WEBVTT - https://subtitletools.com 00:00:05.150 --> 00:00:06.610 Hey nerds, I'm Wil Wheaton, 00:00:06.610 --> 00:00:08.430 and this is The Ready Room, 00:00:08.430 --> 00:00:10.280 your official behind-the-scenes hub 00:00:10.280 --> 00:00:12.310 for all things Star Trek Universe. 00:00:12.310 --> 00:00:14.750 A quick word of caution: everything you're about to see 00:00:14.750 --> 00:00:16.240 is filled with spoilers, 00:00:16.240 --> 00:00:18.070 so if you haven't seen the latest episode 00:00:18.070 --> 00:00:21.008 of Star Trek: Picard, "The End is the Beginning," 00:00:21.008 --> 00:00:23.850 why are you watching me? 00:00:23.850 --> 00:00:27.350 Seriously, go watch that episode, then come back. 00:00:27.350 --> 00:00:28.840 That's how it works. 00:00:28.840 --> 00:00:31.190 And do it quick because we have some very cool stuff 00:00:31.190 --> 00:00:34.210 waiting for you, including our very special guest, 00:00:34.210 --> 00:00:36.430 Michelle Hurd, who plays Raffi. 00:00:36.430 --> 00:00:39.730 Then, we've got a sneak peek at next week's episode, 00:00:39.730 --> 00:00:41.960 exclusive to The Ready Room. 00:00:41.960 --> 00:00:45.790 We are very fancy. But before all of that, 00:00:45.790 --> 00:00:47.320 can we just talk about the fact 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:50.120 that Jean-Luc Picard has just assembled 00:00:50.120 --> 00:00:53.170 the motliest crew in Star Trek history? 00:00:53.170 --> 00:00:54.860 If you squint, I think you can see 00:00:54.860 --> 00:00:57.480 Vince Neil in the background—because I think 00:00:57.480 --> 00:01:00.492 this merits a closer look in this week's edition 00:01:00.492 --> 00:01:02.140 of "Producing Picard." 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:04.460 Control room, engage. 00:01:04.460 --> 00:01:05.580 Everybody loves Next Gen, 00:01:05.580 --> 00:01:07.423 and they love the crew of Next Gen, 00:01:07.423 --> 00:01:09.190 both as individual characters 00:01:09.190 --> 00:01:10.880 but also together as a crew. 00:01:10.880 --> 00:01:12.560 And I think the challenge for us was to come up with 00:01:12.560 --> 00:01:13.920 a new version of that crew that was not 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:15.220 comprised of Starfleet officers 00:01:15.220 --> 00:01:18.850 but very unique individuals who were outside the system, 00:01:18.850 --> 00:01:21.389 just like Picard now finds himself outside the system. 00:01:24.770 --> 00:01:28.330 Our group chat on WhatsApp is just "The Motley Crew," 00:01:28.330 --> 00:01:30.050 and I feel like that's fitting. 00:01:30.050 --> 00:01:31.810 We're just kinda like pieced together, 00:01:31.810 --> 00:01:33.220 you know, ragtag, as they said. You know, 00:01:33.220 --> 00:01:34.517 "You wanna come on? What can you do? 00:01:34.517 --> 00:01:36.040 Alright, let's just get it going." 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:37.650 [Alison] Nobody's in uniform. 00:01:37.650 --> 00:01:38.483 [Michelle] You're not gonna see sort of 00:01:38.483 --> 00:01:39.750 a homogenized look. 00:01:39.750 --> 00:01:41.250 We don't really fit together. 00:01:41.250 --> 00:01:43.180 Some people are technically able, 00:01:43.180 --> 00:01:44.710 some people are not. [Laughs] 00:01:44.710 --> 00:01:47.510 I'm Agnes P. Jurati. I'm the Earth's leading expert 00:01:47.510 --> 00:01:49.030 on synthetic life, and I promise you, 00:01:49.030 --> 00:01:51.230 if you take me with you, I will more than earn my keep. 00:01:51.230 --> 00:01:55.081 Everybody's a little effed up in various emotional 00:01:55.081 --> 00:01:56.840 and physical ways. 00:01:56.840 --> 00:01:59.980 You have Raffi and Picard, who have their conflict. 00:01:59.980 --> 00:02:02.395 They used to be, they worked together very closely 00:02:02.395 --> 00:02:04.499 to do the rescue for Mars. 00:02:04.499 --> 00:02:07.096 And then, when Starfleet called it off, 00:02:07.096 --> 00:02:08.933 she wanted to keep fighting. 00:02:09.825 --> 00:02:12.050 He, you know, felt the fight was over. 00:02:12.050 --> 00:02:14.350 Picard comes to me to find a ship, 00:02:14.350 --> 00:02:16.840 and I have a companion, a friend that I've worked with 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:19.370 for many years, Rios. 00:02:19.370 --> 00:02:21.431 Rios, my character, he is ex-Starfleet. 00:02:21.431 --> 00:02:24.810 He is a pilot, a very skillful pilot at that, 00:02:24.810 --> 00:02:27.370 and he has a dark past with—something happened 00:02:27.370 --> 00:02:28.555 while he was at Starfleet, which was the reason 00:02:28.555 --> 00:02:31.090 for him to leave Starfleet, or be discharged. 00:02:31.090 --> 00:02:32.480 This is not a Starfleet mission. 00:02:32.480 --> 00:02:36.470 This is a person on the verge of death 00:02:36.470 --> 00:02:40.040 going on a final adventure, as he sees it, 00:02:40.040 --> 00:02:41.698 and as a way to make peace with 00:02:41.698 --> 00:02:44.010 his best friend's death. 00:02:44.010 --> 00:02:46.320 So you have all these people who have something to hide 00:02:46.320 --> 00:02:47.970 and all who are coming together 00:02:47.970 --> 00:02:49.720 because they have something that they want 00:02:49.720 --> 00:02:51.590 to ultimately find and gain. 00:02:51.590 --> 00:02:54.850 Each of us, I think, are searching for community, 00:02:54.850 --> 00:02:59.030 and love, and kindness in the furthest reaches 00:02:59.030 --> 00:03:02.360 because we're all kind of broken, sad people. 