Episode 675- Gabrielle Ruiz (T'Lyn- Lower Decks) interview

0:06 Continue with your operation. You may far and ready. And they noticed Kane and again it's gone insane. Logan six corporal thinks that Jim had done need to fixed priply. NBC ted everily cannot see bumblebee Kane. I'm a doctor Rankling Online Old Bob sand World Stories that will twisting turn bout, Cimitar, Tith of tashi Ya, Flash Gordon, but prog don'tro person Clone Wars, James Holden Tweaky, John Coney against Yankee talk about the series. You can join us, pick it up, your phone down, talk about the series to.

0:57 Series. Welcome to the podcast. It is Monday, Mark second, twenty twenty six. Welcome to episode six hundred and seventy five. I mean most that's a host, Uncle Jim. Welcome to the show. We're gonna have a lot of fun tonight. But before we get into that, I want to go around and introduce my awesome trucks for it. So we're gonna start off with the v is down in Virginia.

1:44 How you do them? All? Right? I am very very excited to be here tonight. I can see you're all You're dressed for me. Yes, I've got I mean, I am like all, you know, lower decks out. You also have with Eric. How you doing it? I am doing great. I also am extremely excited. And I found my Rito's T shirt. Yeah, actually shouldn't they found. I literally wear it every single. Week, so you knew where it was it was. I knew right where. It was. Slipping with the Portland we have a very own toy guy.

2:28 I'm doing well, Uncle Jim. I have no chokes or props at all. Sorry, I just have crog tied up on the floor over here in case things get ugly. But I'm sure he'll be, you know, cooperative. But excited to have a lower decks luminary in our midstier today, so it's very exciting. Very I'm skipping with our Portland theme. We have really work David, David. I'm doing pretty good. As you can see, I only have totals in the background, so I'm pretty you know, I don't have too many pop but I'm excited to talk with the Gabrielle. You do have a brand new microphone and a new headset and the sound great, so that's awesome.

3:11 Thanks and not not that's right, not when we have we have a very own chol I was Las Vegas. I didn't do it tonight, Child doing. Good can't go to the outside studio because the palm tree is swaying. But I do have my l the Lower Decks t shirt. Gotta go with the theme tonight. Well, the palm trees might be swaying in the Vegas, but the snowflakes are flying here in Vermont, so I guess we're equal tonight. So anyways, we have a really great show plan, as you can see with us right now. I'm in the studio. We have Gabriel Ruez Star Trek fans.

3:55 We don't know us to live from Star Trek Lower Decks. But she also played the musical comedy Draw on the series Crazy Ex Girlfriend, and she can be seen on series such as Law and Order, Special Victims, Unit, Orange is a New Black Alone Together, and Modern Family. Welcome to the podcast readings. Thank you for having me. I want to ask you the same question I asked everyone we have. Oh, I thought you're going to ask me where I am locally. I love the song, I love all the videos, I love the compilation, all the dancing.

4:39 It's very very good, stopped along. The whole time. I also appreciate it not being trimmed down. I mean, how long is it a minute? It might be like a minute ten. Yeah, I appreciate it. You know, why not take the long format. When you take a long format, just take it twenty twenty six, do it. We're trying to fill time, however. We can you know, also, since I. Next week next season two minutes. Yeah, since I joined the podcast last May, the end of last May, so they added me on to the interview. You saw me just sort of appear.

5:19 Yeah, oh I go you yeah, I there very last. I don't like how Tlynn shows up. I mean it's a little bit of you know, bringing that. Up just like pops up in there in there. I do have a clip though, that David put together because like to Lynn's greatest moment. I guess we want to call it, and David, do you want to want to roll that clip to get everybody in the mood? Telynn. I hate to say it, but your previous crew were a bunch of freaking idiots. You're one of the most brutally efficient, distant people I have ever met. Really, what was your captain's name? So, captain, so what you saved your lives? So he kicks you off the ship. Where's the logic of that?

6:04 Huh? It does seem like a disproportionate response to a minor character flaws. There is no character flaw. Can you imagine anything more vulcan than bendy syndrome? Hello this fox? Dad had it. He was vulcan as a mother. M hm hmmm. I suppose by the transit of property, I too must be vulcan as a motherfucker. Yeah, logic bitch, Thank you Mariner. I believe I needed to hear that. Yeah, iconic, iconic. I have to say at conventions, I do brag to everybody that comes to my table that I am the only person on the floor that will write on my signature stave vulcan as a motherfucker Love Gabrielle Ruiz.

6:58 I absolutely love it. I love it. I've been to Star Trek though. I wanted to ask you about Orange is the New Boy. Yeah. I loved that show, and I loved Kate ma Brew on the show, and I just wanted to ask you, you know, what it was like, you know, being on that show and how that came about? What a when it was the streaming, you know, take over the show that really puts streaming on the map, and lo and behold, I was living in Queens, New York, and that's where they shoot. And so for me, I also had like a ten year Broadway career, went to New York for that. That was the initial launch of my career outside, you know, leaving college and pursuing entertainment.

