WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.530 --> 00:00:01.630 Joining me in The Ready Room 2 00:00:01.630 --> 00:00:04.890 this week is Enterprise Science Officer Spock, Ethan Peck, 3 00:00:04.890 --> 00:00:06.347 and Gia Sandhu, who plays T'Pring, 4 00:00:06.347 --> 00:00:09.660 En-keshtanktil counselor and Spock's fiancée. 5 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:11.580 The cast of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 6 00:00:11.580 --> 00:00:13.000 play Star Trek Bingo. 7 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:14.730 Plus, I've got an exclusive sneak peek 8 00:00:14.730 --> 00:00:16.080 at next week's episode. 9 00:00:16.080 --> 00:00:17.360 Time to cash in your shore leave 10 00:00:17.360 --> 00:00:20.085 and report to The Ready Room for all that and more. 11 00:00:27.150 --> 00:00:28.180 Hey, nerds, I'm Wil Wheaton, 12 00:00:28.180 --> 00:00:29.560 and this is The Ready Room, 13 00:00:29.560 --> 00:00:31.200 your official behind-the-scenes hub 14 00:00:31.200 --> 00:00:32.900 for all things Star Trek Universe. 15 00:00:32.900 --> 00:00:34.870 Today, we're breaking down Episode 5 16 00:00:34.870 --> 00:00:36.270 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, 17 00:00:36.270 --> 00:00:37.600 titled "Spock Amok," 18 00:00:37.600 --> 00:00:41.250 which is exceptionally appropriate. 19 00:00:41.250 --> 00:00:44.123 If you do not know why, red alert! 20 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:48.970 This episode is such a hugely enjoyable foray 21 00:00:48.970 --> 00:00:51.230 into Spock and T'Pring's relationship, 22 00:00:51.230 --> 00:00:53.840 it would be highly illogical to experience it 23 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:55.940 any other way than how it was intended. 24 00:00:55.940 --> 00:00:57.620 So, please, go stream it, 25 00:00:57.620 --> 00:00:59.810 then come back here as we get up close and personal 26 00:00:59.810 --> 00:01:01.403 with Vulcan mating rituals. 27 00:01:02.360 --> 00:01:05.100 Okay, so, I know that you have seen the episode, 28 00:01:05.100 --> 00:01:07.450 and it's totally one of your favorite episodes 29 00:01:07.450 --> 00:01:09.640 of Star Trek of all time now, right? 30 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:12.830 You know there is no way we could do The Ready Room today 31 00:01:12.830 --> 00:01:16.140 with anyone other than Ethan Peck and Gia Sandhu, 32 00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:17.510 who brought the hijinks, 33 00:01:17.510 --> 00:01:19.290 the positive relationship modeling, 34 00:01:19.290 --> 00:01:21.000 and did I mention the hijinks? 35 00:01:21.000 --> 00:01:22.500 I quite enjoyed the hijinks. 36 00:01:22.500 --> 00:01:24.680 We don't get to do hijinks on Star Trek. 37 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:26.360 Now, in some traditions, 38 00:01:26.360 --> 00:01:29.080 the groom-to-be isn't allowed to see the bride-to-be 39 00:01:29.080 --> 00:01:30.010 before the wedding day 40 00:01:30.010 --> 00:01:31.530 or it's horrendous bad luck. 41 00:01:31.530 --> 00:01:33.430 And sometimes, on The Ready Room, 42 00:01:33.430 --> 00:01:36.400 one of our actors gets stuck on the set and can't be here. 43 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:37.840 So, to be on the safe side, 44 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:39.400 I'm putting these two things together, 45 00:01:39.400 --> 00:01:42.180 talking to Ethan and Gia separately. 46 00:01:42.180 --> 00:01:44.490 Today, we'll also learn all about the Aenar, 47 00:01:44.490 --> 00:01:46.780 the pacifist subspecies of Andorian 48 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:49.100 that Chief Engineer Hemmer belongs to. 49 00:01:49.100 --> 00:01:50.690 But before we get to any of that, 50 00:01:50.690 --> 00:01:53.900 this episode sees Number One and Chief La'An 51 00:01:53.900 --> 00:01:57.140 catch some rogue ensigns playing Enterprise Bingo, 52 00:01:57.140 --> 00:01:58.210 an off-the-books game 53 00:01:58.210 --> 00:02:01.060 that involves breaking quite a few Starfleet rules. 54 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:02.950 You know, when I was an ensign, 55 00:02:02.950 --> 00:02:05.180 all we did was sick break dancing battles. 56 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:06.243 Watch this. 57 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.610 The normally rule-bound duo decide to remain 58 00:02:16.610 --> 00:02:18.610 on board the Enterprise during shore leave 59 00:02:18.610 --> 00:02:20.300 and play the game themselves 60 00:02:20.300 --> 00:02:22.477 in an attempt to prove that they aren't, in fact, 61 00:02:22.477 --> 00:02:24.540 "where fun goes to die." 62 00:02:24.540 --> 00:02:26.600 With a new series and mostly new cast, 63 00:02:26.600 --> 00:02:29.350 we felt like we had some initiating of our own to do, 64 00:02:29.350 --> 00:02:31.800 so we recruited the cast of Strange New Worlds 65 00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:33.830 for a game of Star Trek Bingo. 66 00:02:33.830 --> 00:02:35.816 Control room, engage. 67 00:02:41.835 --> 00:02:43.170 I have, yes. 68 00:02:43.170 --> 00:02:44.170 Yes, I have. 69 00:02:44.170 --> 00:02:45.691 Very sexy feeling. 70 00:02:47.491 --> 00:02:48.350 I wish I could say yes. 71 00:02:48.350 --> 00:02:49.183 No. 72 00:02:49.183 --> 00:02:50.016 Yes, I have, 73 00:02:50.016 --> 00:02:51.520 as has my dog Runa. 74 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:52.980 Yes, and it was awesome. 75 00:02:52.980 --> 00:02:54.250 I really wanted to. 76 00:02:54.250 --> 00:02:55.310 Why, yes, I have. 77 00:02:55.310 --> 00:02:56.280 Yes. 78 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:57.200 So has my mom. 79 00:02:57.200 --> 00:02:58.890 I've walked by it very closely. 80 00:02:58.890 --> 00:03:01.252 One of the first things I did on one of my first days 81 00:03:01.252 --> 00:03:02.680 on set was sit in the captain's chair. 82 00:03:02.680 --> 00:03:03.640 I had my hand on it. 83 00:03:03.640 --> 00:03:04.473 I mean, I've been sitting 84 00:03:04.473 --> 00:03:05.610 in the captain's chair my whole life, 85 00:03:05.610 --> 00:03:07.002 but technically, no. 86 00:03:13.399 --> 00:03:14.232 Yes. 87 00:03:14.232 --> 00:03:15.065 Not yet. 88 00:03:15.065 --> 00:03:16.670 Nope. Not yet. 89 00:03:16.670 --> 00:03:18.060 Not physically. 90 00:03:18.060 --> 00:03:22.300 I've had a bunch of people in my social media DMs. 91 00:03:22.300 --> 00:03:23.690 Do my parents count? 92 00:03:23.690 --> 00:03:24.523 Yes. 93 00:03:24.523 --> 00:03:25.356 Not yet. 94 00:03:25.356 --> 00:03:26.240 Yes. 95 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:27.621 Yes, I have. 96 00:03:27.621 --> 00:03:29.147 And it's a wonderful feeling. 97 00:03:36.350 --> 00:03:37.915 No, but... 98 00:03:37.915 --> 00:03:38.748 Mm. 99 00:03:38.748 --> 00:03:40.380 Yes. The Original Series. 100 00:03:40.380 --> 00:03:41.213 Yes. 101 00:03:41.213 --> 00:03:42.046 I haven't. 102 00:03:42.046 --> 00:03:43.600 You know what? No, I haven't. 103 00:03:43.600 --> 00:03:44.640 No, but yes... 104 00:03:44.640 --> 00:03:45.473 No, I have not. 105 00:03:45.473 --> 00:03:47.530 I mean, I've seen a lot of The Next Generation. 106 00:03:47.530 --> 00:03:49.430 That was my Star Trek growing up. 107 00:03:49.430 --> 00:03:51.140 No. I haven't done this. 108 00:03:51.140 --> 00:03:51.980 Yes. 109 00:03:51.980 --> 00:03:52.940 That's a tricky question. 