Editing Morris Chapdelaine

{{Cast Data
| image= Morris Chapdelaine.jpg
| character= Reporter #2
| series= RDM
| born_month= 06
| born_day= 01
| born_year= 1970
| death_month= 
| death_day= 
| death_year= 
| nationality= CA
| imdb= 0152113
| sortkey= Chapdelaine, Morris
}}
'''Morris Chapdelaine''' is a Canadian actor, puppeteer, and producer who plays Reporter #2 in the ''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' episode "[[Litmus]]." Born on June 1, 1970, he is based in [[w:Vancouver|Vancouver]], British Columbia, and has worked across acting, puppeteering, and production in the Vancouver film and television industry.

== Career ==

Chapdelaine studied drama arts at the [[w:University of Alberta|University of Alberta]] and subsequently trained in producing through the Creative Producers Intensive program at the [[w:Canadian Film Centre|Canadian Film Centre]].<ref group="external" name="biggaymovies_chapdelaine_bio">{{cite web|url=https://biggaymovies.com/about/#:~:text=graduate%20of%20the%20BFA%20program|title=About BGM|publisher=Big Gay Movies|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He described his entry into puppetry as having come through voice work and theatre workshops undertaken during his training, and noted that after arriving in Vancouver he sought out apprenticeships with established media puppeteers working in the city's genre film community as a route into the science fiction and horror productions that were shooting there continuously.<ref group="commentary" name="avpgalaxy_chapdelaine_interview_2007_howgotinto">{{cite web|url=https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/morris-chapdelaine/#:~:text=Through%20voice%20work%E2%80%A6that%20and%20some%20workshops|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview (Puppeteer on AvP Requiem)|author=Corporal Hicks|publisher=AvPGalaxy|date=5 January 2007|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He accumulated credits as both a performer and a puppeteer across a range of genre productions, including ''[[w:Andromeda (TV series)|Andromeda]]'' and ''[[w:Smallville|Smallville]]''.<ref group="commentary" name="avpgalaxy_chapdelaine_interview_2007_credits">{{cite web|url=https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/morris-chapdelaine/#:~:text=suit%20and%20prosthetic%20work%20in%20shows%20like%20Stargate%20SG1%20and%20Andromeda|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview (Puppeteer on AvP Requiem)|author=Corporal Hicks|publisher=AvPGalaxy|date=5 January 2007|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He also produced one of the earliest Canadian web series, the 2001 production ''West of Denman'', which subsequently aired nationally on OutTV.<ref group="external" name="aboutme_chapdelaine_westofdenman">{{cite web|url=https://about.me/morris.chapdelaine#:~:text=one%20of%20the%20first%20ever%20web-series%2C%202001%27s%20West%20of%20Denman|title=Morris Chapdelaine|publisher=about.me|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

His appearance as Reporter #2 in the first-season ''Battlestar Galactica'' episode "Litmus" (2004) came during the early period of his Vancouver career, when he was simultaneously active as the lead Asgard puppeteer on the co-located ''[[w:Stargate SG-1|Stargate SG-1]]'' production. Around the same time, he appeared in front of the camera on ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''[[w:Stargate: Atlantis|Stargate: Atlantis]]'' in several on-screen alien roles. On ''Stargate SG-1'', he portrayed the recurring Lucian Alliance alien Tenat in three episodes: "Prometheus Unbound" (Season 8, 2005), "The Ties That Bind" (Season 9, 2005), and "Company of Thieves" (Season 10, 2006).<ref group="external" name="imdb_sg1_prometheusubnd_fullcredits">{{cite web|url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0709201/fullcredits/#:~:text=Morris%20Chapdelaine|title="Stargate SG-1" The Ties That Bind (TV Episode 2005) – Full cast & crew|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref><ref group="external" name="imdb_sg1_companyofthieves_fullcredits">{{cite web|url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0788800/fullcredits/#:~:text=Morris%20Chapdelaine|title="Stargate SG-1" Company of Thieves (TV Episode 2006) – Full cast & crew|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He also appeared on ''Stargate SG-1'' as an Ori Prior in "Arthur's Mantle" (Season 9, 2006) and in the direct-to-video film ''[[w:Stargate: The Ark of Truth|Stargate: The Ark of Truth]]'' (2008),<ref group="external" name="tvmaze_chapdelaine_prior_credits">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29516/morris-chapdelaine#:~:text=Arthur%27s%20Mantle|title=Morris Chapdelaine|publisher=TVmaze|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> and on ''[[w:Stargate: Atlantis|Stargate: Atlantis]]'' as a Newborn Wraith in "Spoils of War" (Season 4, 2008).<ref group="external" name="tvmaze_chapdelaine_wraith_sga">{{cite web|url=https://www.tvmaze.com/people/29516/morris-chapdelaine#:~:text=Newborn%20Wraith|title=Morris Chapdelaine|publisher=TVmaze|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

