By Omer on Saturday, January 16, 1999 - 8:01 am:

I think Chacotay is a really cool character, but very underused. BTW, what is it with star trek and number 1s. They ALWAYS get them right. Spock, Riker, Kira, chackotay... all great characters!

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By Mf on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 8:36 am:

Yaaaaawn.

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By Nameless on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 10:22 am:

With three actors named Robert in the cast, how does everyone on the show avoid confusion whenever "Robert" is called?

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By Phillip Culley on Tuesday, January 26, 1999 - 1:36 pm:

The 3 Roberts don't get confused with each other because Robert Duncan McNeill is called Robbie, Robert Beltran is called Rob and Robert Picardo is called Robert (at least in the studio)
BTW I might have got Beltran and Picardo mixed up

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By Catherine on Friday, January 29, 1999 - 6:36 pm:

It still must be confusing. I have a brother and a father named Robert. There's mix-ups all the time even though they're called different names.

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By Brad W. Higgins on Sunday, January 31, 1999 - 3:39 pm:

Wow! Three Roberts in the cast! I've been watching this show since it started and I never realized that before! Leave it to nitpickers to find these things!

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By Mf on Thursday, February 18, 1999 - 3:30 pm:

They never knew whatto do with Riker. Stewart was mor chasrismatic, so he ended up doing the cerebral, the action, and the romance!

Now they don't know what to do with Chakotay, either.

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By Mike Konczewski on Friday, February 19, 1999 - 11:53 am:

Good point. Riker only came alive in those episodes that showed, under his jovial exterior, there was a lot of bitterness. Remember "The Pegasus", or his grumpy old man in "All Good Things"?

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By Lea Frost on Monday, February 22, 1999 - 6:41 pm:

Hey, I never thought of that! But you're absolutely right. (Oh, and "Frame of Mind" is another good Riker episode, even if it's confusing as all hell on first viewing...)

I've always said Voyager would be a lot more interesting if the first officer were someone more like, say, Eddington (not necessarily Eddington himself, that is, but with a similar attitude...)

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By Alfonso Turnage on Tuesday, March 30, 1999 - 8:46 pm:

I have a question about Chakotay to ask. Is he a Lieutenant Commander or Commander? In the scripts
and the credits it usually says Commander, but his rank insignia shows that he is a Lt.Cdmr. Does anyone out there know?

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By Alfonso Turnage on Sunday, July 11, 1999 - 8:27 pm:

I think that the writers really messed up by having Chakotay's dark/Marquis side and resentment
at the Federation for the whole Federation/Cardassian/demilitarized zone treaty fiasco dissolve so quickly. The tensions between the Maquis and the Starfleeters was one of the highlights of pre-Seven of Nine Voyager. I also think that they don't do enough exploring of Chakoytay's spirituality.

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By Anonymous on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 - 10:51 pm:

Chakotay is a lieutenant commander. Lt. Commanders are always refered to as just commander.

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By Nick Angeloni (Nangeloni) on Wednesday, July 21, 1999 - 11:12 pm:

If that's true, it seems just larger more powerful ships like Galaxys or Sovereigns that have full commander first officers. Riker was a lieutenant commander and first officer of the Hood, which was Excelsior class. But the Encyclopedia and virtually every other reference source refer to Chakotay as full commander.

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By Mark Swinton on Tuesday, November 02, 1999 - 5:47 pm:

I wonder if anyone in the States realises that in 1998, Star Trek Monthly Magazine here in England held a Valentine's day poll in which readers could vote for various romantic things in Star Trek. The female population overwhlemingly voted Robert Beltran in as Star Trek's "sexiest actor". What do women in the states think?
(BTW- the debate has since gone on to which out of Paris, Riker and Neelix is the most good-looking...)

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By Aaron Dotter on Tuesday, November 02, 1999 - 6:06 pm:

Actually, Robert Picardo is called "Bob", and Mr. Beltran is called Robert.

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By margie on Wednesday, November 03, 1999 - 5:56 am:

I agree with the poll. Robert Beltran is the sexiest actor on Star Trek, IMHO.

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By Callie Sullivan on Wednesday, November 03, 1999 - 4:37 pm:

I read an interview with Roxann Dawson not so long ago where she continually referred to Robert Beltran as "Beltran". Is that because she doesn't like him much ;) or is he actually known by that name?

