Star Trek Host: Welcome to today's STARTREK.COM chat with Anthony Montgomery.

Anthony Montgomery: Hello, hello, you're getting the biggest, happiest birthday greetings my heart can muster, thank you and welcome!

Question: What is your favorite episode in the second season?
galaxyclass

AM: Oh, without question, hands down it was "Horizon." It was because you got to see some of Ensign Travis' past history, even if it was only a piece of it.

Q: What can we look forward to in Season 3 of Enterprise?
multitronic

AM: Ah, wow! There's not a lot that they've already told us other than the fact that our show is going to be a lot edgier, which is ridiculous, because we've been pretty edgy as it is. You'll see Travis get to showcase himself more, within the structure of writing for his episodes. You'll see more confidence in Travis.

Q: What was the most difficult episode for you, as an actor, to perform?
bennycraze2k2

AM: Again, probably "Horizon" because it was my first big one of the season, dealing with those human emotions. It's always hard, as an actor, to go to an ugly place to continue to test myself. And more than test myself, to push myself.

Q: Happy birthday Anthony! Do you have any special plans for today (apart from chatting to us of course!)?
designationlocutus

AM: Thank you! Apart from chatting with you? This is the day that God made me, and introduced me to the world, so I'm going wherever the day takes me and allow myself to do whatever it is that my heart allows me to do. It's my day, right? And I don't get into trouble, so all the things I'm talking about are good.

Q: How old were you when you first saw a Star Trek episode?
lian_drake

AM: I don't know ... I have no idea. I was a kid; I don't know when that was. No clue. Regardless of the age, it affected me and stayed with me for years.

Q:What is your favorite Star Trek movie?
bennycraze2k2

AM: My favorite Star Trek movie would be "First Contact," because ours takes up not long after "First Contact." I own every Star Trek movie there is, I even own "Trekkies," and that scared the heck out of me, I won't lie. But the fans are great, I love them! I'm not as scared now as I was when I first watched it.

Q: Anthony, how do you relax when you actually find the time?
sevenspock

AM: I like to go to movies and a lot of times by myself, in the middle of the night, or I listen to music. I've got hundreds and hundreds of CDs now. When I'm not running myself ragged, I try to get my time, whatever that is. If it's going down to the ocean and listening to the water, whatever it is, just taking in the wonders of God's creation. In case the fans haven't been to the Midwest, where I'm from, we don't have large bodies of water or oceans!

Q: If Travis could have a pet on board the Enterprise, what do you suppose he would choose?
cassiopia

AM: I think Travis loves pets, loves animals and when he was hanging out with one of his special friends from Draylax, and got a bird/dog pet. Travis is one of those guys who take whatever it is to the extreme. Remember that one where I was rappelling in the caves ("The Breach"), he does everything to the extreme. That's my second favorite episode. I loved rappelling, I learned how. It was great.

Q: What was your first impression of Scott Bakula?
bennycraze2k2

AM: Just meeting him, I think he's got one of the biggest hearts of anyone I've met in the industry. To be as seasoned as he is, he is also just incredibly giving, as an actor and as a human being. That was literally my first impression.

Q: Do you like Porthos and will he be in Season 3?
voyageralltheway

AM: (laughing) Porthos is great! Fans and non-fans, they love him! I'm sure, I don't see why he won't be back. He's the pet! There was an episode last season where we thought we'd have to bury Porthos — our version of Six Feet Under. No, Porthos is great, he'll be around.

StarTrekHost: Anthony will be appearing onstage in Leroi Jones' "Dutchman" at the Elephant Theater in Los Angeles. The play runs June 5 through June 28. For more information, please check out www.anthonymontgomery.com.

Q: Besides performing in "Dutchman", what other plans do you have for your summer hiatus?
cassiopia

AM: Well, actually, my producing "Dutchman" and acting in it is going to take me right up until we come back for Season 3. My entire hiatus is being spent as a working hiatus. Outside of "Dutchman," I'm, gong to be in the lab, I'm doing a standup comedy show, July 18. I want to get onstage again. Anyone who doesn't know the piece "Dutchman," it's a very intense play by Leroi Jones, a very intense piece. It's going to make the audience very uncomfortable. You'll hear things come out Anthony's mouth as Clay which you would never hear come out of Travis' mouth. And because the piece ("Dutchman") is as heavy as it is, and my love of doing standup comedy, I figured let's go ahead and offset the weight of that and just have fun doing a standup comedy show. Stay tuned, we may do this [chat] again around the time of the standup show, there will be info on STARTREK.COM and my site.