110 00:03:52.940 --> 00:03:54.724 I don't know how you guys are gonna count that. 111 00:04:02.717 --> 00:04:03.908 Um. 112 00:04:03.908 --> 00:04:05.160 No comment. 113 00:04:05.160 --> 00:04:06.047 Well, it wouldn't be a secret 114 00:04:06.047 --> 00:04:07.480 if I told you what I took, would it? 115 00:04:07.480 --> 00:04:08.600 Close, but no. 116 00:04:08.600 --> 00:04:09.810 All the time, I want to steal stuff. 117 00:04:09.810 --> 00:04:11.080 Yes. 118 00:04:11.080 --> 00:04:12.750 Moving on. 119 00:04:12.750 --> 00:04:14.950 I have a set of Spock ears. 120 00:04:14.950 --> 00:04:16.040 Taken a couple things. 121 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:17.560 I'm surprised they haven't caught me yet. 122 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:19.136 No, I haven't. 123 00:04:19.136 --> 00:04:19.972 No. 124 00:04:20.830 --> 00:04:22.687 I'm constantly asking like, 125 00:04:22.687 --> 00:04:24.100 "Hey, can I take that chair home?" 126 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:25.480 Tribble! 127 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:27.722 I took a tribble, but don't tell anybody. 128 00:04:32.790 --> 00:04:33.623 Yeah. 129 00:04:33.623 --> 00:04:34.460 No, not yet. 130 00:04:34.460 --> 00:04:36.410 I have not. 131 00:04:36.410 --> 00:04:38.168 Oh! Star Trek shake, yes. 132 00:04:38.168 --> 00:04:39.220 Yes, I have. 133 00:04:39.220 --> 00:04:40.053 Yes! 134 00:04:40.053 --> 00:04:40.886 No. 135 00:04:41.900 --> 00:04:42.840 Yes, I have. 136 00:04:42.840 --> 00:04:44.740 Yes, in every sort of way. 137 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:45.867 Melissa, who plays Ortegas, is like, 138 00:04:45.867 --> 00:04:47.360 "Are we going left? Are we going..." 139 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:49.037 Is it directional? Is it non-directional? 140 00:04:49.037 --> 00:04:49.987 "Where are we getting hit from?" 141 00:04:49.987 --> 00:04:51.612 How big is the thing that's hitting us? 142 00:04:54.670 --> 00:04:56.130 Yes! Awesome. 143 00:04:56.130 --> 00:04:57.700 I won Star Trek Bingo! 144 00:04:57.700 --> 00:04:58.950 Bingo. 145 00:04:58.950 --> 00:04:59.998 Yay! 146 00:05:05.350 --> 00:05:06.930 I am now joined by Gia Sandhu, 147 00:05:06.930 --> 00:05:09.050 who plays T'Pring on Strange New Worlds. 148 00:05:09.050 --> 00:05:10.290 Gia, thank you so much 149 00:05:10.290 --> 00:05:13.640 for dropping into The Ready Room to chat with us today. 150 00:05:13.640 --> 00:05:14.750 My absolute pleasure. 151 00:05:14.750 --> 00:05:16.290 Thank you for having me. 152 00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:19.430 So I've been watching Star Trek my entire life, 153 00:05:19.430 --> 00:05:22.300 and this episode is, I think, 154 00:05:22.300 --> 00:05:27.300 the funniest Star Trek episode I have ever seen. 155 00:05:27.467 --> 00:05:31.650 Star Trek is not typically known for its comedy, 156 00:05:31.650 --> 00:05:35.950 but your deadpan comedic beats with Ethan 157 00:05:35.950 --> 00:05:39.223 in this episode absolutely killed me. 158 00:05:42.545 --> 00:05:43.545 What should we do? 159 00:05:45.050 --> 00:05:46.200 You must answer it. 160 00:05:46.200 --> 00:05:47.270 These are my quarters. 161 00:05:47.270 --> 00:05:49.280 Anyone who comes here will expect me to answer the door. 162 00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:50.580 I know how a door works. 163 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:52.933 If they go away, 164 00:05:52.933 --> 00:05:55.140 that may give us enough time to fix the situation. 165 00:05:55.140 --> 00:05:56.390 Logic suggests the easiest way 166 00:05:56.390 --> 00:05:58.700 to get them to go away is for you to answer 167 00:05:58.700 --> 00:05:59.910 while pretending to be me. 168 00:05:59.910 --> 00:06:01.620 Spock, I do not like hijinks. 169 00:06:01.620 --> 00:06:02.930 In that, we are in agreement. 170 00:06:02.930 --> 00:06:05.410 But it appears that hijinks are the most logical 171 00:06:05.410 --> 00:06:07.040 course of action. 172 00:06:07.040 --> 00:06:10.800 Talk to me about finding the musical timing 173 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:14.080 in that comedy without losing the Vulcan logic. 174 00:06:14.080 --> 00:06:15.420 First of all, thank you so much. 175 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:17.730 That's a huge compliment, 176 00:06:17.730 --> 00:06:18.980 and I take that to heart. 177 00:06:19.910 --> 00:06:24.870 I think a lot of it is actually in the script. 178 00:06:24.870 --> 00:06:26.590 It's written out. 179 00:06:26.590 --> 00:06:27.960 What you guys don't see is that 180 00:06:27.960 --> 00:06:31.190 the ellipses, or pauses, are written into our dialogue, 181 00:06:31.190 --> 00:06:34.070 so we don't have to over-intellectualize 182 00:06:34.070 --> 00:06:35.740 what's gonna play as funny, 183 00:06:35.740 --> 00:06:39.460 where do the writers want us to take those moments. 184 00:06:39.460 --> 00:06:40.890 It's all kind of laid out for us, 185 00:06:40.890 --> 00:06:42.100 which is really nice, 186 00:06:42.100 --> 00:06:44.034 takes a lot of the homework out of it. 187 00:06:46.790 --> 00:06:49.140 I think that very often in life, 188 00:06:49.140 --> 00:06:50.650 some of the people who are the funniest are the people 189 00:06:50.650 --> 00:06:52.550 who are not trying to be funny at all. 190 00:06:53.400 --> 00:06:54.990 So, from the perspective of the actor, 191 00:06:54.990 --> 00:06:57.600 I think we read these words, 192 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:01.060 and we understand these circumstances 193 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:05.113 as being so bizarre and outrageous. 194 00:07:05.113 --> 00:07:07.620 Then, I think we just try to find the sincerity 195 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:11.720 and the realism within all of that. 196 00:07:11.720 --> 00:07:13.200 And I think that's probably part 197 00:07:13.200 --> 00:07:17.400 of what helps it, hopefully, be funny. 198 00:07:17.400 --> 00:07:21.080 You and Ethan have these really beautiful, meaningful, 199 00:07:21.080 --> 00:07:24.560 romantic moments more than once in this season, 200 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:26.450 but particularly in this episode. 201 00:07:26.450 --> 00:07:28.740 And I think we all want to know 202 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:32.999 how in the world did you guys manage to make logic sexy? 203 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.770 Spock, parted from me and never parted, 204 00:07:38.770 --> 00:07:41.360 never and always touching and touched, 205 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.110 we meet at the appointed place. 206 00:07:43.110 --> 00:07:46.230 T'Pring, parted from me and never parted, 207 00:07:46.230 --> 00:07:48.470 never and always touching and touched, 208 00:07:51.250 --> 00:07:52.083 I await you. 209 00:07:57.840 --> 00:07:59.420 Thank you. 210 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:03.728 I think a lot of that work is... 211 00:08:03.728 --> 00:08:05.444 glamorous costumes 212 00:08:05.444 --> 00:08:09.530 and moody lighting and great sound, 213 00:08:09.530 --> 00:08:13.810 so I would applaud the team 214 00:08:13.810 --> 00:08:15.210 that works behind the scenes 215 00:08:15.210 --> 00:08:17.170 in creating a wonderful atmosphere 216 00:08:17.170 --> 00:08:19.980 so that Ethan and I can speak like this 217 00:08:19.980 --> 00:08:21.691 and still be sexy. 218 00:08:22.767 --> 00:08:23.600 That was great. 