WEBVTT
1
00:00:05.420 --> 00:00:08.570
Hey nerds, I'm Wil Wheaton,
and this is The Ready Room,
2
00:00:08.570 --> 00:00:10.780
your official behind-the-scenes hub
3
00:00:10.780 --> 00:00:13.160
for all things Star Trek Universe.
4
00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:16.350
This week, The Ready
Room has been assimilated.
5
00:00:16.350 --> 00:00:18.870
Jeri Ryan and Jonathan Del Arco are here
6
00:00:18.870 --> 00:00:20.250
to talk about the latest episode
7
00:00:20.250 --> 00:00:22.810
of Star Trek: Picard, "Broken Pieces."
8
00:00:22.810 --> 00:00:26.560
And speaking of breakdowns,
I do not want you to have one
9
00:00:26.560 --> 00:00:29.640
because we spoiled this
week's episode for you,
10
00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:32.877
so if you have not watched
Episode 8, "Broken Pieces"...
11
00:00:34.040 --> 00:00:35.970
Look, you guys, the truth is, I don't care.
12
00:00:35.970 --> 00:00:38.330
If you're not listening to me by now,
13
00:00:38.330 --> 00:00:40.250
eight weeks in a row of me telling you
14
00:00:40.250 --> 00:00:43.060
to go watch the episode before
you watch The Ready Room,
15
00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:44.460
you're never gonna listen to me,
16
00:00:44.460 --> 00:00:47.780
so just don't complain
at me if you haven't yet.
17
00:00:47.780 --> 00:00:50.420
Alright, we will also be
showing you an exclusive clip
18
00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:53.720
from next week's episode,
but first, let's recap.
19
00:00:53.720 --> 00:00:56.750
One rogue mission, two daughters,
20
00:00:56.750 --> 00:00:59.630
three-dimensional
advertisements, transport up to
21
00:00:59.630 --> 00:01:03.990
40,000 light years, five
Rioses, a six-sided artifact,
22
00:01:03.990 --> 00:01:05.800
and the Eightfold Crown.
23
00:01:05.800 --> 00:01:07.600
What am I missing?
24
00:01:07.600 --> 00:01:12.600
Seven of Nine, and she came
back with a vengeance this week
25
00:01:13.250 --> 00:01:16.630
as she took up the mantle of
Borg Queen. That was so cool!
26
00:01:16.630 --> 00:01:19.390
Let's take a closer look at what went in
27
00:01:19.390 --> 00:01:20.880
to bringing that to life.
28
00:01:20.880 --> 00:01:22.660
Control room, engage.
29
00:01:22.660 --> 00:01:23.630
You always want your characters
30
00:01:23.630 --> 00:01:24.547
to face their biggest fear,
31
00:01:24.547 --> 00:01:27.410
and for anybody who's been
assimilated by the Borg
32
00:01:27.410 --> 00:01:28.900
and who's returned to their humanity,
33
00:01:28.900 --> 00:01:30.560
going back to that state
is the scariest thing
34
00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.580
you can imagine.
35
00:01:34.580 --> 00:01:36.500
Seven and Elnor are trapped on the cube,
36
00:01:36.500 --> 00:01:39.810
and the Romulans have
decided to start executing
37
00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:42.140
all the ex-Borg, and there's only one way
38
00:01:42.140 --> 00:01:43.410
to stop that from happening, which is
39
00:01:43.410 --> 00:01:45.600
to activate all the ex-Borg as one
40
00:01:45.600 --> 00:01:47.480
and return them to the
Collective, 'cause the Collective
41
00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:49.280
is the only thing that can
stand up to the Romulans.
42
00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:51.420
Through Seven's journey with our team,
43
00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:54.260
she realizes, "I've been
on my one for so long,
44
00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:56.350
and now I actually feel like
I'm part of this family,
45
00:01:56.350 --> 00:01:59.100
and if my whole existence
since you've last seen
46
00:01:59.100 --> 00:02:02.210
my character was to help those
who can't help themselves,
47
00:02:02.210 --> 00:02:04.550
to fight the fight no one's fighting,
48
00:02:04.550 --> 00:02:07.940
what better way to do that
than to be able to kind of
49
00:02:07.940 --> 00:02:12.200
take over the Borg and
help everyone rise against
50
00:02:12.200 --> 00:02:14.640
those who are going
against her new family."
51
00:02:14.640 --> 00:02:17.560
So, Seven does the thing
that scares her the most
52
00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:18.760
and makes the ultimate sacrifice,
53
00:02:18.760 --> 00:02:20.860
which is she goes into the queencell
54
00:02:20.860 --> 00:02:22.900
and allows herself to become the queen
55
00:02:22.900 --> 00:02:24.380
to basically form an army.
56
00:02:24.380 --> 00:02:27.460
The temptation is there,
and the threat is there
57
00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:29.430
that maybe she won't want to stop
58
00:02:29.430 --> 00:02:31.920
and won't want to separate
herself and the rest of them
59
00:02:31.920 --> 00:02:33.310
when they've done what they needed to do.
60
00:02:33.310 --> 00:02:34.630
As the characters describe it,
61
00:02:34.630 --> 00:02:37.276
there's one very brief moment of euphoria
62
00:02:37.276 --> 00:02:39.430
in the instant that you're assimilated,
63
00:02:39.430 --> 00:02:41.300
and then from then on,
you lose your humanity,
64
00:02:41.300 --> 00:02:43.300
and you're kind of in
a state of disconnect.
