The lovely Marjean Holden

Please spend some minutes getting to know Marjean Holden, an actress you probably have seen more than once if you're into science fiction or fantasy in TV or movies.

The lovely Marjean Holden, as seen in Beastmaster, Nemesis, Jurassic Park 2 and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Kicking ass in Beastmaster.

Kicking alien ass in Code Red (aka. The Rubicon Conspiracy).

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Actress, teacher, martial artist and mother. Those are only some of the words that describe Marjean Holden, a name and face which should be familiar to fans of genre TV and cinema. Since the 90s she has appeared in numerous TV shows and movies, with the sci-fi and fantasy percentage being higher than for most actors, and she is now almost a staple in the genre, with appearances in such genre productions as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Jurassic Park 2, Nemesis, Beastmaster, Mortal Kombat 2, Babylon 5, Philadelpia Experiment 2, and many others. She has worked with directors such as Albert Pyun, John Carpenter and Steven Spielberg, and starred next to actors such as Charles Napier, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Pam Grier, James Woods, Richard Attenborough, Will Smith and many others.

In this Planet Origo exclusive you'll learn about Marjean's background, her specific roles and movies, and her work behind the camera and as a teacher and motivator.

Planet Origo: You were very active in sports when you grew up, and you have been doing weight training, boxing and Kung Fu. Are you still into action sports?

Marjean Holden: Yes, I was super athletic! I did it all. I actually don't do as much anymore. I'm a mom now, and my main exercise is chasing my three year old around! But I still train in boxing every once in a while as well as varying my workouts between yoga, pilates, rollerblading, hiking and walking hills and stairs!

Planet Origo: How is your black belt in Wun Hop Kuen Do Kung Fu coming along, and do you have any martial arts heroes, from real life or movies?

Marjean: I'm not training anymore in Kung Fu. But my heroes in martial arts are of course Bruce Lee and my Kung Fu instructor Sifu Earl White.

Planet Origo: You do many of your own stunts, how does that add to your acting? Is it creating better movies or TV when you can do that?

Marjean: Well, being able to do the action certainly adds to the performance. I enjoy doing most of my own stunts and do feel that it creates a more "real" feel to my work. Maybe not the case for others, but for myself I prefer it.

Planet Origo: Your dad, back in Vail, Colorado where you grew up, was a police officer, do you think that influenced your career in terms of martial arts, doing tough roles on screen, stunts, all these things we don't normally associate with female actors?

Marjean: My dad was my all time hero when he was alive, and even more so now that he has passed. I wanted to be just like him! Funny because I was a girl, but yes, there was a great influence there. Mainly because he was a great person... not because he was so tough, which he was... but because he had a great heart. He loved people and helping them. I'm the same. He was also a great athlete, it was just in my blood!

Planet Origo: I heard that you're really into the whole fantasy and magic thing, and that you love fantasy movies like Excalibur and Harry Potter, and that you have been interested in those things since you were young.

Marjean: Yes, I do love fantasy movies, I love anything that is based in magic and mystery. Excalibur is one of my favorites. I particularly like the genre because you can get so many spiritual messages into what most consider to just be entertainment. For me it is a great way to communicate the greater mysteries of life... and the not so greater mysteries of life! I have been into these kinds of things ever since I was young, as long as I can remember actually. Probably stems from the fact that I don't believe I'm from here... I'm an alien! LOL!

Nemesis (1993), a sci-fi actioner directed by Albert Pyun, was Marjean's first big role in a real sci-fi movie (her small role in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure from 1989 notwithstanding). While she says she doesn't seek genre roles deliberately and that those roles seem to find her, she knew from the beginning that she would have a carreer in fantastic entertainment.

Marjean: Yes, I had a good idea that I would spend a lot of time in the genre. It fits me and I fit it. It feels right to me and I plan on becoming a sci-fi / fantasy icon! I love it!

Planet Origo: Pyun is in the opposite spectrum of Steven Spielberg, whom directed you in Jurassic Park 2, but how was your experience on that movie?

Marjean: I've had a good time on most of the films I've worked on and this was no exception. Working with Albert was amazing. He's a very gifted director.

Marjean not only likes to act in sci-fi and fantasy drama, but also watch much of what's available. While doing this interview, the original Star Trek is playing in the background, and when given a choice between watching Superman or Spider-Man, she chooses both. When comparing Lost and Heroes on TV, Heroes wins. However, a genre actress also needs to do her dues in horror; Marjean was in two John Carpenter movies and in one episode of Tales from the Crypt, but not much else. We ask if her physical skills would be a great advantage in horror movies, suggesting she could do more in that genre.

Marjean: Yes, I'm sure [my skills] could be an advantage there... I just don't like doing horror. I was a huge John Carpenter fan however and when they offered I said "YES!". John Carpenter's Vampires happened because I was friends with the stunt coordinator, Jeff Imada. He actually called me in to see if I'd be interested in doing a fire burn on the movie and I said; "I'd prefer not to". He told me to wait in the office. He went out back and came back about 5 minutes later and said; "Ok. They like you". I thought, cool. But I didn't know I actually got a job. I got home and the phone started ringing with where I needed to go for fittings, costume, prosthetics, contacts. It was awesome!

Planet Origo: There is no shortage of beautiful women in science fiction drama, and you're certainly one of them, but I have an impression that black women are fewer in sci-fi than in sitcoms and soap operas, and also typecast in certain roles, as amazons, army types, warriors, etc. Is that just me, or have you met any such challenge in getting good non-typecast roles?