=== Puppetry work ===
[[File:Morris Chapdelaine with Asgard Puppet.jpg|left|thumb|Chapdelaine with the Asgard puppet on the set of the ''Stargate'' franchise.]]
Chapdelaine began working on ''Stargate SG-1'' in Season Five, initially as an apprentice to the existing make-up artists and puppeteers. He learned the animatronics work during that apprenticeship and in Season Six took over as lead puppeteer, hiring the team, running pre-production meetings, and taking responsibility for all the Asgard characters across both productions — work he estimated spanned approximately 25 to 26 episodes in total.<ref group="commentary" name="gateworld_read_chapdelaine_2009_tenure">{{cite web|url=https://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/09/pulling-strings/#:~:text=I%20started%20in%20Season%20Five|title=Pulling Strings (Interview with Morris Chapdelaine)|author=Read, David|publisher=GateWorld|date=September 2009|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> As lead puppeteer, he operated the mouth and jaw of the Asgard puppet figures and delivered the characters' lines on set opposite the principal cast during production, giving actors something to respond to; the final dubbed voice was supplied in post-production by other performers — [[w:Michael Shanks|Michael Shanks]] voiced Thor, for example.<ref group="commentary" name="gateworld_gw2024_michael_shanks_thor_voice">{{cite web|url=https://www.gateworld.net/news/2024/05/how-stargate-puppeteer-team-made-asgard-magic/#:~:text=Michael%20Shanks%20voiced%20Thor|title=How Stargate's Puppeteer Team Made Asgard Magic|publisher=GateWorld|date=May 2024|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He was part of a team of four to five operators covering the eyes, brows, head, arms, and body, and was given rehearsal days to develop distinct physical characteristics for each character.<ref group="commentary" name="scifiworld_chapdelaine_interview_puppetry">{{cite web|url=https://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/morris_chapdelaine_01.htm#:~:text=team%20of%20four%20people%20working|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview – Asgard puppeteer Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis|author=Nuytens, Gilles|publisher=The Scifi World|date=24 July 2005|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> His background as a voice-over artist made the on-set dialogue work a natural extension of his acting practice.<ref group="commentary" name="scifiworld_chapdelaine_interview_voiceover">{{cite web|url=https://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/morris_chapdelaine_01.htm#:~:text=busy%20voice%20over%20artist|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview – Asgard puppeteer Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis|author=Nuytens, Gilles|publisher=The Scifi World|date=24 July 2005|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

His introduction to the Asgard work came through special effects make-up artist and fellow puppeteer Todd Masters, with whom he had worked on earlier productions.<ref group="commentary" name="scifiworld_chapdelaine_interview_toddmasters">{{cite web|url=https://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/morris_chapdelaine_01.htm#:~:text=special%20effects%20make-up%20artist%20and%20fellow%20puppeteer%20Todd%20Masters|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview – Asgard puppeteer Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis|author=Nuytens, Gilles|publisher=The Scifi World|date=24 July 2005|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> His core puppeteer team included Geoff Redknap, Paul Hooson, and Jeny Cassady.<ref group="commentary" name="gateworld_gw2024_team_named">{{cite web|url=https://www.gateworld.net/news/2024/05/how-stargate-puppeteer-team-made-asgard-magic/#:~:text=Geoff%20Redknap%2C%20Paul%20Hooson%2C%20Morris%20Chapdelaine%2C%20Jeny%20Cassady|title=How Stargate's Puppeteer Team Made Asgard Magic|publisher=GateWorld|date=May 2024|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> Characters he performed as lead puppeteer included Thor, Loki, Kvasir, and Hermiod across ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''Stargate: Atlantis''.<ref group="commentary" name="gateworld_read_chapdelaine_2009_characters">{{cite web|url=https://www.gateworld.net/news/2009/09/pulling-strings/#:~:text=it%20started%20with%20Thor%2C%20but%2C%20as%20you%20know%2C%20there%20was%20Loki%20and%20Hermiod|title=Pulling Strings (Interview with Morris Chapdelaine)|author=Read, David|publisher=GateWorld|date=September 2009|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> On ''Stargate: Atlantis'', he was the lead puppeteer for Hermiod, a technician stationed aboard the Daedalus, describing the character as a younger and more assertive variant of Thor with less patience for human contact.<ref group="commentary" name="scifiworld_chapdelaine_interview_hermiod">{{cite web|url=https://www.thescifiworld.net/interviews/morris_chapdelaine_01.htm#:~:text=younger%2C%20edgier%20clone%20of%20Thor|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview – Asgard puppeteer Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis|author=Nuytens, Gilles|publisher=The Scifi World|date=24 July 2005|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> The team's familiarity with the puppet eventually extended to improvisation in scenes alongside series regulars including [[w:Amanda Tapping|Amanda Tapping]] and [[w:Richard Dean Anderson|Richard Dean Anderson]], which Chapdelaine attributed to the group's shared theatrical backgrounds and the extended time they had spent working with the puppet.<ref group="commentary" name="gateworld_gw2024_improv_tapping_rda">{{cite web|url=https://www.gateworld.net/news/2024/05/how-stargate-puppeteer-team-made-asgard-magic/#:~:text=comfortable%20working%20with%20each%20other%20that%20we%20would%20end%20up%20improving|title=How Stargate's Puppeteer Team Made Asgard Magic|publisher=GateWorld|date=May 2024|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He also worked in a crew capacity as prosthetic animatronic operator on multiple ''Stargate SG-1'' episodes, including "200" and "Camelot".<ref group="external" name="imdb_sg1_200_animatronic">{{cite web|url=https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0784558/fullcredits/#:~:text=prosthetic%20animatronic%20operator|title="Stargate SG-1" 200 (TV Episode 2006) – Full cast & crew|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