65
00:02:43.300 --> 00:02:45.370
There's fear, there's maybe temptation,
66
00:02:45.370 --> 00:02:46.730
but it's interesting. It's fun to play.
67
00:02:46.730 --> 00:02:48.680
We are Borg.
68
00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:50.900
And by forming an army,
they're able to defeat
69
00:02:50.900 --> 00:02:54.570
the Romulans that are there,
and Seven and Elnor escape.
70
00:02:54.570 --> 00:02:55.403
They are gone.
71
00:02:57.080 --> 00:03:00.150
It is over. The cube is ours again.
72
00:03:06.910 --> 00:03:09.840
Today, I am joined by Jeri
Ryan and Jonathan Del Arco,
73
00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:11.660
two of the three most famous Borgs
74
00:03:11.660 --> 00:03:15.350
to ever grace the Star Trek screen.
75
00:03:15.350 --> 00:03:16.440
I love that you guys are here.
76
00:03:16.440 --> 00:03:17.930
Thank you for coming back.
Thank you.
77
00:03:17.930 --> 00:03:19.363
I appreciate it very much.
78
00:03:20.860 --> 00:03:23.540
You, like me, are a Star Trek fan,
79
00:03:23.540 --> 00:03:27.290
and let's go back in time a little bit.
80
00:03:27.290 --> 00:03:28.123
Oh my god.
81
00:03:28.123 --> 00:03:30.840
This is the night before
you're gonna go to set.
82
00:03:30.840 --> 00:03:34.770
You're getting ready to go
put this character back on
83
00:03:34.770 --> 00:03:39.413
and be this character for the
first time in 20-ish years.
84
00:03:40.920 --> 00:03:45.400
I just wanna know what,
what's it like?
85
00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:46.400
What do you do?
86
00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.680
It was super terrifying
because you don't-
87
00:03:48.680 --> 00:03:50.850
Thank you, yes it was!
It really was,
88
00:03:50.850 --> 00:03:53.793
and I heard you talking
about how we worked it out,
89
00:03:53.793 --> 00:03:55.460
helped each other out.
90
00:03:55.460 --> 00:03:58.760
I had some idea of what I was
gonna do with the character.
91
00:03:58.760 --> 00:04:00.493
I hadn't locked anything in.
92
00:04:01.870 --> 00:04:03.760
I knew the wardrobe was
gonna really help me
93
00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:07.530
with the physicality,
and I just relied heavily
94
00:04:07.530 --> 00:04:10.510
on the research I'd done
on things to connect me
95
00:04:10.510 --> 00:04:13.160
emotionally to the story,
'cause there's a lot going on
96
00:04:13.160 --> 00:04:15.540
in the show that is contemporary.
97
00:04:15.540 --> 00:04:18.540
And so I was like, "Okay,
a wing and a prayer.
98
00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:20.190
I'm not gonna super rehearse it.
99
00:04:20.190 --> 00:04:22.710
I'm just gonna like see
what happens on set,"
100
00:04:22.710 --> 00:04:24.750
and it clicked when I
got on stage, you know.
101
00:04:24.750 --> 00:04:26.330
It just kind of happened.
102
00:04:26.330 --> 00:04:28.020
I came prepared, I knew my lines,
103
00:04:28.020 --> 00:04:31.690
and I knew exactly where I
was coming from emotionally.
104
00:04:31.690 --> 00:04:33.830
And the rest, as you
know, is a total gamble
105
00:04:33.830 --> 00:04:36.710
'cause, I mean, things
can get edited in or out
106
00:04:36.710 --> 00:04:39.290
or messed up, or you
get a direction on set
107
00:04:39.290 --> 00:04:41.180
that you don't really agree with.
108
00:04:41.180 --> 00:04:42.963
That didn't happen, luckily,
109
00:04:43.840 --> 00:04:45.820
but there were definite
things that they were wanting
110
00:04:45.820 --> 00:04:49.390
from me that I couldn't really
understand until way later.
111
00:04:49.390 --> 00:04:51.031
I as like, "Oh! That's
what you meant."
112
00:04:51.031 --> 00:04:51.864
[Wil] Oh, how interesting.
113
00:04:51.864 --> 00:04:53.220
They were like, "He's broken."
114
00:04:53.220 --> 00:04:55.140
I was like, "How do you play broken?"
115
00:04:55.140 --> 00:04:58.100
You know what I mean, like,
"Oh, I get it now. The scar,
116
00:04:58.100 --> 00:04:59.560
and I get he's broken inside."
117
00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:02.510
And it sort of made sense
later, but, you know,
118
00:05:02.510 --> 00:05:03.650
we're all trying to figure it out.
119
00:05:03.650 --> 00:05:06.570
It's a new show, and it's like
tone and like with the story.
120
00:05:06.570 --> 00:05:10.410
We didn't know the arc of
the characters at all, right?
121
00:05:10.410 --> 00:05:12.510
So we're like, we're
playing something kind of
122
00:05:12.510 --> 00:05:15.320
into a void in a weird way
because we didn't really know
123
00:05:15.320 --> 00:05:17.300
where we were going with our characters.
124
00:05:17.300 --> 00:05:21.460
In the episode that was released today,
125
00:05:21.460 --> 00:05:25.430
you spend a ton of time
inside the Borg cube,
126
00:05:25.430 --> 00:05:29.330
and at one moment, you
actually get attached.
127
00:05:29.330 --> 00:05:33.260
Seven is in the queen chamber
and becomes the queen.
