe (SGU) as Dr. Camile Wray, marking the Stargate franchise's --Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis preceded SGU-- first gay character and the first Asian-American lesbian series' regular on television.
A theatrically trained actress, Ming-Na, 45, really landed on fans' radars with her role in 1993's Joy Luck Club, based on Amy Tan's beloved novel. She subsequently amassed a loyal fan base doing battle in the ER for six seasons as Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen.
Now, Ming-Na steps into Camile's form-fitting space uniform a force to be reckoned with. A no-nonsense International Oversight Member with a background in human resources, Camile faces off with the men aboard Destiny, including Robert Carlyle's brilliant scientist Nicholas Rush.
While Camile tangles with the men away from home, SGU has provided her with a lesbian-life partner back on earth, who'll be played by 24's Reiko Aylesworth. And rumor has it, fans can expect a fleshed-out relationship replete with some on-screen intimacy.
As rumors on the Web go viral in a matter of minutes --which Ming-Na, a self-confessed "Twit-aholic" well knows --a leaked plot point about her character in a tryst with a man, sent the lesbian community into a tailspin anticipating the old "lesbian until she meets the right man" stereotype television has so often utilized. But as Ming-Na explains, things aren't always what they seem and SGU hopes to do justice to her character and to the gay community at large.
SheWired caught up with Ming-Na to chat about making history, Camile, kissing girls, Twitter, her affinity for science fiction and especially for Sigourney Weaver!
SheWired: First off, congratulations on the role of Camile Wray. The lesbian community is really excited that you are playing what amounts to the first lesbian character in this franchise, on Syfy and one of the few on basic cable or on network television this season.
Ming-Na: That’s what I keep hearing. Is that fact correct?
I think you and Jessica Capshaw on Grey’s will be the only full-time lesbians on television.
Right, but that’s network.
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