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By Richie Vest on Wednesday, November 03, 1999 - 6:27 pm:

Callie Well Maybe because there are three Robers on the how

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By Callie on Thursday, November 04, 1999 - 7:16 am:

Three ROBBERS??!! Has anyone informed the police?!! ;)

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By Richie Vest on Thursday, November 04, 1999 - 12:21 pm:

Roberts

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By TomDickHarry on Monday, November 22, 1999 - 11:58 am:

I've got one word for Chakotay:
YAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWNNNNNNN! This has got to be the most boring character in Trek history.

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By Helena on Monday, November 22, 1999 - 12:02 pm:

What??? Chakotay boring? No way...he's excellent! I wish they'd get him and Janeway in a romantic relationship. Thaw her out a little, and give his character more to do. Lately it seems Janeway is more attracted to SEVEN than anyone else!

------------------------------By ScottN on Sunday, January 02, 2000 - 12:20 am:

I saw "Night of the Comet" on the SciFi Channel... what a forgettable movie...

And don't forget, Robert Beltran was in it! He got top billing in the closing credits.

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By Anonymous on Thursday, February 24, 2000 - 7:15 pm:

And now worse, every hologram that wanders off of the holodeck.

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By DonnaL on Saturday, May 13, 2000 - 8:17 pm:

I agree that Chakotay is really underused. And he's always great when he is. That Tsunkatse episode showed that Voyager was a lot more fun when he was in charge. But then it turned into another Seven show.

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By Adam Bomb on Saturday, December 16, 2000 - 6:10 pm:

Chakotay was terrific in "Scorpion, Part II", especially when he threatened to open the cargo bay door to expel the Borg in the bay into space, and then made good on it.

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By Adam Bomb on Monday, January 01, 2001 - 3:56 pm:

Robert Beltran did a film for Paul Bartel called "Eating Raoul." Who did he play? Was he Raoul? "Night of the Comet" was disappointing, especially since Siskel and Ebert both gave it thumbs up.

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By Miko Iko on Tuesday, January 02, 2001 - 8:50 am:

He was indeed Raoul.

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By Electron on Tuesday, January 02, 2001 - 8:29 pm:

RB once upon a time even played Chuck Norris' sidekick...

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By Ghel on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 1:51 pm:

Continued from the discussion at "Endgame"
re: Beltran's negative comments

Look at it this way. You get hired for a job and you realize you don't like it. Can you complain to your friends about your job? Sure. If I hated my job and worked for company x, would it be appropriate for me to post on CNN's web site "Company x really stinks and all the purchasers (read "writers") really sukk."
First, company x would fire your butt faster than you could complete your sentence, and second, as long as that company is paying you, keep your personal feelings personal.

Even if RB feels that his character got the short end of the stick, he should take it up with his superiors or decide whether the money is really worth the trouble. Complaining to the general public makes everyone including R.B. look bad.

It's amazing how much actors and athletes can get away with. If Robert were working for a regular company and said things like that in public, he wouldn't have a job.

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By LUIGI NOVI on Wednesday, May 23, 2001 - 9:23 pm:

When you work in entertainment/art/aesthetics-related industries like writing, acting, directing, songwriting, dancing, illustration, etc., your work is your reputation. If you spend seven years on a show and you didn't get a chance to play an interesting charater, and you were cast as the first officer but didn't get the stories that Spock, Riker or Kira got, you're gonna be ticked.

As for "as long as that company is paying you.." Beltran isn't being payed by the company anymore.

As for the suggestion that Beltran take it up with his superiors, it's very will possible that he did, but his comments and suggestions were ignored for whatever reason.

If TV Guide wants to interview him, and asks him, "Hey Rob, what do you think of the finale?" what should Beltran say? Should he say he liked it? Should he decide he doesn't have the right to express his opinion? That's his opinion, and he's entitled to both have it and express it.

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By ScottN on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 12:41 am:

As for the suggestion that Beltran take it up with his superiors, it's very will possible that he did, but his comments and suggestions were ignored for whatever reason.

Sorry, couldn't resist this...

Beltran: I have some ideas about developing Chakotay's character.
Braga: I appreciate your input, but...

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By NarkS on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 10:32 am:

...I'd rather develop Seven of Nine.

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By Jwb52z on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 1:22 pm:

::...I'd rather develop Seven of Nine.:: NarkS

She's developed enough as it is...

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By ScottN on Thursday, May 24, 2001 - 1:46 pm:

No, no, no! I was referring to the irony of imagining Braga using Chuckles' favorite line back at Beltran...

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By aifix on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 1:15 pm:

I got it!!

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By LUIGI NOVI on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 1:36 pm:

I don't remember him using such a line that often.

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By Jwb52z on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 2:03 pm:

ScottN, I was making a JOKE. Think about it.