128
00:05:33.260 --> 00:05:37.460
Now, I am watching this
weeks before it airs,
129
00:05:37.460 --> 00:05:40.940
and I am seeing an edit that
does not have any graphics,
130
00:05:40.940 --> 00:05:42.219
that just has a look of-
131
00:05:42.219 --> 00:05:44.340
I look like an idiot, is what he's saying.
132
00:05:44.340 --> 00:05:46.630
No, but here's the thing!
You're like a mime.
133
00:05:46.630 --> 00:05:51.630
We could reactivate and
reconnect the transceivers,
134
00:05:51.662 --> 00:05:53.898
create a kind of micro-collective
135
00:05:53.898 --> 00:05:55.720
with just the Borg on this cube.
136
00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:58.600
But this is the thing that
was so impressive to me,
137
00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:00.730
is with both of you guys,
138
00:06:00.730 --> 00:06:05.730
whenever you are interacting
with the special effects
139
00:06:05.970 --> 00:06:09.510
on the Borg cube, it feels
like it's actually there.
140
00:06:09.510 --> 00:06:12.950
It feels very tactile, it feels specific,
141
00:06:12.950 --> 00:06:14.903
it feels very real.
142
00:06:15.760 --> 00:06:18.573
Filmmaking is so different
now from when it was
143
00:06:18.573 --> 00:06:21.550
when we were doing Star Trek so long ago,
144
00:06:21.550 --> 00:06:23.320
so you have to trust-
I mean, we had force-field acting,
145
00:06:23.320 --> 00:06:25.470
which was bad enough. "Auugh!"
Yeah, true. Of course.
146
00:06:25.470 --> 00:06:27.420
But that was kind of the only
147
00:06:27.420 --> 00:06:29.560
like super, super horrible,
embarrassing thing
148
00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:31.510
that you had to do without the
special effect written.
149
00:06:31.510 --> 00:06:34.980
[Wil] So you really have
to trust your director
150
00:06:34.980 --> 00:06:37.290
and your other actors.
Totally.
151
00:06:37.290 --> 00:06:41.260
So, I loved, Jeri told
me how you helped her
152
00:06:41.260 --> 00:06:43.040
find where Seven is.
153
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:45.367
Oh, come on.
Helped me? Saved my ass.
154
00:06:46.787 --> 00:06:49.700
The thing is she, you already had it.
155
00:06:49.700 --> 00:06:53.020
You just needed some
distraction to get you to do it.
156
00:06:53.020 --> 00:06:54.700
She's like, "It can't be
done, it can't be done."
157
00:06:54.700 --> 00:06:56.210
Panic, oh my god.
158
00:06:56.210 --> 00:06:57.610
It was fun working on that.
159
00:06:57.610 --> 00:06:58.884
I love directing, too, so it was-
160
00:06:58.884 --> 00:06:59.717
[Jeri] He's a wonderful
161
00:06:59.717 --> 00:07:00.550
director, by the way.
It was super fun
162
00:07:00.550 --> 00:07:02.560
to be like, "No, no, no, you have this.
163
00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.450
It's much easier than you think."
164
00:07:04.450 --> 00:07:06.283
She is you. I mean, you played her,
165
00:07:07.150 --> 00:07:09.833
and yeah, it was really
fun helping her out.
166
00:07:11.175 --> 00:07:12.293
And I got a free meal out of it.
167
00:07:12.293 --> 00:07:14.580
When you're an actor,
168
00:07:14.580 --> 00:07:17.710
and an unemployed actor, now,
a free meal?
169
00:07:17.710 --> 00:07:18.543
You're not gonna say no.
170
00:07:18.543 --> 00:07:19.710
Listen, join Equity and get those
171
00:07:19.710 --> 00:07:21.310
pair of shoes every year, right?
172
00:07:22.600 --> 00:07:25.090
Your friendship comes through
173
00:07:25.090 --> 00:07:26.370
whenever you're in the same place.
174
00:07:26.370 --> 00:07:28.030
Like, you walk in a room together,
175
00:07:28.030 --> 00:07:31.034
and the room lights up,
the two of you together.
176
00:07:31.034 --> 00:07:33.445
Ain't love grand?
177
00:07:33.445 --> 00:07:35.470
I understand, my staff
tells me you were there
178
00:07:35.470 --> 00:07:37.220
when Jonathan had his prosthetics
put on for the first time.
179
00:07:37.220 --> 00:07:40.481
Oh, God. Okay, you guys may not know-
180
00:07:40.481 --> 00:07:41.650
Share that with us.
How prosthetics are made.
181
00:07:41.650 --> 00:07:43.880
You have to do something
called a life cast,
182
00:07:43.880 --> 00:07:47.680
and it is a plaster cast of your head.
183
00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:48.980
I panic just thinking about it.
184
00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:50.750
Like, just thinking about it.
Yeah, it's very claustrophobic.
185
00:07:50.750 --> 00:07:51.760
And he's claustrophobic.
186
00:07:51.760 --> 00:07:54.160
I'm not claustrophobic, but even for me,
187
00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:56.673
that's like, "Okay, we need to
get this off."
188
00:07:57.770 --> 00:07:59.540
So he was really freaking
out, like, "How do I do it?"
189
00:07:59.540 --> 00:08:01.360
Because he had to do it,
because it's new prosthetics,
190
00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:03.810
and you gotta have the
scars and all of that.
191
00:08:03.810 --> 00:08:05.860
And so I said, "Okay,
come over to my house,
192
00:08:05.860 --> 00:08:07.410
I'll drive you, I'll take
you, I'll stay with you."
193
00:08:07.410 --> 00:08:09.260
And I took him.
