Jeffrey Combs is best known in the Star Trek world for his dual role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, playing the Ferengi Commerce Authority Liquidator Brunt and the Vorta clone Weyoun. To horror fans, he's best known as Herbert West, a.k.a. the "Re-Animator." STARTREK.COM would like to welcome Mr. Combs to our Q & A session, where he talks about his time on DS9, his influences and his world.

Question: What inspired how you portrayed the Weyoun character? Did you draw on any of your experiences with anyone in your past?
Dave M., Kansas

Jeffrey Combs: There hasn't been anyone in particular. What I drew on was some of my experience doing period pieces in theater and sort of that whole court etiquette and gracefulness. Also, when I finally got into the make-up I thought that there was a very Japanese elegance about him as well, which sort of fit in with the silky diplomat idea. That whole gesture Weyoun does where he opens his hand out, that all came out of that idea too — I'm open, I'm at your service, I have no weapons, I supplicate myself. It was sort of instinctual. I was trying to capture that court intrigue, the snake behind the throne. With elegance, serenity and honesty.

Q: What was it like working with the rest of the Deep Space Nine cast?
Walter and Patricia S.

JC: Always great. When you first start on that show, you really are the new kid at school — you don't know what you're going to encounter. But I was pleasantly surprised. Everybody was very friendly, very open and very welcoming and helpful. With Star Trek, you have to play some quick catch-up with knowing what the relationships and history is between characters. Not to mention the plot that [was] forever unfolding on [DS9]. People, like Armin [Shimerman-"Quark"], were very helpful if I was confused about the delicacies of the plot. He really gave me a big hand up on the whole lore of the Ferengi and what their whole mindset was and basically the encyclopedia of those guys. Otherwise, I would have been floundering around and guessing. That was really great. That made you feel like you were part of the whole. And as my role on that show grew, I always looked forward to going back. It was like a real ensemble. And I don't mean that just in front of the camera, but in back of the camera as well. All the crew too, it always brings a smile to my face. It's a world that I really miss. A great place to go to and I always regretted leaving. I'm really sorry it's not there anymore.

Q: Are you nicer in real life?
Dean S.

JC: God, I hope so.

Q: How does it feel to be part of the Star Trek legend?
Paul W.

JC: It's actually one of my lynchpin dreams because one of my real enthusiasms as a kid was catching Star Trek, the original series. I just loved it as it had a spirit and a sense of adventure to it that really was kind of lacking on television. It really influenced me — all of those actors and how they approached their roles. Even then, I was like a sponge taking in what people did in this profession. That show had an impact on me as a kid, and then to grow up and be part of that world in such a way is really a happy full circle for me. It means a lot to me to be up there in the Star Trek constellation.

Q: What is your favorite episode to work on and what did you find most appealing about it in terms of story and plot?
Angelo D.

JC: My favorite, hands down, is "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River" simply because it afforded me a lot more time to explore Weyoun. It revealed more about who the Vorta were and where they came from, and what their motivations were. It also gave me opportunity to play not one, but two versions of Weyoun — a supposedly defective Weyoun who wants to defect, and the latest creation of Weyoun, who is the very faithful pursuer of the Founders' high ideals, i.e. he's ruthless and conniving. They were onscreen together having conversations with each other and I wanted to color them just slightly different. They are the same person, just slightly different. That, to me, was a big challenge. I had to keep my wits about me, and my concentration. I was really pleased with how I met the challenge, and it was an honor because there aren't that many recurring roles that the writers and producers, most notably Ira [Steven Behr] who would give a whole episode of a show where there are nine regular actors. To give me that much screen time is really humbling.

Q: Was it particularly demanding shooting the episode "The Dogs of War" as it involved both Weyoun and Brunt in the same episode for the first and only time?
Robbie J., UK

JC: No, it wasn't too demanding because the characters were shot on totally different days. They were never in the same space together, although at one point you cut from one to the other. Which really pleased me! I love seeing the credit on the beginning of that show as it says: Jeffrey Combs as Weyoun and Brunt. Also, Considering my background in repertory theater — where you rehearse one show in the afternoon and you come back and do another show in the evening — it wasn't too bad. It was an echo back to that, my salad days, and that really was acting.

Q: Who would win a fight between Brunt and Weyoun?
Fred M., CO

JC: Well, Weyoun, because he'd make sure the fight never happened. He'd make Brunt disappear or come down with some grave illness before the fight ever occurred.

Q: As Weyoun was one of several clones, which one was your favorite?
Todd

JC: I didn't look at any one of them as my favorite as they're all the same because they're cloned with up-to-the-minute data backup on everything the previous Weyoun had acquired. They were all one. However, I do have a soft spot in my heart for the Weyoun that defected. He was such a nice guy and I always thought that it would have been interesting if Weyoun had done that and been the pivotal key to helping the Federation overcome the Founder because he was in such a crucial position, and for him to defect and see the error of his ways would have been an interesting way to go.