219 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:24.765 Thank you for that. 220 00:08:26.040 --> 00:08:27.610 I was at a big Star Trek convention 221 00:08:27.610 --> 00:08:29.050 just this last weekend, 222 00:08:29.050 --> 00:08:32.480 and in the context of having a conversation 223 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:35.350 about Star Trek, a fan mentioned that it would be great 224 00:08:35.350 --> 00:08:37.373 if we did a Freaky Friday Star Trek episode. 225 00:08:37.373 --> 00:08:38.960 Now, I had already seen this, 226 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:40.490 and I was like, "Ah ha ha ha, 227 00:08:40.490 --> 00:08:42.150 that's not a thing that's actually happening. 228 00:08:42.150 --> 00:08:44.410 Ha ha ha, it sure would be funny if that happened. 229 00:08:44.410 --> 00:08:47.075 It hasn't happened already. Ha ha ha." 230 00:08:47.075 --> 00:08:49.360 And I just couldn't stop thinking about it. 231 00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:51.290 And I started thinking about this in the context 232 00:08:51.290 --> 00:08:54.780 of you switching bodies and switching characters. 233 00:08:54.780 --> 00:08:59.340 You and Ethan know your individual characters very well, 234 00:08:59.340 --> 00:09:03.290 but now you have this really fun challenge 235 00:09:03.290 --> 00:09:06.100 of embodying each other's character. 236 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:08.330 I've never had the opportunity to do that, 237 00:09:08.330 --> 00:09:11.270 but I've noticed that physical choices 238 00:09:11.270 --> 00:09:14.910 profoundly affect my acting choices. 239 00:09:14.910 --> 00:09:18.580 Did you find yourself maybe, I don't know, 240 00:09:18.580 --> 00:09:22.210 trying to feel yourself inside of Ethan's body-- 241 00:09:22.210 --> 00:09:23.783 Oh, what a terrible way to put that, 242 00:09:23.783 --> 00:09:26.170 but, you know, inside of his sort of katra? 243 00:09:26.170 --> 00:09:27.950 Oh, yeah. No, definitely. 244 00:09:27.950 --> 00:09:30.133 That was a big part of it. 245 00:09:30.133 --> 00:09:33.600 I mean, at the core of it, this is a love story. 246 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.720 It's two young people in a relationship 247 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.630 who are trying to navigate murky waters, 248 00:09:39.630 --> 00:09:42.560 and they're in very unusual circumstances. 249 00:09:42.560 --> 00:09:45.400 And I think what an opportunity, 250 00:09:45.400 --> 00:09:48.923 to be able to see the world as your significant other does. 251 00:09:50.090 --> 00:09:52.860 So we definitely talked about body language, 252 00:09:52.860 --> 00:09:54.620 we talked about voice. 253 00:09:54.620 --> 00:09:57.937 Ethan has this very strong, deep voice, naturally. 254 00:09:59.570 --> 00:10:02.530 I tried within my own register, as best as I could, 255 00:10:02.530 --> 00:10:04.610 to bring some gravitas to my voice, 256 00:10:04.610 --> 00:10:07.120 and he kind of lifted his voice a little bit. 257 00:10:08.703 --> 00:10:09.870 And mannerisms as well. 258 00:10:09.870 --> 00:10:12.285 We see Ethan with his arms behind his back 259 00:10:12.285 --> 00:10:14.580 while he works on the ship a lot. 260 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:18.330 Whereas T'Pring is often a little bit more princessy 261 00:10:18.330 --> 00:10:20.453 in her mannerisms. 262 00:10:22.393 --> 00:10:25.340 I really enjoyed being able to see Ethan's process. 263 00:10:25.340 --> 00:10:28.850 He really let me into the different subtleties 264 00:10:28.850 --> 00:10:32.790 and his own interpretation 265 00:10:32.790 --> 00:10:35.350 of the Spock that he's created now, 266 00:10:35.350 --> 00:10:37.360 but also very much his influences 267 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.378 from the original Spock 268 00:10:39.378 --> 00:10:42.390 and Star Trek as a whole 269 00:10:42.390 --> 00:10:46.060 and how they've influenced the choices that he's made. 270 00:10:46.060 --> 00:10:48.230 It sounds to me like maybe this was a little bit more 271 00:10:48.230 --> 00:10:50.350 of a collaboration for the two of you 272 00:10:50.350 --> 00:10:52.823 than maybe it would've been in another context. 273 00:10:53.890 --> 00:10:54.723 Absolutely. 274 00:10:54.723 --> 00:10:56.693 It was majorly collaborative. 275 00:10:57.849 --> 00:10:58.730 I'm gonna let out a secret. 276 00:10:58.730 --> 00:11:00.508 We ended up hanging out a whole bunch 277 00:11:00.508 --> 00:11:02.150 before doing this show, 278 00:11:02.150 --> 00:11:04.060 although it was not advised. 279 00:11:04.060 --> 00:11:06.980 But we took it really seriously. 280 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:10.923 We wanted to do as much justice as we possibly could. 281 00:11:12.020 --> 00:11:13.250 I mean, we're not shooting a film, 282 00:11:13.250 --> 00:11:14.530 so we don't have the luxury 283 00:11:14.530 --> 00:11:16.240 of months and months of preparation, 284 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:18.500 so we kind of took the pieces of each other 285 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:23.200 that I think fans would be able to identify the most. 286 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:24.100 With Spock, for instance, 287 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:26.270 the eyebrow is a big thing, 288 00:11:26.270 --> 00:11:27.670 so it took me a while to work-- 289 00:11:27.670 --> 00:11:29.180 because I can do my left one. 290 00:11:29.180 --> 00:11:32.135 Can't do my right one as easily, which he does. 291 00:11:32.135 --> 00:11:33.215 So that was part 292 00:11:33.215 --> 00:11:37.492 of just getting my muscles to work a little bit different. 293 00:11:37.492 --> 00:11:38.690 I am Spock. 294 00:11:38.690 --> 00:11:40.120 And I am T'Pring. 295 00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:40.953 Now that you know, 296 00:11:40.953 --> 00:11:42.525 you can likely tell the very clear differences 297 00:11:42.525 --> 00:11:44.010 in our mannerisms. 298 00:11:44.010 --> 00:11:45.220 Yeah, totally. 299 00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:47.250 The physical choices you made were subtle, 300 00:11:47.250 --> 00:11:48.803 but extremely clear to me. 301 00:11:49.690 --> 00:11:51.730 The instant when we kind of know 302 00:11:51.730 --> 00:11:53.210 that something has happened, 303 00:11:53.210 --> 00:11:55.540 and that you have sort of switched bodies, 304 00:11:55.540 --> 00:11:56.620 the instant that happened, 305 00:11:56.620 --> 00:12:00.890 I really saw it wash over both of you in that two-shot. 306 00:12:00.890 --> 00:12:03.650 And it was super satisfying to watch. 307 00:12:03.650 --> 00:12:08.650 When we saw T'Pring in Episode 1 this season, 308 00:12:08.990 --> 00:12:10.890 I immediately, of course, recognize her 309 00:12:10.890 --> 00:12:12.423 as a legacy character. 