On ''[[w:Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem|Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem]]'' (2007), Chapdelaine was part of the puppeteer team working under [[w:Amalgamated Dynamics|Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.]] (ADI), using hand, rod, cable, hydraulic, and animatronic techniques across multiple creature types. He and the other Canadian puppeteers on the production had prior working experience with ADI from projects including ''[[w:Scary Movie 3|Scary Movie 3]]'' and ''[[w:The Santa Clause 2|The Santa Clause]]'', which gave them early familiarity with ADI's builds and puppet controls before rehearsals began on the film.<ref group="commentary" name="avpgalaxy_chapdelaine_interview_2007_adi">{{cite web|url=https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/morris-chapdelaine/#:~:text=work%20with%20ADI%20before%20on%20projects%20like%20%27Scary%20Movie%203%27|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview (Puppeteer on AvP Requiem)|author=Corporal Hicks|publisher=AvPGalaxy|date=5 January 2007|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He described the hydraulic puppet as the standout assignment on the production, noting it was new territory for the franchise and required approximately seven to eight operators working simultaneously to bring it to life.<ref group="commentary" name="avpgalaxy_chapdelaine_interview_2007_hydraulic">{{cite web|url=https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/morris-chapdelaine/#:~:text=approximately%207%20to%208%20of%20us%20working%20to%20bring%20it%20to%20life|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview (Puppeteer on AvP Requiem)|author=Corporal Hicks|publisher=AvPGalaxy|date=5 January 2007|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He contrasted the work on ''AVP: Requiem'' with his ''Stargate'' experience, observing that the Asgard puppets were characterized by intelligence and dialogue rather than the physical aggression required of the ''AVP'' creatures.<ref group="commentary" name="avpgalaxy_chapdelaine_interview_2007_contrast">{{cite web|url=https://www.avpgalaxy.net/website/interviews/morris-chapdelaine/#:~:text=alien%20puppets%20on%20Stargate%20%28the%20Asgards%29%20are%20incredibly%20intelligent%20but%20don%27t%20quite%20possess%20the%20physical%20prowess|title=Morris Chapdelaine Interview (Puppeteer on AvP Requiem)|author=Corporal Hicks|publisher=AvPGalaxy|date=5 January 2007|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

Chapdelaine contributed puppetry or creature-performance work on several further productions: ''[[w:Slither (film)|Slither]]'' (2006), ''[[w:The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 film)|The Day the Earth Stood Still]]'' (2008), ''[[w:Falling Skies|Falling Skies]]'' (2012–2015), and ''[[w:Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow|Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow]]'' (2015).<ref group="external" name="imdb_chapdelaine_biography_overview">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0152113/bio/#:~:text=Aliens%20vs.%20Predator%3A%20Requiem|title=Morris Chapdelaine – Biography|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> In television, he appeared as Delbrook / Shapeshifter Embryo in the ''[[w:Fringe (TV series)|Fringe]]'' episode "The Man from the Other Side" (Season 2, 2010)<ref group="external" name="imdb_fringe_manfromotherside_fullcredits">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1595401/fullcredits/#:~:text=Morris%20Chapdelaine|title="Fringe" The Man from the Other Side (TV Episode 2010) – Full cast & crew|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> and as Morgue Worker #2 in "Alone in the World" (Season 4, 2011).<ref group="external" name="imdb_fringe_aloneworld_fullcredits">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1998676/fullcredits/#:~:text=Morris%20Chapdelaine|title="Fringe" Alone in the World (TV Episode 2011) – Full cast & crew|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

