How Would Sarah Connor Handle This?

We had spoken to the guy in the front row a few times, and he even turned up at our table during the Dessert Party, when several of the convention stars came to our table to do a short meet-and-greet. I figured he was about 30 or so.

On the last day, he turned from his seat and said to me, "I think it's really cool when I see older people hanging out and talkin' sci fi."

Older. I could sense a slight pause between "old" and "er." I think the last syllable was added on when he realized how insulting it was going to sound. Oh, yes....that's MUCH better.

I resisted the urge to tell him that I went to my first convention when he was in diapers because, well, that would have added too much ammunition to his fight.

Instead, I sat back and enjoyed the fact that no less than FOUR great women over the age of 40 appeared on stage that weekend: Jeri Ryan, Linda Hamilton, Amanda Tapping, and Michelle Forbes. And I'm sure everyone in the audience, young and old, appreciated them and their contributions to the field of sci fi. And, for some, there may have even been a drool factor involved.

It was interesting to me to see how each of them coped with a career in a place like Hollywood that fawns over younger women. Men can grow older and develop character. Character in a woman is a career killer.

Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager, Boston Public, Shark) doesn't seem like she's worrying about growing older. Family has taken over as her priority, it seems, with a 14-month-old daughter, a teenage son, and a chef husband. And her career is doing very well, thank you. Now that maternity leave has just ended, she'll be appearing in a couple of Law & Order: SVU episodes as a D.A., I believe she said, and since she's played a lawyer several times in the past, has no fear of the project.

Jeri mentioned that the costume was unforgiving. Apparently people could notice the difference in the Seven of Nine costume after she ate lunch: it was so skintight that the bulge in her stomach was noticeable. But she got over the obvious sexism of the costume by reveling in the great writing that accompanied the role.

I don't watch Stargate at all, haven't seen a single episode, but even I know who Amanda Tapping is. She is now a brunette, courtesy of her new show Sanctuary. (She said her real color is "a dirty blonde.") However, not content to just act in the show, she executive-produces it as well. When she ran down her list of chores in such a role, I grew tired, but she seemed to accept it all with great enthusiasm, and couldn't wait to get back to it. (I have seen about five episodes of Sanctuary: it has great production values, but I'm hoping for better writing. She promised us that the stories will be better in the 2nd season.)

I first became acquainted with Michelle Forbes when Ensign Ro appeared on the Next Generation scene. She was defiant, to be sure, and at once direct, and was a cool breeze of fresh air on the show. She made headlines, however, when she refused to sign a contract for seven years to appear on the new show, Deep Space Nine. "Do I have to explain this again?" she asked us, smiling, and then added, "I wasn't ready to be married. I'm still not!" Michelle likes to reinvent herself, and a great case in point was her brilliant portrayal as Admiral Helena Cain in the new Battlestar Galactica. Admiral Cain was a force of nature. I'm sure Producer Ron Moore figured out that Michelle Forbes is, too, a force of nature.

Linda Hamilton (Beauty and the Beast, Terminator I and II) seemed surprised and a bit overwhelmed at the enthusiasm that greeted her when she walked onstage. Linda has now crossed over into her 50's, and the parts are few and far between. That doesn't seem to bother her. "I'm more interested at this time of my life in character over story," and will often forsake roles just for the money. She advised us with a grin on her face that she has a voiceover part in the new Terminator: Salvation, which is due out shortly. Sarah Connor definitely lives!


I saw Linda later when I had my photo taken with her, and then again at the Dessert Party. She was full of energy both times, actually dancing around. When you consider that she spent over 12 hours with us, mostly on her feet and actively engaging us, it's really remarkable. I found her personally quite inspiring.

Linda Hamilton, quite early in her career, changed how women were thought of in science fiction, particularly when she reprised the Sarah Connor role in T2. Each of the women I saw this weekend did the same, in their own way. When I think of young girls watching these shows, I feel much pride that these actresses refuse to depict the fainting heroine to be rescued. Not any more.

These women spoke personally about working Hollywood to get what they need and want, regardless of gender or age. I just hope young men as well as women are watching and learning.