Farscape: Character Bios: Chiana

CHIANA is played beautifully by Gigi Edgley

Chiana is the latest addition to the crew of Moya.  She is sexy, streetwise and an impetuous young thief.  In many instances she behaves like a petulant teen, but on other occasions she is invaluable in getting the other Moyans out of trouble.  She is a skilled burglar and can talk herself out of almost any situation.

She is from a planet called Nebari who’s society was bland and who’s subjects were mind-controlled (presumably to deter creativity and self-worth).  Chiana rebelled against the conformity of her fellow Nebari and fled to the Uncharted Territories’ darkest planets where she had to learn to survive on her wits.

He relationship with the rest of the Moya crew is always interesting, she is a great student of life and patiently listens as she gauges their temperament and mood.  She is very good at reading situations.

Initially she developed a close relationship with Crichton, she understands very well her sexuality and knows how to flirt.  But I think she just needed an ally.  Crichton became tired of Chiana’s teenage outbursts on a number of occasions and I guess Chiana is now looking for a new confidant.

Chiana had a brother that she was very close to.  He was called Mairy (poor sod).  We don’t know how he died (Chiana found out because of some sort of telepathic life-disk surgically implanted under her skin to report (through use of colour) her brothers well-being), but she was naturally very upset.

Her current favourite is D’Argo.  Yep, it surprised me too, but these two have developed a close friendship.  This was demonstrated in one of the episodes when Aeryn noticed Chiana washing some clothes (hers and D’Argo’s).  Aeryn arrogantly threw her clothes to China for cleaning and when Chiana refused, Aery asked, “You’re cleaning D’Argo’s, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, but I like D’Argo,” replied Chiana.

D’Argo has, on one occasion told her that he ‘cares’ for her, and she is flattered and intrigued by this.

Chiana and Aeryn don’t get on too well but I think Aeryn is a lot more tolerant of her that she would admit.  In the episode “Taking the Stone”  Aeryn advises John Crichton on how to treat Chiana after the loss of her brother. Crichton was a real twerp with Chiana in that episode and gradually Chiana’s attentions have moved towards D’Argo.

She has a perculiar relationship with the Royal slug too. Chiana once called Rygel a ‘turd-face’ this wasn’t just because of teenage angst. And yet, they seem to have a lot in common – bickering like old friends a lot of the time.

But they often work together and most of the time seem pretty friendly. There have been several occasions for instance, where they have embarked on expeditions of acquisition, sometime against the wishes of the other Moyans. Chiana and Rygel think a lot alike (ie. that you have to put yourself before everyone else, look out for #1 etc).

Yet while Chiana embraces this philosophy on an intellectual level, at times she puts other people’s interests ahead of her own (for example, when she accompanied John to the Gammak base at the end of Season 1). Rygel essentially has to be forced to consider other people’s rights but maybe Chiana has grown up a bit during the course of her time on Moya she is pretty young.

Chiana is a striking figure of a women, she has gray skin, an athletic figure augmented by painted boobs (?!?). I’m not quite sure if this is to make them look bigger or erm… different… but it sure is interesting.

GIGI EDGLEY

Gigi has trained in a number of workshops at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. And received a BA Drama at Queensland University of Technology Academy of the Arts in 1998.

She is a popular actress who has appeared in the Australian TV series Water Rats as the character Penny, she has also played Erica Watson in Day Of The Roses.
Her many theatre appearances include Kakos, Kill Everything You Love, The Rover, Boy’s Life, The Land Of The Real Girls, Romeo And Juliet, The Caged Birds, Blue People, Princess And The Pea for the Brisbane Arts Theatre, Road, Picnic At Hanging Rock for the Twelfth Night Theatre and Les Miserables for the Gold Coast Arts Theatre – all in Australia.

Discuss this character in the Farscape Discussion Forum

The character Biographies are ©2000 – 2019 Tony Fawl.
Corrections and additions ©2000 – 2019 Andrea Reed and not for reproduction without the authors express permission

The FARSCAPE names, characters and everything else associated with the series are the property of The Jim Henson Company, Hallmark Entertainment, Nine Network, and in association with The Sci-Fi Channel and the BBC.