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:05.010 Our crew is really about the human story. 00:03:05.010 --> 00:03:06.920 Every single person has something 00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:08.270 that they might be damaged about, 00:03:08.270 --> 00:03:09.250 that they're trying to heal, 00:03:09.250 --> 00:03:10.870 that they're trying to resolve, 00:03:10.870 --> 00:03:12.340 that they're trying to figure out how 00:03:12.340 --> 00:03:14.710 to make peace and make whole. 00:03:14.710 --> 00:03:16.740 Getting all those nuggets is what 00:03:16.740 --> 00:03:18.290 propels you through the season. 00:03:20.253 --> 00:03:21.103 Engage. 00:03:43.880 --> 00:03:47.490 I am thrilled to be joined today by Michelle Hurd, 00:03:47.490 --> 00:03:50.117 who plays Raffi on Star Trek: Picard. 00:03:51.760 --> 00:03:56.150 She is one of my favorite characters 00:03:56.150 --> 00:03:58.150 in the Star Trek canon. 00:03:58.150 --> 00:03:59.620 She is amazing. 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:00.749 She is. 00:04:00.749 --> 00:04:04.380 Raffi and Picard have such an interesting history, 00:04:04.380 --> 00:04:06.530 and it's an incredibly deep, incredibly rich history. 00:04:06.530 --> 00:04:07.363 Yeah. 00:04:07.363 --> 00:04:09.720 We know about Picard's relationships with Riker, and Data, 00:04:09.720 --> 00:04:11.430 and the Next Gen cast. 00:04:11.430 --> 00:04:15.690 We don't really know a lot about their relationship. 00:04:15.690 --> 00:04:19.460 Did you do work with Patrick and the showrunners... 00:04:19.460 --> 00:04:20.293 Yeah. 00:04:20.293 --> 00:04:22.570 To develop the specificity of that relationship? 00:04:22.570 --> 00:04:25.490 Yeah. Well, you know, the character was 00:04:25.490 --> 00:04:27.370 so well-vetted out, you know. 00:04:27.370 --> 00:04:28.631 They had the history of it. 00:04:28.631 --> 00:04:29.464 Yes. 00:04:29.464 --> 00:04:32.340 I have a nice little sort of backstory 00:04:32.340 --> 00:04:35.030 that I really sort of dug into and asked 00:04:35.030 --> 00:04:36.580 lots of questions of and we vetted out, 00:04:36.580 --> 00:04:37.860 and it's so layered. 00:04:37.860 --> 00:04:40.312 It's so rich, and it's so real. 00:04:40.312 --> 00:04:45.312 People exist in our day that are just like Raffi, 00:04:45.390 --> 00:04:47.960 who are struggling daily to just get through 00:04:47.960 --> 00:04:52.030 and to still show up even though it's incredibly difficult. 00:04:52.030 --> 00:04:54.810 So that was just great to jump into 00:04:54.810 --> 00:04:58.070 as an actor. And then, you know, you get on set 00:04:58.070 --> 00:05:03.070 with Patrick, and he is just the most generous actor. 00:05:03.320 --> 00:05:04.680 Yeah, he makes you better. 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:05.513 He makes you better. 00:05:05.513 --> 00:05:06.499 Yeah. 00:05:06.499 --> 00:05:07.332 He makes everybody better. 00:05:07.332 --> 00:05:09.350 You know, what I love is that everything always 00:05:09.350 --> 00:05:11.652 sort of tumbles down from Number One, right? 00:05:11.652 --> 00:05:13.318 - Yeah. - Number One sets the tone 00:05:13.318 --> 00:05:14.190 on any production, any job. 00:05:14.190 --> 00:05:16.060 We're talking about Number One on the call sheet, 00:05:16.060 --> 00:05:18.120 the first person who, on Next Generation 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:19.260 and on Picard, was Patrick. Continue. 00:05:19.260 --> 00:05:21.130 Right, and so the Number One is, you know, 00:05:21.130 --> 00:05:22.963 he dictates how the set's gonna be. 00:05:22.963 --> 00:05:23.796 Sets the tone. 00:05:23.796 --> 00:05:25.410 And he, the first day, every day, 00:05:25.410 --> 00:05:27.220 when he walks on set, you could sort of feel all of us, 00:05:27.220 --> 00:05:28.870 we kinda like, you know, you wanna sit up straighter. 00:05:28.870 --> 00:05:31.890 You wanna make sure everything's all in line. 00:05:31.890 --> 00:05:34.520 But he immediately puts you at ease. 00:05:34.520 --> 00:05:35.580 You know, he's calm. 00:05:35.580 --> 00:05:38.390 He's funny, he's self-deprecating, 00:05:38.390 --> 00:05:43.130 he's ensemble-focused. So he really— 00:05:43.130 --> 00:05:45.290 and he's so respectful of the fans. 00:05:45.290 --> 00:05:47.440 I mean, we have done scenes where we would be 00:05:47.440 --> 00:05:49.020 in the middle of shooting, and he'll stop, 00:05:49.020 --> 00:05:51.557 and he goes, "No, the fans will know 00:05:51.557 --> 00:05:52.960 this is not right." 00:05:52.960 --> 00:05:53.793 Yeah. 00:05:53.793 --> 00:05:54.760 "We need to change this." 00:05:54.760 --> 00:05:56.730 And we'll stop, and we'll work it out, 00:05:56.730 --> 00:05:59.960 we'll vet it out so that it's respectful and true. 00:05:59.960 --> 00:06:01.640 So, when you have someone like that, 00:06:01.640 --> 00:06:03.560 you can't help but want to bring your A-game 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:05.930 and wanna try to do the best you can 00:06:05.930 --> 00:06:08.000 in the most authentic way that you can. 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:11.070 And it's an honor. It's just an honor. 00:06:11.070 --> 00:06:13.270 He's on my phone. He's my friend. 