Exclusive: Anthony Rapp Says Captain Pike Sets Lighter Tone For ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 2

TrekMovie had the chance to chat with some of the cast of Star Trek: Discovery at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention, including actor Anthony Rapp. We talked about the tone of the show in the second season and what’s next for Paul Stamets after the dramatic events impacting him in the last episodes of the first season. We have highlights and full video of the interview below.

Discovery and Stamets emerge from the darkness

Rapp acknowledged that the first season of Discovery had a darker tone than typical Star Trek, but he put that into context:

So much of the darkness was informed by the fact that our captain was from the Mirror Universe. Everything was geared toward telling that story. And how do we reach our ideals, sometimes you have to go through darkness to come out and realize what you really hold up to be true. So, yes it was unfamiliar in some ways, but it was still ultimately steeped in the tenets and beliefs in this universe, always. Going to humanity’s higher purpose. But, yes, it was unusually dark.

And he promised a lighter tone for the second season, led by Anson Mount’s introduction as Captain Pike:

So in [season two] we have moved through this and come out the other side. Pike is sort of an exemplary captain. He is exactly the kind of familiar Starfleet captain you would always want. And I think that alone sets such a different tone. And yes, there is certainly more humor, but there is also this settling that happens after all the craziness of season one and all the massive events. Now, in season two, so much of it gets to settle and we get to deal with it. And there is time and space for all of that, which is really satisfying.

Specifically, regarding his character of Paul Stamets, Rapp said that Stamets will have that time and space to deal with the trauma he went through due to the loss of Hugh Culber in season one:

  It’s been really satisfying that it’s not in any way that is cliché or typical. It feels specific and human and true to Stamets, and I’ve been really grateful that the writers have given me that kind of material to work with.

Stamets and Tilly share a moment from the season two first look trailer

Inspired by Patrick Stewart

Rapp, who considers himself a big fan of Star Trek, talked about what it was like for him to witness the big announcement of a new Jean-Luc Picard Star Trek show :

I was in the room when Sir Patrick Stewart announced … that “Jean-Luc Picard is back,” and that was thrilling, and it was also thrilling to see how moved he was and inspired he was. You know, he has been around the block and had tremendous success and to see someone as accomplished as him still have his heart and soul deeply affected was really meaningful and inspiring.

When asked how he felt being part of the Star Trek family and how it is said that once you join you have work for life, Rapp spoke about the richer benefits of being part of the franchise:

[Work for life as Star Trek celebrity is] a great side benefit, for sure, but if it was for doing something that didn’t have meaning or it was … just cashing in … if it wasn’t linked to something that had meaning and heart and soul, it wouldn’t be such a cool thing after all. It is amazing to be part of something that resonates so powerfully.

Ready to snack on Short Treks

Rapp could not confirm if he was going to appear in any of the four Star Trek: Short Treks mini-episodes, which will start running this fall leading up to the season two premiere of Discovery in early 2019. However, he did offer some thoughts on what they are going to be like:

I do know that there is some really cool stuff. I am personally really excited about it, ’cause I think it’s a great new way to explore the world and the characters. I think it’s the perfect little – like, I don’t know, you know when you go to a nice fancy restaurant and they bring you those little treats before the meal? It’s like that. It’s like a really satisfying thing that doesn’t fill you up, but gets you ready for the meal.

The actor also noted that even though Short Treks are indeed short, they still have a lot of effort put into them, saying:

I think it’s really smart, and it also shows a tremendous commitment on the part of CBS and all the creative team. Even though they are short, they are still a lot of work and take a lot of resources. I think it is tremendous that they are giving so much life and energy and creativity, to telling all these stories.

Watch the full interview with Anthony Rapp

Patrick Stewart to reprise role as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard

Actor will play Picard in series chronicling his adventures after Next Generation

Patrick Stewart is to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard in a new series of Star Trek.

The character, who featured in Star Trek: The Next Generation and a handful of films, will return in the new CBS All Access series, which will reveal the next chapter of Picard’s life.

Announcing the news himself during a surprise appearance at the annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas , Stewart said: “I will always be very proud to have been a part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation, but when we wrapped that final movie in the spring of 2002, I truly felt my time with Star Trek had run its natural course. It is, therefore, an unexpected but delightful surprise to find myself excited and invigorated to be returning to Jean-Luc Picard and to explore new dimensions within him. Seeking out new life for him, when I thought that life was over.

