Sanctuary - The Province: Amanda Tapping Interview

Source: The Province [follow link for complete interview]



THE PROVINCE: Sci-fi actress funnels Sanctuary devotion into kids charity


By Glen Schaefer
May 7, 2013


Science fiction fans are known for being dedicated, and longtime sci-fi star Amanda Tapping has found a way to tap that dedication for charity.

A year and a half after her series Sanctuary ended production in Vancouver, its legacy is continuing worldwide in the fan-supported charity Sanctuary for Kids.

Tapping, who played the immortal head of a shelter for various monsters in the gothic-themed series, joined with Sanctuary creator Damian Kindler and social worker Jill Bodie in 2008 to form the international aid organization.

“The impetus, one of the main drivers behind it, was understanding that the fan base is so socially connected and socially aware,” Tapping says...



Sanctuary For Kids Facebook

Sanctuary For Kids Twitter

Sanctuary For Kids website

... To date, Sanctuary for Kids has raised more than $500,000, and Tapping travels to Britain and Germany later this year for fundraisers. Another online auction will happen this fall at sanctuaryforkids.org.

These days, Tapping has been juggling TV directing jobs on Arctic Air, Primeval: New World, and Continuum (she’s directing her first of that series this week), as well as acting work that includes a recurring role in the eighth season of TV’s Supernatural.

She plays an angel of dubious motives in that show for the U.S. CW network about two brothers (Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles) caught in a global battle between angels and demons. The role has helped her tap into another group of dedicated fans.

“There’s massive debate online as to whether Naomi (her character) is pure evil or whether she’s good,” says Tapping, adding she doesn’t know herself. “It’s nice to play someone people don’t like. After my first episode aired, I was on air for less than a minute, and there were We Hate Naomi clubs on the Internet.”

Supernatural castmates, including Misha Collins (the good angel), have helped spread the word about Sanctuary for Kids, she says.

“Our last year has been fantastic, due in large part to small fan-run initiatives as well,” she says. “The fans have taken up the mantle.”


Primeval: New World premieres in the US on Syfy on Saturday, June 8, 2013 at 10/9C.

Sanctuary - The Rush: Robin Dunne and Amanda Tapping Video Interview

Source: You Tube [from the The Rush livestream]



SANCTUARY - THE RUSH: ROBIN DUNNE AND AMANDA TAPPING VIDEO INTERVIEW

The Rush's Fiona Forbes and guest host Robin Dunne (Sanctuary, Space Milkshake) interview Amanda Tapping (Sanctuary, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Space Milkshake).

Amanda discusses directing an episode of Arctic Air, future convention appearances (Vancouver Fan Expo), directing an upcoming episode from Continuum's season season (episode 12), her recurring arc as Naomi the Angel in this season of Supernatural, and her charity, Sanctuary 4 Kids.

Amanda also advised she's just been cast in a new movie, Hell in a Handbag, directed by Martin Cummins, with Brian Markinson, Ian Tracey, Callum Keith Rennie and others.

Sanctuary - LA Talk Radio: Amanda Tapping & Adrian Paul Audio Interview

Source: LA Talk Radio



SANCTUARY - LA TALK RADIO: AMANDA TAPPING AND ADRIAN PAUL AUDIO INTERVIEW

Peace Fund Radio broadcast with Highlander's Adrian Paul and special guest, Sanctuary's Amanda Tapping.

Adrian's charity, “The Peace Fund”, founded in 1997, that has grown ever since to partner and fund several other underfunded children’s charities worldwide. The launch of Celebs4kids in 2012 as a fund raising arm of the charity has attracted notable celebrities to lend a hand to the children the Peace Fund supports. The idea was simple. A celebrity, from any field of interest, allows themselves to be photographed doing their own unique version of the peace sign. The photo is released on The Peace Fund website and fans can download that picture for a donation.

Amanda Tapping joins the audio at the 8:30 mark, to discuss Amanda's charity, Sanctuary For Kids, and current projects (working on Supernatural, etc.).



