Rachel Luttrell

enthusiast of joy

#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Still us. 🤍
Found these gems from 2008 taken in a dusty abandoned building back when we were both navigating new parenthood and a very different season of life. Time keeps moving but certain friendships stay beautifully untouched by it. Love you Jason ❤️
#stargateatlantis

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Who knew writing could be this much fun?

Working on The Ashnavian Recipes of War with my dear friend Angie has been filled with laughter, creativity and more than a few unforgettable moments. Bringing these chapters and recipes to life together has been such a joy.

Come check out our latest installments at
https://t.co/cLmAJIvqpy

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

So much love #Stargate 💙
#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@DrDude1985 @robertpatrickT2 @MichaelShanks David is @dhewlett :)

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Thank you Robert @robertpatrickT2 💙
#SaveStargate

https://t.co/iX18he5RZz

[Robert Patrick 🇺🇸 @robertpatrickT2]

A lot of folks have asked why I jumped into the #SaveStargate campaign.

Truth is, this was never about how many episodes I appeared in.

It was about supporting friends, standing behind a cast and crew I respect and recognizing one of the most passionate fan communities out there. The Stargate universe has meant a great deal to a lot of people for a very long time.

When people care that deeply about something and work that hard to keep it alive, I’m happy to lend my voice.

Some things are worth getting loud about.

LFG #SaveStargate @rachel_luttrell @JoeFlanigan

https://t.co/z5KiNikIJ2

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@BrewingSailor 💙💙💙💙💙

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Happy Belated Juneteenth y’all from NOLA xo

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@BaronDestructo ❤️🙏

[Joseph Mallozzi 🏴‍☠️ @BaronDestructo]

Stargate Trivia: Casting Stargate: Atlantis

While SG-1 was my first love (We were together for seven years!), my time on Atlantis proved equally memorable. The show was possessed of a similar tone in its mix of high adventure and humor, yet proved distinct in its exploration of Ancient mythology and an unfamiliar galaxy as seen through the eyes of a new set of heroes. Atlantis offered a sense of wonder and camaraderie born of isolation and constant danger.
Whereas team SG-1 could always go home at the conclusion of their adventures, the members of the Atlantis expedition (at least for those first few seasons) could only draw comfort from the city of Atlantis itself – and, of course, each other. It was unique and compelling yet, at the same time, comfortingly familiar.
Nowhere is this more evident than in its opening theme, composed by the late Joel Goldsmith, which is, at turns fresh, haunting, stirring and, throughout, discernibly Stargate.

Stargate: Atlantis wasn’t originally planned as a companion to Stargate: SG-1. It was intended to replace the long-running series. The only problem was, with eight seasons under its belt, SG-1 wasn’t quite done yet. And fans (and the network) weren’t done with it either. And so, instead of passing the torch and segueing to a new Stargate series, we ended up producing both. In retrospect, it was quite an achievement: 40 hours of television in a year! Today's productions can barely manage a quarter that output, but Stargates SG-1 and Atlantis delivered two fantastic 40 episode seasons before SG-1 took its final bow. It wasn’t easy, but it was certainly made easier by all of the enormously talented individuals who made it happen, from the office staff and crew to the cast and my fellow writer/producers.

Still, it was not without its challenges. Take casting, for instance. It may surprise you to know that, when it comes to producing a show, not everybody cares about costumes or set design or whether the script’s fifth act denouement is emotionally satisfying - but everybody, and I do mean EVERYBODY, has an opinion on casting. Studio and network execs, producers, hell, even your significant other peering over your shoulder as you screen the auditions on your laptop, will want to weigh in. Of course, the more voices in the mix the more likely there are to be disagreements. So it is with every production and Atlantis was no different. Various individuals envisioned these characters in various ways and, as a result, consensus was only achieved after many auditions, calls-backs, heated discussions, and not-so-gentle reminders that our start date was fast-approaching and we really needed someone to say the lines on camera.

The part of Carson Beckett was one of the first we cast. The other producers were in Rob’s office, screening the first batch of local auditions when Brad called me in and told me to check out the guy onscreen. I hadn’t imagined Beckett with a Scottish accent but, after watching Paul McGillion (@PaulyMcGillion) in the role, I couldn’t imagine him without one. He’d brought something unexpected to the part, something we all responded to.

Elizabeth Weir was not an easy character to pull off. She had to be smart, confident and strong yet needed to exude a certain warmth and empathy we were looking for in the civilian leader of the expedition. When it came time to (re)casting the role, several established names were considered (One had her own hit genre show back in the day while another went on to break out on a hit show soon after), but it was Torri Higginson (@torri_higginson) who managed to strike just the right balance and vault her name to the top of the list.

