Yeah, I'm not sure if BG has been screened over here yet. I don't watch that much TV.
Richard Hatch played Apollo in the original...
IMDB states:
As of early 2001, star Richard Hatch and executive producer Glen A. Larson are both engaged in competing projects to revive Battlestar Galactica, on both TV and the big screen.
It sounds petty to me to change a character because the original actor upstaged you - particularly when that actor was someone like Benedict.
From IMDB again:
The character 'Starbuck' was ranked #21 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (1 August 2004 issue).
Oh, and this is interesting... IMDB lists Richard Hatch as having a guest appearance
in the future:
"Battlestar Galactica" playing "Tom Zarek" in episode: "Colonial Day" (episode # 1.11)
18 March 2005