00:06:13.270 --> 00:06:14.103 I could text him now. 00:06:14.103 --> 00:06:15.962 - Yeah. - Isn't that crazy? 00:06:15.962 --> 00:06:16.795 - Yeah. - It's crazy. 00:06:16.795 --> 00:06:20.570 He's, in a very real way, a father figure to me. 00:06:20.570 --> 00:06:21.403 A hundred percent. 00:06:21.403 --> 00:06:25.160 And was that, and it makes me so happy to know 00:06:25.160 --> 00:06:27.452 that, at this point in his life 00:06:27.452 --> 00:06:31.210 he has earned the right to take his foot 00:06:31.210 --> 00:06:32.043 off the gas a little bit. 00:06:32.043 --> 00:06:33.081 That's right. 00:06:33.081 --> 00:06:35.540 And what I am hearing from everyone that I've talked to 00:06:35.540 --> 00:06:36.880 is that that is not happening. 00:06:36.880 --> 00:06:39.010 No. Oh, I went to see— 'cause I'm a New Yorker— 00:06:39.010 --> 00:06:42.070 I got to see him in A Christmas Carol. 00:06:42.070 --> 00:06:42.903 Yeah. 00:06:42.903 --> 00:06:43.736 Two shows. 00:06:43.736 --> 00:06:44.585 Yeah. 00:06:44.585 --> 00:06:46.130 43 characters. 00:06:46.130 --> 00:06:46.963 Yeah. 00:06:46.963 --> 00:06:47.796 Sir Patrick Stewart. 00:06:47.796 --> 00:06:48.629 Yeah. 00:06:48.629 --> 00:06:50.920 43 characters, and it was amazing. 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:52.190 We all know that story, right? 00:06:52.190 --> 00:06:53.890 You're like, "Oh, it's Christmas. Bah, humbug, 00:06:53.890 --> 00:06:55.900 there's Tiny Tim, and three ghosts," 00:06:55.900 --> 00:06:57.500 and you know the story. 00:06:57.500 --> 00:06:59.178 Every single person in that theater was 00:06:59.178 --> 00:07:01.680 enraptured with him. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.060 I literally looked around at one point, 00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:04.760 and everybody was leaning forward. 00:07:04.760 --> 00:07:05.593 Yeah. 00:07:05.593 --> 00:07:07.170 Just locked into him. He's phenomenal. 00:07:07.170 --> 00:07:09.170 There's no pedal stop in there. 00:07:09.170 --> 00:07:10.830 It's like that on the set too. 00:07:10.830 --> 00:07:11.774 Yeah. 00:07:11.774 --> 00:07:14.363 When he's working on the set, 00:07:15.430 --> 00:07:17.760 I feel like when Star Trek is really cranking, 00:07:17.760 --> 00:07:21.063 when all the cylinders are firing, 00:07:21.063 --> 00:07:22.790 that everybody is leaning forward. 00:07:22.790 --> 00:07:23.724 You're absolutely right. 00:07:23.724 --> 00:07:25.080 You're watching, and you're like deeply into it. 00:07:25.080 --> 00:07:26.380 That's absolutely right. 00:07:27.690 --> 00:07:32.330 Raffi clearly did not take losing that uniform well. 00:07:32.330 --> 00:07:33.163 Yeah, no. 00:07:33.163 --> 00:07:34.451 That still haunts her. 00:07:34.451 --> 00:07:35.284 A hundred percent. 00:07:35.284 --> 00:07:36.180 She's angry about it. 00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:37.290 Yeah. 00:07:37.290 --> 00:07:41.550 But she seems to me to be a little self-destructive 00:07:41.550 --> 00:07:43.720 as a response to that. 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:46.540 Do you wanna talk at all about what she 00:07:46.540 --> 00:07:48.970 has been doing? 00:07:48.970 --> 00:07:50.870 Lives out in the desert by herself. 00:07:50.870 --> 00:07:52.780 Clearly not in Starfleet anymore. 00:07:52.780 --> 00:07:54.320 How did she get where she is now? 00:07:54.320 --> 00:07:57.710 Well, you know, Raffi's backstory is 00:07:58.630 --> 00:08:00.833 really deep and complex. 00:08:01.674 --> 00:08:04.700 She was brought up with, 00:08:04.700 --> 00:08:07.150 her parents were in the Federation. 00:08:07.150 --> 00:08:08.700 They worked there, and they ended up having 00:08:08.700 --> 00:08:10.567 to leave her behind so that they could 00:08:10.567 --> 00:08:13.350 pursue their careers. 00:08:13.350 --> 00:08:15.216 So she was sort of raised by other people, 00:08:15.216 --> 00:08:20.216 which causes her to have guilt, and spiral, 00:08:20.450 --> 00:08:22.700 and question her choices. 00:08:22.700 --> 00:08:27.513 And within that, she starts to lean on some crutches. 00:08:28.910 --> 00:08:29.870 She has some vices. 00:08:29.870 --> 00:08:33.940 She smokes, she drinks, but I really wanted 00:08:33.940 --> 00:08:36.040 to tell that type of a story because 00:08:36.040 --> 00:08:39.710 we have so many people in our world today 00:08:39.710 --> 00:08:43.610 that have addictions, and there's a weird 00:08:43.610 --> 00:08:48.150 taboo about talking about some addictions. 00:08:48.150 --> 00:08:50.930 Some people try to push them to the side; 00:08:50.930 --> 00:08:54.170 they're not worthy of being at the table. 00:08:54.170 --> 00:08:55.610 You have Thanksgiving, "Don't bring that one 00:08:55.610 --> 00:08:57.160 'cause they're gonna make a mess." 00:08:57.160 --> 00:08:59.870 And what I really wanted to show with Raffi 00:08:59.870 --> 00:09:01.430 is that she's still viable. 00:09:01.430 --> 00:09:03.070 She still has a lot to contribute. 00:09:03.070 --> 00:09:05.100 She's just trying to get through the day. 00:09:05.100 --> 00:09:08.690 She's haunted. She's haunted by decisions. 00:09:08.690 --> 00:09:11.023 And her relationship with Picard, 00:09:12.624 --> 00:09:16.610 he pulled her out of her addiction. 00:09:16.610 --> 00:09:18.700 When she started to work with him, 00:09:18.700 --> 00:09:22.890 she started to get braver and wanted to achieve 00:09:22.890 --> 00:09:24.220 and wanted to be present. 