Sanctuary For Kids Facebook

Sanctuary For Kids Twitter

Sanctuary For Kids website

Amanda Tapping at Celebs4Kids


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Sanctuary - WE Vancouver: Tapping Into Grace

Source: WE Vancouver [follow link for complete interview]



WE VANCOUVER: TAPPING INTO GRACE

By Sabrina Furminger
January 23, 2013

... Currently, the fan-dubbed “Queen of Sci-Fi” is in the midst of a transition phase. [Amanda] Tapping’s most recent series, Sanctuary, had been her passion project. Sanctuary began on the web in 2007; the early webisodes were sold directly to viewers via the series’ website. “We were never afraid to say, ‘Let’s try it!’” says Tapping, who was one of its earliest investors. “And that kind of became our can-do attitude, like ‘It’s never been done before? Great! Let’s do it!’”

By 2008, Sanctuary had found a home on the SyFy network, and Tapping was both its star and one of its executive producers.

Despite its legions of diehard fans, Sanctuary was cancelled in 2012. For the first time in 15 years, Tapping isn’t a regular on a series. “It’s funny because I’ve always known what’s coming up, and now I don’t, and I’m sort of enjoying the not knowing, but also hating the not knowing,” she said. “I’ve really had to discover who Amanda Tapping is outside of being on a TV series.”

This discovery process has led Tapping right to the director’s chair. In 2012, Tapping directed several episodes of Primeval: New World, and an episode of CBC’s top-rated action-adventure drama, Arctic Air, scheduled to air later this spring. “When Arctic Air came along, I was at a bit of a crisis of confidence,” says Tapping. “When I finished Arctic Air, I could not have been happier. It restored a passion that I have for this industry, and it restored a huge amount of confidence that I felt I’d lost...”



One thing that keeps her level is her charity work. Tapping is one of the co-founders of Sanctuary for Kids. Its mandate: to improve the lives of children in crisis. Locally, the foundation works with Watari, which transitions homeless youth — including those with children of their own — into housing and new lives. The money comes from online fundraising, as well as the auctions and raffles that take place at GABIT, a convention for dedicated Amanda Tapping fans held annually in England.

“[Every] year I bawl like a baby because I can’t believe we’ve raised as much money as we have,” says Tapping. Since November 2009, Sanctuary for Kids has raised more than $455,000 for its charities...



Sanctuary For Kids Facebook

Sanctuary For Kids Twitter

Sanctuary For Kids website


Amanda Tapping is currently working on the Stargate SG-1 video game, Unleashed; has a recurring role as the Angel Naomi in Supernatural's eighth season; and has been directing episodes of Primeval: New World (premieres in Syfy on 2013, currently airing in Canada on Space Channel on Tuesdays at 10PM); and Canadian series Arctic Air (airs Wednesday at 9PM on CBS); and has co-starred in independent films Space Milkshake and Random Acts of Romance, release dates pending at this time.

Sanctuary - The Rush: Amanda Tapping & Dennys Ilic Video Interview

Source: The Rush You Tube channel



SANCTUARY - THE RUSH: AMANDA TAPPING AND PHOTOGRAPHER DENNYS IILIC VIDEO INTERVIEW

Amanda Tapping and her friend Dennys Ilic chat with Mike and Fiona (The Rush on Shaw TV - Canada) via Skype from a hotel lobby in Paris.



Sanctuary For Kids Facebook

Sanctuary For Kids Twitter

Sanctuary For Kids website

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf Charity

Order Dennys Illic's Amanda Tapping book here.

Amanda Tapping by Dennys Ilic is a limited edition, beautifully produced, large format, luxury volume containing never before seen photographs of Amanda Tapping as photographed by renowned international photographer Dennys Ilic.

Release Date: November, 2012

Sanctuary - The SciFi Show: Amanda Tapping Video Interview

Source: The SciFi Show You Tube channel



SANCTUARY - THE SCIFI SHOW: Amanda Tapping Video Interview

The SciFi Show

Amanda Tapping from Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Sanctuary is literally one of the nicest people on Earth.

Legions of fans who have met her will attest to this - she always seems to have a smile and some time for literally everyone. We had a chat to her about Sanctuary Season 4 (which is currently on air and doing rather nicely, thanks for asking) and Amanda hinted at some pretty darn groovy things happening in the finale.

The first time I met her in person (we'd Skyped and phone interviewed before) she shocked me with a big hug. After a while you realise - that's who she is, and yes, she is that nice.