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By S. Donaldson on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 2:31 pm:

Whatever happened to "I don't joke"?

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By Jwb52z on Friday, May 25, 2001 - 3:34 pm:

I don't joke in the manner most people do. There's a difference. I said, S. Donaldson, because I was infuriated at the moment.

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By ScottN on Saturday, May 26, 2001 - 1:00 am:

So, you don't joke, unless, of course, you are joking ?

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By Jwb52z on Saturday, May 26, 2001 - 1:22 pm:

That was funny, ScottN. I don't joke 99% of the time.

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By Anony the Mouse on Saturday, June 02, 2001 - 4:32 pm:

My mother has a... thing about Chakotay. I think you'd get more of the female demographic if TPTB used him more often. But then, it is males who are in charge of the thing.

About the Maquis rank thing, I've never quite understood their rank bars. Who designed them? Why?

By Josh M on Wednesday, June 11, 2003 - 3:35 pm:

Robert Beltran was recently on an episode of CSI: Miami playing a judge with a dead woman in his shower. Ben Browder also guest starred in the episode for you Farscape fans out there.

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By Rafessle on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 12:03 am:

The Star Trek official website says: Robert Beltran plays Chakotay, the fearless first officer...

I don't know but "Fearless" is not a word I would choose to describe Chakotay.

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By Josh M on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 1:40 pm:

well, i never really saw him show any fear.

or any other human emotions for that matter...

Maybe a little anger once or twice

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By Torque, Son of Keplar on Wednesday, July 16, 2003 - 2:04 pm:

He showed anger or extreme frustration in the episode with the "Equinox"

He even told Janeway to go to hell. (well sort of...)


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By Flying Minister on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 12:36 am:

Re:Beltran's comments.

Sure, he has the right to badmouth his job. Should he? Definitely not. In the entertainment industry it is considered very bad to express that kind of opinion about your job. It could definitely hinder his ability to gain further employment in this industry.

Not to mention that he's pretty much flat and one dimensional as an actor. He has no room to criticize and want more screen time. He doesn't deserve any.

He has an obligation to the company and the fans to either take what is given to him or to shut the hell up and get out. Yes, an obligation. Without this show nobody would even know who he is.

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By LUIGI NOVI on Saturday, January 17, 2004 - 8:21 pm:

I applaud him. Aside from professional critics, it's so rare for people in Hollywood to actually criticize flat-out bad writing. Beltran is one of the few people who, like Ron Moore, actually had the guts to come out and say that the writing was bad.

In my opinion, he has absolutely zero obligation to either shut up or put on a fake smiley face and lie about his true feelings about the quality of the production when someone asks him about it. I find that sort of blind cheerleading to be nauseating, and I think it's something that should be encouraged, particularly if he tried to bring these concerns to TPTB and got nowhere. I don't think such people who talk trash all over the place, and I don't know if Beltran tried to bring his feelings to the creators, but I do think people like him should try offering such criticism publicly if their intent is to point out what they see as a legitimate problem or definciency in the production, especially if they tried to in private and it didn't work. Whether anyone would know who he is has nothing to do with this. Honesty is something I value far more than blind loyalty and boosterism.

As far as his acting, he may not be a great actor, but then it's difficult to tell when he hasn't been given any decent material to develop his character, and I haven't seen any of his other work.

And as for his *other* work.....

Two words: EATING RAOUL!

Once again: GIGGITY GIGGITY GOO!

(Remember , it was only 1982, he NEEDED the money!)

Also, I'm glad that he said what he said about TPTB of VGR. After all, everybody knows that when the show came to an end, the cast was "more relieved than saddened".

That's the truth! AmIAnnoying.com said so! Read their FAQ! They ALWAYS tell the truth, and they NEVER make anything up!

One more thing: I NEVER understood why everyone called his character Chuckles. He never laughed, he hardly even smiled, for cryin' out loud!

There, that's my rant for the evening.

PLEASE don't censor or oppress me THIS time, I'll...I'll...really not like it if you do!

Robert Beltran has now been in a string of crappy Sci-Fi Channel made movies.

Bet Voyager is looking pretty good to him now. Poor chap didn't know when he was well off.

He does play the Native American, Jerry, in Big Love. That's not too bad of a deal.

Robert Beltran also played a villain from a Latin American country on the series finale of "Miami Vice."

Well, this post from three years ago, I am OK with. As for being stiff and wooden, and giving largely unemotional performances, well, perhaps that is/was simply Beltran's style.

I do not critique it because I am not an actor, so I probably could not "do better than" other people I see in film and on TV. Some, yes, but most of them, probably not!