Richard Hatch (left) and Gates McFadden

Richard Hatch (left) and Gates McFadden

The Armageddon Pulp Culture Expo in all its oddball glory hits town this weekend.

RICHARD HATCH (CAPTAIN APOLLO)

* Best known as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica. As well as appearing in the original Battlestar Galactica, Hatch is also on its remake.

What do you get out of attending these sorts of expos?

Conventions are the greatest place to meet like-minded people who appreciate and love the genre of science fiction/fantasy. I love intelligent and visionary science fiction. I also love the fact the whole family can attend, and nowhere else have I ever seen an entire family of all ages dancing on a disco floor. I also get the chance to teach, lecture and talk about all the things I've learned in life that can inspire others. Last but not least, I get a chance to promote Battlestar and my new sci-fi/fantasy series The Great War of Magellan, which I wrote, directed and have acted in.

Would you have gone to expos like Armageddon when you were growing up?

I loved sci-fi from the time I was 8 years old. I would have loved to attend a sci-fi convention had I known they existed. By the looks, sci-fi and fantasy are very much part of your life, rather than just a job. How did you become interested in it?

From the time I was young I have always been fascinated by the mysteries of life: who are we, where did we come from, why are we here and where are we going in this vast universe? This led me on a philosophical, spiritual and scientific journey, reading every novel and article on the creation of life, including quantum physics. Eventually, I found Star Trek and Star Wars, which took my interest and excitement to the next level. I love the fusion of art, drama and science, along with the exploration of the mysteries of the human heart.

How have you seen sci-fi and fantasy TV and movies change over the years?

Technology and a far more aware audience has made it possible to make movies about more complex and provocative stories that stretch the imagination, expand our minds and illuminate and inspire the human heart. Stories that would have been too expensive and challenging to film 25 years ago can now be made, and the mass audience now supports such stories, which gives studios the confidence to finance [them] because they know there is a fan base to justify such big budgets.

What is it like being in the remake of Battlestar Galactica?

I love having had the opportunity to be part of two such memorable Battlestar Galactica series. And getting a chance to play such an interesting and enigmatic character as Tom Zarek has been a challenge every actor lives for - damaged, idealistic, and struggling heroically with his demons. I don't look at Tom as a bad guy. I think this man has been thrown off the cliff, metaphorically speaking, and is struggling to find his way back to the light. He has lost everything of the meaning in his life and is a very angry and frustrated man, capable of creating great good or catastrophic horror. Getting to know the new cast has been a true delight, as they are wonderful actors and even better human beings.