Firefly alum Sean Maher captivates at SC Comicon

At this past weekend’s SC Comicon, I attended the panel session with Sean Maher, Firefly and Serenity alum. I still watch the show and movie regularly, so I was excited to be so close to a former cast member. In fact, Jewel Staite was also supposed to make an appearance, but due to a scheduling conflict, she had to back out. The SC Comicon is hoping to get her back for next year’s event.

Funny and genuine, here’s how Maher captivated the entire room.

Firefly legacy  For his role in Firefly, he interviewed directly with creator Joss Whedon. “I got to hear the world of Firefly from the mouth of Joss Whedon. It was incredible.” Maher still refers to the cast of Firefly as the “crew.”

“Courage makes my junk pop.”  This gem is from Maher role in Con Man, a 2015 series created by fellow Firefly co-star, Alan Tudyk. The series might be the closest thing we get to a Firefly reunion with several other cast members making an appearance. But even without knowing that, just hearing Maher say this line, I was sold. I must find and binge watch this series as soon as possible.

Age of the geek  Though his background isn’t in science fiction, Maher has a fond appreciation for the genre. “It’s a platform where imagination is limitless.” Some of his favorite movies from his childhood include The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth (R.I.P. David Bowie) and E.T. But now, he says, “Aren’t we all Lord of the Rings geeks.” I know I am.

His acting process  For most of his roles, Maher says he researches whatever he can to make sure his characters are authentic. But with roles like Firefly, a lot of stuff is made up. At that point, he says, “I pretend I know what the hell I am doing and look really cool doing it.”

Maher’s fountain of youth  Eye cream and sunscreen. “I use a lot of eye cream.”

Do you think I’m sexy?  When Joss Whedon was working on a modern version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, he emailed Maher directly, saying he needs a sexy villain for this movie. Maher says he replied: “Joss, does this mean you think I’m sexy?” Then Whedon responds: “Of course I think you’re sexy. Stop fishing for compliments.”

His dream role  “I want to be a singing Disney prince.”

What’s next for Maher?  He currently lends his voice to the character Nightwing in the animated Batman movies and has several more in the works. Later this year, Maher stars in the movie ISRA 88, where he coincidently plays a doctor in space. Though this time, he’s a marine biologist.