“During these past years, it has been humbling to hear stories about how The Next Generation brought people comfort, saw them through difficult periods in their lives or how the example of Jean-Luc inspired so many to follow in his footsteps, pursuing science, exploration and leadership. I feel I’m ready to return to what comforting and reforming light he might shine on these often very dark times. I look forward to working with our brilliant creative team as we endeavour to bring a fresh, unexpected and pertinent story to life once more.”

Stewart played Picard in 178 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran for seven series between 1987 and 1994. The character, widely held alongside William Shatner’s Captain James T Kirk as one of the franchise’s two best, also appeared in four feature films: Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection and Star Trek: Nemesis.

Alex Kurtzman, showrunner on 2017’s well-received Star Trek: Discovery, will be an executive producer on the show. He said: “With overwhelming joy, it’s a privilege to welcome Sir Patrick Stewart back to the Star Trek fold. For over 20 years, fans have hoped for the return of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and that day is finally here. We can’t wait to forge new ground, surprise people, and honour generations both new and old.”

To boldly stay in the EU: why Captain Jean-Luc Picard would be a remainer 

CBS has yet to release any further information about the new series, including title or release date. Star Trek: Discovery, which stars Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones and Anthony Rapp will return in January.

Since playing Picard for the final time, Stewart is best known for starring as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise.

'STAR TREK' STAR NICHELLE NICHOLS
DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA

'Star Trek' icon Nichelle Nichols has been diagnosed with dementia and the disease has progressed.
According to docs filed in Nichelle's conservatorship, Dr. Meena Makhijani -- who specializes in osteopathic medicine -- says Nichols has been a patient of hers for the last 2-3 years ... and she has "moderate progressive dementia." 
Makhijani gives details of the severity of the disease by rating various cognitive functions. Most alarming ... she says Nichols has major impairment of her short-term memory and moderate impairment of understanding abstract concepts, sense of time, place and immediate recall.
On the bright side, the doctor says there's no apparent impairment for things like long-term memory, orientation of her body, comprehension, verbal communication, concentration, recognition of familiar people, as well as ability to reason logically and plan actions.
As we reported ... Nichelle's son recently had 4 fiduciaries assigned to her as conservators to prevent her from being taken advantage of by people close to her.

Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth 'Star Trek 4' Future In Doubt as Talks Fall Through 

Chris Pine and Chris Hemsworth are no longer boldly going where no person has gone before.

The two actors were in negotiations to star in Star Trek 4, but sources say that talks between the two actors and the companies making the new installment, Paramount Pictures and Skydance Media, have fallen apart, with both sides walking away from the table.

Dealmaking with other returning castmembers — including Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg and John Cho — was expected to follow.

Pine was due to reprise his role as iconic sci-fi hero Captain Kirk, which he has inhabited for three movies, while Hemsworth was to have played his father in a time-traveling adventure. (Hemsworth played the role in the prologue of the 2009 film that rebooted the franchise.) 

The deal points came down to the usual suspect: money. Pine and Hemsworth, among Hollywood’s A-list when starring in DC or Marvel movies, are said to be asking the studios to stick to existing deals. Paramount, according to insiders, contends that Star Trek is not like a Marvel or Star Wars movie and is trying to hold the line on a budget.

The actors, according to sources, insist they have deals in place and that the studios are reneging on them, forcing them to take pay cuts as they try to budget a movie that is following a mediocre performer.

Pine, at least, has had a deal in place for several years. The actor, now a key player in the Wonder Woman franchise, signed up for a fourth movie when he made his deal for 2016's Star Trek Beyond. Hemsworth has been attached to Star Trek 4 since Paramount, then run by the previous regime headed by Brad Grey, announced the fourth installment in 2016, although his exact status remains murky.

The studio, however, is backing its budget tough talk with past performance numbers. The last installment, Star Trek Beyond, grossed only $343 million worldwide on a budget of $190 million. In fact, one insider says the companies lost money on the pic.

The 2009 reboot that kicked off this run of movies, titled simply Star Trek, made $386 million, while 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness is the top earner of all the Star Trek movies with $467 million. Meanwhile, Marvel, DC or Star Wars films regularly gross north of $700 million. Not for lack of trying, the Star Trek pics seem to have a ceiling, especially globally.  

