Tuvok actor Tim Russ is a Star Trek legend. We recently got the chance to speak with the Voyager vet, at the Xcon Comic Convention in Myrtle Beach, SC, about his long history with the franchise, and his, soon to be released, fan funded film, Star Trek: Renegades. We also heard from the actor/writer/director/musician, about his latest album, Lifeline.
Before getting his start as Tuvok, Tim Russ auditioned for the role of Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The role ended up going to LeVar Burton, but the Star Trek: Universe had a lot in store for Russ.
“I wouldn’t actually consider myself a Trekkie,” Russ tells us of his pre-Voyager Star Trek experience. “I was familiar with the show because it had premiered on television the year that I was in college, along with with three other shows that were on over and over and again. Back then we only had three channels. So I became familiar with it because they played it so many times.”
That exposure to the original series went on to aid in his performance in Voyager, as Russ stated:
“It definitely helped because I could at least remember that the character that I played was based on Leonard Nimoy's character, Spock, so I was able to at least bring my recollection from that character with me and base it on what he would have done.”
In addition to his work on Voyager, Russ has also appeared in severl other series in the franchise, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as a role in the film Star Trek Generations.
Russ has went on to fully entangle himself into the Star Trek Universe, co-writing the story for Malibu Comics’ Star Trek: Deep Space Nine issues #29 and 30/ Russ also directed and starred in the fan series Star Trek: Of Gods and Men and recently directed and starred in the crowd funded film Star Trek: Renegades.
“Right now we are planning on releasing Renegades, around the third week in June,” Russ said, updating us on the progress of the film, “I believe we are going to put it up online. We are going to be screening very shortly, in about a week or so. We have just a few more special effects shots to put into place before we can do that. Hopefully, it will be out soon. It is a very, very long process, post production, because a lot of people are putting in free time, to do a lot of the effects. Those take the longest to get done. I think the people who have worked on it are absolutely amazing."
Russ has also lent his voice to severl video games, including Star Trek: Voyager -- Elite Force and Star Trek: Elite Force II. Russ also recently reprised his role as Tuvok in the video game, Star Trek: Online:
“As of yet, I haven't played any of the computer games that I have voiced,” Russ explained, “but I have check some of the videos online of the Star Trek Online game that I voiced and they all look amazing. The quality of the animation is wonderful. They did a great job putting that together.”
However, when it comes to his personal preference, Russ prefers to play something a little more grounded in real-world combat.
“I play First Person Shooters sometime on the PS3. Military War games,” Russ explains, “I play also online, with actual people, a flight simulator, War War 2 once again, in an online game called WarBirds.”
Russ is more than just an actor, writer and director, he is also an accomplished musician.
“I have been a musician for over 40 years.,” Russ said after crooning a Star Trek themed version of the theme from Love Boat. “I just released a new CD, its called Lifeline and its on iTunes. Its mostly blues, pop, rock, old-school sort of roots music. That’s my stuff!”
James Knight and Vanessa Larson
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