It is with a heavy heart that I must report that Babylon 5 actor Michael O'Hare has passed away, aged 60. On the series, he played the role of the Station's first CO, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair. O'Hare left the series after its first series after he and the writers felt that his character had been written into a corner. He continued to guest star until the middle of the third series, where his character reached the end of the arc originally intended for Jeffrey Sinclair.
Not a lot of people out there view Babylon 5 as a good piece of Science Fiction, but I am not one of them. I feel that, in many ways, it paved the way for a lot of things to come. For example, it is one of the first series to employ CGI instead of miniatures for its space scenes which, while they look dated now, were revolutionary in the day. It was also one of the first serial series. Events that happened in the very first episode were referenced and had repercussions even to the final episode. Everything was planned out well in advance. Characters were written in such a way that if the actors or actresses chose to leave, it would have a minimal impact on the overall story.
I'm afraid that, as usual, I don't know a great deal about Michael O'Hare's career outside of Babylon 5. It was my one and only exposure to him as an actor, but if it was any indication, he was a damn good one. Jeffrey Sinclair could be a firm and hard when he needed to be, but there was still a gentleness about him. There was a great mystery about the character, one which would remain unresolved until his final appearance.
Michael O'Hare suffered a heart attacked on the 23rd of September 2012 and lapsed into a coma. He died yesterday. Once again, I feel that another Babylon 5 star has left us too soon. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.
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| Rest in Peace, Michael O'Hare |
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