00:09:24.220 --> 00:09:27.140 So she stopped her crutches. 00:09:27.140 --> 00:09:28.900 She stopped drinking, she stopped smoking, 00:09:28.900 --> 00:09:29.910 and she stayed with him. 00:09:29.910 --> 00:09:33.623 And he was her saving grace, her lifesaver. 00:09:34.550 --> 00:09:37.050 When this situation with the Romulans happened 00:09:37.050 --> 00:09:42.050 and he resigns, it was a huge slap in the face for her, 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:44.500 a huge betrayal of the relationship 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:45.550 that they had made. 00:09:45.550 --> 00:09:46.543 That he walked away from something— 00:09:46.543 --> 00:09:47.630 That he walked away. 00:09:47.630 --> 00:09:48.740 That she believes in. 00:09:48.740 --> 00:09:50.140 That they both believed in, 00:09:50.140 --> 00:09:51.230 they both believed in. 00:09:51.230 --> 00:09:53.570 We both were on the same journey. 00:09:53.570 --> 00:09:55.236 - Yeah. - We were going to save them, 00:09:55.236 --> 00:09:57.260 and then he resigns? 00:09:57.260 --> 00:09:58.928 He uses that as a threat as opposed to 00:09:58.928 --> 00:10:01.440 staying in there and fighting? 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:06.400 So she really spirals, and she goes back 00:10:06.400 --> 00:10:09.480 to her old devices, and she's mad. 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:10.413 We can see that, 00:10:10.413 --> 00:10:11.650 when he shows up. - Yeah. 00:10:11.650 --> 00:10:14.320 And we don't know if she is going to shoot him 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:16.963 or just tell him to leave. 00:10:16.963 --> 00:10:20.470 You can turn around and call that cab to take you 00:10:20.470 --> 00:10:22.830 right back where you came from. 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:24.370 I just want to talk. 00:10:24.370 --> 00:10:25.910 There isn't anything you could say 00:10:25.910 --> 00:10:26.900 that I want to hear. 00:10:26.900 --> 00:10:30.890 You know, how I feel about Raffi, 00:10:30.890 --> 00:10:32.390 and I'm sure that we can all experience this 00:10:32.390 --> 00:10:34.350 in different ways when you find someone 00:10:34.350 --> 00:10:36.540 who's really a mentor, you know, 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:39.310 that person becomes, as you said, your father, 00:10:39.310 --> 00:10:43.860 your brother. You have that full spectrum 00:10:43.860 --> 00:10:44.693 of a relationship. 00:10:44.693 --> 00:10:47.330 And that's who Picard was to Raffi. 00:10:47.330 --> 00:10:49.310 She had all those feelings for him. 00:10:49.310 --> 00:10:52.260 So she really—it really hurt her. 00:10:52.260 --> 00:10:53.890 I don't even know what to say. 00:10:53.890 --> 00:10:54.730 It's a lot to take in. 00:10:54.730 --> 00:10:56.712 I mean, the obvious way to go would be, 00:10:56.712 --> 00:10:59.960 you have some goddamned nerve! 00:10:59.960 --> 00:11:01.940 But I gather you already heard that 00:11:01.940 --> 00:11:03.990 from your buddy Clancy. 00:11:03.990 --> 00:11:04.823 Yeah. 00:11:04.823 --> 00:11:07.240 I love that because she is so flawed. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:10.542 I cannot remember the last time we saw a character in 00:11:10.542 --> 00:11:12.060 Star Trek! 00:11:12.060 --> 00:11:12.893 Yeah. 00:11:12.893 --> 00:11:14.190 In Star Trek, where we're all like, 00:11:14.190 --> 00:11:15.880 "No, we're the best of humanity!" 00:11:15.880 --> 00:11:16.713 Right, right. 00:11:16.713 --> 00:11:20.970 We're like—I think it is terrifically inspiring 00:11:20.970 --> 00:11:24.470 and validating to flawed people to see, like, yes, 00:11:24.470 --> 00:11:25.350 you can be flawed. 00:11:25.350 --> 00:11:27.190 You can screw up, and you are allowed 00:11:27.190 --> 00:11:32.190 to get back up and join Jean-Luc Picard in a mission. 00:11:33.160 --> 00:11:35.480 Right, Jean-Luc Picard and life. 00:11:35.480 --> 00:11:36.313 Yeah. 00:11:36.313 --> 00:11:38.150 If you think, she's in a trailer in the desert. 00:11:38.150 --> 00:11:39.410 She has no neighbors. 00:11:39.410 --> 00:11:40.402 Right. 00:11:40.402 --> 00:11:41.800 She has not been living in life. 00:11:41.800 --> 00:11:43.720 Her life has been her horgl. 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:46.900 Her life has been her own sort of circling 00:11:46.900 --> 00:11:49.580 the same regrets and the mistakes that have happened. 00:11:49.580 --> 00:11:52.390 She's literally just been pouring salt into her wounds. 00:11:52.390 --> 00:11:54.230 She has not been in life. 00:11:54.230 --> 00:11:56.500 My entire life for the past 14 years 00:11:56.500 --> 00:12:01.353 has been one long slide into humiliation and rage. 00:12:06.970 --> 00:12:11.377 Also, a fair amount of snakeleaf-induced paranoia, 00:12:11.377 --> 00:12:13.793 so some things never change. 00:12:16.250 --> 00:12:20.243 And yeah, the fact, I love that she's so 00:12:20.243 --> 00:12:22.300 perfectly imperfect. 00:12:22.300 --> 00:12:23.700 Yes, I love that too. 00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:26.310 You know? Because we all are. 00:12:26.310 --> 00:12:29.170 We all are at some point. There's some little thing 00:12:29.170 --> 00:12:31.300 that we wish was better, but you have to figure out 00:12:31.300 --> 00:12:32.170 how to get through it. 00:12:32.170 --> 00:12:37.060 She's really, unfortunately, been highlighted, 00:12:37.060 --> 00:12:38.661 all of her imperfections and she sort of 00:12:38.661 --> 00:12:43.661 has carried them and is wearing them as a ball and chain. 