Stargate Command isn’t just a one-team operation. Over Stargate SG-1‘s 10-year run, two dozen teams explored the galaxy and helped to defend Earth from alien threats. And those teams gave us some of our favorite supporting characters.
One of them was Colonel Reynolds, the SG-3 team leader played by Eric Breker. Reynolds was first introduced when he was working at Area 51 back in Season Two, and by Season Five he was going through the gate — backing up SG-1, holding the gate under Goa’uld siege, and attempting to acquire alien technology.
We had a chance to sit down with Breker face-to-face at Gatecon: The Celebration in 2022, and we’re excited to finally bring you this conversation in full. The actor talks about his original casting back in SG-1‘s second season, returning to the role with a promotion to Stargate Command, and navigating the challenges of evolving film and television scene in Vancouver. He also reflects on working with Don S. Davis, keeping up his business as a contractor in between acting jobs, and how Stargate ended up representing community for so many people.
GateWorld’s interview with Eric Breker runs for about 24 minutes, and is transcribed in full below. Check out the video below, or if you prefer an audio-only version look for the player above — or subscribe to “GateWorld Interviews” wherever you get your podcasts.
GateWorld: Eric Breker, you played Colonel Reynolds on Stargate SG-1 – who I’ve got to say is one of my favorite recurring … what would you call it? Utility players. So I want to talk about your career on Stargate and other stuff that you’ve been doing as well. Is this your first convention?
Eric Breker: This is my first Gatecon. I’m a “Gatecon virgin.” It’s been fun so far. Saturday afternoon now, and people are very friendly. They talk about “family,” and people reuniting or meeting for the first time – like a woman and another man from Belgium, [from a] town of 30,000 people, and they met six years ago here in Vancouver. It’s only a town of 30,000 from Belgium, and they met here at this! It’s pretty incredible how this is making the world smaller for so many people. It’s awesome.
GW: Yeah, Stargate brings people together. And Gatecon is a great example of that, because it’s kind of a small, family event. Well, we’ve been doing a rewatch of SG-1 with our kids the last several months. So this is pretty fresh for me, but your first episode – correct me if I’m wrong – is “Touchstone” in Season Two.
EB: Sergeant Reynolds …
GW: You’re [a] Sergeant. And you welcome SG-1 when they show up at Area 51 to see what’s going on. And I’m pointing at the screen to my kids, saying, “Ooh, ooh, it’s Reynolds! He’s coming back!” What do you remember about your initial casting and getting connected with the production?
EB: It’s a great question. So I had auditioned a few times, and later I asked Robert Cooper, “Why me? How did that work” – because I went from Sergeant Reynolds to Major Reynolds to Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds to Colonel Reynolds, all in seven years of Stargate. And I asked him, “Why me? Why?” And he said, “You know, lots of people can play the jarhead – the typical military jarhead. But we wanted an intelligent officer.” And I took that as a great compliment. But then he also said, “And it doesn’t hurt that you play the piano” … which I don’t! So I think he may have had me confused. [Laughter] He said, “Oh, you’re a smart guy.” I’m like, “Mmm … I wonder who he was thinking about when he said it!”
So the first casting – you never know with a series. And back then, they were reusing people. So Vancouver actors would come through, and they’d reuse them. Like I was on X-Files and did multiple episodes as multiple characters over the course of that run. And so they were doing that now with Marvel [DC, actually -Ed.] Universe and those sorts of things. Once you’re in and done, you’re burnt. So I did an episode on Arrow and now I can’t do any other Marvel stuff that’s shot here. So you have to be more cautious with committing nowadays. Back then, throw your hat in the ring.
And I remember showing up on set and Tom McBeath, who is a friend of mine, played my boss [Colonel Maybourne]. And Tom had already done a few episodes at this point, and so he made me more comfortable. Tom’s a big – he’s a really important Vancouver theater actor, and one of the best of his age. He’s an outstanding actor. So already I’m kind of in awe. And then in comes MacGyver, and I’m like, “Shhh– … what is happening here?! This is so cool.” And so I tried not to bump into anybody. I try not to hurt anybody, and just say the lines and keep the heck out of the way. I was really nervous.
