Whenever the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast members visit us at Dragon Con, it is guaranteed to be a good time. Friday at 5:30PM in the Hilton Salon was no exception. Welcoming Celia Rose Gooding, Melanie Scrofano, Jess Bush, and Anson Mount, moderator Brian Richardson quickly opened up the floor to questions from the entirely full ballroom.
Many of the questions focused on the “genre switching” that is prevalent in the current season of the show. Gooding noted that they have really enjoyed the challenge of it and that there are still some really big swings coming later this season. Bush added that she has had a different response to each script as they have come in.
Two episodes that had the most focus during the Q&A were “Level-Five Transporter Accident” (aka, the puppet episode) and “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass” (aka, the soap opera episode that aired on Thursday). One question regarding the puppet episode, where each major character except for Spock was played by Muppets created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, was about creating the voices for their puppet-selves. Bush talked about the process of creating that episode since the actors themselves weren’t on set during the filming of most of it (aside from Ethan Peck as Spock). She said that the writers had them record their lines remotely so that the puppeteers could get a sense of how they said their lines. Then they performed their interpretations of those characters. Finally, each actor went in and recorded their lines to the filmed versions, making the whole thing several different layers of performances.
Of the soap opera episode, Mount said that it was “really tasty” to dig into that genre and a real joy to get to work with soap opera legend Deidre Hall. He noted that they had a blast, but the challenge was to take that and make it real. Gooding also noted that, as someone with a theater background, “Any reason to get to be a little campier than usual, I am game.” They also wanted to make sure all of us knew to stay for the end credits of that episode, assuring us we would not be disappointed.
The cast also took some time to explore their experiences making “Human Best Friend,” or the shore leave episode (think The Hangover). Bush noted that they had so much fun with it on and off set with Gooding adding that it was so much fun to be free to do improv. “It was my mission to piss Melissa [Navia, who plays Erica Ortegas] off.” It was apparently difficult to get through some of the takes, but especially because the smog that was part of Gooding’s principal party scene kept setting off the fire alarms. When Scrofano was asked what she thought her character’s inebriated activity would be on the pleasure planet, she answered that for Batel “a 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzle” would be involved.
Interestingly, Gooding and Mount both chose the pleasure planet as the place they would want to live if they found themselves in the Star Trek universe. The question from the audience also asked what species they would want to be. Gooding said they would like to be a Tribble on that planet because, “You know how excited you are to see a dog at a party? That’s what I want.”
Mount responded that he likes being a human, so he’d be a human on that planet in some kind of chill out room having deep conversations with his tattoo artists. Richardson followed up by asking whether the horse tattoo featured in the episode was one of Mount’s own. He replied that it wasn’t, and that actually tattoos are protected under copyright. Even if your character is tattooed, your own body art needs to be covered up and new art applied unless the images are licensed from the artist. He went on to note that the tattoos on Pike’s face were a phonetic representation of Klingon that an enterprising fan realized translated into “Hair today, Gorn tomorrow,” which was Mount’s idea to do.
The conversation eventually turned to what each person’s relationship with Star Trek was before being cast. Bush and Gooding and not been much into it, but Gooding noted that you’re pretty much aware of Trek no matter who you are. Even if you don’t know what it means, you recognize the Vulcan salute as being part of the show when you see it. Bush also commented that her own fandom has grown steadily and she is now a big fan of Trek and what it gives to the world. “It seems like it’s going to be part of our lives forever.”
For Mount, Trek was something that he grew up watching in syndication. He missed a lot because when shows like Deep Space Nine and Voyager were on, he was in college and graduate school and “couldn’t afford a TV.” He was able to pick it back up with the movies.
The most moving story came from Scrofano who said that her father and step-father were both big fans, but they lived in different houses and hated each other. She would think that if they could just sit down and talk about Star Trek, they would be the best of friends. They never did, but when she put on the uniform for the first time as Captain Marie Batel, she knew they would both think it was so cool.
The cast was kind enough to take a few minutes after the panel to speak with the Daily Dragon about what it means to them to be part of the legacy of 60 years of Star Trek.
Melanie Scrofano: I’ve been very lucky to be part of two shows that are very special to people and have great fans and supportive fans. I think being part of the Trek legacy, I love that even though my character is not there, she’s always there because she was weaved into the legacy. I feel like a part of me stays with it, which is the most special thing.
Anson Mount: I think that if you’re on a successful TV show, you become a part of TV history. If you’re on any Trek show, you’re a part of American history.
Jess Bush (JB): So well put.
Celia Rose Gooding (CRG): Best little sound bites!
JB: Trek for me was my first big job, my first major gig…
CRG: Same, same.
JB: What a gift to be landed in such a nurturing, positive, accepting, crew, cast, fandom. It’s just felt like this beautiful, cushiony, like… I don’t even know. I feel like the last five years has been such, for me, such a beautiful window into how good people can be and has really given such a good foundation for my hope for people and for humanity and for life. Which I am so grateful for, moving into the next part of my career. I feel like I’ve grown so much as a person in the last five years because of the universe I’ve been able to be a part of.
There was a general agreement with that sentiment. We are certainly just as grateful for them and are happy to continue to welcome them to Dragon Con for many years to come.