7:47 And so I lived in New York for a very long time. And when that was becoming a thing, television, the world of television kind of opened up in a different way than it had when I moved in New York City. Wasn't just so Hollywood, you know, only in La. So like tax breaks were happening in New York and just more opportunity, so more than just Law and Order, which is a huge, you know stamp on everyone's you know, like a huge badge when everyone's lopeal to do Law and Order. But when it came to Orange Is a New Black, especially for like diverse people like Latinos like me, it was such a hot show and so much opportunity with the amount of people because it's a jail, there's there's like a lot of people coming in and out, a really great revolving door opportunity. So I remember telling my manager I was excited to start pursuing more television.

8:42 And that was one of my biggest bites and breaks in New York City, and that's when I knew. I was like, I really want to do TV. I really want to start pursuing love musical theater, love Broadway. I'm so honored to be a veteran of that very very hard to schedule and rigorous schedule, but that was a wonderful taste because I get to my dressing room and they're telling me where I'm at and how i'm you know, what my call time is, and you know how long am. I be there? And then she's like, okay, would you like any breakfast? And I'm like, oh, I brought a bagel, I'm good, I had my coffee. And she's like, okay, well if you need anything, and I said what do you mean and she said, well, if you need any I was like food and she said yeah, and I said, there's free food here and she said yeah, And I said, what do you mean?

9:30 I was on Broadway? You have. I wasn't understudies, so I understudy three rolls in a show. So I was in rehearsal from noon to six and then show is eight from eight to ten. One wonderful, wonderful job. Not complaining, however on television, your knee hurts, someone's there with ibuprofen. You have a hunger paint. There's Crafty's, there's like a whole buffet, Nirvana, and another wing of the building that you're in. So I'll never forget that. I was like, there's free food, done sold I can live here. This is amazing. And then the last thing I'll say about Orange other than there was an honor to do. Of course, I. Had a manicure, like a dumb dumb I walked into Orange and New Black with a gel manicure, ladies and the wardrobe AE looked at me. She's like, you're gonna have to scrape that off. You're in jail today, oops, Like.

10:28 But peeling my mail bed off, Like yeah, yeah, no problem. I'm not a problem today, And I'm like peeling it off, like of course, what a dummy walked in with gel manicure. I sang on that show and I sang in line to the bathroom and they I remember them telling us to tone down our talented voice, like make it rough and tough and like we're, you know, just singing to this reggaeton song and. It was just such a cool day. I was there for one day and I knew that, like pursuing tellvision was it after this show? It's a brag, that's for sure. So did they film that in a real jail? Because I used to work in a jail and it looked pretty authentic for me in the.

11:11 Scene that I was in. I would assume exteriors are a yes, but interiors are all mostly in a studio, And so I was at Kaufman Studios in a story of Queen's like a ten minute walk from my apartment. So that was wonderful. On crazy ex girlfriends a little bit of a tangent. We had a few scenes in a jail and we had exteriors and we had to go get like me and two other actors had to walk across the street to the entrance and pick up our star of the show and put her in the car. And at that point of the day at the facility, all the people that were there, all the convicts were there, and they were like having a recreational morning, so they were watching us the whole time, and after they said cut the first time, they.

11:59 All cheered on never forget that. They were like, and we only did the take two times, and so they had to be quiet again and like the nerves out of me were like, I don't know why I was so nervous, but I wasn't nervous anymore. And then we did it one more time and it was really like, no lines, no drama, we just go and walk, we pick her up and then she comes in the car, close the door. Cut. I'll never forget. After the second take, someone in out of the blue just said that was better. That's awesome. I'll tell you what. It was, a yeah, good jail to them.

12:43 The I've been looking forward to talking to you for a long time was when when I was able to get and talk with you and schedule you for the show. So I think I'm going to let the jump in because she is just thrilled to death to talk. Yes, Gabrielle knows me or met me as Victoria. I just go by V on the show. So that was Star Trek's new jersey last September, and you do way, Oh my gosh, I thought you've seen so many you've met so many people, David, can you can you put up. The pictures because like, this is my favorite.

13:24 This the selfie that we did, we're doing Yeah. That. Was. That was And then the next one is. The next one, David, there we go yes, yes, which there's a story about that. And then last one. You can see that I am truly a Lower Decks fan because. Oh my goodness, that's my that's my I go through. That's my third Star Trek themed license plate. So but that's the one that I have now. So I had to share.

14:04 Anyone that's not a tricky that's definitely a conversation start. They're like a deck where is it? Well, actually, I was getting my car inspected today in this this guy who was a total well he was not a character, he was a jerk. Anyway, he said, ooh, were you in the Navy, And it's like, no, why so because your license plate, It's like, yeah, sure, you know I swabbed the decks maybe you know, Oh my god. So no, I was because Star Trek New Jersey was my first big con. Well, I went to Galaxy Con, but this was the one purely Star Trek and it was a big deal for me because I'm in Virginia.

14:47 That was in New Jersey. I had a plan, going on the train, getting the hotel, navigating everything. It was tremendously fun and you made it so much fun because you are a hoot. But I wasn't sure when I approached you and wanted you to sign the picture if I didn't know if I should ask you if you would sign the Vulcan as a motherfucker. And I was, I think I was a little bit hesitant, and you were I'm trying to remember exactly what you said, but you said. Oh, well, I give people, give people options. I don't want to see people at. The same time, like, do you know what you're walking into?