It is unclear what the next step is for Star Trek 4. The project could recast Kirk and his father, or perhaps the two sides could come back to the table.

Either way, Paramount and Skydance insiders say the movie, also produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot, remains a priority development and is not being put on hold. Adding a veneer of enterprise to the project is that for the first time in the franchise history, a female director, S. J. Clarkson (Jessica Jones, Succession), is sitting in the captain’s chair.

Paramount had no comment. CAA, which reps Pine and Hemsworth, also had no comment.

Whoopi Goldberg
birthday
November 13, 1955 New York City, New York, USA

GUINAN 
Position: Civilian lounge hostess
Species/gender: El-Aurian female
Place of birth: El-Auria
Marital status: Single, has been married 23 times
Children: Several
Former Quarters: U.S.S. Enterprise: Deck 8, Room 3150
Former Office: U.S.S. Enterprise: Adjacent to Ten-Forward lounge, Deck 10

Psychological Profile: Report of Ship's Counselor Deanna Troi

This female member of the scattered yet long-lived El-Aurian "Listener" race became the civilian hostess of the U.S.S. Enterprise's Ten-Forward lounge at Picard's invitation in early 2365, dispensing her trade's time-honored craft of advice while remaining mute about her own background. At Ten-Forward, she kept a selection of alcoholic beverages for special occasions in opposition to Starfleet's synthehol regulations and made herself available to anyone in need, especially the senior staff, as an informal counselor.

Well over 600 years old now, Guinan hid out from her father on Earth in AD 1893 as a mature adult and had an imaginary Tarcassian razor beast as a childhood pet — and still finds time to "talk" to him. She herself has been married at least twice and has "a lot" of children. One of her offspring "wouldn't listen to anybody" — a rarity in a species of listeners — but he "grew out of it after several hundred years." Her family also includes her father, who is over 700 years old and had pursued her nearly 400 years earlier to come home, and a maternal-side Uncle Terkim, the "black sheep" of the family.

In the 2160s, Guinan first encountered the Q entity, and both mutually consider the other an implacable enemy — though she went by a different name then. A century later she was not present when her people were attacked by the Borg and scattered from their home system thousands of light-years from Federation space — though she was aboard the refugee-filled S.S. Lakul some 27 years later near Earth, in 2293, when part of her being was trapped in the same Nexus ribbon which destroyed her ship and a sister El-Aurian craft and caused the apparent death of Captain James T. Kirk. Following the incident, Guinan developed what otherwise would be dubbed a "sixth sense."

Though usually a calm and reasoned observer, Guinan's personal life proved fitful and she held long grudges against both Q and the Borg as enemies — though even she relented against the latter when "Hugh" Borg proved civilized when cut off from the collective in 2368. She coyly says her relationship with Picard goes "beyond friendship and beyond family," and had earlier claimed she liked bald-headed men; she has vaguely spoken of "serious trouble" that she escaped thanks to the trust of Picard; in return, he once observed that, "Guinan is very selective about whom she calls a friend."

No stranger to the phaser range, she once beat Worf on Level 14, firing left-handed, and she silenced a dream-deprived paranoid mob in Ten-Forward with an energy-beam rifle hidden behind the bar. She has also been coached in fencing by Picard, begun when she considered exercise to strengthen her arm in 2368.

Personnel File Addendum: Report of Captain Jean-Luc Picard
CONFIDENTIAL

Guinan's knowledge of the universe due to her age and her "extrasensory perceptions" has aided my crew in a number of missions wherever she could be of assistance. Having explained to me that she had detected the original vortex that brought the alternate Tasha Yar to this universe, Guinan assured me of her conviction that Sela truly was somehow Tasha's daughter during the Romulan involvement in Klingon politics in 2367-68.

Star Trek: Discovery will return on January 7th, 2018

The first half of the split season wraps up on Sunday, November 12th

CBS will air Star Trek: Discovery’s last episode of 2017, “Into the Forest I Go,” on Sunday, November 12th. After it airs, fans will have to wait until the new year to see what happens next. Fortunately, the hiatus won’t be that long: the show will return on January 7th.