310 00:12:13.810 --> 00:12:16.800 I had kind of lost touch with the fact 311 00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:19.860 that she really only appears in Amok Time 312 00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:21.000 in The Original Series, 313 00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:24.530 which we homage beautifully at the beginning 314 00:12:24.530 --> 00:12:26.500 of Spock Amok. 315 00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:28.600 I just sat there with my mouth open 316 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:29.990 and just clapping my hands 317 00:12:29.990 --> 00:12:31.660 through that entire opening sequence. 318 00:12:31.660 --> 00:12:32.893 It was so great. 319 00:12:33.950 --> 00:12:35.520 I have had the opportunity to talk 320 00:12:35.520 --> 00:12:38.090 to a few of your castmates about stepping into the roles 321 00:12:38.090 --> 00:12:41.460 of legacy characters and making them your own 322 00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:42.970 while honoring the original, 323 00:12:42.970 --> 00:12:44.070 and I'm just wondering, 324 00:12:44.070 --> 00:12:46.880 because she is an important character 325 00:12:46.880 --> 00:12:49.000 in Star Trek lore and mythology, 326 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:52.380 but because she exists in such a limited way 327 00:12:52.380 --> 00:12:54.210 before you step into the role, 328 00:12:54.210 --> 00:12:57.270 was there anything for you to draw from, 329 00:12:57.270 --> 00:13:00.170 or were you able to really just populate her 330 00:13:00.170 --> 00:13:02.510 with all of your own intentions? 331 00:13:02.510 --> 00:13:04.083 It's a really good question. 332 00:13:05.110 --> 00:13:07.370 First of all, I'm just so grateful 333 00:13:07.370 --> 00:13:09.160 because, Arlene Martel, 334 00:13:09.160 --> 00:13:11.290 when she steps in front of the camera, 335 00:13:11.290 --> 00:13:13.790 there's something that's just so captivating 336 00:13:13.790 --> 00:13:16.720 and alluring and mysterious about her. 337 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:20.370 And I think if she wasn't the person cast in that role, 338 00:13:20.370 --> 00:13:22.820 we might not be seeing T'Pring again. 339 00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:23.930 But there's something 340 00:13:23.930 --> 00:13:26.443 that really makes the audience want to see more. 341 00:13:27.770 --> 00:13:31.090 You have become much known among our people, Spock. 342 00:13:31.090 --> 00:13:32.153 Almost a legend. 343 00:13:33.380 --> 00:13:35.400 And as the years went by, I came to know 344 00:13:35.400 --> 00:13:37.900 that I did not want to be the consort of a legend. 345 00:13:41.140 --> 00:13:42.980 She's on screen for a short amount of time, 346 00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:45.090 but what an impact she makes. 347 00:13:45.090 --> 00:13:47.090 So there is some great framework 348 00:13:47.090 --> 00:13:49.360 and a great outline that was developed 349 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:50.600 in a really short amount of time. 350 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:52.730 And I feel really grateful 351 00:13:52.730 --> 00:13:56.383 that I can shade in part of that. 352 00:13:58.370 --> 00:13:59.370 There was not so much 353 00:13:59.370 --> 00:14:01.710 that it makes me feel intimidated, 354 00:14:01.710 --> 00:14:06.170 that I have to perfect all sorts of things 355 00:14:08.380 --> 00:14:10.270 to recreate something that's already established 356 00:14:10.270 --> 00:14:12.020 because there's so much room 357 00:14:12.020 --> 00:14:13.840 for me to also play and go back in time, 358 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.420 and a lot of imagination 359 00:14:15.420 --> 00:14:19.820 that I'm able to use to try to create somebody. 360 00:14:19.820 --> 00:14:22.597 And a lot of the questions that I asked myself are, 361 00:14:22.597 --> 00:14:23.560 "What is this person? 362 00:14:23.560 --> 00:14:25.700 Who would she have been when she was younger?" 363 00:14:25.700 --> 00:14:27.010 And I think some of the answers were, 364 00:14:27.010 --> 00:14:29.280 she's probably even more fiery 365 00:14:29.280 --> 00:14:31.790 than we see her at that point. 366 00:14:31.790 --> 00:14:33.730 She's probably grappling 367 00:14:33.730 --> 00:14:37.940 with being this high-society person or being 368 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:41.423 and then at the same time, being in love, 369 00:14:41.423 --> 00:14:44.090 then being in love with somebody else. 370 00:14:44.090 --> 00:14:47.023 It's very human in a lot of ways as well. 371 00:14:48.080 --> 00:14:49.500 I absolutely loved it. 372 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:52.130 In that thing we do as writers and actors, 373 00:14:52.130 --> 00:14:53.380 where we show and not tell, 374 00:14:53.380 --> 00:14:56.070 you and Ethan showing each other's characters, 375 00:14:56.070 --> 00:14:57.770 through your performance this week, 376 00:14:57.770 --> 00:15:00.200 I learned more about Spock. 377 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:02.670 And as someone who has watched and loved Spock 378 00:15:02.670 --> 00:15:04.910 for literally my entire life, 379 00:15:04.910 --> 00:15:06.500 that was really special for me. 380 00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:08.320 I know that I am not the only person 381 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.250 who will walk away from this episode with that, 382 00:15:10.250 --> 00:15:12.830 so thank you for the gift that you've given everyone 383 00:15:12.830 --> 00:15:15.190 in Star Trek fandom with that performance. 384 00:15:15.190 --> 00:15:17.990 And thank you for spending some time with us today 385 00:15:17.990 --> 00:15:18.823 in The Ready Room. 386 00:15:18.823 --> 00:15:21.440 I cannot wait to see what comes next for T'Pring, 387 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.830 and I hope we will get to explore your relationship further. 388 00:15:24.830 --> 00:15:25.910 Thank you so much. 389 00:15:25.910 --> 00:15:26.960 It was an absolute pleasure 390 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:28.660 having this conversation with you. 391 00:15:30.470 --> 00:15:33.840 My next guest needs absolutely no introduction, 392 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:36.110 so please join me as I welcome Ethan Peck 393 00:15:36.110 --> 00:15:36.943 to The Ready Room. 394 00:15:36.943 --> 00:15:40.060 Ethan, it is such a privilege to speak to you today. 395 00:15:40.060 --> 00:15:42.260 It's a privilege to speak to you. Thanks for having me. 396 00:15:42.260 --> 00:15:43.610 I want to talk about the episode 397 00:15:43.610 --> 00:15:45.550 that we just saw today. 398 00:15:45.550 --> 00:15:46.750 In this episode, 399 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:50.600 when you and Gia do what I call the switcheroo. 400 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:52.450 We have apparently switched bodies. 401 00:15:54.230 --> 00:15:55.790 This was not meant to happen. 402 00:15:55.790 --> 00:15:57.350 How do we switch back? 403 00:15:57.350 --> 00:15:58.183 I do not know. 404 00:15:59.030 --> 00:16:02.200 How did you bring her out 405 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:05.630 in your body that is so used to being Spock? 406 00:16:05.630 --> 00:16:10.240 It was a really frightening episode for me to do. 407 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:13.310 I got the script, and I was like, "Is this gonna work?" 408 00:16:13.310 --> 00:16:16.900 'Cause I'm Ethan playing Spock, 409 00:16:16.900 --> 00:16:19.510 who's become T'Pring, that has pretend to be Spock. 