15:28 It's lower down. Well I wasn't sure because you know, my my first time in a big, big place like that. And and you said you thought that I was going to ask you to sign my. Boobs, So. Yeah, I do because it was like, okay that anyway, that just that was just so funny. Next time I go to a Star Trek convention, I'm going to prepare myself and actually read people's backgrounds or IMDb's and all that. But that trivia, that trivia contest that we played because we were paired up. That was so much fun.

16:09 And yeah, Sik went on Cool Water productions. But I learned, you know, that's where I learned that you had been on Broadway for ten years. So you are the second Broadway star that I have met. The first one was Betty Buckley eight years ago. So because my favorite musical is seventeen seventy six because it just reasons anyway. So so you got your degree at Oklahoma City University in dance, so you are first and for just a dancer, so that is fantastic.

16:51 What is you? Yeah? What is your Because I did competitive ballroom dancing one hundred years. Ago, so I feel like it's years for me to Yeah. No, more like fifteen now. I feel like I feel like, yeah, I feel like the hundred years is just okay. Yeah, So what is your What is your favorite style of dance? Definitely partnering. I do love the partner but oh it's kind of hard. This is so extremely arrogant, but you know, I'm it's fine. This is a safe place. But I've focused in musical theater, ballet, tap and jazz, so like the musical theater is the umbrella and all three all three evenly distributed in our in our curriculum at school, and I was good at all of them.

17:36 I don't have like major extension my ear and my leg never has ever met my My leg has never reached to my ear. I only had my splits for the four years I was in college. But as a good. Performer, you know, with musicality, with a palm as we say, I have always loved dance. I was always good at dance. It came naturally to me, and I went to school for dance because I honestly, back in two thousand and three when I graduated from high school, I didn't even really know musical theater was a degree in colleges. There was no you know back in my day, Shanny, where there was no YouTube and exposure.

18:16 Wi FI was, I mean, what was you know? The Internet was kind of like kind of going at that point, but the amount of like seeing the world that was closer to us, like on a not on a global sense, but like on a social sense, there was not that happening yet. And so I just told my teachers I wanted to do that. And luckily the school that I went to was a musical theater focused dance school, so they bread a lot of ensemble dancers, ensemble members of Broadway as well as rock cats. Wow, and I'm very grateful for it. I learned there that what we do is show business, not show begging. Yeah that. So do you have a favorite role to did on Broadway?

19:01 Is there one that just. Is? Yeah? No, I do. I think I think my dad introduced the show to me when I didn't know about like what musical theater was, what Broadway really could be. As a job. It was, of course line Deanna Morales, the only Latin on the show, and I memorized for Scilla Lopez's character and her lyrics and her I just remember memorizing that cassette tape in the third row of my suburban, you know, with the little headphones on, and I just wrote everything down and memorized that entire like soundtrack, I guess. And I was able to do that job right out of college.

19:48 I did the first national Broadway tour and it was an absolute honor. I mean kind of like you know those bucket lists as a career, they happened to me every ten years, like a wow moment like that, like lower Decks, which we'll get to, but the chorus line was very special and I was able to perform alongside Priscilla Lobas in my Broadway debut in The Heights, so it came really full circle. She signed my sneakers, Thank you, Paul. She signed my sneakers, and the sneakers are a big deal for Deanna Morales, that character and I I'm so honored to do that role.

20:29 It's all about dancers. Deanna Morales, the character sings what I Did for Love, that iconic song that is such an anthem for everybody and anybody, not just dancers. So that's the answer. That's wonderful. Yeah, keep going and then that. Because even though I haven't seen it, I need to watch it. But you get into a crazy ex girlfriend and you've got singing and dancing and that as well. But there was a certain somebody that recommended you for that role and the one the only. Lin Manuel Miranda. Yes, I did.

21:10 I did in the Heights. He hired me for In the Heights. I replaced one of the first replacements on the show. But I mean, I wasn't there when he recommended me. But Rachel Bloom, who created Crazy X, told me later that they reached out to him and he gave like a very very short list for a Valencia. I'm sorry that he did, and he's so happy for me. And that's all. Like when Hamilton was exploding, crazy X was happening, and so for the little that I saw him, I was able to go to the Tonya words Tarty. I don't know how I got into that party, maybe because I'm an Aluma in the heights before the whole Hamilton thing, but he like hugged me. He was like, you're doing it crazy X. Like I just remember, he was so happy for me, and I was like, you're so busy. How did you know?

21:53 Now that's my book, that that that's hand thif for you, that's forever and came out. That was a boost for where I worked for a big eighteenth century living history museum and people were saying, oh, is this the room where it happened? Is this the room where it happened. It's like, no, it wasn't, And I had to explain he was never actually here. Hamilton wasn't. But still we thank him for, you know, bringing attention to history now onto. To len because that's. A that's a big switch because here you are using your whole body, and you know your musicality, your physicality, and now you've just got the voice. Was that really, because I know you told me at the convention, because you're just in a booth by yourself, so you don't really you don't interact with anybody else. So when they put that all together, even though it looks like you're talking with Tawny, knew someome, you're not.

