Star Trek makes you believe in a better future worth fighting for: Christina Chong

CHENNAI: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the sci-fi web series which first released in 2022, has perhaps beautifully amalgamated nostalgia with bold reinvention, and its cast is no exception. As the hit JioHotstar series, distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, has recently released its third season, actors Martin Quinn (Montgomery Scott), Jess Bush (Nurse Christine Chapel) and Christina Chong (La’An Noonien-Singh), are carving their own paths while honouring Star Trek’s rich legacy.

Making Scotty ‘really’ Scottish

When Star Trek: Strange New Worlds introduced its new Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in the season 2 finale, fans were thrilled, but Martin was rather terrified. Taking on the iconic role originated by James Doohan in the original Star Trek franchise is no small task, but Martin is making it his own.

“It’s terrifying. James Doohan did a great job, and everyone’s loved him for years. Trying to follow that is pretty hard going. The cast department really wanted me to veer away from Doohan’s performance. It’s freeing to bring myself to it instead of doing an impression.”

One key difference? Quinn’s Scotty hails from Paisley, Scotland, not Aberdeen, as Doohan once suggested. “I’m trying to shoehorn Paisley in as much as I can,” he quips.

“Jonathan Lee, our production designer, and I talked about what Scotty’s room would look like. I was like, ‘Can we get a St. Mirren football strip in there?’ I don’t know if it’ll ever happen but it would be so cool.”

He wasn’t necessarily a fan of Star Trek before joining the show. “Part of it was that I knew Scotty was played by a guy with a Scottish accent. Sometimes, when you see that on TV, you’re like, ‘What about us?’” Now, he’s fully embraced the franchise’s optimistic vision. “The messages in the show are amazing. This future where Earth is united, socialist, caring is a lovely idea.”

With season 3, Quinn has explored more of Scotty’s quirks, humour, and engineering genius, all while staying true to himself.

A ‘jungle gym’ for actors

Taking on a character originally played by Majel Barrett can be daunting to say the least. But Jess Bush credits the show’s creative team for giving her the freedom to make Chapel her own. “When I first got cast, I had all these big questions about what they envisioned for her. But Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers, the creators of the series, were so open and trusting. They wanted us to let ourselves come into the characters naturally.”

For her, the show’s appeal lies in its unwavering optimism. “It’s unapologetically hopeful. It believes in the inherent goodness of humanity and a positive vision of the future.”

Strange New Worlds has this defining trait of genre-hopping storytelling from laugh-out-loud comedy to spine-chilling horror, which Jess notes to be challenging.

“As soon as I feel comfortable, they shift it to something else. It’s like a jungle gym for an actor. You don’t often get opportunities like that in long-running shows. Actors are masochists. We thrive on it.”

With the new season, Jess’s character has ventured out of medicine quite a bit, leading to exciting new dynamics.”Reading the scripts, I kept thinking, ‘Yes, this is so fun!’ The writers have stretched the boundaries of what they initially thought was possible with Chapel.”

Sci-fi escapism and real-world relevance

Christina Chong who portrays La’An Noonien-Singh, made her step into a role with a legendary surname. But she had the rare opportunity to define La’an – a descendant of the infamous Khan, on her own terms. “I’m creating La’an from scratch, so I’ve been able to add quite a few things. She has leadership qualities like Khan, but she’s completely different.”

Star Trek has the ability to reflect modern issues through a lens of hope, she shares. “I love the messages each episode brings. It shines a light on our world today and makes you think.”

Fans have watched La’An grow from a guarded, disciplined officer into a more open and nuanced character, a journey Christina says mirrors her own experience as an actor.

“She started off stiff and rigid, but the writers have given her such an incredible arc.”

With season 3, La’An’s evolution is far from over. “There’s a constant progression with her. The writers keep surprising me, and the audience will love where she goes next.This show makes you believe in a better future. And that’s something worth fighting for.”