That's so sweet.
194
00:08:09.260 --> 00:08:12.470
Oh, and then you had to go
to the 3D body-scan thing.
195
00:08:12.470 --> 00:08:13.600
Yeah, yeah, yeah. But by then,
that was like,
196
00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.330
"Whoo! I'm in my underwear,"
so I didn't really care.
197
00:08:16.330 --> 00:08:18.075
No, that's cool! You got to do a full-
198
00:08:18.075 --> 00:08:19.280
[Jeri] He did! I didn't do that.
199
00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:21.127
That's amazing!
It was so cool.
200
00:08:21.127 --> 00:08:22.800
[Jonathan] And I'm trying to think why.
201
00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:24.240
I guess the costume, I don't know.
202
00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:26.640
Maybe that breastplate
needed it. I have no idea.
203
00:08:26.640 --> 00:08:27.473
[Jeri] It was awesome.
204
00:08:27.473 --> 00:08:28.440
They were just, it was cool.
205
00:08:28.440 --> 00:08:29.960
That means that, theoretically,
206
00:08:29.960 --> 00:08:32.660
a perfect action figure of you could exist.
207
00:08:32.660 --> 00:08:33.493
[Jonathan] There's that, too.
208
00:08:33.493 --> 00:08:34.326
Because you have been scanned.
209
00:08:34.326 --> 00:08:35.820
Exactly perfect, that's kinda creepy.
210
00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:37.010
[Jeri] Could and probably will.
211
00:08:37.010 --> 00:08:40.470
Let us talk about one
of the big sad things,
212
00:08:40.470 --> 00:08:42.892
which is that Hugh has left us.
213
00:08:42.892 --> 00:08:44.787
Nooo!
Yes.
214
00:08:44.787 --> 00:08:49.050
But he gets such a great death scene.
215
00:08:49.050 --> 00:08:51.770
That's the way they pitched
it to me. I was like, "Great!"
216
00:08:51.770 --> 00:08:54.170
Well, I mean-
"But the death scene's great!"
217
00:08:54.170 --> 00:08:57.542
They weren't wrong. It's
a very powerful scene.
218
00:08:57.542 --> 00:08:59.353
How's this for a lost cause?
219
00:09:01.070 --> 00:09:04.867
I was that much of a hopeful
fool again for a minute.
220
00:09:09.066 --> 00:09:14.066
Thanks for that.
221
00:09:18.230 --> 00:09:22.350
Yeah, it was a real
intense lead-up to that
222
00:09:22.350 --> 00:09:26.180
because I found out about it
early enough where I knew-
223
00:09:26.180 --> 00:09:27.330
You could prepare for it.
224
00:09:27.330 --> 00:09:29.890
Yeah, I found out early
enough and sort of like,
225
00:09:29.890 --> 00:09:32.340
I had an idea that that was gonna happen.
226
00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:35.430
When I read it, I was like,
"How am I gonna handle work
227
00:09:35.430 --> 00:09:36.540
leading up to that?" 'Cause
it was emotional for me.
228
00:09:36.540 --> 00:09:38.820
Yeah, 'cause it's a loss.
229
00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:40.640
This is a character that matters to you.
230
00:09:40.640 --> 00:09:43.810
Yeah, I spent 25 years
talking about this character,
231
00:09:43.810 --> 00:09:45.890
lots of people talking
back to me about him,
232
00:09:45.890 --> 00:09:48.450
and based on the death of a loved one
233
00:09:48.450 --> 00:09:49.620
when I first played him,
234
00:09:49.620 --> 00:09:53.040
and so it was very personally emotional.
235
00:09:53.040 --> 00:09:55.070
But as an actor, it
actually really liberated me
236
00:09:55.070 --> 00:09:58.940
because when you know,
when you're on a new show,
237
00:09:58.940 --> 00:10:00.090
you're just try and do your best work.
238
00:10:00.090 --> 00:10:03.360
You're like, maybe not risking as much.
239
00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:06.900
Knowing I was gonna die, I got
super bold with my choices,
240
00:10:06.900 --> 00:10:08.280
and it was really fun.
241
00:10:08.280 --> 00:10:10.350
What did you-both of you guys-
242
00:10:10.350 --> 00:10:14.250
so you're coming into a
new show with a new crew
243
00:10:14.250 --> 00:10:17.040
and new showrunners, but
you're playing characters
244
00:10:17.040 --> 00:10:20.640
you know better than the
people that wrote them.
245
00:10:20.640 --> 00:10:25.080
You have to find a
balance between bringing
246
00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:29.610
decades of experience, also
accepting that these characters
247
00:10:29.610 --> 00:10:33.000
are gonna be colored and shaped
248
00:10:33.000 --> 00:10:35.050
by this new world.
249
00:10:35.050 --> 00:10:37.240
What went into your preparation?
250
00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:41.670
How did you strike a balance
between what you and we know
251
00:10:41.670 --> 00:10:42.863
and what is brand new?
252
00:10:43.930 --> 00:10:45.147
That's a great question.
253
00:10:45.147 --> 00:10:48.090
They gave us a lot of leeway-
you're very good at this.
254
00:10:48.090 --> 00:10:49.820
They gave us a lot of
leeway because they knew
255
00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:52.490
we knew the characters.
But also, to some degree,
256
00:10:52.490 --> 00:10:54.750
I wanted them to tell
me where he was at now.
257
00:10:54.750 --> 00:10:56.330
Well yeah, 'cause we didn't-
258
00:10:56.330 --> 00:10:57.840
I can't play him that way.