=== Producing career ===

Chapdelaine transitioned into television and film production during the mid-2000s, working across both documentary and scripted genres. In 2009, he co-founded the production company Big Gay Movie with filmmaker Bob Christie while producing their first feature documentary, ''Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride''.<ref group="external" name="biggaymovies_founding_beyondgay">{{cite web|url=https://biggaymovies.com/about/#:~:text=founded%20Big%20Gay%20Movie%20in%202009|title=About BGM|publisher=Big Gay Movies|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> The film screened at over sixty festivals and won multiple best documentary awards at LGBTQ+ film festivals internationally, and was broadcast on Super Channel in Canada and [[w:Showtime (TV channel)|Showtime]] in the United States, as well as Sky Italy and Globosat Brasil.<ref group="external" name="biggaymovies_beyondgay_festivals">{{cite web|url=https://biggaymovies.com/beyond-gay/#:~:text=sixty%20film%20festivals%20and%20Pride%20events|title=Beyond Gay|publisher=Big Gay Movies|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

He subsequently produced scripted television for [[w:Nomadic Pictures|Nomadic Pictures]], serving as a producer on the [[w:Syfy|Syfy]]/Netflix horror series ''[[w:Van Helsing (TV series)|Van Helsing]]'' across all five seasons (2016–2021).<ref group="external" name="seat42f_vanhelsing_s5_chapdelaine">{{cite web|url=https://seat42f.com/van-helsing-returns-to-production-for-fifth-final-season/#:~:text=Morris%20Chapdelaine%20and%20Chris%20Rudolph|title=VAN HELSING Returns To Production For Fifth & Final Season|publisher=Seat42F|date=21 July 2020|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> He also served as producer or associate producer on the Netflix series ''[[w:Wu Assassins|Wu Assassins]]'' (2019), ''[[w:The Order (TV series)|The Order]]'' (2019–2020), ''[[w:The I-Land|The I-Land]]'' (2019), and ''[[w:The Imperfects|The Imperfects]]'' (2022).<ref group="external" name="biggaymovies_chapdelaine_netflix_credits">{{cite web|url=https://biggaymovies.com/about/#:~:text=The%20Order%2C%202%20seasons%2C%20Wu%20Assassins%2C%20and%20The%20I-Land|title=About BGM|publisher=Big Gay Movies|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

In 2021, Big Gay Movie partnered with Border2Border Entertainment on the documentary feature ''Pat Rocco Dared'', which Chapdelaine co-directed and co-produced with Bob Christie. The film had its world premiere at the [[w:Whistler Film Festival|Whistler Film Festival]] in December 2021 and subsequently screened at Frameline46 in San Francisco and Inside Out Toronto.<ref group="external" name="whistler_patroccodared_premiere">{{cite web|url=https://watch.whistlerfilmfestival.com/wff21/play/617a3ce384deb6003022d7d0#:~:text=World%20Premiere|title=PAT ROCCO DARED|publisher=Whistler Film Festival|date=December 2021|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref><ref group="external" name="thenewswire_patrocco_premiere_announcement">{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewswire.com/press-releases/1LaPFl80Z-pat-rocco-dared-feature-doc-makes-its-world-premiere-at-the-whistler-film-festival-thursday-december-2nd.html#:~:text=Directed%20and%20Produced%20by%20Big%20Gay%20Movies%27%20Bob%20Christie%20and%20Morris%20Chapdelaine|title="Pat Rocco Dared" Feature Doc Makes Its World Premiere at The Whistler Film Festival Thursday, December 2nd|publisher=TheNewswire|date=November 2021|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref> The documentary chronicles the life and work of LGBTQ+ filmmaker and activist [[w:Pat Rocco|Pat Rocco]] through an interview with filmmaker Charlie David, tracing Rocco's career from his erotic films of the late 1960s through his involvement in early LGBTQ+ liberation activism.<ref group="external" name="border2border_patrocco_synopsis">{{cite web|url=https://www.border2border.ca/post/pat-rocco-dared-the-man-who-put-the-first-gay-kiss-on-the-big-screen#:~:text=chronicles%20LGBTQ%2B%20filmmaker|title=Pat Rocco Dared – the man who put the first gay kiss on the big screen|publisher=Border2Border Entertainment|date=November 2021|accessdate=24 May 2026}}</ref>

== References ==

=== Commentary and Interviews ===
{{reflist|group=commentary}}

=== External Sources ===
{{reflist|group=external}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:Cast]]
[[Category:Cast (RDM)]]
[[Category:Former Stargate Cast and Crew]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[de:Morris Chapdelaine]]