We got the goods on Damian Kindler writing on the new Universal Soldier TV series (it won't affect Sanctuary - at this stage).

We also spoke to Amanda about the many charities that have become as much a part of Sanctuary as groundbreaking green screen technology: http://www.sanctuaryforkids.org/ is just one of many charities, all across the globe, that Amanda and many others look after.

It shows that Sci Fi people are good people, and that Canadian Sci Fi people are particularly nice. If you've ever wondered about this side of the Sanctuary experience, here's your chance to find out where reality has been affected, in a very real way, by fantasy.

Amanda Tapping - Sanctuary - INNERSpace Video: Star of the Week

Source: You Tube



SANCTUARY - INNERSPACE VIDEO: AMANDA TAPPING - STAR OF THE WEEK

Canada's Space Channel's entertainment series, INNERSpace, featured the Sanctuary season four second episode, 'Uprising,' and Amanda Tapping, as the Star of the Week, discussing her career from Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis to Sanctuary, and her charitable work with Sanctuary For Kids.

Sanctuary season four airs Friday at 10/9C on Syfy and in Canada on Space Channel.

Amanda Tapping - Sanctuary For Kids: Amanda Tapping Video Interview

Source: You Tube



SANCTUARY FOR KIDS: Amanda Tapping Video Interview

Amanda Tapping provides an update for the Sanctuary For Kids charitable activities.

Sanctuary For Kids Facebook
Sanctuary For Kids Twitter

Sanctuary - Three If By Space: Amanda Tapping Audio Interview

Source: Three If By Space



SANCTUARY - THREE IF BY SPACE: Amanda Tapping Audio Interview

by Robert Prentice
04 October 2011

Today we had the pleasure of talking with Amanda Tapping about the upcoming season premiere of Sanctuary, her Charity work [Sanctuary For Kids and Once Upon a Cure] and some behind the scenes information on how Sanctuary is shot.

Source: You Tube



Source: You Tube



Sanctuary season four premieres Friday, October 7, 2011 at 10/9C on Syfy (in Canada on Space Channel).

Sanctuary - She Knows: Amanda Tapping Video Interview

Source: She Knows [follow link for article]



SANCTUARY - SHE KNOWS: Amanda Tapping on Sanctuary

Backstage At San Diego Comic-Con

Amanda Tapping is one of the most beloved scifi stars in recent memory. Not only did she star on Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis on Syfy, she successfully managed to take Sanctuary from a web series to a Syfy show in its fourth season! In her spare time, she runs an amazing not-for-profit organization to help children in need. Not sure when she has time to sleep! I got to catch up with Tapping at last week's San Diego Comic-Con where we chatted about what's coming up in the new season. Check out our interviews below and the link to Sanctuary for Kids.

Sanctuary - Reading Eagle: Amanda Tapping merges Syfy stardom with charity program

Source: Reading Eagle [follow link for complete article]



SANCTUARY - READING EAGLE: Amanda Tapping merges Syfy stardom with charity program

By Ian Spelling
New York Times Syndicate
5/28/2011

"Sanctuary" is at once an epic disaster and a huge success story.

No one can attest to that more than Amanda Tapping, who stars on, co-executive produces and occasionally directs the show, which kicked off in 2007 as an eight-episode Web series and will close its third season as a Syfy Channel hit, with a fourth season currently in production...



... Tapping is on the telephone to discuss the final two episodes of Season 3, "Into the Blue" and "Out of the Black," which will air on June 10 and June 17, respectively.

"Once again 'Sanctuary' paints itself into what seems to be an impossible corner to get out of," Tapping said, laughing softly. "When we got the pickup for Season 4, we were like, 'Aha, how are we going to get out of this one?' At the end of Season 2, a tidal wave was heading toward Earth, and, at the end of Season 3, we have no idea where we are or what will happen.

"Our story line about Hollow Earth plays very big.

"There's a huge insurgence that happens, which the Sanctuary team has to deal with. The government has become more involved than we've ever wanted them to be, and Magnus finds herself in the most ridiculous and unexpected place.

"So the start of our fourth season has all been about, 'How do we quell this uprising, and how do we get Magnus back?' " Tapping said. "I think the only way you can creatively continue is to scare the crap out of yourself and try to do something that everyone says is impossible. That's how we've always rolled."