410 00:16:19.510 --> 00:16:21.950 - Yeah! - So it's kind of 411 00:16:21.950 --> 00:16:25.400 like a labyrinth of a problem, emotionally. 412 00:16:25.400 --> 00:16:26.332 - Yeah. Yeah. 413 00:16:26.332 --> 00:16:28.060 Because I was still kind of feeling out Spock. 414 00:16:28.060 --> 00:16:29.296 I'm still feeling out Spock. 415 00:16:29.296 --> 00:16:30.670 - No kidding! - I think that will be sort of 416 00:16:30.670 --> 00:16:31.930 an everlong process 417 00:16:31.930 --> 00:16:34.320 because all I want to do is keep finding more layers 418 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.010 - and nuance in him. - Mm-hmm. 419 00:16:36.010 --> 00:16:38.490 And we have such an incredible writing staff, 420 00:16:38.490 --> 00:16:42.130 and they support me in that endeavor, 421 00:16:42.130 --> 00:16:44.430 which just supports the show 422 00:16:44.430 --> 00:16:46.755 and the world of Strange New Worlds. 423 00:16:48.290 --> 00:16:51.550 So Gia and I spent a lot of time with one another, 424 00:16:51.550 --> 00:16:52.540 reading each other's lines 425 00:16:52.540 --> 00:16:53.750 to each other. 426 00:16:53.750 --> 00:16:54.720 We have a lot of fun on set, 427 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.130 and we had a lot of fun doing that, 428 00:16:56.130 --> 00:16:56.963 definitely. 429 00:16:56.963 --> 00:16:59.890 And we were both like, "Well, hope this works out." 430 00:16:59.890 --> 00:17:01.330 And again, 431 00:17:01.330 --> 00:17:03.820 the team that we work with is just so incredible, 432 00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:05.090 and they would protect us. 433 00:17:05.090 --> 00:17:07.080 I'm sure we did some crazy stuff 434 00:17:07.080 --> 00:17:08.650 that didn't make it onto the episode, 435 00:17:08.650 --> 00:17:09.603 thank goodness. 436 00:17:10.524 --> 00:17:13.030 I actually asked her if she wanted me to come in 437 00:17:13.030 --> 00:17:14.860 on days that just she was working. 438 00:17:14.860 --> 00:17:15.817 Because I was like, 439 00:17:15.817 --> 00:17:18.375 "If you want me to come in, and I'll be your Spock coach." 440 00:17:18.375 --> 00:17:20.200 Oh, that's so great! 441 00:17:20.200 --> 00:17:22.280 But she, I think, felt comfortable 442 00:17:22.280 --> 00:17:23.680 because we really did put in a lot 443 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:26.980 of work to pick up each other's traits 444 00:17:26.980 --> 00:17:28.980 and qualities and characteristics. 445 00:17:28.980 --> 00:17:33.070 You talked about how you are still getting to know Spock, 446 00:17:33.070 --> 00:17:35.410 which is astonishing to me. 447 00:17:35.410 --> 00:17:37.670 After watching you play Spock on Discovery 448 00:17:37.670 --> 00:17:41.030 and seeing you play Spock up to this point, 449 00:17:41.030 --> 00:17:44.079 I feel like you've got this. 450 00:17:45.487 --> 00:17:46.330 Thanks. 451 00:17:46.330 --> 00:17:48.530 I mean, I get that terror. 452 00:17:48.530 --> 00:17:52.320 Like, I know, "Oh, the responsibility of Star Trek." 453 00:17:52.320 --> 00:17:54.500 You have the responsibility of being Spock! 454 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:55.960 Like, come on! 455 00:17:57.280 --> 00:17:58.446 - I get it. - Yeah. 456 00:17:58.446 --> 00:17:59.640 Yeah, it's pretty heady. 457 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:02.558 I can only imagine. 458 00:18:02.558 --> 00:18:03.641 Yeah. 459 00:18:03.641 --> 00:18:07.310 I know how people are toward me about Wesley, 460 00:18:07.310 --> 00:18:10.799 and he's just Wesley, he's not Spock. 461 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:13.510 I mean, that's a really big thing. 462 00:18:13.510 --> 00:18:15.520 Sure. I mean, I don't know. 463 00:18:15.520 --> 00:18:16.560 So are you to me, 464 00:18:16.560 --> 00:18:18.650 but yeah, I totally understand it. 465 00:18:18.650 --> 00:18:21.900 He's been rated as the most iconic television character 466 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:23.740 - on multiple lists. - Yeah. 467 00:18:23.740 --> 00:18:24.573 When I got it, 468 00:18:25.570 --> 00:18:30.550 I still have difficulty enfolding it in my reality. 469 00:18:30.550 --> 00:18:33.870 It's this strange thing that's a part of my life. 470 00:18:33.870 --> 00:18:36.770 And I don't think about it too much 'cause it's too strange. 471 00:18:36.770 --> 00:18:38.560 One of the most satisfying elements 472 00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:39.720 of Strange New Worlds for me, 473 00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:41.970 as a lifelong Star Trek fan, are these moments 474 00:18:41.970 --> 00:18:44.410 where you who are playing legacy characters 475 00:18:44.410 --> 00:18:46.050 get to interpret something new, 476 00:18:46.050 --> 00:18:47.660 something we haven't seen before, 477 00:18:47.660 --> 00:18:50.670 a little piece of their story that fleshes them out 478 00:18:50.670 --> 00:18:53.040 in a way they were never fleshed out before, 479 00:18:53.040 --> 00:18:56.030 that just makes all of your characters unique 480 00:18:56.030 --> 00:19:00.803 to this iteration of the Enterprise, and all of that. 481 00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:04.843 I imagine that that comes with some risk. 482 00:19:07.550 --> 00:19:09.470 I remember when we started Next Generation, 483 00:19:09.470 --> 00:19:10.820 there were fans who, 484 00:19:10.820 --> 00:19:12.290 they didn't want us to be our own thing. 485 00:19:12.290 --> 00:19:14.360 They wanted us to be a direct recreation 486 00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:16.330 of The Original Series. 487 00:19:16.330 --> 00:19:18.470 Talk to me, if you will, 488 00:19:18.470 --> 00:19:20.330 just a little bit about the challenges 489 00:19:20.330 --> 00:19:23.900 and maybe some of the joys in discovery, 490 00:19:23.900 --> 00:19:26.820 of finding new pieces of Spock 491 00:19:26.820 --> 00:19:30.530 and how you have managed to take this character 492 00:19:30.530 --> 00:19:32.500 and really make him your own 493 00:19:32.500 --> 00:19:35.850 while respecting all of that other stuff. 494 00:19:35.850 --> 00:19:36.683 Yeah. 495 00:19:36.683 --> 00:19:39.710 I believe I have been given this amazing opportunity 496 00:19:39.710 --> 00:19:43.630 to not just play a very special role 497 00:19:43.630 --> 00:19:46.640 in a very special world and franchise, 498 00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:50.020 but to evolve, to become worthy of the role. 499 00:19:50.020 --> 00:19:51.430 When I first got it, 500 00:19:51.430 --> 00:19:53.880 I understood that there was so much I had to learn 501 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:58.350 about myself to really serve this character 502 00:19:58.350 --> 00:19:59.480 and serve this role. 503 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:01.550 - Spock is so pure - Mm-hmm. 504 00:20:01.550 --> 00:20:03.460 in his actions, in his thinking, 505 00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:05.870 and the execution of his philosophies. 506 00:20:05.870 --> 00:20:06.730 - Mm-hmm. 507 00:20:06.730 --> 00:20:09.960 And I had a lot of clutter in my mind, 508 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:12.220 and I felt that I had to become a more efficient 509 00:20:12.220 --> 00:20:14.890 and optimal thinker--just on set, right. 