23:02 So that. Yeah, that's correct, that's Did you ever get to meet any of them? Hopefully? The first time? I was so Eugene and I Eugene has guested on Crazys from before, so I don't think I was in scenes with him, but we saw each other at parties for the show or at red carpets, and we were acquainted. So I think I saw him for one press junket that I was invited to for for lower Decks, and we rent Our times were like back to back, so I got to say hello then. But I didn't really meet Tawny until Star Trek. Cruise twenty twenty four. Okay, yeah, and I feel like the show had been on and to Lynn had just really blossomed at that point in the series. Despite how long it takes for what I record, you know, for its air on Paramount Plus.

23:57 But we had not met for a very long time, so it was just very like a second relationship because I'm talking to her character in the script a lot. I read what's happening that nobody's seen. I watched the show, but then to meet Tawny, it's just a completely new chapter for us. Is that that scene that we aired with the from It's hard word to say EmPATH empathological fallacies? Oh I say that, yeah, but it. Was really.

24:38 And I don't know if this you're probably aware of how much to Lin and I guess all vulcans really resonate with a neurodivergent community. And is that. Something you you have people have come up and told you, like, you. Know, crazy ex girlfriend really nods and gives a lot of love and hugs to mental health as well, recognizes that. So yes, I'm I'm I'm honored to be able to represent and help different communities feel seen, that's for sure. And also just listen, just listen to everyone's stories. It's so important, even if I have not experienced the specific, you know, aspect of someone's personality that you know, if I don't match that personality myself. I learned so much about neuro divergent, I learned so much about VPD with crazy extrol friends. So I it's an honor. It's an honor too to represent that.

25:39 But also just paint this beautiful, like this beautiful species of Vulcan that has like just such an air and such an arrogance, you know, for being. So so like just so in a different realm, you know. And I feel like anyone with any with any of that like has that feeling they're a different realm. And that is just so well represented with the Vulcan stecs. And I love hearing everyone's stories. So that we actually got to interview Adam Nimoy a couple of weeks ago, which was true. I know, my head is still, you know, but he had said totally crushing on him, but don't tell them that he had said that Spock was the ultimate outsider, which he really was.

26:29 But when ta Lynn is explained to Marion or why she is here because I'm not Vulcan enough, and then you know how the captain said, because she had used her feelings to save her crewmates, you know, words like insubordinate unhinged, recklessly, emotional damaged and the logical that really that resonated I know with a lot of people. But then I love how Aaron Or brings her back and says, you know, tells her about seric and uh, you know, so that's when t Lynn says that famous line and I had forgotten that afterwards that Mariner says, logic bitch, and I just I love that, just that little bit where she accepts her.

27:14 But one last question. You have two beautiful daughters. And. Because I was, you know, the internet shows pretty much everything, but they're they're just beautiful. But there's a scene where when U t Lynn calms Mariner with this little you know, she thought it was a vulcan rip? Is that something that is? Because I have I raised three kids, been there, done that. But did you ever wish that you could use that on your kids when they needed to calm down if they had, you know, wouldn't that be something great? Honestly, I'm so glad you brought it up because I have. Done it now. I can't believe I haven't thought about it, to be honest, I think think they would just be so stuned, like are you doing?

28:03 You know, thank you, thank you for bringing that up. I will try it and get to that's wonderful. Well again, just thank you for making my furt my experience at that conference so much fun, because it was. It was just the best. And I'm still thinking about it. And you know, so you and Adam Nimoy right up there with my top favorite. So, all right, who. Wants to be next? I've blapped enough, so. I think that I think Eric has some questions. Right, are I sure do? Yeah? Oh my gosh, thank you so much for joining us tonight. It's I I'm always pleasure to talk to people who I consider triple threats with the acting.

28:49 The dancing, Like. Yes, but it turns out that you may have a fourth quadruple threadedness. I learned that you had this old podcast, not really that old, but a few years ago. You did that podcast with your friend and I want to want to Yeah, yeah, it looks really interesting. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, bet, thank you want to tell us a little bit about it? Sure, I would love to. Paula B. Sastri is one of my best friends, and we decided to focus and shine light on platonic love. We don't think it's talked about enough and simply said, uh, platonic love can be romantic. You can spend time, you can make time and you know, dive deep into the relationships that are not sexual, whether it be male or female.

29:41 And we both struggled, I would say, like in our twenties with not making time for friends. And it showed ten years later. You see you reap what you sew. And there was like some loss in that sense of not making time because as a show business to person that is always pitching themselves and it's always auditioning, that's actually the real job. I get pretty absorbed. I get pretty obsessive with that part the sales of what I do. My family comes from a sales a line, a line line of salespeople. So I find a lot of joy in that part of my career, to the point where in New York City, while I was there, I never made time for friends, and then it really wears on you and you need those people and you do make time. You do become the people you surround yourself with, like the top five specifically, and how much of an effort that is. So we just we just took a lot of time with that conversation. We had a lot of guests that talk about there either a book that they've written, or they had their own podcast or we bring on friends, but we also had our own personal updates that I just lost a friend and this is how it went down, and a lot of feedback from our listeners of like they've related as well and how you deal with that.