A unique byproduct of "Sanctuary" is something called Sanctuary for Kids. Spearheaded by Tapping, it's a not-for-profit organization that raises funds for children in crisis throughout the world. Since 2009 the sale of "Sanctuary" scripts, autographs, set visits, Skype chats and such has raised more than $250,000 for Sanctuary for Kids.

"I'm super-proud of this initiative," the actress said.

Sanctuary - TV, eh? : Amanda Tapping Audio Interview

Source: TV, eh? [follow link for complete article]



SANCTUARY - TV, eh? : Amanda Tapping Audio Interview

April 12, 2011 - Episode 38

Amanda Tapping of Sanctuary is our guest this week, talking with Diane about what’s coming up in the next half of season three (premiering April 15 on Space[Canada]) [and on Syfy in the US], season four now in production, and the charity Sanctuary for Kids...



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Sanctuary | Sanctuary For Kids - Next Generation Nepal: Amanda Tapping Interview

Source: Next Generation Nepal [follow link for complete interview]



SANCTUARY | SANCTUARY FOR KIDS - NEXT GENERATION NEPAL: Amanda Tapping: Sci-Fi Icon and NGN Supporter

By Larry Closs

As the mysterious Dr. Helen Magnus in the hit Syfy series “Sanctuary,” Amanda Tapping portrays a 158-year-old scientist who tracks Abnormals—humans and creatures with special powers—and offers safe haven in exchange for permission to study them. Immediately following up on her 12-year turn as the brilliant Air Force Colonel Samantha Carter in “Stargate SG-1” and various spinoffs, Tapping has achieved an unlikely double-play—creating two back-to-back iconic sci-fi characters. Add in memorable spots on “The X-Files,” “Millennium” and “The Outer Limits,” as well as producer and director credits, and it’s easy to see why Tapping is renowned as both the Queen of Sci-Fi and the Hardest Working Woman in Sci-Fi.

But Tapping works just as hard off the set as on, leveraging her fame to extend the compassion of Dr. Magnus to those in need in real-life. In 2009, she founded Sanctuary for Kids with “Sanctuary” creator and co-executive producer Damien Kindler and teacher and social worker Jill Bodie. Sanctuary for Kids, or S4K, is dedicated to helping children in crisis around the world, raising money through online auctions of “Sanctuary” props and set tours as well as personal appearances. S4K distributes funds to small nonprofits and charities, including Next Generation Nepal, in amounts that will have a significant impact.



In conversation, Tapping is thoughtful, gracious and very funny, best summed up in her own Twitter bio: “Mama, wife, actress, director, producer, activist and general goofball” who lives in “Vangroovy, B.C.” NGN caught up with her to discuss the inspiration for S4K, what sci-fi fans and humanitarians have in common, secrets of new "Sanctuary" episodes, the future of Magnus’s love life and the very special sci-fi guest star she’s hoping to land. New episodes of “Sanctuary” premiere April 15 at 10 p.m. ET on Syfy...



... Q: How did the idea for Sanctuary for Kids originate?

Amanda Tapping: "The financial crisis precipitated it. We read so many articles about small charities that were being completely obliterated and larger charities having to fight for donations because people just weren’t donating as much. So we decided to form an organization that spoke to the need of really small charities with low operating costs—where a small amount of money makes a huge amount of difference. We made that our mandate, and we focused on organizations that assist children because Jill and I are both moms and realize the importance of protecting this generation.

It took us about a year to set it up because we did a ton of research on how nonprofits set their goals and intentions. When we launched we had no idea how well it would work out for us. We hoped to raise $100,000 in donations the first year and we raised $170,000, thanks, in large part, to the generosity and social awareness of sci-fi fans. Our first donation went to Watari, a local Vancouver organization that helps homeless teens transition to independence by providing support, education and vocational training. And a hundred percent of our donation went exactly where it needed to go—on the ground—which, we discovered, rarely happens with donations to nonprofits due to the costs of running the organization."

Q: You were able to do that because you and your colleagues cover the administrative costs of S4K.

AT: "Yes. We cover all the administrative costs, legal fees and banking fees. So, if we raise a dollar, we’re able to give a dollar..."