510 00:20:14.890 --> 00:20:15.723 - Mm-hmm. 511 00:20:15.723 --> 00:20:16.556 You've been on set, 512 00:20:16.556 --> 00:20:18.260 it can be a very pressurized environment. 513 00:20:18.260 --> 00:20:19.483 It can be very scary. 514 00:20:20.520 --> 00:20:22.380 You have to come in with your lines remembered, 515 00:20:22.380 --> 00:20:24.600 and you have to deliver something very precisely, 516 00:20:24.600 --> 00:20:25.700 emotionally. 517 00:20:25.700 --> 00:20:29.460 So I knew that I had to become a better Ethan. 518 00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:33.500 I'm giving all of my heart and soul and my effort 519 00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:36.180 to this character and to this time in my life, 520 00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:40.140 and I think that is yielding a Spock 521 00:20:40.140 --> 00:20:41.040 that is unique to me, 522 00:20:41.040 --> 00:20:42.470 or at least I hope that. 523 00:20:42.470 --> 00:20:45.110 And there, of course, has been an impression made on me 524 00:20:45.110 --> 00:20:46.950 by Leonard Nimoy's Spock. 525 00:20:46.950 --> 00:20:49.520 So, in me, I have this memory and experience of that 526 00:20:49.520 --> 00:20:51.650 that then becomes something else 527 00:20:51.650 --> 00:20:54.120 when I work on set. 528 00:20:54.120 --> 00:20:54.953 Yeah. 529 00:20:54.953 --> 00:20:57.470 And that's something I'm still kind of understanding 530 00:20:57.470 --> 00:21:00.730 and figuring out how to explain and how to improve upon. 531 00:21:00.730 --> 00:21:01.563 And like I said, 532 00:21:01.563 --> 00:21:04.590 I hope I have many more episodes 533 00:21:04.590 --> 00:21:08.300 and years to further discover him. 534 00:21:08.300 --> 00:21:11.750 One of the big differences I am noticing 535 00:21:11.750 --> 00:21:12.900 between your Spock 536 00:21:12.900 --> 00:21:15.110 and Leonard Nimoy's Spock is 537 00:21:15.110 --> 00:21:17.520 this season is leaning a bit more 538 00:21:17.520 --> 00:21:19.340 into the human side of Spock 539 00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:22.600 - Yeah. - and how Spock struggles 540 00:21:22.600 --> 00:21:23.830 with the human side. 541 00:21:23.830 --> 00:21:25.230 I am concerned that T'Pring thinks 542 00:21:25.230 --> 00:21:28.840 I am an incompatible mate because I'm half human. 543 00:21:28.840 --> 00:21:29.673 Okay. 544 00:21:30.601 --> 00:21:31.870 I had a terrible dream last night 545 00:21:31.870 --> 00:21:33.570 that I had to fight my human side. 546 00:21:33.570 --> 00:21:35.930 Vulcans don't do subtle, do ya? 547 00:21:35.930 --> 00:21:38.970 I was raised on Vulcan among Vulcans. 548 00:21:38.970 --> 00:21:41.010 My human family connection was frequently used 549 00:21:41.010 --> 00:21:42.230 to isolate me. 550 00:21:42.230 --> 00:21:44.750 But it's a big part of who he is. 551 00:21:44.750 --> 00:21:45.583 Yeah. 552 00:21:45.583 --> 00:21:48.430 A very surprising relationship for me 553 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:50.190 as a member of the audience is emerging 554 00:21:50.190 --> 00:21:51.900 between Spock and Chapel. 555 00:21:51.900 --> 00:21:53.400 That is clearly inspired 556 00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:55.050 by the relationship that existed 557 00:21:55.050 --> 00:21:58.120 between those characters as originated by Leonard and Majel. 558 00:21:58.120 --> 00:22:01.630 But you and Jess have a very, very different relationship. 559 00:22:01.630 --> 00:22:04.490 There's such a bond between them. 560 00:22:04.490 --> 00:22:06.150 It almost feels to me 561 00:22:06.150 --> 00:22:11.150 like she is a person who is allowing Spock to even look 562 00:22:11.430 --> 00:22:12.750 at his human side 563 00:22:12.750 --> 00:22:14.940 and even touch his human side 564 00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:18.490 in a way that I feel like he doesn't really want to do. 565 00:22:18.490 --> 00:22:20.527 - She comes to him like, - Yeah. 566 00:22:20.527 --> 00:22:24.010 "Buddy, let me help you human a little bit." 567 00:22:24.010 --> 00:22:28.320 If I am interpreting that relationship correctly, 568 00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:30.330 I would love for you to talk a little bit about that 569 00:22:30.330 --> 00:22:32.180 and just talk to me about Jess. 570 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:37.180 I think he finds that human inspiration and permission, 571 00:22:38.620 --> 00:22:41.310 firstly, in Captain Pike 572 00:22:41.310 --> 00:22:43.320 and then, in Season 2 of Discovery, 573 00:22:43.320 --> 00:22:44.730 in Michael Burnham. 574 00:22:44.730 --> 00:22:45.943 And now, 575 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.255 at a different angle, 576 00:22:50.255 --> 00:22:51.900 a romantic one, right, 577 00:22:51.900 --> 00:22:53.980 with Nurse Chapel, 578 00:22:53.980 --> 00:22:54.830 played by Jess. 579 00:22:55.980 --> 00:23:00.210 I think Jess brings this sort of sparkling 580 00:23:00.210 --> 00:23:02.580 and electric impulsiveness to Nurse Chapel 581 00:23:02.580 --> 00:23:05.020 that makes her so wonderful and fun to watch, 582 00:23:05.020 --> 00:23:08.290 and I think makes Spock so curious and fascinated. 583 00:23:08.290 --> 00:23:10.800 Forgive me for using that word. 584 00:23:10.800 --> 00:23:15.500 It's really a gift to be able to explore those halves of him 585 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:18.380 and with these other characters like that 586 00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:21.860 because he is so disdainful of his human half 587 00:23:21.860 --> 00:23:23.355 in The Original Series. 588 00:23:23.355 --> 00:23:24.300 And I believe, 589 00:23:24.300 --> 00:23:27.970 in Strange New Worlds, Spock also has a great amount 590 00:23:27.970 --> 00:23:29.960 of shame with his human side, 591 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:31.450 and this is the time of his life 592 00:23:31.450 --> 00:23:35.400 where he really begins to accept it, explore it, 593 00:23:35.400 --> 00:23:36.440 and find strength in it 594 00:23:36.440 --> 00:23:40.080 because what I think is that he's learning 595 00:23:40.970 --> 00:23:44.650 that emotion plays a big part of his logic-- 596 00:23:44.650 --> 00:23:45.483 - Yes. 597 00:23:45.483 --> 00:23:47.840 as wrong as that sounds, because 598 00:23:49.410 --> 00:23:53.250 the emotion that he feels and then interprets 599 00:23:53.250 --> 00:23:54.900 and intuits from, 600 00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:59.150 I think plays a really big part in his problem solving. 601 00:23:59.150 --> 00:24:02.690 And characters like Captain Pike and Michael Burnham, 602 00:24:02.690 --> 00:24:03.920 and, of course, Amanda Grayson, 603 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:07.604 although she's far and away at this point, 604 00:24:07.604 --> 00:24:08.850 and Nurse Chapel, 605 00:24:08.850 --> 00:24:11.560 are helping him to strengthen that side of him 606 00:24:11.560 --> 00:24:14.250 that will help him become the Spock 607 00:24:14.250 --> 00:24:16.520 that we see in The Original Series. 608 00:24:16.520 --> 00:24:20.970 You mentioned the romance angle of his character. 609 00:24:20.970 --> 00:24:24.480 And when T'Pring comes into Spock's quarters 610 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:26.340 and throws so much shade at him 611 00:24:26.340 --> 00:24:28.640 about how human the place is, 612 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:30.350 I thought that was really funny. 