31:04 We loved it. We loved it so much. It sounds really interesting then write up aally the type of thing I'd listened to, So I definitely look forward to that. So you say that you've kind of got this constant sales thing, and so it seems like you have probably have a very active mind, very busy, kind of like always something going on. Do you are you able to take. Time for yourself? Do you have things that you like to do that you know? When Hill is. Just like I'm laughing because because you're asking me, like we just we were, like we wrote we my husband I relocated to the East Coast about two years ago, so we were, you know, rebuilding a community where we live, and we met this other family that has kids the same age. So I forced my husband to come over because they invite us over to lunch, was like, let's make friends. And the husband said, do you guys have any hobbies? And both my husband were like.

32:01 Uh, do you have any hobbies? I don't know, do you have any? Do I have any hobbies? And to this day I don't have an answer for that guy. Interesting, Yeah, has that always been true, like ever since you were a kid and everything? Or yeah, yeah, I was always in the dance studio. Yeah, there you go. I was for that and then doing homework from like nine to eleven pm and then getting up and. Going to school. Yeah, I am. And a friend of mine was like, well, you know you do arts. It's you know, it's a hobby. I was like, no, it's not. I have to make money doing it, and I love it. I'm very grateful that I can like put the subjective side aside sometimes and be able to be objective in arts entertainment. But no, it's not a hobby.

32:48 I can't fail. I can't move on. Yeah exactly. You can't like set it down and leave it alone for a month and come back to it when Yeah. So I would like to think the peloton is a hobby, but it's not. No, it's a way of life. I do not. I do not crochet. I don't all right, all right, well that's fair. You know, everybody's got their own thing going on. One other thing that I did, and this will be my last question. I want to give other people a chance to talk to you. But one other thing I read about you that sounds pretty cool is that you are still involved in the town where you came from and producing some like local theater projects and stuff. Is that I do I stay connected from in South Texas when it comes to giving back period, Like I said early that there was just no exposure to musical theater in a way that there can be now where everyone has the world in the palm of their hands.

33:45 But still like I'm from there, and so I should let kids know that. Not that you can do this too, but you can try period. You can try different things. But then if I help ignite that spark that somebody has in that one second on stage while they're partnering with somebody else in you know, you're the one that I want from Greece, that is everything. You can be a part of their story. It's so cool and I and I and I want to be always be a part of that and make an effect in that way. I do career coaching for teens and college students that are pursuing this professionally, and that involves the parents as well, because they are the parent manager, you know, and they are just also like, what are we doing and they really want to take they want to do this now, and so I find a lot of there's a lot of satisfaction in that and helping families pursue show business because it feels like there's there's no control in the outcome, but there's a lot of control in your investment, and it's not just financially.

34:54 Yeah. Yeah, And I imagine you seem like the type of person who understands that making a good society is built on paying it forward, you know, training the young, education, all of that sort of like base fundamental stuff. So yeah, I'm an advocate for arts education because two people did that for me, and that should you limit a huge difference, and I want to be that for someone else. Yeah. Yeah, I definitely would have been in much more trouble than I got into a high school had I not had the arts. And I was a late bloomer. I ab out musical theater was a thing and a paycheck, like at twenty. So some kids are starting at you know, five, singing susical or something. So it's okay, It's okay to start when you start, you know.

35:40 Absolutely all right, Well, thank you for letting me chat with you. It was a real pleasure, Jim. Who should we pass the torch to here? Well, I think that Charles wanted to go after you, so we'll pass the microphone over to Charles. Take it away, Chiles. Oh, thank you. Eric. Don't have too many questions, but I'm. Curious what was your experience? I was curious about what your experience for knowledge was a star Trek before you got the role. That's a good question. I'm sure this answer is all over the board, like across the board on everyone's experience. So let's go back to sales with my family. My grandfather had a produce business in Texas and he grew crops sold them to Walmart, and so the harvest season was always like end of July through October, and my dad worked for his father, and so he would be living in West Texas with my grandfather for like four three to four months at a time. Therefore, my mom, my sister, and I would bunker in their main room to like sleep together. I would sleep on the bed, my sister would sleep on the floor and like the extra mattress. So we would just like kind of like have these sleepovers. And I say all this because my mom still to this day watches Star Trek every night go to sleep. And I saw it then it was TNG most of the time, and I've known Star Trek in that way. It's relaxing, it's pattern, its routine.

37:13 And it's just so good. It's like when Jordie starts talking, like that's when I start nodding off, you know, with all of his exposition and all of his information what the issue is technically, and so like, I know Star Trek in that way. And my mom's a Trekie, she knows everyone and everything. And I've always had. More of a Trek love than Star Wars in that way, because I guess I grew up with it, but I did try Star Wars and it's a past and when I found out because voiceover work is like very code, they don't tell you exactly what you're auditioning for in the most severe sense when you are compared it to like live theater or television et cetera, because I guess it's the games. It's the game world too voiceover sometimes, so they really protect the information that's coming out. So sometimes the lines that you get to audition aren't even the show. They first want to hear your voice and they want to translate it to protect their show. So some of the Star Trek information was not there in the beginning when I auditioned for it. But then once I figured it out, I was.