We were in some weird tent in a parking lot off the back of a lot somewhere, and they had set up – that was Area 51. I was fairly new to it, new to acting, new to film and TV at that point. So it was all like, Oh, it’s wonderful – get a free breakfast and try and just stay out of the way. And I think that’s been my success for a lot of it over the years!
But no, everybody was very gracious. And like you say, it was already Season Two, so it was a well-oiled machine. The crew was talking shorthand, the cast had their routine of who stays and who goes and who jumps, and the people that are running and the ADs. It was a tight-working group at that point already, so I was just happy to jump in. And then I thought, “Well, that’s it. I’m Sergeant Reynolds, and that’s the end of that. And that was fun.” And then a few years later, I got another call. I had to audition again …
GW: Yeah! So this is the question – I mean, we don’t go back to Area 51. This character doesn’t have to be Reynolds. It doesn’t have to be the same guy. But Reynolds ends up getting transferred to the S.G.C., and eventually he’s the team leader for SG-3.
EB: SG-3 leader, yeah.
GW: So how does that transition come about where it’s, “Hey, we’re going to use Eric again and it’s going to be Reynolds.”
EB: Well, like I say, I think Robert Cooper went, “Yeah, I think he can do this.” And it’s as simple as that – having him in my corner makes all the difference.
I have a story for you. So there’s a production that’s being shot here (I have to be careful with names) … there’s a production that’s being shot here, and the executive producer has all the heads of the departments, and they’re looking for a leading lady to play opposite the main character. And the executive producer has a stack of headshots, and he’s literally picking them up and turning them to the heads of all the departments – Hair and Makeup, grips, everybody who a head in the show (and they’ve been doing the show for a while). And he picks up a headshot, and people say, “Uh-huh,” and he puts it over there. And a very well known name, he picks the headshot up, and he holds it up, and the head of hair says, “Ehhhh.” And this executive producer goes, “Really?” And the head of Hair goes, “Yeah …” And he just goes [dropping sound] and then grabs the next headshot and picks it up.
So having somebody in your corner – but it’s got to kind of be everybody. You have to be nice to everybody, because it is –
GW: – and they trust their people.
EB: Well, exactly. And Robert Cooper doesn’t necessarily see me for 12 hours a day for the five days or 10 days or whatever I’m going to work on, but head of Hair does. The grip does. Those people know, oh, well, he’s good to spend time with, so let’s have him come along. It’s as simple as that – trying to get along and have some fun.
There’s an actor [they] had one day. Tony Amendola was in the episode, and they talk, and then he turns away from Tony Amendola [Bra’tac] and SG-1 walks up. And as he turns away – they rehearse, and he’s been dismissed. And so he turns and he walks stridently away from the camera. They rehearse it a couple times, and then they bring in SG-1, and SG-3 is behind (that’s why I got to witness this). And he turns on the first take and smacks right into Rick and knocks him down.
GW: No!
EB: Yeah. At the end of the scene he turns to me and says, “Things not to do: knock down the executive producer, star of the show, on your first day!”
GW: Yeah, “Well, it was very nice to meet you …”
EB: [Laughter] Yeah! “Sorry for your death!” But yeah. So be good to people. If you can get lucky enough to have somebody like Robert Cooper say, “Yeah, I think you can do this,” then great. But I did, I still had to audition for the Major. I auditioned for the Lieutenant or Lieutenant Major. I still had to go through and jump through – but I think it was an offer then for Colonel Reynolds. It was just a straight offer; I didn’t have to audition at that point because I had proven myself.
GW: It seems like by the time you’ve got the rank of Colonel and the SG-3 patch on your shoulder, you are the SG-3 guy.
EB: Right. Yeah.
GW: The show did this over the course of several years – there was the key “backup team.” There was Kawalsky leading SG-2 at the start of the show, and then there was Makepeace and SG-3. And then he gets arrested, and we’re always kind of looking for that next guy. And then when Reynolds becomes such a mainstay part of the show, he’s just there. And you’re in some key scenes and some key episodes through Season Seven and Eight and beyond. You’re in “Lost City,” which is my all time favorite episode. You’re in “Zero Hour” when SG-1 gets abducted. We think the whole episode they’ve been abducted, and they really just got lost.
You’re credited on 16 episodes of the show. What sticks out all these years later when you think about that experience and those stories?
