Photo: ABC
When the original Battlestar Galactica series captivated my attention in the late 1970s, my friends were all kinds of hot for Athena and Cassiopeia, while my Dad lost interest in the show after Serena (the lovely Jane Seymour) was killed off. But for me, infatuation was found in the fleeting glimpses of Flight Corporal Rigel’s announcements; I absolutely adored her then, and can honestly say I still have a crush on her. She comes across as someone who not only inspires the likes of Princess Leia on hairstyles, but someone who would actually have something to talk about on a date. Also: no competition from that player, Starbuck.
The actress who played her, Sarah Rush, was interviewed last year on Galactica.TV.
Can you talk about your audition for Battlestar Galactica?
Since I was under contract, they called in all the girls, all the contract players. I came in and was very serious about my craft. I still am. It’s not brain surgery, but I feel passionate about it. Though I now have more fun in doing it than I did back then. When I was younger I was so very serious and committed. So I came in, I auditioned and there was Glen Larson and all these people and I had to say something like: “Red alert! Red Alert! 100 microns and closing, 99 microns and closing…”; something like that.
I sat in the middle on a chair with everybody around me and I used my fist as a microphone, said my lines and then looked at everybody. They all burst into laughter! I was so serious about it. We laughed and I got the job. It was wonderful and a blessing, even though my role was so small. I wished I could have been around more. You can imagine. I was just 22 years old and this show was so fantastic. I got to work with Terry Carter a lot and talked to him about acting. I don’t even know if he knows how important he was for me. He was so supportive. It was such a great cast and to me it was a blessing to be on the show.
Frakking adorable.
The Litter Box 
You’re not alone – Rigel was my crush as well. Never knew her name, just thought of her as the flight-control girl. But loved her nonetheless.
I love Rigel!
She was my most favorite character of the entire series and always thought they did’nt utilize her enough. My favorite episodes? the ones with Rigel, lol. I still have a crush after all these years and even after the new battlestar series came and went. Hey Sarah if you read this I’m still trying to get the hairstyle you designed on the show with the braids to work on my head and wear them proudly. Having trouble seeing the back and where the braids start and stop, lol. Sarah could have easily been in the new series! WE WANT TO SEE A COME BACK!!!
I couldn’t agree more. One of the reasons I watched every week as a kid (among the many reasons I watched) was hoping to see more of Rigel. She just had this calm, confident professionalism that I became enamored of. The whole ship could be falling apart around her and there’s be Rigel, “100 microns, 90 microns…” Fracking beautiful, indeed.
Princess Leia had her hair in Empire !!! 🙂
Rigel was such a sweetheart, and while she may not have had much to do, she did all with pluck and sweetness and an inner steel. Kudos to Sarah Rush!
I’ve been re-watching the series, and actually a readout showed Rigel’s rang to be Sergeant.
Rank, that is.
OMG YES!!!! Just her voice alone drove me “crazy”!