00:12:44.734 --> 00:12:48.250 So yeah, I love that aspect of her. 00:12:48.250 --> 00:12:49.420 And I think it's really important for us 00:12:49.420 --> 00:12:50.840 to tell that story, and I love that we 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:52.920 can tell that story in this situation wherein, 00:12:52.920 --> 00:12:55.920 usually, all the people are so put together 00:12:55.920 --> 00:12:57.790 and so perfect. 00:12:57.790 --> 00:12:58.623 Right. 00:12:58.623 --> 00:13:00.210 Yeah, even in that world, we have 00:13:00.210 --> 00:13:03.460 perfectly imperfect people, just like we do here. 00:13:03.460 --> 00:13:06.820 So she, Raffi, introduces Picard to Cristobal Rios. 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:08.300 Mm-hmm, Rios. 00:13:08.300 --> 00:13:09.410 Who's terrific. 00:13:09.410 --> 00:13:11.140 He's fantastic! Santiago, woo! 00:13:11.140 --> 00:13:14.123 He's really interesting as well. 00:13:14.123 --> 00:13:16.760 And in the intro for this episode, I talked about 00:13:16.760 --> 00:13:18.755 how he assembled the motliest crew... 00:13:18.755 --> 00:13:20.722 Uh-huh, that's what we call ourselves: The Motley Crew. 00:13:20.722 --> 00:13:22.223 That's ever been assembled. 00:13:23.330 --> 00:13:26.560 How does Raffi know him, and where does that 00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:29.270 relationship come into play? Because Picard suspects— 00:13:29.270 --> 00:13:30.380 we don't know for sure— 00:13:30.380 --> 00:13:32.610 Picard suspects Rios is ex-Starfleet. 00:13:32.610 --> 00:13:33.510 Yeah. 00:13:33.510 --> 00:13:34.920 He sees something in him. 00:13:34.920 --> 00:13:36.586 - Yeah. - Does Raffi see it too? 00:13:36.586 --> 00:13:39.250 Oh, absolutely. I think what Raffi and Rios 00:13:39.250 --> 00:13:43.280 have in common is their distrust of the Federation. 00:13:43.280 --> 00:13:44.328 They both— 00:13:44.328 --> 00:13:45.161 Okay. 00:13:45.161 --> 00:13:45.994 Yeah, they've both been burned. 00:13:45.994 --> 00:13:49.570 They've both been awoken to the fact that 00:13:49.570 --> 00:13:53.370 it's not all unicorns and rainbows. 00:13:53.370 --> 00:13:54.620 Yeah. 00:13:54.620 --> 00:13:57.050 They've been disillusioned by what they— 00:13:57.050 --> 00:13:58.750 you know, they drank the Kool-Aid, 00:13:58.750 --> 00:14:00.510 and the Kool-Aid didn't taste good. 00:14:00.510 --> 00:14:04.690 So the relationship that Rios and Raffi have 00:14:04.690 --> 00:14:08.050 is a really, is a close one because they both felt 00:14:08.050 --> 00:14:08.883 that they've been burned. 00:14:08.883 --> 00:14:12.880 They've been lied to and betrayed 00:14:12.880 --> 00:14:15.830 by something that they gave their life to. 00:14:15.830 --> 00:14:20.180 So they, after me leaving the Federation or being fired, 00:14:20.180 --> 00:14:23.220 and him leaving for his situation, 00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:26.053 they found each other, probably at a bar, 00:14:27.040 --> 00:14:31.500 and started a conversation about whatever, 00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:34.540 and then they came to this, you know, the way they 00:14:34.540 --> 00:14:36.910 feel about the Federation, and they bonded. 00:14:36.910 --> 00:14:38.780 And they've kept a really good relationship, 00:14:38.780 --> 00:14:39.613 a real close thing. 00:14:39.613 --> 00:14:41.181 I always joke when we're on set that 00:14:41.181 --> 00:14:44.550 Santiago and I are like, or Rios and Raffi are like 00:14:44.550 --> 00:14:48.130 Han Solo and Chewbacca, and, any given episode, 00:14:48.130 --> 00:14:50.600 we're either Chewbacca or Han Solo. 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:53.810 So yeah, they have a good bond. 00:14:53.810 --> 00:14:58.406 I get the sense that you knew Star Trek before you 00:14:58.406 --> 00:14:59.250 were a part of Star Trek. 00:14:59.250 --> 00:15:02.100 Yes. Well, you know, I'm a native New Yorker. 00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:03.860 I'm a biracial child. 00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:05.844 My father is black, my mother is white. 00:15:05.844 --> 00:15:08.890 My father was an actor, and back in the day, 00:15:08.890 --> 00:15:10.190 it was really important for him 00:15:10.190 --> 00:15:12.570 to make sure that when we were watching 00:15:12.570 --> 00:15:14.540 any kind of TV or movies or even 00:15:14.540 --> 00:15:17.300 going to see Broadway that it was inclusive. 00:15:17.300 --> 00:15:18.690 He wanted his three daughters 00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:20.481 to see themselves represented. 00:15:20.481 --> 00:15:21.314 Yes. 00:15:21.314 --> 00:15:22.880 And when I got this job, I literally 00:15:22.880 --> 00:15:26.230 had a flashback of us as a family, 00:15:26.230 --> 00:15:28.700 sitting around watching Star Trek 00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:32.410 and watching the first interracial kiss on television. 00:15:32.410 --> 00:15:33.243 Amazing. 