The role of Teyla Emmagan was a tough one to cast. Like Weir, she needed to be a strong, empathetic leader. But she also required something even more important – quite literally, an other-worldly quality that made her unique. Some equally talented actresses auditioned for the role but, as good as they were, they were never quite able to achieve that gravitas Rachel Luttrell (@rachel_luttrell) pulled off with such grace and seeming ease.

Former VJ Rainbow Sun Francks (@RainbowFrancks) won the role of Lieutenant Ford on the strength of a great audition, preceded by an equally great audition with a funny hat. I recall Brad Wright on the phone with our casting agent, advising him to ensure there would be no hat worn in the callback for fear the network would fixate on it. There wasn't, they didn't, and Rainbow delivered.

The role of John Sheppard was the second to last one cast. It came right down to the wire and there were several candidates in play. The character was originally conceived as a good ole southern boy, so it only made sense that Ben Browder’s name was bandied about early. However, he was too busy shooting Peacekeeper Wars to warrant consideration. A number of other actors were considered (one went on to play the lead in a hugely popular show the following year while another made his mark as a handsome heart throb on another hugely popular medical series) but it was Joe Flanigan (@JoeFlanigan) who won the part based on his ability to pull off the devil-may-care attitude Brad and Robert were looking for.

We come to the final role cast, a character who, in many ways, embodied everything Atlantis was about: exploration, discovery, fun, humor, and seat-of-your-pants-Holy-Sh&%-how-the-hell-am-I-going-to-get-out-of-this-adventure. And he almost didn’t make the trip to Pegasus. Originally, the casting call went out for a completely different character, an earnest young doctor who would lend the team much-needed medical support on their off-world ventures. Unfortunately, no one could agree on an actor to fill that role.

If the casting of Sheppard went down to the wire, then the casting of this final part went a step past it. Finally, days away from production, Robert Cooper had an idea: Forget the doctor character. Why not use an established character from SG-1? How about Rodney McKay played by David Hewlett (@dhewlett)? The writers were on board, but some executives weren't weren’t sold on the idea. They found him annoying! I mean, hell yeah, but he’d be sooo much fun to write for! Rob got on the phone and went to bat for Rodney, pointing out that the character had come a long way since first being introduced way back in SG-1’s 48 Hours. He’d evolved, going from annoying jerk to endearingly irritating. To this day, I’m convinced that they weren’t totally convinced but, with production poised to commence, they relented, I suppose figuring they could just replace the character somewhere down the line. No one, even those who loved the idea of having the endearingly irritating Rodney McKay on board could have predicted how hugely popular the character would become.

How do you think we did?

[Robert Patrick 🇺🇸 @robertpatrickT2]

🫵🏼 #SaveStargate
Your voice matters. This fandom is truly inspiring. The Tweet Storm 6/16 was really incredible.

https://t.co/5ZPXtDF4rx

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@h1ghju1ce Correct! He is a very dear friend 💙

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

People often ask about Teyla’s fight scenes.

The truth is I was terrified of them at first. 😂

James (Bamford) taught me how to approach them the same way I approached dance choreography. Once I understood that, I fell in love with the process. We laughed constantly and those training days became some of my favorite Atlantis memories. 💙
#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@NaveenSankarS On here they very much do.

#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Don’t forget to use the #SaveStargate even with your replies. I’m told it all helps 🙏💙

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

Thank YOU!!!! 💙💙💙

#SaveStargate

[Mikabell @MikaStarfall]

@rachel_luttrell I have behind the scene pictures and promo pictures with Wraith I saved over the years with you as well. I hope that's okay. Quite sorry... I'm very obsessed with the Wraith. I want to give them all hugs. 😅 #SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

As this day winds down, my heart is full.

Thank you to everyone who shared a memory, posted a photo, told a story or simply joined the conversation. The love for Stargate is as strong as ever and seeing it all come together today has been something truly special.

What we built together all those years ago still connects people around the world. That’s a beautiful thing.

Thank you for being part of this family. 💙

#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

@archie2868 😂
#SaveStargate don’t forget the # even with replies;)

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

More pics? Or have you had enough?
#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

I don’t think this is a one day thing.

Seeing all of your photos, stories, memories and messages today has reminded me just how special this community is. Years later and the love for Stargate is still going strong.

Thank you for showing up and making your voices heard. It has been such a joy to celebrate with all of you and I have a feeling we’re just getting started. 💙

#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

More Stargate Atlantis bts with Caden ❤️It really is about family….

#SaveStargate

[Rachel Luttrell @rachel_luttrell]

💙you Robert

#SaveStargate

[Robert Patrick 🇺🇸 @robertpatrickT2]

Stargate fans I see you!

Rachel @rachel_luttrell nothin’ but love my friend!

#SaveStargate

[Robert Patrick 🇺🇸 @robertpatrickT2]

Stargate fans I see you!

Rachel @rachel_luttrell nothin’ but love my friend!

#SaveStargate