No, we knew a little bit
259
00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:00.330
of backstory, but we didn't
know all the backstory.
260
00:11:00.330 --> 00:11:01.430
And we didn't know...
261
00:11:03.230 --> 00:11:05.773
Well yeah, I mean it was-
The tone of the show.
262
00:11:05.773 --> 00:11:08.200
It was all-new when we got these scripts.
263
00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:09.638
We made up a lot, right?
264
00:11:09.638 --> 00:11:10.840
Yeah.
We had to.
265
00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:12.567
But that's the fun part
of being an actor, right?
266
00:11:12.567 --> 00:11:14.203
You get to make up a whole history.
267
00:11:14.203 --> 00:11:15.570
Like, getting to make things up,
268
00:11:15.570 --> 00:11:16.941
and they're like, "Yes, you made that up,
269
00:11:16.941 --> 00:11:18.180
and now it's canon."
270
00:11:18.180 --> 00:11:19.790
Yes!
271
00:11:19.790 --> 00:11:23.420
"That thing you did is now
a part of the Borg forever."
272
00:11:23.420 --> 00:11:25.963
Yeah, "Nerds are gonna study that
for the rest of your life."
273
00:11:25.963 --> 00:11:27.840
Oh yeah, it was all a choice.
274
00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:29.570
Yeah, that's true.
275
00:11:29.570 --> 00:11:34.490
When Seven attaches herself
and becomes the Borg Queen,
276
00:11:34.490 --> 00:11:36.920
I freaked out.
277
00:11:36.920 --> 00:11:39.220
Now, I'm watching with my wife
who's not a Star Trek fan,
278
00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:40.130
so she doesn't know.
279
00:11:40.130 --> 00:11:42.040
She hasn't seen any of the
movies, she has no idea.
280
00:11:42.040 --> 00:11:43.177
She's like, "Oh, I know Jeri!"
281
00:11:43.177 --> 00:11:45.470
"That's my friend Jeri!"
282
00:11:45.470 --> 00:11:48.376
So I'm trying to explain the significance
283
00:11:48.376 --> 00:11:51.440
of Seven attaching,
becoming the Borg Queen.
284
00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:56.420
What is going through her head
as that moment is coming up
285
00:11:56.420 --> 00:11:58.207
because she says, "I don't know
286
00:11:58.207 --> 00:11:59.177
if I'm gonna wanna come back.
287
00:11:59.177 --> 00:12:00.967
This could be bad news."
288
00:12:02.220 --> 00:12:03.143
Assimilate them?
289
00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:07.260
Invade their minds.
Suppress their identities.
290
00:12:07.260 --> 00:12:09.440
Enslave them, again.
291
00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:11.140
You can release 'em when we win.
292
00:12:12.490 --> 00:12:14.483
I won't want to be released, and I'm...
293
00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:20.507
I might not want to release them.
294
00:12:21.640 --> 00:12:24.580
What's going through her
head as she is getting ready
295
00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:29.120
to make that choice and get
involved in that change?
296
00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:30.300
Well, exactly what you said.
297
00:12:30.300 --> 00:12:33.760
I mean, it was utter
dread because she had been
298
00:12:33.760 --> 00:12:34.780
part of the Collective before.
299
00:12:34.780 --> 00:12:37.490
She knows that if she has to re-assimilate
300
00:12:37.490 --> 00:12:39.920
all of these severed Borg,
301
00:12:39.920 --> 00:12:41.910
they're not gonna wanna be separated again
302
00:12:41.910 --> 00:12:42.910
from the Collective.
303
00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:46.230
And she was really fearful
304
00:12:46.230 --> 00:12:47.980
that that's how she would be again,
305
00:12:49.242 --> 00:12:52.060
and she, I think, feels so protective
306
00:12:52.060 --> 00:12:55.600
of Evan's character, Elnor,
307
00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.210
who is her sort of young protege.
308
00:12:57.210 --> 00:12:59.370
And I think he's sort of a...
309
00:13:02.060 --> 00:13:04.260
I think she kind of views
him as a surrogate son,
310
00:13:04.260 --> 00:13:07.620
since she lost Icheb, and
she, I think she sees him
311
00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:09.750
in Elnor a little bit in a sense.
312
00:13:09.750 --> 00:13:12.730
And so Elnor's with her in that scene,
313
00:13:12.730 --> 00:13:15.750
and it was pure desperation.
314
00:13:15.750 --> 00:13:18.171
She had no other choice to save the rest
315
00:13:18.171 --> 00:13:20.630
of what was left on that ship,
316
00:13:20.630 --> 00:13:22.343
and so that was her only option.
317
00:13:24.230 --> 00:13:28.330
When I encountered the
Borg back on the Enterprise,
318
00:13:28.330 --> 00:13:30.690
in the old days-
I remember that.
319
00:13:30.690 --> 00:13:31.960
The Borg were just terrifying.
320
00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:35.060
They were just sort of like
mindless, terrifying villains.
321
00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:37.070
"You will be assimilated."
That's all it is,
322
00:13:37.070 --> 00:13:41.550
but now we are seeing a
much, much more complicated
323
00:13:41.550 --> 00:13:45.090
and nuanced view of who they are.
324
00:13:45.090 --> 00:13:48.900
So when those Borg get vented into space,
325
00:13:48.900 --> 00:13:52.449
as an actor, did you make a
choice to like feel that loss?
326
00:13:52.449 --> 00:13:53.282
Absolutely!
327
00:13:53.282 --> 00:13:55.370
'Cause that's like losing
children for her, right?