Marjean: I can only think of a couple of roles that I have played being scripted as "African American". So for me, I don't think I've been challenged with typecasting.

Planet Origo: I found a website that lists movie deaths, and they have seven of your deaths listed, and they are quite brutal. What's your view on violence in movies, as an actor, woman, mother, martial artist...

Marjean: Well, it just depends on the movie. Sometimes it happens. I wasn't always a mother, but explaining why Storm Troopers don't get up after they've been hit by laser fire to my three year old has been interesting!

In 1999 Marjean had a small role in the popular sci-fi TV series Babylon 5, more specific in the feature-length spin-off episode A Call to Arms. She's unsure about wether that role led to the bigger role of Sarah Chambers, a medical officer in the spin-off series Crusade, which ran for 13 episodes in 1999 on TNT.

Marjean: [Being on Crusade was] nothing but good times! It was a dream job. I was smart, didn't have to wear creature makeup and didn't have to kick anyone's ass every day! And our studio was exactly 7 minutes from my house! It was a sweet deal! [When it was cancelled it was] disappointing. We had a great cast. We were having a blast. The show was planned well and was on a great path. Unfortunately we had a mid air collision with the network.

In 2002 Marjean took a recurring role as Ariana on the fantasy / adventure TV series Beastmaster. Ariana was a female warrior, a rather typical role for Marjean.

Marjean: I was on seasons two and three. Beyond the label of warrior, Arina was a mercenary. She was an opportunist that didn't feel she had any purpose but to hurt people until she met Dar. He showed her the meaning of family.

Planet Origo: Beastmaster is one of those fantasy TV series from the 90s and early 00s that seem like a lot of fun, but how was it to shoot?

Marjean: [The shoot] was mostly on location. It was a ton of fun. Lots of long days, sometimes up at 3 am to catch my ride at 3:30 to be in makeup by 5:00. Pretty crazy. And I used my skills on that show every day. Lots of fights, tons of action. Loads of fun!

Planet Origo: You got to be in the sequel to one of the biggest movies ever; in Jurassic Park 2 you are credited as a "Screamer".

Marjean: That's exactly what it was. Screamer. Me running down the streets of San Diego away from a dinasour. And [I got to work] with one of my all time idols, Steven Spielberg!

Planet Origo: You played one of the leads in Code Red, an army woman who gets some action in the jungle, fighting aliens. I'm afraid I didn't like that movie a lot.

Marjean: I actually really liked the movie. The alien thing was... well, not that great, but it was a great opportunity for me. Second lead on a show is always good.

Planet Origo: Mortal Kombat 2 must have been an interesting project for you, as it mixes fantasy, magic and martial arts. You were tailor made for it, right?

Marjean: LOL! Well, let's see, it took five callbacks to finally convince the producers I was "tailor made" for the part! This was the one role I really worked hard to get. It was a great project, again I was on a cast that was absolutely phenomenal. [My part] Sheeva was a badass. But I didn't get to use my skills like I wanted to or [how it was] was scripted. Things change, that was one of them. I was very disappointed when they cut out fights [that had been filmed].

Planet Origo: In the games, Sheeva's outfit is rather skimpy, perhaps that would put you off doing the movie version?

Marjean: LOL! Yeah, her outfit in the games was... well, let's just leave it at skimpy! No, I knew they weren't going to go that far for the live action. They wanted the younger audience and there are things you just can't do when you are trying to capture that audience.

As an aspiring producer and media developer, Marjean bought the film and TV rights to the Australian sci-fi / fantasy book trilogy The Ancient Future, written by Traci Harding. Marjean is currently developing the adaptions.

Marjean: What made me interested in these stories was the overall magic in the work. It is a great adventure mixed with magic and being true to yourself and who you are. It's amazing! Right now I am the executive producer, the owner of the rights. [The adaptions] will most likely become [both TV and movies], starting with feature films and moving into other forms. The project is in the development stage, just getting ready to shop to investors!

Planet Origo: Do you have your eye on other novels, or perhaps comic books, that you'd like to produce as a TV show or movie?

Marjean: Not at the moment. But there are some other scripts that a friend of mine who is a great writer [wrote], that interest me. And I've been asked to direct a short film.

Planet Origo: There is a rumour going around that you were a candidate to replace Halle Berry as Storm in the third X-Men movie, if she had decided to not repeat her role. Is that a true rumour?

Marjean: As lovely as that sounds and as amazing that thought is, it was not true.

Planet Origo: Outside acting, you do quite a lot of speaking and training and motivating, for example about "getting the feminine forces out" for women, what's that about?

Marjean: I love teaching. I lead courses for a company and get to travel and transform people's lives consistently. It is totally fulfilling! The feminine aspects are those of attraction, allowing, going with the flow, nurturing self and others, inner beauty, grace etc.

Planet Origo: Your acting background has perhaps not been very "womanly", in a way, with techy and nerdy sci-fi, doing stunts, violence, martial arts, being in action movies, all that. How does those things help you now that you do these women's motivational courses?

Marjean: I wouldn't say that the acting roles I have done are not very womanly, just another aspect of being a woman, which is [being] a strong woman. All of these things I have done have inspired women to stand up and be who they are, to stand in a place where they can follow their dreams and achieve what they desire. Most of the women that I am engaged with or that come across my path are the women who are happy seeing a woman be in strong roles as opposed to being a victim.

We'd like to thank Marjean for her time and for her work in movies. This year she can be seen in an episode of ER, and she's also updating her official website for anyone interested in her many projects.

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