An Interview With Enterprise Star
Dominic Keating
This
article was first published in Autumn 2005
Dominic Keating relaxing with
his Union Jack newspaper. Photo by LA Hale
By Marakay Rogers
IT NEVER rains in Southern California, but the state
has its advantages as well, including all the snack food one might
want. So says actor Dominic Keating, who has lived primarily in the
Los Angeles area for the past decade. Keating, remembered as
"Tony" from the popular Channel Four programme Desmond’s,
is now a star of the current Star Trek franchise, Enterprise,
which airs on Sky as well as on UPN in the United States, where it
has begun its third series. The actor spoke about Desmond’s
and his work in America after a charity event in Monrovia,
California.
Despite his current popularity as armoury officer
Malcolm Reed on Enterprise, Keating fondly remembers his days
on Desmond’s. "We were pretty hard-hitting at the
time. You hadn’t seen a show with a Black cast being portrayed in
a very realistic light. Up until Desmond’s the Black
community in London had been marginalised. It really was a great
place to cut my teeth." He recalls with particular enthusiasm
working with the late Norman Beaton. "He was an extraordinary
figure, Norman. I learned so much standing next to him for
five-and-a-half years. He was a very colourful character. He lived
life, truly, to the hilt and beyond. God bless you, mate."
STAGE
Keating began his career on stage, originating the
role of Cosmo in The Pitchfork Disney. However, he has done
only one stage play in the United States, Adam Faith’s revival of Alfie.
He recalls cheerily, "I taught Adam to roller-blade while he
was over here." Keating looks forward to more theatrical work,
but aims once again for the London stage. "I’ve been in some
talks with an old colleague of mine... making steps to bring a
couple of cast members from Enterprise over one hiatus. I
think Connor (Trinneer) and a couple of the others would want to
come over and live in London for six weeks."
Although he spends far more time in Los Angeles than
at his London flat, Keating has never quite adjusted to California
weather, which he does not find perfect. "I like the sun, but I
don’t perform well in heat." Unlike many who have
transplanted themselves to California, he misses the rain back home
– but not soccer; he doesn’t follow team sports, although he
recently attended a Manchester United exhibition match against Club
America.
ADVICE
Keating’s advice for English actors planning to
try making a go of it in Hollywood: don’t. "If you ride in on
the back of something America has taken to heart, like Lord of
the Rings or Four Weddings and a Funeral, it’s still
not a plus. I wouldn’t come again as an unknown." He counsels
an aspiring actor not to try running the Hollywood gauntlet
"unless he really wanted to live in Southern California."
And what does Southern California have to recommend
itself to an English actor? The first experience with the American
delicacy called a "corn dog" may be startling, but once
survived, there is "one thing you can say about Southern
California – good munchie food."
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