328
00:13:55.370 --> 00:13:57.070
Absolutely. And I mean, at that point,
she was also,
329
00:13:57.070 --> 00:13:58.420
I think once they were vacuumed,
330
00:13:59.306 --> 00:14:00.139
she was already connected, wasn't I?
331
00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:00.972
[Wil] She was, yeah.
332
00:14:00.972 --> 00:14:03.510
So that's a physical, I mean,
she physically felt it as well.
333
00:14:03.510 --> 00:14:04.973
But absolutely, emotionally.
334
00:14:07.230 --> 00:14:10.460
It's such a shared experience
with all of the xBs
335
00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:12.310
and for the drones who haven't-
336
00:14:12.310 --> 00:14:13.360
they're separated from the Collective,
337
00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:14.910
but they're still fully drones.
338
00:14:16.470 --> 00:14:20.080
Yeah, I mean, that's, "family" is
I guess a bit of a stretch,
339
00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.740
but it really is, in a way,
for her because she's,
340
00:14:23.740 --> 00:14:25.310
she feels that loss so personally
341
00:14:25.310 --> 00:14:27.570
because she's gone through that loss.
And,
342
00:14:30.730 --> 00:14:32.283
yeah, it was a tough one.
343
00:14:34.300 --> 00:14:39.200
The xBs are all tremendously sympathetic.
344
00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:42.400
Like, you are playing characters
who are literally being
345
00:14:42.400 --> 00:14:45.500
hunted down for parts.
346
00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:50.450
The dehumanization of the xBs
347
00:14:50.450 --> 00:14:53.470
I think kind of mirrors the dehumanization
348
00:14:53.470 --> 00:14:55.031
of people in our own world right now.
349
00:14:55.031 --> 00:14:56.230
Yes, it does.
Absolutely.
350
00:14:56.230 --> 00:15:01.230
So, you have to show us that
other side of the Borg.
351
00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:06.420
Did that go into your
character-building experience
352
00:15:07.372 --> 00:15:09.123
as you were developing
sort of where he's gonna be?
353
00:15:09.123 --> 00:15:13.040
'Cause I feel like Hugh was very,
354
00:15:13.040 --> 00:15:15.777
all the way back when we saw
him in I think "Descent,"
355
00:15:16.752 --> 00:15:21.220
he was, there was that
glimmer of humanity in him,
356
00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:23.200
which I think leads to
357
00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:25.700
Seven's humanity.
Absolutely.
358
00:15:25.700 --> 00:15:30.240
So, now you have to bring
that humanity, and also,
359
00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.253
this thing that you've
been kicked around forever.
360
00:15:33.634 --> 00:15:35.370
Would you talk a little bit
about that creative process?
361
00:15:35.370 --> 00:15:37.803
Yeah, I just used my
real life in Hollywood.
362
00:15:37.803 --> 00:15:40.360
[Laughs]
363
00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:42.510
"Gee, where am I gonna draw from,
364
00:15:42.510 --> 00:15:44.180
getting kicked around for 30 years?"
365
00:15:44.180 --> 00:15:46.313
No, seriously, I use my real life because,
366
00:15:47.350 --> 00:15:50.530
like I said earlier, I
based Hugh originally
367
00:15:50.530 --> 00:15:52.817
on my partner that had died of AIDS
368
00:15:52.817 --> 00:15:55.960
and his innocence in
that period of dementia.
369
00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:59.170
And when the role came back round
370
00:15:59.170 --> 00:16:01.560
and I started reading the script,
371
00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:05.140
I realized I could just
use myself because now Hugh
372
00:16:05.140 --> 00:16:08.870
is more of a protector, an activist.
373
00:16:08.870 --> 00:16:11.830
He's trying his hardest to
sort of juggle that line
374
00:16:11.830 --> 00:16:16.600
of protecting and still
playing by the Romulan rules
375
00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:19.470
so that they don't get
more damage happen to them.
376
00:16:19.470 --> 00:16:22.780
And so I was, I just
associated with my own activism.
377
00:16:22.780 --> 00:16:27.080
As a man, the things I stand
up for and I speak out for,
378
00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:29.940
that was super easy for me
to superimpose that humanity
379
00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:31.830
and the sense of empathy that I have
380
00:16:31.830 --> 00:16:34.890
for people at our border,
people in the Middle East
381
00:16:34.890 --> 00:16:38.550
that are being cast out
and not wanted anywhere.
382
00:16:38.550 --> 00:16:43.023
It's just not that hard
to use life, you know?
383
00:16:44.230 --> 00:16:47.380
Do you think that Hugh
sought that position out?
384
00:16:47.380 --> 00:16:48.710
I think it fell on him.
385
00:16:48.710 --> 00:16:50.560
I think it was one of
those things that it's not
386
00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:53.350
what he would have wanted
to do with his life,
387
00:16:53.350 --> 00:16:54.840
but it was where he was needed.
388
00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.680
And I think he's lived
his life in service.
389
00:16:57.680 --> 00:17:00.420
I think that both of us kind of have.
390
00:17:00.420 --> 00:17:02.270
It's an interesting thing about the Borg,
391
00:17:02.270 --> 00:17:04.820
like they don't, they're
not in relationships.
392
00:17:04.820 --> 00:17:05.930
They don't necessarily have children.
393
00:17:05.930 --> 00:17:09.150
Like, they're living their
lives to protect each other.
394
00:17:09.150 --> 00:17:10.450
So that brings up an interesting point.