38:24 Like, oh my god. I told my husband it's Star Trek, oh and it's Mike McMahon, what happening? And it was just such like, don't freak out, Gabrielle, this is kind of a big deal. And I'll end with this Charles that like the first time being on lower decks was like an insign that gets killed immediately, like with after one line to lend grew and you know that that role was like my third role in the show. And the first time I saw Gabrielle Ruiz in Star Trek font cry worthy tear worthy giving them calling my mom that I became a vulgan over the phone. I don't tell my parents about auditions anymore because they asked too many follow up questions.

39:08 I can't take it any more about my failures, but when I get one like this, that was very special. So I'm curious when you did the episode, I think it was lower decks. Did they did they plan on bringing you back the following season or was it because the fans love the character they choose to bring her. Back based on what Mike says and for the little for some of the time that he and I have had a personal conversation about it, it was kind of a little bit of both. It was hoping the fans would love to Len and respond to her from that first initial episode Wedge Juge, and so it was kind of viewed up in a sense like we don't want make too many empty promises, but you know, to the writers and to the you know, all the creation of that goes behind animation, So we had to wait. So I feel like, I don't want to quote Mike incorrectly because I'm really not in charge. That to Lynn kind of shows up late in the next season because we were waiting to see how much of how positive or negative, But luckily was positive.

40:25 That to Lynn was loved so much. Well, I am very happy. I am so happy it was I was. I was one of those. It's like, Okay, this character, this character needs to come to lower decks. This character is a lower decks. She would fit in, she would have been in just well. And I just love her struggle. I love her. I love her fast logical decision on how much she does not belong there that that's the beginning of her journey on that enterprise, you know, like at Starfleet. So I loved every of it. Are you keeping up with current shows? Not?

41:05 Technically No. I look forward to watching h Academy. I do. Ah. I won't spoil. But with your background, you're gonna like the The latest episode. Does to line show up, but they not tell me. They put Helen didn't show up. But I think your background, I think you're gonna like it. Oh, I look forward to it. Thank you, Charles, Okay, Jim, who shall we pass it on to next? Well? David? You yeah, so, uh thanks for being on the show. By the way, I just have one quick question. Uh so, we kind of already went over your voice acting and everything, but I just have one QUI quick question about it.

41:55 Did so to Lynn was a very serious character. M do you ever cut your shelf talking like her in real life. I have to say while we were recording, I do say curious now a lot. It is now instilled in my It's now like ingrained in my vocabulary, like I will send an email. Curious if you know, or an attacks I'm curious. Yes. So the answer as short, you know, as simply said, is yes. I have always raised my eyebrow in certain sense in certain situations. So while I was. Recording the lines of to Lynn, that eyebrow, just like you see in the animation of to Linn is very prominent.

42:38 Nice. So yeah, but curious definitely was added due to that. I don't I don't necessarily go hmm before everything though that is. Can we can we see the eyebrow? Yes, I have to get into it though. It's just like never so to Lenn, like for some reason, I have to put my hands like this when I say the lines, and it's just like. Yeah, there, I don't know what it is. It's like kind of like like conduct myself through the line. Sure, yeah, everybody has its own unique way to do it. But imagine David, if they asked me do live like, I don't know if I'm not gonna be able to do it like vulcans don't do this.

43:22 Trouble tact. Maybe maybe just like eat my arms to my side. Cool. Thank you for answering my question I think I got from passing it on to Paul. Paul Okay, mis ruis welcome. It's great to have you here. I'm to be here. Thank you. And you were responsible for more instances me like you know practically you know, falling off the couch and hysterics than anybody else on that show. Just so you know, Honor, the dead pan is just nuts. That you can't up with. It's just nuts. I think. Also you I saw somewhere online you're responsible for like one hundred million people looking up the word propinquity, that no one had ever heard of that word, and like, you know, thirty years know what it said, propinquity.

44:13 Until I nailed that in the studio, I can't believe it. And it was hilarious. It's very like it's very in the middle of a long sentence if I can remember correctly, And. I fucking nailed it, guys. Yeah you did. Yeah, I know where time is not our friends, So I'm gonna be quicked here and jump in with you. Right, because I want to I want to ask you, like, how creating to Lin evolve? How do you put your stamp on that? Right? Because you you come from like you know, Live Broadway theater. Are you getting immediate feedback and responsive you're from your audience? You know how you did like right away right, as opposed to waiting like a year and a half or whatever to find out how the how your performances work.

44:54 And I think what I'm curious about is as you're trying to develop this care character, and you know, I think that frankly, uh, you know, while to Lynn's not the first Vulcan that we've seen. Might be one of the best things that we've ever seen. Would yeah, I mean really just legendary and hilarious and we got to just keep if they ever do another live action crossover to Strange New Worlds, I know NDA's being what they are, they don't include to Lynn their other minds, so it would be I. Really appreciate it. Thank you for the ego boost tonight anytime, anytime. So tell us a little bit. How'd you put your stamp on building this character? What was about well?