Q: What are your hobbies?
Lori H.

JC: Well, I like movies and I love to read. I don't have much time for hobbies, per se, with ten-year-old and two-year-old daughters. They keep me going pretty much all of the time. But I love listening to music and I'm really keyed into politics; I love to watch political shows when I can. Also, I like sports, particularly baseball.

Q: What is your all-time favorite moment on the show?
Prometheus

JC: My all-time favorite moment is when Ira Steven Behr and Hans Beimler came up to me when I was in my Brunt make-up and said, We really love what you're doing and we want you to come back in another role where you are more recognizable. Out of that came Weyoun. Talk about moments where the world turns!

Q: Did you prefer the Ferengi make-up, or the Vorta?
Jwg

JC: I prefer the Vorta, even though it took almost twice as long to put on and it looks simpler. It involved stages, and it involved — the kabuki-Frankie Avalon wig took some time to get right. The Ferengi make-up takes about an hour and fifteen minutes, even less if they really hustle. But the Vorta is around 2 1/2 hours.

Q: What was the most famous line you ever delivered?
Alex

JC: I had a scene with Avery [Brooks-"Sisko"], where I'm trying to convince him that, Two civilized people can come to some sort of understanding. None of us wants war. I really enjoyed that exchange. Also, some of the short one-liners, Weak eyes, good ears.

Q: Which character did you like best, Brunt or Weyoun?
Rob, TX

JC: Well, Weyoun, simply because it was undiscovered territory for me, and for everybody else. No one had any idea who these things were and how to play them. So it was up to me, and the writers to give me the words and the situations to fill it out. Whereas with the Ferengi, although really hard work, cutting through the jungle brush with machetes, had already been done by Armin and Max [Grodenchik-"Rom"] and others.

Q: What is your favorite DS9 character?
FH

JC: I always loved working with Rene [Auberjonois-"Odo"], and Armin. They were always collaborative, unselfish and always there. Avery was always interesting to work with.

Q: I heard a rumor that you will be in the next Star Trek feature film as either Brunt or Weyoun. Can you shed some light?
Derek

JC: That's a good and interesting rumor, but I haven't heard about it and neither has my agent.

Q: Do you like playing a character that everyone loves to hate?
Bec & Al

JC: My whole career has been based on those [types of characters] starting with [the film] "Reanimator." Playing a driven, focused, unrelenting scientist who lets nothing get in his way in pursuing his goal. I guess you could say the same thing about Weyoun and that we're fascinated by those guys. I think it's because they don't compromise, and you and me and everyone who's reading this, we compromise big and little every day of our lives. We fantasize about what it would be like to be in a position where we didn't have to do that and we get riveted by these characters who seem in control and are not easily flustered. It's fun to play people who are completely poised.

Q: Why are you such a savagely cool actor?
TF

JC: (laughing) Because I have such savagely cool fans!

Q: How did it come about that you were asked to play multiple characters on DS9?
Russell M.

JC: I had, on more than one occasion, auditioned for Star Trek: The Next Generation. But the tone of that show was different, and either they didn't get me or maybe I didn't get 'it.' With DS9, I seem to remember going in to read a couple of times. In fact, I went in to read for a Vorta and I did not get it. It was down between me and another actor (Dennis Christopher) and that was some two years before Weyoun came along. You know, things happen for a reason — If I had gotten that part, I could have easily gone in there and done it and that would have been it. But that didn't happen. I went in to bat a couple times and whiffed! The very first time I got on that show I auditioned for a part called Tiron, the episode was called "Meridian" and [episode director] Jonathan Frakes and I knew each other slightly. We had auditioned some years before, together for a movie, and we had some friends in common. He really appreciated my audition. I had my blinders on at the audition. Ira was there and I come to find out that Ira was a big fan of mine ever since "Re-Animator." For him, it was important for me to get on the show. I did that episode, and doing it I met up with Rene, who I had done theater with some years before. It turned out Rene was about ready to direct his first show, the Ferengi episode "Family Business," where Quark's mother is being pursued by the Ferengi version of the IRS, the FCA, because she's doing business and that's illegal. Anyway, Rene put my name up for the character of Brunt, and their initial reaction was, Well, he just did a show for us. And Rene said, "So." And Ira said, Yeah, you're right. And luckily, that's how I got to do Brunt and after three or four stints at that they opened this other door with a big 'W' on it and Weyoun quickly surpassed Brunt as a role for me on that show.

STARTREK.COM: Thanks for your time Jeff.

JC: Thank you. I just want to express to all my fans that I really appreciate them being out there and I hope to be in their face again soon.