“The first role I ever had was a kindergarten production of Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” says actor Teddy Kellogg with a grin. “Apparently, I had the best ‘HO HO HO!”
I believe him. After getting to know Kellogg over the past few months, I believe he’d be the best at any role he puts his mind to. Whether it’s the Gambler from Murdoch Mysteries to Adam from How to Buy a Baby to any one of the random nameless guys in every Canadian commercial produced in the last 10 years. You’ve seen him on TV, you just might not have realized it. But it’s his role as Lt. Duke in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds that has put him on the galactic map.
“My dad and I used to watch the original show and the Next Generation together,” says Kellogg, who admits he’s a long-time Trek fan. “It was one of the most fun and welcoming experiences I’ve had on set. I was lucky enough to work alongside iconic characters such as Pike, Spock and Uhura. To be a part of such a storied franchise, and to work with all the actors and do the stunts – it was a dream come true!”
Growing up in BC, Kellogg loved Saturday morning cartoons and adventure movies like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and Willow.
“I still love a good adventure movie,” says Kellogg. “They inspired me (and still do) but many other types of movies inspire me now as well. When I was 16, my first job was at an art house movie theatre. There, I saw movies like Trainspotting, Il Postino, Run Lola Run and a plethora of others. Those European films and other indie movies I found along the way inspired me and helped me believe that I could act movies and be part of the filmmaking world.”
Teddy is blessed with the gift of gab and is an experienced entertainer. He is also smart enough to know that talent alone doesn’t guarantee success in the capricious world of film/television, and he admits that he’s the first one in line for classes on the craft.
“I think everyone takes classes even if they are naturally talented,” he says. “From scene study, to audition classes, to voice, to the Second City Conservatory Program, I’ve done a lot! Classes help you stay sharp, hone your craft, meet new people, and discover new ways of doing things. Acting as a profession is something where I’m learning something new, discovering something else. It’s one of the reasons I love it so much.”
Kellogg ended up in Thunder Bay last year after his wife was accepted into Teachers’ College at Lakehead University, a result of changing careers during the pandemic. I asked him how the move so far away from the Toronto filmmaking scene impacts his work as an actor.
“In some ways, it doesn’t matter because 95% of auditions are virtual,” he says, “I’m auditioning from my living room no matter where I am. In some ways, it’s a bonus because there are certain roles that shoot in the north that have to go to northern actors because of tax purposes and therefore, I feel I have a bigger shot at those roles because there is a smaller pool of actors to compete with. And in some ways, it’s a negative because there aren’t the social events in Thunder Bay, like in Toronto, where you can meet filmmakers, writers, and other actors and potentially network.”
One of those northern jobs Kellogg was talking about, recently came into fruition but Teddy says it wasn’t quite like working on the big budget of Star Trek.
“Recently I acted on a smaller budget movie that filmed on Manitoulin Island. They didn’t have the budget to fly me, so they ended up bussing me down to Sault St Marie and then picking me up and driving me the rest of the way. That’s a 10.5 hour bus ride followed by a 4 hour car drive. After I finished shooting, we did that in reverse. The island was amazing, and the shoot was so much fun but those are some of the challenges of living in Thunder Bay.”
Teddy Kellogg is a natural raconteur. One of the more amusing tales he told me was regarding how he almost lost his role on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. After auditioning for the show, he flew to Thunder Bay two days later to begin his search for a home for his family. Upon landing, he was contacted by his agent, who told him he had the job on Star Trek and was told to report to wardrobe in Toronto by 9:00 pm that evening. It was during Covid, and flights were limited and unfortunately his agent said that if he couldn’t make it back that evening, he ran the risk of the role being recast. Quick on his feet, resourceful and determined to not lose a dream role, he managed to wrangle a flight back that same day, making it to the wardrobe department in the nick of time. The role of the well-loved but ill-fated Lt. Duke was his, and that exposure has opened doors.
“I’ve had some pretty big auditions since Lt. Duke got dragged down that hallway!”
Lt. Duke aka Teddy Kellogg recently attended Thunder Bay’s ThunderCon this September as a guest. It was his very first comic convention (a staple of all Star Trek actors!) and his engaging personality was a hit.
“I loved it! The fans were so nice, and everyone was welcoming…especially the Klingons!”
Kellogg spent most of his time talking to fans of Star Trek and scifi/fantasy in general. I asked him if he had advice for those interested in getting into the business.
“Take all the classes you can,” he says. “No matter where you are, there is local theatre; try out for that. Make films with friends. Be a part of the community. Have a conversation with yourself and make sure you want to do this and not because you think you’ll be rich and famous. Do you really love it? Because it can be hard! It can be awesome, but it can be really hard sometimes. And finally, be nice!”
For an actor who was the best Santa in kindergarten, ‘nice’ is an understatement. Teddy Kellogg is Out of this World!
