Brent Spiner is willing to fly for his art.

While filming "Star Trek: Insurrection," the latest "Next Gen" big screen adventure, Spiner and his co-stars were whisked by helicopter into a remote mountain location. All things considered, Spiner would rather have been aboard the Titanic.

"I hate helicopters," he says during a phone call from his Los Angeles home. "I hate heights, period. And I always seem to wind up in high places in these movies."

Fortunately, he wore his seat belt. Oh, and he held tight to Donna Murphy, right?

"Indeed," Spiner says, surprised by the question. "Did Donna tell you that?"

Yep.

"Well, it's true," he admits. "That was just my way of getting Donna to hold my hand."

Spiner laughs, but shooting "Insurrection" was no stroll in the park.

"I had to walk into a lake until I disappeared," he says. "The lake was 40 degrees. I don't know if you've ever been in 40 degree water, but there's a tremendous difference between 40 degrees and 80 degrees.

"That was up in Mammoth, so it was basically snow melt-off. I earned my money."

No amount of money, however, can get Spiner to spill the beans about what Data's up to in "Insurrection." Here's what he has to offer:

"There's not a real Data story, per se," he explains. "It's not like there's an A-story and a B-story. I'm just part of the crew like everyone else."

Yeah, sure.

So here's a bit more: Data figures into the main storyline, as everyone's favorite android is tampered with, setting in motion Picard's (Patrick Stewart) decision to relinquish command and help the long-lived alien race, the Ba'ku, whose idyllic existence is threatened by both Federation turncoats and ruthless aliens called the Son'a. Data also befriends a young Ba'ku boy, Artim (Michael Welch), who teaches him to find his inner child.

Spiner more willingly chats about Jonathan Frakes, his friend and "Insurrection" director. Frakes, of course, helmed "First Contact" to critical acclaim and box office success in 1996.

"Jonathan brought a lot more knowledge and skill to this one," Spiner says. "Everything he learned on the last picture he brought to this.

"I found him to be a much more assured director. He was really in charge of the picture and of the shooting of it. There was less question on the part of the studio and the producers.

"Last time, they surrounded him with really good people to help him along. I don't think he needed anybody this time. He pretty much grabbed the ball and ran with it."

Between "First Contact" and "Insurrection," Spiner turned up in the film comedy "Out to Sea" and the Broadway revival of the musical, "1776." With "Insurrection" wrapped and ready for release on December 11, Spiner's already onto his next project.

"I'm doing `The Dorothy Dandridge Story' with Halle Berry," Spiner says, referring to an HBO movie about the talented but doomed actress that's due to air next year. "I play Earl Mills, who was her manager.

"It's sort of based on a book that Earl wrote. Earl pretty much goes through Dorothy's career with her and he's the guy who found her dead in her house.

"He was sort of her confidante and protector. He was pretty much in love with her and basically tried to protect her from the business."

Copyright 1998 Ian Spelling

Inside 'Trek' & Sci-Fi, 13/11/98

END OF INTERVIEW