00:15:33.243 --> 00:15:35.210 Which, if you think about it, as a biracial child, 00:15:35.210 --> 00:15:36.290 that was the first time I could 00:15:36.290 --> 00:15:39.619 see my parents, basically, represented on television. 00:15:39.619 --> 00:15:40.452 Yeah. 00:15:40.452 --> 00:15:42.430 It's huge. You know, we don't realize 00:15:42.430 --> 00:15:45.660 the impact of that kind of a thing for children, 00:15:45.660 --> 00:15:49.030 how it sets into you, that you can actually see yourself 00:15:49.030 --> 00:15:50.820 part of society. 00:15:50.820 --> 00:15:53.390 So yeah, Star Trek has—and of course, 00:15:53.390 --> 00:15:54.630 once I got this job—because 00:15:54.630 --> 00:15:55.560 I'm a Dick Wolf kid. 00:15:55.560 --> 00:15:57.290 I've done like five Dick Wolf shows. 00:15:57.290 --> 00:15:59.140 I'm a cop, a detective, I'm a lawyer. 00:15:59.140 --> 00:16:01.710 I'm very "Rrr!" you know? Push the agenda that way, 00:16:01.710 --> 00:16:02.907 and I always thought that that was how 00:16:02.907 --> 00:16:07.907 really pertinent issues could be brought to the forefront. 00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:11.750 I didn't realize, it's sci-fi. 00:16:11.750 --> 00:16:15.247 It's under this awning that we can tell our stories. 00:16:15.247 --> 00:16:16.080 Yeah. 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:18.530 And Star Trek, particularly, have always put 00:16:18.530 --> 00:16:20.750 a mirror up to life and society. 00:16:20.750 --> 00:16:24.140 And to be a part of that now, to know that 00:16:24.140 --> 00:16:26.060 there's a bunch of little beige kids 00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:27.620 with crazy, curly hair out there, 00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:30.730 that they're gonna see themselves represented... 00:16:30.730 --> 00:16:32.100 That's my question for you. 00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:35.350 Like, you saw your family represented by Star Trek. 00:16:35.350 --> 00:16:36.183 Yeah. 00:16:36.183 --> 00:16:38.620 And I think this is the thing Star Trek does very well. 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:39.453 Yes. 00:16:39.453 --> 00:16:42.545 Star Trek represents inclusivity extremely well. 00:16:42.545 --> 00:16:43.378 Yes. 00:16:43.378 --> 00:16:45.810 No matter who you are, you can see yourself. 00:16:45.810 --> 00:16:46.643 That's right. 00:16:46.643 --> 00:16:47.476 In Star Trek. 00:16:47.476 --> 00:16:49.103 We need that. 00:16:49.103 --> 00:16:54.103 Has it really landed on you that you are going to be, 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:55.980 for other people— 00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:56.813 A hundred percent. 00:16:56.813 --> 00:16:58.070 Who Nichelle Nichols was? 00:16:58.070 --> 00:16:58.903 Yep. 00:16:58.903 --> 00:16:59.892 Who LeVar Burton was? 00:16:59.892 --> 00:17:00.725 Mm-hmm. 00:17:00.725 --> 00:17:04.071 Where he was a blind man and showing that 00:17:04.071 --> 00:17:05.280 that kind of— 00:17:05.280 --> 00:17:08.520 Still viable, still valuable, still contributing. Yes. 00:17:08.520 --> 00:17:09.353 Yeah. 00:17:09.353 --> 00:17:10.830 Absolutely. I mean, I'm the crazy lady 00:17:10.830 --> 00:17:12.550 that I will run across the street 00:17:12.550 --> 00:17:15.260 when I see a little mixy kid with curly, crazy hair. 00:17:15.260 --> 00:17:18.120 I will go over to them and go, "Hey! I love your hair! 00:17:18.120 --> 00:17:20.328 That's awesome!" Because nobody did that for me. 00:17:20.328 --> 00:17:21.440 Really? 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:24.910 Oh my god, I'm back in the day of, like, you know, 00:17:24.910 --> 00:17:27.363 Farrah Fawcett. The straight hair, whatever. 00:17:27.363 --> 00:17:28.870 That's not gonna happen here. 00:17:28.870 --> 00:17:29.703 Yeah. 00:17:29.703 --> 00:17:31.280 And I've also had a couple shows 00:17:31.280 --> 00:17:32.440 where they've straightened my hair, 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:33.480 and it's very frustrating. 00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:34.511 I can imagine. 00:17:34.511 --> 00:17:36.840 I mean, I was told during one job, 00:17:36.840 --> 00:17:39.720 my character was the head, like, had her own company, 00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:41.840 and I was told by the producers 00:17:41.840 --> 00:17:43.760 that they did research and found out that 00:17:43.760 --> 00:17:45.990 women of color, if they own their own business, 00:17:45.990 --> 00:17:49.340 they'd have to have straightened hair to be respected. 00:17:49.340 --> 00:17:50.330 Like, what do you do with that? 00:17:50.330 --> 00:17:52.694 What do you do with that when someone says that to you? 00:17:52.694 --> 00:17:55.770 So, yes, I've absolutely— and truth be told, 00:17:55.770 --> 00:17:59.430 I actively have tried to always pick the roles 00:17:59.430 --> 00:18:02.150 that I've chosen to represent people of color 00:18:02.150 --> 00:18:06.420 in a much more fair, broader spectrum 00:18:06.420 --> 00:18:08.353 than what you typically think of. 00:18:10.290 --> 00:18:12.470 My father marched with Dr. King. 00:18:12.470 --> 00:18:14.400 I'm an activist as well as an actor. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:16.070 I can't help but be that way. 00:18:16.070 --> 00:18:19.010 So this, yeah, I'm really aware of that. 00:18:19.010 --> 00:18:21.463 You know, Isa Briones is Eurasian. 