Exclusive Previews of Battlestar Galactica and The Dresden Files; Meet NYCC Special Guests Tricia Helfer, James Callis and Paul Blackthorne and Audition for Season 2 of Who Wants to be a Superhero?

Norwalk, CT, February 9, 2007: The SCI FI Channel will be bringing top talent to New York Comic Con. The convention will be welcoming special guests Tricia Helfer and James Callis, stars of Battlestar Galactica, who will be appearing on a panel entitled SCI FI Presents: Battlestar Galactica at 11:00am Saturday, February 24. This will be immediately followed by a press conference with the two stars at 12 noon in Room 1E17. In addition, SCI FI will sponsor SCI FI Friday Night at the convention center on February 23 from 8-10pm, screening exclusive sneak peek episodes of Battlestar Galactica and its new series, The Dresden Files - two days before they air on SCI FI. Paul Blackthorne, star of The Dresden Files, will introduce the screening.

SCI FI will also hold open auditions for new contestants to compete on the second season of the Channel's hit series Who Wants to be a Superhero? starring Stan Lee. Auditioning superheroes should be prepared to prove their mettle - revealing the true nature of their superhuman abilities and invoking the noble credos by which they live. Finalists will move into a secret lair and compete for the opportunity to become a real-life Superhero! Are you a super soccer mom? A life-transforming teacher? A hometown hero? Or just an average Joe with larger-than-life dreams? Potential heroes from all walks of life are encouraged to attend in costume to have their auditions taped on-site. Applicants must 18 or older. Auditions will be held be held in room 1C04 on Friday, February 23 from 4PM to 6pm and on Saturday, February 24 from 1pm to 4pm. Log onto www.whowantstobeasuperhero.com for entry requirements and the latest casting updates and details.

New York Comic Con will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City, February 23 - 25. SCI FI's original series The Dresden Files and Battlestar Galactica air Sundays at 9pm and 10pm, respectively.

TRICIA HELFER was born in Alberta, Canada, where she was raised on the family grain farm. She fell into modeling in high school when an agent discovered her in the line up of the local movie theater and sent her to New York. There she won the "Ford Supermodel of the World Contest" and began her career working for magazines such as Elle, Vogue and Cosmopolitan.

While modeling, Helfer also worked as a correspondent, reporting for Canada's Ooh La La Fashion Television where she realized a passion for acting during an on-camera class. This prompted her move to Los Angeles in 2002 where she quickly landed the role of 'Sarah,' in the two-hour premiere of the Showtime series, Jeremiah. Helfer kicked off 2003 by starring in SCI FI's Battlestar Galactica miniseries, in which she originated her role as humanoid Cylon "Number Six." In 2004, Helfer reprised her role as Number Six in the first season of Battlestar Galactica.

2005 was busy for Helfer as she was involved in many film projects. She capped the year off by winning a Leo Award (Canada's equivalent to an Emmy) for her work on the second season of the critically-acclaimed series Battlestar Galactica. The series, which received a Peabody Award in 2006, was named as one of the best programs on television by TV Guide, , Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Newsweek, Time Magazine, and the list goes on and on. The series was also honored for two consecutive years by the AFI, who declared Battlestar Galactica to be one of Television's 10 Most Outstanding Programs.

In early 2006, Helfer filmed the lead role of "Ally" in the independent feature The Genius Club and then headed into new territory, hosting and producing Canada's Next Top Model.

London-born JAMES CALLIS studied English and Related Literature at the University of York. After graduating in 1993, he gained a place at the renowned London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts. He graduated from LAMDA in 1996 and has since appeared in various West End stage productions, as well as in film and on TV and radio.

Callis made his West End debut in Old Wicked Songs alongside Bob Hoskins in 1996, earning the London Critics Circle's Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer. He has gone on to make several notable stage appearances. He broke into television in 1996 with a guest role on the British series Murder Most Horrid and with a recurring role in the ensemble of the long-running U.K. drama Soldier Soldier.

Callis has appeared in a number of telefilms and miniseries, including The Scarlet Pimpernel (1999) and Jason and the Argonauts (2000). He played Bridget's pal Tom in the hit movie Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) and its sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). He co-wrote and co-directed the film Beginner's Luck (2001), in which he starred opposite Julie Delpy. He was Menelaus in USA Network's miniseries Helen of Troy, and he has recently completed shooting in India for the feature film One Night With the King, with Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole. Callis plays the role of Gaius Baltar in Battlestar Galactica.

PAUL BLACKTHORNE, who plays Harry Dresden in The Dresden Files, is best known to television audiences as Stephen Saunders in season three of 24. He has also appeared in a number of critically-acclaimed television and film projects. He was a series lead on Presidio Med, alongside Dana Delaney and Blythe Danner and made guest appearances on Monk, Medium, ER, Deadwood, and the hit British series Holby City.

Blackthorne can currently be seen in the film Special opposite Michael Rappaport. In 2001, he starred as Captain Andrew Russell in the Academy Award-nominated film Lagaan: Once Upon A Time in India.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS: New York Comic Con is operated by Reed Exhibitions which is the world's leading events organizer. In 2006 Reed brought together over six million industry professions from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held in 34 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 37 fully staffed offices.

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