EB: Seeing how easy they all made it look. You know, the characters were so firm and fast and the cast could pick up and look at their sides and toss them and they’d know exactly where they were headed with it. And they just made that look so effortless. But shooting automatic shotguns with Rick was very cool – standing in there, blasting away. That was it. That was a fun day.
GW: That was in the S.G.C. corridors?
EB: Yeah.
GW: I’m thinking maybe that you’re blasting Replicators [“Reckoning, Part 2”].
EB: That was the Replicators, yeah. And Don Davis – working with Don was a real pleasure. Beau Bridges, when he came on Beau was 20, 30 years older than I am. He was a veteran then already. But I walked by and he had a chair off set – close enough, but it was definitely off set. And it was in a darkened area, and it was a zero gravity chair. And it was like a hush zone, there was a quiet space. And as a day player, you know, I’m just coming in and, “Ah, hey! This is great fun! Let’s do it!” Lots of energy. But somebody like him, who’s done this a million times, he would go and he’d get in his chair and [snooze sound]. And everything would be … he would just hold that reserve, hold that energy back. And so you recognize the veteran mindset of it.
And I thought that was unique to him. But then I worked with Gillian Anderson on [the] X-Files movie. And we were set in this hospital, and I can see what I think is a mannequin in the bed. We’re setting up and Chris Carter calls for, “OK, let’s bring Gillian in” … and from this bed up Gillian rises, slips on her shoes, and gets off the bed! Same thing. It wasn’t a quiet place, but that veteran sort of, “I know I need to keep my energy.” And so that was a really good lesson for me to see. These are people who’ve done this a lot, who know when to bring it and know and when to just step back and find your quiet place.
But yeah, with memories … packing gear out of a sand dune one day. Like it was all hands on deck, and people just pitched in. And just lots of feeling welcomed in.
GW: Good. I had the great pleasure to meet Don Davis and interview him. He was a beautiful soul. Would you just say a little bit more about your relationship with Don?
EB: I’m a contractor carpenter as well, as was Don. When I first met him he was having trouble with his business partner, and he was trying to figure out the dance of full-time actor and full-time contractor. And I’d been down that same kind of road, and we talked about how to make this work. And he didn’t know how long this was going to run, and whether it was going to continue on, and whether I should keep the business going … until someone writes you a big enough check that you don’t have to have that going anymore.
I’m told that AC/DC, the rock band, kept their electrical union tickets in Australia until – one of the members actually still has it [and] still pays for his union membership. Because their dad said, “You never know when this could end.” [Laughter] So that he still writes that union membership check every year. Because you don’t. And I think Don was worried, how long is this gonna last?
GW: Yeah, you never know in this business.
EB: No, that’s exactly right. He’s a man who really enjoyed a good laugh, and he looked for the funny. He looked for the humor, and I always appreciated that about him. It was like fumbling lines and feeling nervous and all that stuff, and he just made it easy and made it more calm around that table when we were there.
GW: He really was the father figure on the set. He brought that presence.
EB: Yeah. He sure was. Yeah.
GW: You’ve done a lot of work in this town. Scrolling through your IMDb, you’ve been on just about every one of my favorite shows that shoots in Vancouver. What’s your experience been like working in this town, and especially getting to do so much sci-fi and fantasy?
EB: What’s the top show that’s done here? What would you say is your [favorite]?
GW: Well, for me, it’s going to be Stargate SG-1 …
EB: Right, OK, because here we are! But that’s cheating. So what’s something that’s filming now …
GW: Let’s see – you were in Andromeda Strain. You were in Arrow. You were in Primeval: New World, which was a Martin Wood joint. You were on The 100. We really loved The 100. X-Files, of course, Legends of Tomorrow, Man in the High Castle, Magicians – love The Magicians. That’s a special show.
EB: Yeah. Typically Vancouver actors, if you’re lucky you are hitting one out of 10 auditions. If you’re batting Hall of Fame numbers, if you have a 400 to 350 hitter, you’re working, working, working. But that’s kind of the jump. So nowadays with self tapes it’s not as restrictive. But back in the day I’d have three, four guys working for me, and I would go, “I’ll be right back …” And have to run off [to film]. And so I think I did myself a disservice in the film industry, but I kept a lot of clients in the construction. It’s a balance. It’s, how do you balance?
