Ronald Greer (Stargate)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Greer is a fictional character
from the science fiction
television series Stargate Universe
, the third live-action series from the Stargate
franchise centering on a group of 80 soldiers and civilians trapped on the Ancient vessel Destiny. He is portrayed by Jamil Walker Smith
. Greer holds the rank of Master Sergeant and is described as "big, strong, silent".
after failing to get the scholarship he was seeking. He eventually is incorporated into the Stargate Program at the rank of Master Sergeant, serving at Icarus Base. He is shown to be quick to anger, which Rush assumes is the result of having come from a poor background. Before the base attack that led to the evacuation to Destiny, he was imprisoned and awaiting court martial for assaulting Colonel Telford in front of a staff meeting at Icarus base prior to the attack. Greer's commanding officer, Everett Young
, releases him after the base falls under attack, telling him to consider the charges against him dropped.
On board the Destiny, he works side-by-side with Matthew Scott
, who was put in charge after Colonel Young was injured, following the attack on Icarus Base. On the first mission to retrieve a needed mineral off-world, Nicholas Rush
reveals that Greer was not on his list for Icarus Base personnel.
animated series Hey Arnold!
. Prior to auditioning he was not a fan of the show; however, he did know about the Stargate
franchise.
In an interview with Sky 1
'Stargate-superfan' Nidai, Jamil stated that he went into the audition 'not wanting the part', on the belief that if he didn't want it, he would end up getting it, due to previous experiences. Jamil described his character as a 'hard nut' and a 'tough guy', but saying underneath his character was a teddy bear
. In interview for MGM's Stargate Universe Character biography's, Jamil mentioned that his character's personal traits are all things that he himself wants to develop in his own life: "...he is disciplined, he is willing to die for something bigger than himself, he understands the power of being part of a team and leaving his ego at the door."
criticized the character portrayed by Jamil Walker Smith: "perhaps the intention was to have Master Sergeant Ronald Greer come off as a rebellious yet courageous hothead" describing him as a "one-dimensional, obnoxious idiot". Brian J. Smith
(who portrays the character of Matthew Scott
) from the series called Jamil's Greer his favorite on the series; likewise, Jamil stated his favorite character was that of Scott. The character is compared to Eric Bana
's character "Hoot" in Black Hawk Down. Kevin Cole of Fused Film was very positive of Jamil's contribution to SGU: "He is a cowboy that will bring a lot of interesting development throughout the series. Walker really makes him work with casual smiles and little subtleties and nuances that this guy should have."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe
Stargate Universe is a Canadian-American military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient spaceship Destiny many billions of light years distant from the Milky Way...
, the third live-action series from the Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
franchise centering on a group of 80 soldiers and civilians trapped on the Ancient vessel Destiny. He is portrayed by Jamil Walker Smith
Jamil Walker Smith
Jamil Walker Smith is an American actor. His best known role is as the voice of Gerald, a fourth grader and Arnold's best friend in the Nickelodeon TV series Hey Arnold!. He also appeared on various shows like Sister, Sister, Girlfriends, Bones, The X-Files, and The Bernie Mac Show...
. Greer holds the rank of Master Sergeant and is described as "big, strong, silent".
Character arc
Greer is brought up by his loving mother Angela Greer and abusive father Reginald Greer. Greer's father deprived him of food, physically abused both Ronald and his wife and would lock him away in a cupboard, making Greer claustrophobic in later life. Ronald enlists in the United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
after failing to get the scholarship he was seeking. He eventually is incorporated into the Stargate Program at the rank of Master Sergeant, serving at Icarus Base. He is shown to be quick to anger, which Rush assumes is the result of having come from a poor background. Before the base attack that led to the evacuation to Destiny, he was imprisoned and awaiting court martial for assaulting Colonel Telford in front of a staff meeting at Icarus base prior to the attack. Greer's commanding officer, Everett Young
Everett Young
Colonel Everett Young is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer-Syfy television series Stargate Universe, a military science fiction serial drama about the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team unable to return to Earth after an evacuation to the...
, releases him after the base falls under attack, telling him to consider the charges against him dropped.
On board the Destiny, he works side-by-side with Matthew Scott
Matthew Scott (Stargate)
First Lieutenant Matthew Scott is a fictional character from the science fiction television series, Stargate Universe, the third live-action series in the Stargate franchise, which centers on a group of soldiers and civilians trapped on the Ancient vessel Destiny. He is portrayed by Brian J. Smith...
, who was put in charge after Colonel Young was injured, following the attack on Icarus Base. On the first mission to retrieve a needed mineral off-world, Nicholas Rush
Nicholas Rush
Dr. Nicholas Rush is a fictional character in the Canadian-American Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Syfy television series Stargate Universe, a military science fiction serial drama about the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team unable to return to Earth after an evacuation to the...
reveals that Greer was not on his list for Icarus Base personnel.
Conceptual history
In early casting documents, Greer was named Ron "Psycho" Stasiak. Before working on Stargate Universe, Jamil was best known for his vocal portrayal of Gerald in the NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
animated series Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold!
Hey Arnold! is an American animated television series created by Craig Bartlett for Nickelodeon. The show's premise focuses on a fourth grader named Arnold who lives with his grandparents. Episodes center on his experiences navigating big city life while dealing with the problems he and his friends...
. Prior to auditioning he was not a fan of the show; however, he did know about the Stargate
Stargate
Stargate is a adventure military science fiction franchise, initially conceived by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The first film in the franchise was simply titled Stargate. It was originally released on October 28, 1994, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Carolco, and became a hit, grossing nearly...
franchise.
In an interview with Sky 1
SKY 1
The Box is an entertainment channel in New Zealand available on SKY Network Television.The channel shows are a variety of the most recent shows such as from the United States, for example CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Simpsons, Family Guy, World Wrestling Entertainments hit shows, and...
'Stargate-superfan' Nidai, Jamil stated that he went into the audition 'not wanting the part', on the belief that if he didn't want it, he would end up getting it, due to previous experiences. Jamil described his character as a 'hard nut' and a 'tough guy', but saying underneath his character was a teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
. In interview for MGM's Stargate Universe Character biography's, Jamil mentioned that his character's personal traits are all things that he himself wants to develop in his own life: "...he is disciplined, he is willing to die for something bigger than himself, he understands the power of being part of a team and leaving his ego at the door."
Reception
Maureen Ryan of Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
criticized the character portrayed by Jamil Walker Smith: "perhaps the intention was to have Master Sergeant Ronald Greer come off as a rebellious yet courageous hothead" describing him as a "one-dimensional, obnoxious idiot". Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith
Brian J. Smith is an American actor who is known for his role as Trey in the 2006 independent film Hate Crime and as series regular Lt. Matthew Scott in the military science fiction television series, Stargate Universe....
(who portrays the character of Matthew Scott
Matthew Scott (Stargate)
First Lieutenant Matthew Scott is a fictional character from the science fiction television series, Stargate Universe, the third live-action series in the Stargate franchise, which centers on a group of soldiers and civilians trapped on the Ancient vessel Destiny. He is portrayed by Brian J. Smith...
) from the series called Jamil's Greer his favorite on the series; likewise, Jamil stated his favorite character was that of Scott. The character is compared to Eric Bana
Eric Bana
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper...
's character "Hoot" in Black Hawk Down. Kevin Cole of Fused Film was very positive of Jamil's contribution to SGU: "He is a cowboy that will bring a lot of interesting development throughout the series. Walker really makes him work with casual smiles and little subtleties and nuances that this guy should have."