395
00:17:10.450 --> 00:17:13.510
How do Hugh and Seven relate to this
396
00:17:13.510 --> 00:17:15.950
Artifact reclamation project?
397
00:17:15.950 --> 00:17:20.950
If they don't relate to it
the way non-Borg relate to it,
398
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.640
how do they relate to the project?
399
00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:28.480
I think that there was clearly
some sort of relationship
400
00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:30.460
and some sort of contact
because I had given you
401
00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:32.450
my Fenris Ranger calling card.
402
00:17:32.450 --> 00:17:34.357
Prequel!
Which is now Elnor calls me.
403
00:17:34.357 --> 00:17:35.857
Exactly!
Prequel!
404
00:17:39.393 --> 00:17:41.462
I'm not entirely sure that Seven approves
405
00:17:41.462 --> 00:17:43.670
of the entire project.
406
00:17:43.670 --> 00:17:47.130
I don't think she's on board
with "let's just play nice
407
00:17:47.130 --> 00:17:49.170
with the Romulans and let
them take all the technology
408
00:17:49.170 --> 00:17:50.920
as long as we can try
and protect these people."
409
00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:54.960
So they've come at their mode of survival
410
00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:57.580
and protecting people as best they can
411
00:17:57.580 --> 00:17:59.180
in very different ways, I think.
412
00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:02.120
I researched a lot of Holocaust things
413
00:18:02.120 --> 00:18:03.436
because there were always in the-
414
00:18:03.436 --> 00:18:06.320
Interesting.
In the camps and the ghettos.
415
00:18:06.320 --> 00:18:10.760
Even people of the community
that were being camped
416
00:18:10.760 --> 00:18:13.850
had representatives that
sort of went to the Nazis
417
00:18:13.850 --> 00:18:16.590
and sort of negotiated
things and had to kind of
418
00:18:16.590 --> 00:18:18.710
play by the rules, to some degree.
419
00:18:18.710 --> 00:18:20.900
And so it was a gray area,
especially in the early scripts.
420
00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:23.150
I kind of wasn't sure whether
Hugh was a villain or not.
421
00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:25.970
It was kind of unclear to
me, when I was reading it,
422
00:18:25.970 --> 00:18:28.150
the line he straddles,
423
00:18:28.150 --> 00:18:31.143
'cause he's kind of putting
up with their BS, right?
424
00:18:32.270 --> 00:18:34.550
So yeah, it's a gray area for him.
425
00:18:34.550 --> 00:18:37.840
I think it is the
circumstance he's handed,
426
00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:40.800
and he's gonna do the
best he can to survive
427
00:18:40.800 --> 00:18:43.860
and to get as many of the
xBs to survive as well.
428
00:18:43.860 --> 00:18:45.170
I'm glad you bring up that parallel
429
00:18:45.170 --> 00:18:47.780
because I think when
Star Trek is at its best
430
00:18:47.780 --> 00:18:50.836
is when we are metaphoric
431
00:18:50.836 --> 00:18:52.310
and when we're talking about things.
432
00:18:52.310 --> 00:18:54.210
And I think this particular Star Trek
433
00:18:54.210 --> 00:18:56.487
is real important right
now because of that.
434
00:18:56.487 --> 00:18:58.290
I have time for one last question.
435
00:18:58.290 --> 00:18:59.450
It is for you.
Okay!
436
00:18:59.450 --> 00:19:01.360
At the very end of the episode,
437
00:19:01.360 --> 00:19:03.320
I wanna read this and get it right,
438
00:19:03.320 --> 00:19:07.230
"Annika still has work
to do," is what she says.
439
00:19:07.230 --> 00:19:09.757
She comes out, she comes out, and she says,
440
00:19:09.757 --> 00:19:12.240
"Annika still has work to do."
441
00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:15.769
What is that about?
442
00:19:18.020 --> 00:19:19.083
Can you tease it?
443
00:19:20.587 --> 00:19:23.250
I mean, it's...
444
00:19:24.880 --> 00:19:26.140
I think it's a continuation
445
00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:28.070
of the work that she's been doing.
446
00:19:28.070 --> 00:19:31.430
Now she feels responsible
because Hugh is gone,
447
00:19:31.430 --> 00:19:34.060
so it's on her to protect
what's left of the xB
448
00:19:35.750 --> 00:19:36.723
and the Artifact.
449
00:19:39.244 --> 00:19:43.800
And there's-no! I can't
tell you more than that yet.
450
00:19:43.800 --> 00:19:44.850
That's fine.
You'll have to wait.
451
00:19:44.850 --> 00:19:47.866
Listen, it just makes me excited.
452
00:19:47.866 --> 00:19:51.440
It just makes me excited to
see what's left in this season.
453
00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.816
Jeri Ryan, Jonathan Del Arco, thank you.
454
00:19:53.816 --> 00:19:54.649
Thank you.
Thank you, Wil.
455
00:19:54.649 --> 00:19:56.737
So much for spending
some time with me today.
456
00:19:56.737 --> 00:19:59.060
It was so fun.
457
00:20:13.660 --> 00:20:16.490
Phasers, badges, alien skulls.
458
00:20:16.490 --> 00:20:17.790
When it comes to Star Trek,
459
00:20:17.790 --> 00:20:21.440
props are an essential
and meticulously detailed
460
00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:25.010
aspect of production. And the
props in Star Trek: Picard
461
00:20:25.010 --> 00:20:26.250
are no exception.
462
00:20:26.250 --> 00:20:28.420
Let's take a look at some of the show's
463
00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:33.150
more stellar objects.