45:36 To get the reaction is kind of also part of your question, petrified to wait for the fans reaction, just so worried because I cared so much. Mike and the team cared so much. Mike really cares and really love doing this show. My goodness that not only is he talented, but he's just so caring, you know, and I how oh okay. So the audition, my first initial audition was. For Briner and it was a I got one of the first callbacks, I think the first rounds, and you have to go and read the script and this is the first time you actually know it's really Star Trek.

46:17 I think Don has talked about this before. She didn't know was Star Trek till the first table read, and so very protective over this, you know, brand like a lot of other voiceover animation shows, are endgames. And so it was so fast paced and quick. The notes that they were giving me were more like in an aggressive louder way, and I was just kind of falling short, falling short, and I could feel it in my breathing and I could feel like I was having this workout. Obviously, I'm not Mariner in the show. Tanya Newsom is perfect. I remember seeing the you know, the first few episodes because I'm already a fan of Star Trek and I was like, I went in for this, how cool, Like they were all there and so like I love to just geek out on things. I auditioned for j and see the show and also learn how who booked it, like how and what did it end up being, Like what were they seeing and envisioning on paper.

47:08 And the full products. So I learned a lot on the pacing and the style and the musicality. I'm such a singer in that way, like you know the ups and downs of everyone's arc of the episode, and like the volume, you know the dynamics. And so when I auditioned for it again, I feel like it was for Castro. She's very thespian fan of Riker, like that Riker Cathstian Club, and she's such a snob. And so that that was the first time I was able to work with Mike in the room as a hired actor, and we were able to be able to build our relationship to Lynn. Auditioning comes in and I'm like, oh my god, it is a volcan.

47:53 Don't care too much, Gabrielle. Oh, so sometimes you care too much? And they gave us a reference scene of the poll on Vulcan planet Vulcan with her mom and they have this big, like shady back and forth argument. That's super Vulcan. It's not emotional, but it's all shade, you know, and they're just like cold shoulder, cold shoulder, back and forth. And I remember relating that to a lot of Mariner and Captain Freeman relationship arguing, you know, like the human version and then the Vulcan version, same conflict. And I had the excuse me. I had the scene in the audition with her captain on cheval and I thought that was her father when I executed that scene for the audition, and I treated it that way because in the end, he is a superior and so this you know, what is it livelong and prosper sir. You know, like there is he does cross the line and you do that with a parent, you know, more than you would a captain.

48:57 But it does get her kicked off. It works out for the scene. But I remember Paul putting down all the lines because as again we aren't running lines even for our auditions, with the other lines of the other characters. It's just my lines for the audition. It's just like boom boom boom bom bom bom boom boom. And they're the ones that decipher between it when it's sent over to casting and then creative or whatever. And I remember telling my husband and it's like ten o'clock at nine. I was like, it's not right. It's not right. I remember like thinking, like there's just like what how would Leonard Nimoy say? It is so basic? But he created this, this this world, this dynamic, this style that's not android, it's not computer. It's it's still logical, but it has like that serious tone to it, but it has blood flowing in the vein still, you know. And so I remember just listening to him again and listening to all like some of the scenes of like TS, and then I would just envision the tell in line Lender Nimoy saying it, and then I would just repeat it. So it's like I like went and just like prayed to the little like shrine of you know, Spock to like you know, all the spot gods just come and like help me with these scenes.

50:25 You get. I did a mind melt in my closet in Los Angeles recording these lines, and I that's when I knew like that was my best version. So with Wedge Dooge. Mike and I and the team took a very long time with those scenes to establish the Vulcan comedy. And I feel like Vulcan's comedic in every single series, Like we there's comedy in every series of Star Trek, but this really leans into comedy. At its most. And we we really took a long time, more than we have with any more other to lend moments. Uh. And I think we did it right. I think we did it right all together.

51:08 It was a team effort, definitely a team effort, a lot of care taken by Mike because, like I said, we were hoping that she would come back, but with a good response of. Remember the did when you were like, do you want to see two fox quarters? And like, you know, she she gets kicked off for being you know, over the line. And so there are some moments that that's what's so funny about deadpan and the straight man of the show is like you can still the writing is so good that you can just keep it straight and keep it like as deadpan as toossible, and it's still funny. So there's a lot of there's There were a lot of takes of me recording the lines, and then when I finished my line, I would giggle because like we were just laughing the whole time.

51:55 Well, you're in the light and Linn will forever be a rebel, right thanks to you? And I hope, I hope we're not done with this character. I don't know what we were just getting started. You know. But you know, there's this whole Paramount Warner thing now, so everything who knows what's gonna. Happen, who knows you're sothing. Is up for grabs to link to get her own series, had. To fly that plane across the studios for me, will you I to be in the family of Star Trek is such a get because it's forever and. You guys tell me this. Tim Brus tells me this. Everyone tells me this, like it's forever, and they kind of like, you know, Tim's like, but it's forever, and I'm like.

52:37 I know, I'm ready. I'm so ready. So I'm enjoying every moment. You know, It's like getting the vampire bite. There is no escape. You're in. You're in for a life. Friend. Yeah, I just have to say, lastly, like people that come to my booth and are like, oh, I've never seen lower decks well, or my son he doesn't care for Star Trek, but he saw your show and he loves it. And I was like, we're the gateway dress. Welcoming the first one's always free. Excellent, excellent. Well listen, you're a delight and uh wishing you the greatest success. Thank you so much, television, movies, everything. I hope you have just a phenomenal continuing trajectory with his career.