I know people who are out of the industry now, because there’s a lot of attrition. And it’s hard. In theater school they used to say you don’t outwork your fellow actor, you outlive them. And I think there’s a lot to that – that you just have to keep going, and have to keep plugging away, and try and find the joy in it, try and find the smile in it, and the excitement. I’m lucky I have a buddy who helps me tape, and he’s again one of these guys who loves to laugh and have fun with it. And so it’s a fun way to spend a half-hour putting something on tape. But … one out of 10, one out of 15, right? So it’s a lot of dedication with less reward.
I’m looking forward to doing some theater again in December and January. And that’ll be something that I’m gonna jump at next. But you’re hat-in-hand, and this is my song and dance. And do I fit that mold? I haven’t done many Hallmarks because I maybe look a little too psycho, mean, tough – whatever it is. But I haven’t. And they’re hiring all the time here in town. So yeah, it can be a tough slog.
GW: Like so many stories we hear from the actors at the convention, you try for two, three, four, five years … and then the right part comes along.
EB: You never know, yeah. It’s a blessing every time you get it. And there’s not a lot of interaction. You’re kind of a solo show as an actor, and there’s competition amongst your peers. You know – 50 year old white guys, I know them all in town. But we used to see each other and say hello, and be at least in the same audition space. And so you’d have a sense of, “Oh, no, guys are still out there. We’re still doing it, we’re still connecting.” So I really feel for the people who don’t have much else, who really Jones for that, who really need that. Because that’s got to be hard. I’ve got family and kids and lots of other things going on, so it’s not as … but I think it’s been very tough for a lot of folks who lack that sense of community.
GW: Well let’s wrap up with SG-1, because Reynolds and SG-3 – they’re the team that is always holding down the gate when SG-1 moves on. They’re the team that’s called in for backup. And so I always wonder, who is Reynolds? What is his inner monologue? What is he thinking about when he says, “Yes, Colonel, I’ll hold down the gate.”
EB: “Don’t screw up!” [Laughter] Well, it really is … because you never know what’s going to come through. You kind of have to be of that mind that we’re prepared for everything, but you have no idea what it could be. And so there’s a level of stoic pride in your job, and the fellowship of the Army as well. Something comes through that overruns us, they can take over … you know, if it’s a bug it can take over the world! And so trying to keep that gate, trying to keep that secure, is – it’s kind of a holy place.
GW: Do you go back and watch the show when they’re all done and they’ve got the VFX in there? Some of your finished episodes, like there’s a great shot of Reynolds and the team at the gate getting buzzed by an Al’kesh over their heads …
EB: Yeah, it’s funny because, you know, it’s a few years going by, and so you go, “Oh, yeah, I was young!”
GW: Yeah, “Who’s this kid on screen?”
EB: Exactly, exactly. I talked with somebody and asked, “Why Stargate?” And she has medical issues. And she said, “You know, Stargate offers hope – offers so much hope.” And the science that has developed, and the connection. Because it is … like the gate represents a community, literally a communal portal, where you can bring worlds together. And I think we’re all really striving, hoping, that that’s going to come back, and we’ll be able to come back.
Now, having said that, some bad stuff can come through! And so that’s where Reynolds came in – the military arm of the SG team. We weren’t scientists. We were guns-a-blazing!
GW: Fun playing soldier, too.
EB: It always was, yeah, always was.
GW: And when the phone rings and MGM is ready for the SG-3 spin-off? Are you picking up?
EB: You know, when Rick was leaving the show, at the wrap party I remember I was on my way out the door – my wife and I. And he took me aside and he said, “I don’t know if you know this, but I’m leaving the show.” I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t. I didn’t.” And he said, “You should have your agent call the producers.” “Okay? Sure, I will do that …”
But I always really respected that he literally tapped me on the shoulder and said, “This is a little forewarning, this is what’s happening.” It was very generous of him, just to say, “Be ready if they call.” But, yeah … if you call, MGM –
GW: You’re ready to go!
EB: I’m ready to go, yeah. Fit and fighting form.
A special thanks to Eric for sharing his time with us, and to the Gatecon team for hosting!