StarTrekHost: "Dutchman" runs June 5 ? 28 (except June 26). For tickets, call 323-962-5613.

Q: When did you first know you wanted to be an actor?
full

AM: When I started college. I don't want to be an actor, I am an actor. I wanted the opportunity to act — I realized that in college. My first year in college, I was approached by the director of an original play, he told me I had a great look, asked if I was an actor. I said no. He said, "I'm auditioning for a play, do you want to audition?" I had no idea what an audition was. He told me to grab a piece of paper and read the lines however they made me feel. It was as simple as that. I said ok, auditioned and got the part. The first thing I ever auditioned for I booked and I've never looked back.

Q: Travis goes to the "sweet spot" of the Enterprise when he wishes to be alone. Is there a 'sweet spot' in your life that you go to when you wish to be alone?
designationlocutus

AM: I go home and turn off all my phones and lock the door and stay by myself, that's my sweet spot. We used to play tag; you were safe when you at home base, even if it's a tree, and my safety is home base.

Q: Can you tell us how those scenes of you in the "sweet spot" are shot, especially how they make you appear to float? Your character is one of the most interesting on the show!
Tom0

AM: No,. I'm not going to tell that, that gives away some of the secrets! No way! I will tell you it's through the magic of television, that's all I'm going to say.

Q: Why did you want to do Leroi Jones' "Dutchman"? What is it about?
yogisyl

AM: It was written in the '50s, performed in the '60s. It's a one act play with two people, one African-American named Clay — I play Clay — one Caucasian American named Lula, played by an exceptionally talented actress named Deborah Dir. In a nutshell, Clay is minding his own business on a train, Lula engages him, excites him, propels him, ignites him. Keep in mind this is during a time when the world was in an even greater state of civil unrest, a time when blacks were not supposed to be conversational with whites unless they needed to be. All the tension that was of that time, there's excitement, there will be some laughs but it's not a comedy. It's very intense. The reason why I'm doing this is because my director, Cedric, wanted me to play Clay with him as the director, and I wanted to produce a piece. This is the first thing I've produced in my life. And I love the theatre, I got my training in the theatre and that's where my heart lies.

Q: My name is Guido and I am an Italian Star Trek fan. I have not seen Enterprise, but I have read about it in the Star Trek magazine and probably we should begin to see your series in the beginning of July. I hope I'll able to see it, because, even if I have seen you only on the Internet and in magazines, you became one of my favorite actors.
Guido

AM: Hey Guido, what's up buddy! Thank you very much!

Q: Anthony I've got your action figure. Do you like it and would you like to see more of them?
sharpe

AM: (laughs) Yes, I love the action figures, a lot of fun to have a six-inch version of myself! Sure, I'd love to have more. I want whatever trappings, perks, whatever goes with this job, I want them all! Even if that's escaping LA for my birthday to enjoy however I want! I hope that makes sense! If not for this wonderful franchise, I wouldn't be having the great birthday I am!

Q: Hey Anthony! If you could change one thing about Travis, what would it be and why?
LiLMaQuiSViXin

AM: The simplest answer for that is Travis is growing, so I don't change anything about him, I just continue as the actor to guide his growth and to see him mature. I don't change anything, nothing at all; whatever it is that we do, brings us to the present.

Q: Mr. Montgomery I have noticed you have a superior build to all the other men on the show. How much do you bench and how often do you workout to stay in shape?
Denver V.

AM: (laughing) I actually, maxed at probably ... 240 once. My old roommate used to bench 400 tried to get me to do 250 once. I don't bench a lot, I do repetitions. I like to stay toned. I work out every day. I do take one day off, a week, but I'm an athletic person. I'm always doing something athletic: basketball, martial arts, all kinds of things. In entertainment, in TV, film, it's better to be aesthetically pleasing by staying in shape, unless you're a character actor. I'm not; I'm a leading man so I have to stay in shape.

Q: Any chance of seeing any of your martial arts skills in any upcoming fight scenes? I'm sure that fans of the show would like to see Ensign Mayweather rowdy when the time comes."
Philip G.

AM: I say the exact same thing to the writers and producers. I want to see Travis mix it up. I don't want him to start fights, but what you want to see, so do I.

Q: Since you enjoyed rappelling for the show, have you now taken that up as a full-fledged hobby?
cassiopia

AM: No, just don't have the time. But I used to, because of a kids show I did, I've rappelled before. I always loved it, I've done it before.

Q: What are you reading right now?
multitronic

AM: A chronology of African-American history, timelines, research for my play. Up until Thursday and through the run of my play, I will be focused on that. When I start getting focused on something, I'm a Gemini, so my focus is pretty solely on it!