53:26 That's absolutely love you. But I'll pass it back to Uncle Jim to wrap things up in his inimitable style. Uncle Jim, go for it. Thank you so much. Asked are you working on any currently that you can show us? Oh, I just shot this beautiful film in Guatemala, you guys, in this past November. It's based off of a. Priest who who was one of the first martyrs, first American martyrs for the Catholic Church when he served in Guatemala. One of the most beautiful experiences ever had we got to shoot in the church that he served in Guatemala.

54:13 It was so the presence of everyone's like love and the shrine and like all of it we got to go to mass I play None and that will be released soon. And actually I mean we're shooting. We're recording this on March second, but I want to just make sure I get it right. I just released the information on my Instagram. I am part of this one of Audible's first musical audio books that's releasing this Thursday, March fifth. It's called Underdogs, a musical. Alan Cumming, Babe Newarth.

54:56 Uh, myself are casted in the in it. And one of the most fun experiences I did last year and going to Audible Studios and recording it. A lot of the voice over work we don't record together, but a lot of those scenes we did, we got to record in the room together. And I get to brag that I did all the tap sound for the show, for the musical portions. Like there was like a big meeting kind of like this with a cast and they said, if anybody tap dances, we'd like to keep it internal. I was like, profficient and professional, whatever you need. And that was super fun day in the studio tap dancing. So very proud of that. Everyone go take a listen.

55:37 It's a really fun Underdog story. So I wanted to you said that you don't keep on Star Trek, But did you happen to catch the Strange New World's Musical episode? I did it. Don't shoot me down. Don't tell Anthony Rapp. I've never seen rent either. Okay, I'm one of those musical theater people. I know. Everyone clutch your pearls. It's true. I don't know what it is, but sometimes I miss it. Out. I will, so your kids must think you're really cool being a Vulcan on right, Like are.

56:18 You the crust? My my, I'm on Spidey and his Amazing Friends. It's a kid's show. So luckily I can explain to them that I played Mama Rio on that show and my my, my daughter. Loves that show. But Vulcan, She's like, I don't know what you're talking about, but she will one day, because like I mean, when when ta Lynn blew, you know, blossomed, and then I was My first convention experienced was the cruise you guys. Okay, Vivian, my now two year old, was like six weeks old, like I've just had a baby, and I was like, I'm going on that cruise. We're going to figure this out. And so we luckily did.

57:00 Everyone was healthy for me to leave enough and I had, you know, not my first time at this rodeo, so I was able to go. And what was my point. I don't know what the point was. I don't know what was my point. Is a mom for you. Kids loves us a vulcan? Oh yes, thank you. So I feel like when they get a little older, they'll come to the convention and then they'll think it's cool, and then when they're tweens or teenagers they're going to hate it and then bring them back around later once they leave a well, then they'll like it again because again, don't forget Star Trek is forever, and. You want them to be a little bit older before they start saying Vulcan is a motherfucker, right, yes, probably because they're what five and wrong?

57:46 Probably is that right? Yeah? And like start from the top, like let's start with t os and then introduce we're not even last anymore, we're like second to last now when it comes to like order of creation. So I look forward to that because my mom did that for us. And then when Philip and I got married, he wanted to start Star Trek from the beginning, so like I was able to start from the very beginning, so I look forward to doing it with. Well, I don't know. Where you are on the East Coast, but I'm on the East Coast. If you ever need a babysitter, I promise I will. We'll watch the animated series. Very generous. No, I'm on the East Coast too. I'm up and for freezing. It's snowing right now, so that's cool. Well, I'll ask there's any other questions, guys, any last minute questions.

58:39 No, just thank you? Yeah, fan, oh, I know what I was going to say, thank you, Yes, yes, you did, yeah, yeah. Oh. She had a wonderful time. She peeked out and had such a wonderful time. Gates was very kind to her. She's a huge fan of Gates make Fadest, so like it was, she was wonderful. Well, thank you for having me. You all always live long and prosper.

59:24 It was such a joy to talk to you guys. Thank you for having me. Thank you, thank you so much. Good night. So that's it. We're going to be talking on Thursday. Actually, we're doing shows this week, so Thursday we'll be talking about. Coisine. I think is the episode Academy and as usual the most Uncle jam and I want to say thank you so much to be hanging out. And talking with us tonight. Thank you, and thank you so much to Eric hanging out and start talking with us tonight.

1:00:07 Thank you, Eric. Absolutely that was a special interview. She was great. And thank you to Paul as well. Thank you, Paul, my pleasure, wonderful guest. And Charles, thank you for hanging out with us as well. Oh, always fun and fun. When we find out actors are trekkies too. That is that is a good Thank you David as well. Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. Thank you guys of course. Thank you to Gabriel Luiz being with us. And with that, I want to say to everybody stay safe and be good to each other. Are closed, David roll to take you. I'm long and prosper I had one one one sir heading sir, yeah, way