Beau Bridges Had To Create General Landry's Backstory For Stargate SG-1

This post contains spoilers for "Stargate SG-1."

In the vast, fantastical world of "Stargate SG-1," few characters are as blunt and no-nonsense as General Hank Landry (Beau Bridges). The commander of the Stargate Command (after SG-1 leader Jack O' Neill was promoted to major general at the start of season 9), Landry took over matters after the SG-1 crew had officially disbanded. The Stargate Command has always been a well-oiled machine, with military officers like George S. Hammond (Don S. Davis) doing their utmost to deal with the wayward threats of intergalactic conflict and invasion. Landry continues this tradition in seasons 9 and 10 of the show, bringing with him a sense of humor that goes hand in hand with his penchant for yelling at his officers. Apart from the usual shenanigans involving the Stargate Command, Landry's arc pushes him towards a meaningful relationship with his estranged daughter, Carolyn (Lexa Doig), who happens to be the organization's Chief Medical Officer.

Although Landry appears steadily throughout the show's final two seasons, we still do not know a whole lot about him. His interactions with O' Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) paint him as an officer worthy of respect who understands that the Stargate Command does not require micromanagement. He is snarky and condescending at times, but Landry gradually comes to realize that every member of SG-1 is integral to the space missions that come with a unique set of challenges which only they can handle. However, much of what we do know about Landry and his disposition is thanks to Beau Bridges himself. Turns out, the "Stargate SG-1" crew worked closely with Bridges to create an extensive backstory for Landry, a chunk of which the actor based on his research on real-life military generals.

In a conversation with GateWorld, Bridges spoke at length about evolving Landry "through different kinds of situations" and creating a biography that would help ground his performance.

Per Bridges, the "Stargate SG-1" writers did not flesh out Landry beforehand, as the producers directly approached him for the role and asked him to collaborate in the task of filling in the blanks. This is interesting, as Landry's presence at first appears to be limited to everyday responsibilities like welcoming different races to maintain peace relations or fighting for the existence of the Stargate Command. However, Bridges imbues Landry with a dynamism that makes him feel like more than just another commanding officer, especially given the fact that Hammond's departure had left behind a gaping void. This is what Bridges had to say about the character backstory aspect:

"General Landry was particularly interesting for me because when I was hired for the job to play the character, he was basically just a blank page. There was nothing there. So, [writer and producer] Robert [C. Cooper] invited me to work on the character with him, to flesh him out, and we created a biography between the two of us [...] So he has a real backstory. And then the writers have filled it in with stuff that happens..."

Although Landry's backstory is not the explicit focus of the episodes he's in, we get slivers of his past, like how he used to be a captain during the Vietnam War and played a crucial role in rescue missions. These tiny details feed into the present, especially his dynamic with his daughter Carolyn, whom he wants to connect with after years of estrangement, but isn't the best at communication. Bridges went on to explain how he went about crafting these nuances while coming up with Landry's characterization:

"Well, when I was researching generals — which is what I did, and that helped me find the backstory for General Landry [...] And also I found that, as much as the whole challenge of command confronts them, they are people in the end and they have all kinds of human problems just like the rest of us. So I do like that, when Landry gets involved in that kind of personal stuff."

Although Landry isn't a standout character in "Stargate SG-1," he's more than serviceable as a military commander who is competent at what he does. After all, there are bigger, stranger things to focus on, including a horde of antagonistic System Lords like Anubis who want to obliterate Earth for good.