Q: Who is your favorite author?
Scott S.

AM: There's so many incredible ones. A book that really affected me at a time when I needed it was called "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It's about a shepherd who is on a journey to discover his purpose in life. It tells how the universe conspires to help you when we are on that journey ourselves to discover our own personal legend. That is ultimately what we're all here to do, we all have to discover our own personal legend, and the universe will help you to get there.

StarTrekHost: "The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream" by Paulo Coelho is available at Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062502182/startrekcom-20

Q: Hey Anthony. What's it like to work with a babe like Jolene Blalock?
wearetheborg3

AM: It's great to work with a babe like Jolene, she's cute and all, but I don't think of her like a babe like all of you. I think of her like my sister. She's cute, but she's "Jo" to us.

Q: Do you plan on attending any conventions in Australia?
Corinne

AM: I actually was supposed to be coming to one this summer but it fell though. I would like to, depending on what's going on with the industry, professional conflicts, if I'm not shooting something I'd like next summer to go travel and see places and conventions, definitely in Australia. I hear your country is so beautiful, I want to go!

Q: Do you have a role model and if so, who is it?
jarodbadgerwilkes

AM: Everybody that does something positive, starting with my mom, because of the work she put in to raise us; my grandfather, everyone knows who he is ?

StarTrekHost: (Anthony's grandfather is the legendary late jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery)

AM:: ? and the hard work that he had to put in to get himself to the place where he was before he passed away; my grandmother, the rock of our family. Profesionally, I would love my career to go along the lines of Sidney Poitier.

Q: What's been your best moment so far working on Enterprise?
Jeremy A.

AM: I'm not one of those folks that points out my best, I'm not really good at picking out my best, I go in and believe my best moment is when I'm giving everything I have, every time I'm on set.

Q: Apart from acting in Star Trek, do you have any aspirations to get behind the camera either directing episodes or writing?
David W.

AM: Yes, both. I wanted to get myself set as the actor first, working with Travis. I began taking directing classes and had to step back because I was so busy, but I'm going back. And writing is hard! As long as I don't have to sit at home and do it by myself, I can do it, but it's hard.

Q: Do you play any instruments?
multitronic

AM: I am working on the guitar, not even close to being as good as my grandfather! I sing, I dance, I have a keyboard, took piano lessons when I was younger — not about to do a concert — but I'm learning.

Q: I have read that you have done quite some charities. Do you have any planned this summer?
alpha1_gamma

AM: I know we're setting some things up with STAAFF, Stop the Abuse Against Families Foundations. I'm going to, as long as work doesn't conflict. I'm going to a basketball tournament with Joe Torre's Giving Back the Love Foundation in St. Louis and that is to help mentoring inner-city kids to help them want to do more. I think it's the weekend of July 12.

Q: Could you answer today's STARTREK.COM trivia question about Travis?
sharpe

StarTrekHost: Today's Trivia Question is: What dessert does Travis Mayweather prefer in Nutri-pak form over the real thing?

AM: Aw c'mon, Strawberry shortcake, next question, come on, you gotta give me a harder question than that!

Q: Would you write a Travis Mayweather book?
sharpe

AM: Yes, sure, why not? As long as I got the license from Paramount, sure, I might.

Q: Do you consider Enterprise as a turning point in your career?
jarodbadgerwilkes

AM: Yes.

Q: Can you give us a sample of your standup routine?
cassiopia

AM: (laughs) Nope, if you want to come to the show ? My show is not political; I'm not Bill Maher, Dennis Miller. I just go up and I have fun, that's all. I don't have a lot of profanity in the show, very little in fact, because my mother has been to every show I did in Indiana. I wanted my family to be proud of me, including my Grandmother. It's fun!

StarTrekHost: Thanks, Anthony, for joining us today! And Happy Birthday!!!

Thanks for spending time with us! Happy Birthday! cassiopia

Oh Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to you! Thank you for bringing such a great character to Star Trek! trumpet

Have a VERY happy birthday, Anthony! multitronic

Enterprise rules! jarodbadgerwilkes

Happy birthday and thank you:) sevenspock

Best of luck in the Expanse! multitronic

AM: You are all very welcome and I thank you for spending the time with me and I look forward to seeing whoever can make it out to the play. I can't wait to start Season 3 and bring you more excitement. Let's just continue to do what we do, we're blessed; let's live our lives like it!

Come back again, please. We really enjoy your chats. lwaxana

Anthony Montgomery: Thanks everyone! I will keep my head down and my phaser aimed!