613 00:24:30.350 --> 00:24:32.234 I thought that was unbelievably funny. 614 00:24:32.234 --> 00:24:33.600 - [Ethan] Yeah. 615 00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:36.350 Then, these two characters, 616 00:24:36.350 --> 00:24:40.895 there is this smoldering passion between them 617 00:24:40.895 --> 00:24:43.020 that is, like, really-- 618 00:24:43.020 --> 00:24:47.461 like, I need to loosen my tie watching these two. 619 00:24:48.540 --> 00:24:53.210 How in the world did you guys manage to make 620 00:24:53.210 --> 00:24:56.030 Vulcan logic and stoicism 621 00:24:56.030 --> 00:24:58.853 so unbelievably sexy? 622 00:25:01.437 --> 00:25:02.640 I really appreciate that. 623 00:25:02.640 --> 00:25:04.060 I have no idea. 624 00:25:04.060 --> 00:25:05.261 I think it's partially 625 00:25:05.261 --> 00:25:07.304 - in the casting-- - That's what Gia said! 626 00:25:08.712 --> 00:25:09.929 - Really? - You guys are killing me! 627 00:25:12.475 --> 00:25:14.820 I think that we just get along, 628 00:25:14.820 --> 00:25:15.680 and we have fun, 629 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.163 and I think that chemistry carries onto camera. 630 00:25:19.820 --> 00:25:21.847 Of course, I've seen films where I'm like, 631 00:25:21.847 --> 00:25:24.290 "Oh my gosh, their onscreen chemistry is so good," 632 00:25:24.290 --> 00:25:25.760 and then I've heard that behind the scenes, 633 00:25:25.760 --> 00:25:27.760 they were at each other's throats. 634 00:25:27.760 --> 00:25:28.593 That is so not the case 635 00:25:28.593 --> 00:25:29.463 with us. 636 00:25:30.860 --> 00:25:32.340 But, again, I just think 637 00:25:34.760 --> 00:25:36.930 I'm in the right place at the right time for this role, 638 00:25:36.930 --> 00:25:40.410 and I think Gia is just so beautifully cast for T'Pring. 639 00:25:41.277 --> 00:25:42.240 And, again, 640 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.180 it's a really safe 641 00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:47.180 and rich working environment, 642 00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:50.040 so we get to be fully alive. 643 00:25:50.040 --> 00:25:53.930 I think fear is such a killer of creativity 644 00:25:53.930 --> 00:25:55.410 on sets and in general 645 00:25:55.410 --> 00:25:57.770 for any sort of creative person, 646 00:25:57.770 --> 00:26:00.840 so we really try to mitigate the amount of fear 647 00:26:00.840 --> 00:26:02.390 that exists on set. 648 00:26:02.390 --> 00:26:05.460 I could sit here and talk to you forever 649 00:26:05.460 --> 00:26:08.290 about this entire season, 650 00:26:08.290 --> 00:26:11.180 but I would spoil so many things for our audience, 651 00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:13.440 and I wouldn't dream of doing that. 652 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:14.430 The control room tells me 653 00:26:14.430 --> 00:26:15.630 that there's a non-zero chance 654 00:26:15.630 --> 00:26:17.660 I'm gonna get to talk to you at the end of the season, 655 00:26:17.660 --> 00:26:20.197 and I'm gonna have so many things 656 00:26:20.197 --> 00:26:21.050 that I am excited 657 00:26:21.050 --> 00:26:22.770 to discuss with you. 658 00:26:22.770 --> 00:26:24.210 I have so many questions. 659 00:26:24.210 --> 00:26:26.458 Oh, well, we should do it sometime. 660 00:26:26.458 --> 00:26:27.291 Yeah, we should do it sometime. 661 00:26:27.291 --> 00:26:28.790 I would really love that. 662 00:26:28.790 --> 00:26:30.670 On behalf of everyone in the audience, 663 00:26:30.670 --> 00:26:34.270 I just wanna thank you for making time for us today. 664 00:26:34.270 --> 00:26:35.160 Oh, my pleasure. 665 00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:37.187 As a member of legacy Star Trek, 666 00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:41.400 I always want to say to everybody who's coming 667 00:26:41.400 --> 00:26:43.363 into the Star Trek universe now, 668 00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:47.750 we built a little bit of this world 669 00:26:47.750 --> 00:26:50.840 that you guys are making so unbelievably cool. 670 00:26:50.840 --> 00:26:53.420 And as a fan, as part of this, 671 00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:56.170 and as the host of this show, 672 00:26:56.170 --> 00:26:58.470 it's a really big deal to get to talk to you 673 00:26:58.470 --> 00:26:59.510 and get to watch you 674 00:26:59.510 --> 00:27:01.050 bring this character to life. - Oh my gosh, are you kidding? 675 00:27:01.050 --> 00:27:02.670 So, thank you for everything. 676 00:27:02.670 --> 00:27:03.503 Oh my gosh, 677 00:27:03.503 --> 00:27:04.510 thank you so much, Wil, 678 00:27:04.510 --> 00:27:06.940 and it's such an incredible honor to build 679 00:27:06.940 --> 00:27:08.510 on what you've built 680 00:27:08.510 --> 00:27:11.980 and take it a step further in another direction, 681 00:27:11.980 --> 00:27:14.720 sideways, up, down, whichever way we're taking it. 682 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:15.910 It's my honor, really. 683 00:27:15.910 --> 00:27:17.220 And thank you so much for your time 684 00:27:17.220 --> 00:27:18.310 and for your great questions. 685 00:27:18.310 --> 00:27:19.950 And I can't wait to see you again, 686 00:27:19.950 --> 00:27:21.690 and we'll talk all about the season 687 00:27:21.690 --> 00:27:22.620 we can't spoil right now. 688 00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:24.030 Amazing. I'm looking forward to it. 689 00:27:24.030 --> 00:27:24.910 Thanks, Ethan. 690 00:27:24.910 --> 00:27:26.318 - [Ethan] Me too. Thank you. 691 00:27:44.640 --> 00:27:46.610 This season of Strange New Worlds introduces 692 00:27:46.610 --> 00:27:49.820 Chief Engineer Hemmer, whose curmudgeonliness is just one 693 00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:52.210 of the many reasons we all love him. 694 00:27:52.210 --> 00:27:54.980 Hemmer is an Aenar, a subspecies of Andorian, 695 00:27:54.980 --> 00:27:56.900 mostly seen in Star Trek: Enterprise, 696 00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:59.030 though Andorians themselves have made plenty 697 00:27:59.030 --> 00:28:00.600 of appearances throughout Star Trek 698 00:28:00.600 --> 00:28:02.420 all the way back to The Original Series. 699 00:28:02.420 --> 00:28:05.170 For any of us not yet familiar, 700 00:28:05.170 --> 00:28:07.540 or those of us who are simply fascinated 701 00:28:07.540 --> 00:28:08.880 by an alien subspecies 702 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:11.630 and can't get enough deep-dive canon looks, 703 00:28:11.630 --> 00:28:13.270 let's take a closer look 704 00:28:13.270 --> 00:28:16.530 at who exactly the Aenar are. 705 00:28:16.530 --> 00:28:18.020 Hello, my name is Bruce Horak, 706 00:28:18.020 --> 00:28:19.420 and I play the character of Hemmer 707 00:28:19.420 --> 00:28:21.453 on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 708 00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:28.080 Rerouting auxiliary power. 709 00:28:28.080 --> 00:28:28.930 Get ready. 710 00:28:28.930 --> 00:28:30.550 Hemmer is the chief engineer, 711 00:28:30.550 --> 00:28:32.780 so he's often found in Engineering. 712 00:28:32.780 --> 00:28:34.690 He is an Aenar, 713 00:28:34.690 --> 00:28:38.450 which is a subspecies of the Andorian people. 