464
00:20:33.150 --> 00:20:34.950
Identify this painting.
465
00:20:34.950 --> 00:20:37.580
Item 227.67.
466
00:20:37.580 --> 00:20:41.400
An oil on canvas painted
by Commander Data.
467
00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:45.363
So this, we kept in the office
'cause it's Data's painting.
468
00:20:46.410 --> 00:20:49.230
It's am actual, real oil painting
469
00:20:50.090 --> 00:20:52.883
that we had an artist
named Andrea Dopaso do.
470
00:20:54.840 --> 00:20:56.612
It was a key prop that, early on,
471
00:20:56.612 --> 00:21:00.580
we really wanted to get right,
which was very difficult
472
00:21:00.580 --> 00:21:03.700
considering we didn't have Isa cast yet.
473
00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:06.510
So once she was cast, we had about a week
474
00:21:06.510 --> 00:21:10.883
to plug her into it.
475
00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:18.550
This was the last
Federation Starfleet badge
476
00:21:18.550 --> 00:21:22.804
we saw Picard with, what we
call the TNG movie badge,
477
00:21:22.804 --> 00:21:27.800
And this is the new 2399 Federation badge.
478
00:21:27.800 --> 00:21:30.090
These are actually made out of metal.
479
00:21:30.090 --> 00:21:32.210
We wanted the chrome to actually pop
480
00:21:32.210 --> 00:21:33.870
like real chrome does.
481
00:21:33.870 --> 00:21:36.800
A visitor badge Picard's given when he
482
00:21:36.800 --> 00:21:38.023
goes back to Starfleet.
483
00:21:39.140 --> 00:21:43.810
Gradient badge, which is what
they use on the Borg cube
484
00:21:43.810 --> 00:21:45.773
to make sure they're not assimilated.
485
00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:50.870
And then Picard's family crest comm pin,
486
00:21:50.870 --> 00:21:52.740
which is how he communicates
487
00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:55.186
with Laris and Zhaban on the chateau.
488
00:22:05.120 --> 00:22:09.480
Early on, it was necessary
that the Romulans had
489
00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:12.623
something called Romulan tarot cards,
490
00:22:13.659 --> 00:22:17.260
but then later, we discovered
that these tarot cards
491
00:22:17.260 --> 00:22:20.070
are actually a part of the zhamaq game.
492
00:22:20.070 --> 00:22:21.920
And it's actually a three-player game,
493
00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:26.340
and in it, each player has
five cards in their hands.
494
00:22:26.340 --> 00:22:29.240
For example, here's like
a instant-death card.
495
00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:32.240
You would play that card,
instantly killing your opponent
496
00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.180
and taking his space.
497
00:22:34.180 --> 00:22:36.530
So once you occupy each one of these,
498
00:22:36.530 --> 00:22:40.890
you've won the game of zhamaq.
499
00:22:40.890 --> 00:22:45.600
So, Rios finds his old mementos.
500
00:22:45.600 --> 00:22:48.090
This is an old cigar box, the idea being
501
00:22:48.090 --> 00:22:50.640
that maybe these were some
of Vandermeer's old things
502
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.930
that he kept as a memento
after Vandermeer died.
503
00:22:53.930 --> 00:22:55.130
And then inside of here
504
00:22:55.130 --> 00:22:59.030
we've got some different little
mementos from his journeys.
505
00:22:59.030 --> 00:23:02.160
Alien skull, iridescent stone.
506
00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:05.440
These are the pips that
Rios would have acquired.
507
00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:07.640
We engraved the back of Rios's badge
508
00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:12.253
with his Federation Starfleet
serial number and his name.
509
00:23:13.320 --> 00:23:17.110
So, literally, these are
the only physical examples
510
00:23:17.110 --> 00:23:21.163
of the ibn Majid left around.
511
00:23:51.600 --> 00:23:54.140
Now, as promised, we have an exclusive,
512
00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:57.170
never-before-seen look at
the penultimate episode
513
00:23:57.170 --> 00:23:59.960
of Star Trek: Picard Season 1.
514
00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:01.720
You know, "penultimate" is just a fancy way
515
00:24:01.720 --> 00:24:03.550
of saying "second-to-last."
516
00:24:03.550 --> 00:24:04.869
Take a look.
517
00:24:14.220 --> 00:24:17.937
[Computer] Chroniton field
integrity at 90 percent and holding.
518
00:24:46.050 --> 00:24:48.000
[Rios] Ghulion System, fourth planet.
519
00:24:49.410 --> 00:24:50.243
That the one?
520
00:24:53.760 --> 00:24:55.490
Did we beat them?
521
00:24:55.490 --> 00:24:58.560
Well, long and short-range scanners
522
00:24:58.560 --> 00:25:00.343
show no Romulan presence.
523
00:25:01.710 --> 00:25:03.640
No ships of any kind.
524
00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:05.010
Nice work, honey.
525
00:25:05.010 --> 00:25:07.310
You got us here really damned fast,
526
00:25:07.310 --> 00:25:09.763
and I am never going
to do that ever again.
527
00:25:10.810 --> 00:25:12.670
Thank you so much for joining us today
528
00:25:12.670 --> 00:25:13.503
in The Ready Room.
529
00:25:13.503 --> 00:25:16.740
I will be back next week
to talk about Episode 9
530
00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:19.473
of Star Trek: Picard, the penultimate.
531
00:25:20.430 --> 00:25:22.205
Until then, I'm Wil Wheaton.
532
00:25:22.205 --> 00:25:26.173
Live long and prosper.