00:18:22.470 --> 00:18:27.370 Evan is mixed. I mean, this crew, "motley crew," is giving 00:18:27.370 --> 00:18:31.686 a lot of children and a lot of people their mirror. 00:18:31.686 --> 00:18:33.470 I have time for one last question. 00:18:33.470 --> 00:18:34.410 Certainly. 00:18:34.410 --> 00:18:35.340 I know what's gonna happen. 00:18:35.340 --> 00:18:36.272 Yeah. 00:18:36.272 --> 00:18:39.180 And it's really amazing, but I wonder if you 00:18:39.180 --> 00:18:43.040 wanna tease a little bit of what we're gonna see 00:18:43.040 --> 00:18:46.212 from her, if you wanna talk about character moments, 00:18:46.212 --> 00:18:50.515 or fun plot reveals, or something that matters to you, 00:18:50.515 --> 00:18:53.160 as the season is going to unfold. 00:18:53.160 --> 00:18:56.209 What do you want fans to be looking for? 00:18:56.209 --> 00:18:57.700 And you're like, "Man, I don't want you to miss this!" 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.533 Right. 00:18:58.533 --> 00:18:59.680 What do you want, what is that? 00:18:59.680 --> 00:19:01.230 That's a good question. 00:19:01.230 --> 00:19:03.770 I think, and I've touched on it before, 00:19:03.770 --> 00:19:08.770 I think I really want the fans to see this person 00:19:08.950 --> 00:19:12.190 as someone who is trying to persevere 00:19:12.190 --> 00:19:17.190 over the fact that she's struggling with her addiction. 00:19:19.310 --> 00:19:21.350 I just think it's a really important story. 00:19:21.350 --> 00:19:23.410 It's a really important story for people to see 00:19:23.410 --> 00:19:27.800 that you can spiral, you can fall, you can stumble, 00:19:27.800 --> 00:19:29.400 but you can also get up. 00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:31.630 And sometimes you need people to help you. 00:19:31.630 --> 00:19:33.900 Sometimes you have to rely on yourself, 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:35.300 but that you're still valuable. 00:19:35.300 --> 00:19:38.550 You're still important to this community, to the world. 00:19:38.550 --> 00:19:40.520 You still have something to say. 00:19:40.520 --> 00:19:42.190 There's still hope. 00:19:42.190 --> 00:19:47.190 You can heal yourself with the help of friends, of family, 00:19:48.870 --> 00:19:51.960 but also with the knowledge that you want to be 00:19:51.960 --> 00:19:54.460 part of society again, that you know 00:19:54.460 --> 00:19:56.990 that you have a voice that is important. 00:19:56.990 --> 00:19:59.060 I think that that's one of the most important things 00:19:59.060 --> 00:20:03.200 that I want to portray and bring life to of Raffi, 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:06.420 and Raffi does it with humor, with sarcasm, 00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:10.210 with grace, and with strength. 00:20:10.210 --> 00:20:11.798 And so I think that's what I hope that people 00:20:11.798 --> 00:20:13.720 tune into and see. 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.830 I get all of that. 00:20:14.830 --> 00:20:15.663 Oh, good. 00:20:15.663 --> 00:20:18.870 And I love that Star Trek has you, 00:20:18.870 --> 00:20:21.043 an actor of your caliber. - Oh my gosh, thank you. 00:20:21.043 --> 00:20:22.940 And your pedigree, as part of our family. 00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:24.774 Thank you so much for sitting down with me today. 00:20:24.774 --> 00:20:27.290 Thank you, Wil, so much. It's such a joy. Thank you. 00:20:42.560 --> 00:20:45.420 So it's pretty obvious that I love asking questions 00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:48.120 and interviewing the incredible talent 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:50.660 that goes into making Star Trek: Picard. 00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:53.000 But for this segment, I'm gonna hand 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:55.340 that responsibility to you. 00:20:55.340 --> 00:20:57.470 Here at The Ready Room, we collected 00:20:57.470 --> 00:21:00.000 a lot of fan questions for the series' cast, 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.950 and we asked them on your behalf. 00:21:02.950 --> 00:21:04.440 Let's see what they had to say. 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:07.670 From David on Twitter, "What bit of Trek tech 00:21:07.670 --> 00:21:09.983 would you most like to have in your life?" 00:21:10.935 --> 00:21:13.180 And I would have to say a replicator 00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:16.280 because then you can just have anything, right? 00:21:16.280 --> 00:21:17.113 That's how they work. 00:21:17.113 --> 00:21:19.050 I mean, well, you have to have the right program, 00:21:19.050 --> 00:21:20.967 but, I mean, that's pretty instant. 00:21:20.967 --> 00:21:23.722 Like, "Hey, I want a hot dog." [Laughs] 00:21:23.722 --> 00:21:26.920 I don't why I went with hot dog, but... [Laughs] 00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:29.190 Aha! A clue to your nature. 00:21:29.190 --> 00:21:34.190 Well, yes. Well, I'm 48 hours away from beginning— 00:21:36.060 --> 00:21:38.350 well, we are—our European tour, 00:21:38.350 --> 00:21:40.912 and so I would like a transporter, please. 00:21:40.912 --> 00:21:42.580 Yes, yes. 00:21:42.580 --> 00:21:44.460 In fact, that's all I've wanted for years, 00:21:44.460 --> 00:21:45.860 is a transporter. 