714 00:28:38.450 --> 00:28:41.390 Akiva and I really wanted to have an alien member 715 00:28:41.390 --> 00:28:43.070 of the crew in addition to Spock, 716 00:28:43.070 --> 00:28:46.340 and we weren't ready to introduce Scotty yet, 717 00:28:46.340 --> 00:28:48.010 and we needed an engineering character 718 00:28:48.010 --> 00:28:51.310 because we've built this incredible AR set for Engineering. 719 00:28:51.310 --> 00:28:52.770 I think it was Kirsten Beyer, 720 00:28:52.770 --> 00:28:54.390 who's one of our producers on the show, 721 00:28:54.390 --> 00:28:56.120 who suggested that we look at the Aenar, 722 00:28:56.120 --> 00:28:57.700 who came from Enterprise. 723 00:28:57.700 --> 00:29:01.990 We have an opportunity to increase in a regular way 724 00:29:01.990 --> 00:29:03.550 the pantheon of aliens. 725 00:29:03.550 --> 00:29:07.130 Now, the Aenar are a subspecies of the Andorians. 726 00:29:07.130 --> 00:29:08.760 They grew up in these ice caves, 727 00:29:08.760 --> 00:29:09.940 and they're blind at birth. 728 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:10.773 They don't see, 729 00:29:10.773 --> 00:29:14.070 but they have these incredible heightened senses. 730 00:29:14.070 --> 00:29:15.246 Hemmer may not be able to see, 731 00:29:15.246 --> 00:29:16.690 but his other senses compensate. 732 00:29:16.690 --> 00:29:18.290 Compensate? They are superior. 733 00:29:18.290 --> 00:29:20.480 They are telepathic at a level 734 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:24.350 that's much more than your average Andorian. 735 00:29:24.350 --> 00:29:26.540 I've read that, among many things, 736 00:29:26.540 --> 00:29:28.900 the Aenar have a form of precognitive ability. 737 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:30.170 I knew you were going to ask that. 738 00:29:30.170 --> 00:29:32.260 Because you sensed my question before I asked it? 739 00:29:32.260 --> 00:29:34.050 Because everyone always asks that. 740 00:29:34.050 --> 00:29:36.170 To research the role of the Aenar, 741 00:29:36.170 --> 00:29:38.940 I watched a couple of episodes that they appear in. 742 00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:41.140 They first appear in Star Trek: Enterprise, 743 00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:43.030 and then I just went down the rabbit hole 744 00:29:43.030 --> 00:29:45.620 on the fan sites, Memory Alpha, 745 00:29:45.620 --> 00:29:48.100 dug into as much backstory as I could find, 746 00:29:48.100 --> 00:29:51.950 just went deep into the Andorian cultures and lifestyles 747 00:29:51.950 --> 00:29:55.450 and learned about how the Aenar are all pacifists, 748 00:29:55.450 --> 00:29:57.090 and took that in. 749 00:29:57.090 --> 00:29:59.040 Pacifism is not passivity. 750 00:29:59.040 --> 00:30:01.160 It is the active protection 751 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:03.400 of all living things in the natural universe. 752 00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:04.820 What do I love about Hemmer? 753 00:30:04.820 --> 00:30:06.310 I love his confidence. 754 00:30:06.310 --> 00:30:09.310 I love his journey over the series. 755 00:30:09.310 --> 00:30:10.930 To impress me, 756 00:30:10.930 --> 00:30:13.601 you're going to need to do better than theorize. 757 00:30:13.601 --> 00:30:17.670 He sort of starts as a bit of a crusty codger 758 00:30:17.670 --> 00:30:19.240 and eventually kind of breaks down, 759 00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:22.320 and you get to learn about what makes him tick. 760 00:30:22.320 --> 00:30:23.550 Engineering to transporter, 761 00:30:23.550 --> 00:30:24.423 try it now. 762 00:30:25.354 --> 00:30:26.187 What the-- 763 00:30:26.187 --> 00:30:27.020 How did you...? 764 00:30:27.020 --> 00:30:27.853 I am a genius. 765 00:30:27.853 --> 00:30:29.830 And Hemmer is a genius. 766 00:30:29.830 --> 00:30:32.013 He knows it, and he's not afraid to tell you so. 767 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:33.797 Hemmer out. 768 00:31:04.840 --> 00:31:06.890 Unlike T'Pring, I am not an expert 769 00:31:06.890 --> 00:31:09.260 in showing you the true path of Vulcan logic. 770 00:31:09.260 --> 00:31:11.000 However, I can show you the way 771 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:12.270 to an exclusive sneak peek 772 00:31:12.270 --> 00:31:15.120 at what next week's episode has in store for us. 773 00:31:15.120 --> 00:31:15.953 Enjoy. 774 00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:18.970 [Captain Pike] Alora and I met years ago. 775 00:31:18.970 --> 00:31:21.220 [Alora] He rescued me from another shuttle. 776 00:31:22.120 --> 00:31:24.010 Seems like you have bad luck with shuttles. 777 00:31:24.010 --> 00:31:24.843 Or good, 778 00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:27.407 depending on how you look at it. 779 00:31:29.340 --> 00:31:32.273 Well, allow me to welcome you all to Enterprise. 780 00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:35.710 Your new uniform is 781 00:31:39.070 --> 00:31:40.120 very yellow. 782 00:31:40.120 --> 00:31:42.230 Oh, it's gold, technically, 783 00:31:42.230 --> 00:31:45.580 because I'm--I'm a captain. 784 00:31:45.580 --> 00:31:46.413 So... 785 00:31:46.413 --> 00:31:47.570 Well, on behalf of Majalas, 786 00:31:47.570 --> 00:31:48.920 we thank you for your help, 787 00:31:50.430 --> 00:31:52.020 Captain Pike. 788 00:31:52.020 --> 00:31:53.420 Uh, this is my Number One, 789 00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.073 Una, 790 00:31:56.073 --> 00:31:58.253 Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley. 791 00:32:00.850 --> 00:32:03.450 Allow me to take you to the ready room to debrief. 792 00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:06.020 But first, I must insist you take us 793 00:32:06.020 --> 00:32:07.030 to your medical facility. 794 00:32:07.030 --> 00:32:08.050 Of course, right away. 795 00:32:08.050 --> 00:32:10.090 Chief Kyle will escort you down. 796 00:32:10.090 --> 00:32:11.950 Sorry, are you the boy's father? 797 00:32:11.950 --> 00:32:13.600 Strictly in a biological sense. 798 00:32:20.250 --> 00:32:21.083 It's been a while, 799 00:32:21.083 --> 00:32:22.540 but if memory serves me correctly, 800 00:32:22.540 --> 00:32:24.700 there is nothing like being on the bridge 801 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:27.080 of the Enterprise when the action picks up. 802 00:32:27.080 --> 00:32:29.620 Thank you so much for watching this week's episode 803 00:32:29.620 --> 00:32:30.453 of The Ready Room. 804 00:32:30.453 --> 00:32:33.790 Our time together really does mean the world to me. 805 00:32:33.790 --> 00:32:36.500 Next week, we'll be taking a slightly broader approach 806 00:32:36.500 --> 00:32:38.080 to our guest interview than normal. 807 00:32:38.080 --> 00:32:41.560 I'll be joined by the one, the only, Alex Kurtzman, 808 00:32:41.560 --> 00:32:45.470 the supreme big boss of the entire Star Trek Universe 809 00:32:45.470 --> 00:32:47.280 to talk all about it. 810 00:32:47.280 --> 00:32:48.810 This is gonna be one of those interviews 811 00:32:48.810 --> 00:32:51.150 where my jaw spends a lot of time on the floor, 812 00:32:51.150 --> 00:32:52.920 and I know yours will, too. 813 00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:55.560 Until then, I'm Wil Wheaton. 814 00:32:55.560 --> 00:32:57.477 Live long and prosper.