00:21:45.860 --> 00:21:46.693 Definitely. 00:21:46.693 --> 00:21:49.800 From Mark on Twitter, "Who was the funniest 00:21:49.800 --> 00:21:51.390 person on set?" 00:21:51.390 --> 00:21:53.620 Who was the funniest person on set? 00:21:53.620 --> 00:21:55.380 I would have to say Patrick. 00:21:55.380 --> 00:21:56.213 Patrick, right? 00:21:56.213 --> 00:21:57.652 Because he had the funniest stories. 00:21:57.652 --> 00:21:58.485 He does. 00:21:58.485 --> 00:22:00.035 Actually, when him and Frakes were together. 00:22:00.035 --> 00:22:01.365 Yes, that's for sure. Yes. 00:22:01.365 --> 00:22:02.620 They were the funniest on set, for sure. 00:22:02.620 --> 00:22:04.100 From Roman on Twitter, "What is your 00:22:04.100 --> 00:22:05.780 all-time favorite phrase or quote 00:22:05.780 --> 00:22:06.990 from any Star Trek series?" 00:22:06.990 --> 00:22:09.460 Well, I gotta say, "Resistance is futile." 00:22:09.460 --> 00:22:10.293 Yeah. 00:22:10.293 --> 00:22:11.198 Come on. 00:22:11.198 --> 00:22:12.031 [Laughs] 00:22:12.031 --> 00:22:14.480 This is from Katie on Twitter. This says, "What is your 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:16.640 favorite attribute about your character, 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:19.340 and if you could meet them, what would you tell them?" 00:22:20.380 --> 00:22:23.060 If I could meet him, I would say 00:22:23.060 --> 00:22:25.193 he can lighten up a little bit. 00:22:25.193 --> 00:22:26.026 I agree. 00:22:27.530 --> 00:22:30.540 But at the same time, one of my favorite attributes 00:22:30.540 --> 00:22:32.230 is his self-sufficiency, the fact that he 00:22:32.230 --> 00:22:35.870 takes things on by himself and he's managed 00:22:35.870 --> 00:22:37.460 to be self-sustainable. 00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:38.293 Mm-hmm. 00:22:38.293 --> 00:22:42.637 From George on Facebook. George, George's question is, 00:22:44.170 --> 00:22:47.330 "If you could have a dinner party with one or two guests, 00:22:47.330 --> 00:22:50.740 past or present, living or dead, friends or family, 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:53.393 who would you choose, and why?" 00:22:56.180 --> 00:22:59.158 George, can we have breakfast? 00:22:59.158 --> 00:22:59.991 [Laughs] 00:22:59.991 --> 00:23:01.070 I'm not a big dinner guy. 00:23:01.070 --> 00:23:02.917 It would be breakfast, and— 00:23:03.757 --> 00:23:05.510 Okay, so who would you have breakfast with, Brent? 00:23:05.510 --> 00:23:09.375 Gosh, living or dead, family or—you know, 00:23:09.375 --> 00:23:11.830 I think that's kind of interesting. 00:23:11.830 --> 00:23:13.360 I hadn't thought of this, but my family, 00:23:13.360 --> 00:23:16.420 family who I've lost, I would like to— 00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:17.350 What, dead people? 00:23:17.350 --> 00:23:18.183 Yeah. 00:23:18.183 --> 00:23:19.016 Yeah. 00:23:19.016 --> 00:23:19.849 To meet and have breakfast with. 00:23:19.849 --> 00:23:21.790 I mean, I never knew my father, really. 00:23:21.790 --> 00:23:24.150 I was 10 months old when my father passed away, 00:23:24.150 --> 00:23:26.900 and I'd very much like to meet him 00:23:26.900 --> 00:23:29.270 and have dinner with him. Or breakfast. 00:23:29.270 --> 00:23:30.170 Whatever he wants. 00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:56.200 Alright, so Picard has a ship. 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:57.650 Picard has a crew. 00:23:57.650 --> 00:24:00.640 We really are at "the end of the beginning," 00:24:00.640 --> 00:24:02.760 but what is next for Picard 00:24:02.760 --> 00:24:04.110 and this shiny new crew? 00:24:04.110 --> 00:24:07.220 Well, we've got a never-before-seen clip 00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:10.100 from next week's episode, "Absolute Candor," 00:24:10.100 --> 00:24:12.400 that I cannot wait to show you. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:14.960 And I don't have to because we're showing it to you 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:18.144 right here, right now. Check it out. 00:24:21.723 --> 00:24:25.261 Hello, hello. How good to see you all again. 00:24:25.261 --> 00:24:28.737 Yes yes, yeah. I know you're all worried, 00:24:28.737 --> 00:24:30.920 but the Federation and Starfleet are here 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.630 to help you settle. You have my word. 00:25:02.890 --> 00:25:04.690 You haven't stopped talking about Admiral Picard 00:25:04.690 --> 00:25:05.570 since he left. 00:25:05.570 --> 00:25:07.830 Can't you find something to say to him? 00:25:07.830 --> 00:25:09.030 What did you bring me? 00:25:09.950 --> 00:25:11.560 What did I bring you? 00:25:11.560 --> 00:25:16.090 Well, now let me see... The Three Musketeers 00:25:16.090 --> 00:25:18.509 by Alexandre Dumas! 00:25:20.150 --> 00:25:22.270 Thank you so much for joining us today 00:25:22.270 --> 00:25:23.103 in The Ready Room. 00:25:23.103 --> 00:25:26.360 I will be back next week to talk to Santiago Cabrera 00:25:26.360 --> 00:25:28.300 about all things Star Trek: Picard 00:25:28.300 --> 00:25:30.880 Episode 4, "Absolute Candor." 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:33.160 Until then, I'm Wil Wheaton. 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:34.908 Live long and prosper.