Set roughly a decade before The Original Series, Star Trek: Discovery follows a disgraced Starfleet officer named Michael Burnham. When war breaks out between the Federation and Klingons, she’s assigned to serve on the USS Discovery, where she’s tasked with helping the ship and crew bring the war to a conclusion. When the network announced the series’s September release date, it revealed that the first season would be split into two “chapters.” The second chapter begins with the show’s 10th episode, “Despite Yourself.”Chapter 2 will contain the season’s remaining six episodes, and will run through February 11th. According to CBS, the show will apparently find the crew of the USS Discovery in “unfamiliar territory,” and they’ll have to get creative about ways to return home. In this week’s episode, the crew came face-to-face with the Klingon Empire over the planet Pahvo, after the planet’s native species summoned them, hoping to resolve their conflict.After that, it’ll be a longer wait for the show to return: CBS recently announced that it renewed Star Trek: Discovery for a second season, but that announcement didn’t come with further details about a second season release date, or the number of episodes or chapters planned for season 2.

George Takei Denies Sexual Assault Claim, But Admitted Bad Behavior on Stern

Former model Scott R. Brunton has accused iconic Star Trekactor George Takei of sexual assault. According to Brunton, the alleged incident occurred in 1981. At the time, he was 23 and Takei was 43 or 44. As Brunton tells it, the actor invited him out to dinner after he had broken up with his boyfriend and tried to help console him. Here's how Brunton describes the incident.

"He was very good at consoling me and understanding that I was upset and still in love with my boyfriend. He was a great ear. He was very good about me spilling my heart on my sleeve. We have the drink and he asks if I would like another. And I said sure. So, I have the second one, and then all of a sudden, I begin feeling very disoriented and dizzy, and I thought I was going to pass out. I said I need to sit down and he said sit over here and he had the giant yellow beanbag chair. So I sat down in that and leaned my head back and I must have passed out. The next thing I remember I was coming to and he had my pants down around my ankles and he was groping my crotch and trying to get my underwear off and feeling me up at the same time, trying to get his hands down my underwear. I came to and said, 'What are you doing?!' I said, 'I don't want to do this.' He goes, 'You need to relax. I am just trying to make you comfortable. Get comfortable.' And I said, 'No. I don't want to do this.' And I pushed him off and he said, 'OK, fine.' And I said I am going to go and he said, 'If you feel you must. You're in no condition to drive.' I said, 'I don't care I want to go.' So I managed to get my pants up and compose myself and I was just shocked. I walked out and went to my car until I felt well enough to drive home, and that was that."

Even though this all happened a very long time ago, Scott R. Brunton has never felt like he could come forward with the story publicly. However, in the wake of the recent Harvey Weinstein allegations, and the allegations brought against Kevin Spacey, he felt it was time. Though, he admits he's still uneasy, even though he's told the story plenty of times over the years.

"This happened a long time ago, but I have never forgotten it. It is one of those stories you tell with a group of people when people are recounting bizarre instances in their lives, this always comes up. I have been telling it for years, but I am suddenly very nervous telling it."

Four friends of Brunton, Norah Roadman, Rob Donovan, Stephen Blackshear and Jan Steward, have all said that he's told them this very story over the years. At the time of the initial report, George Takei was said to be unreachable for comment. But Takei took to Twitter in order to deny the claims. Here's what he had to say.

"Friends, I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Brunton. I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them. The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do. But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment. Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful. Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side. I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times. Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust. It means so much to us. Yours in gratitude, George."

This isn't the first time George Takei has been accused of inappropriate behavior. Hank Azaria, best known for his work on The Simpsons, says that he "creeped out a lot of the staff" while doing a couple of episodes of the series some years back. Takei reportedly creeped out an intern named C.J., who Takei insisted on calling "Angel." In addition, in a recent interview with Howard Stern, Takei was asked if he'd ever "grabbed anyone by the cock," when they were discussing Donald Trump. He laughed it off. When asked point blank if he'd ever sexually harassed anyone, he had this to say.

"Some people who are kind of skittish, or maybe afraid, and you're trying to persuade...it was either in my home, they came to my home."

Howard Stern then asked if guys were hesitating if he would give them a "gentle squeeze on the balls." Takei replied by saying, "more than a gentle." Though his tone wasn't all too serious, he did appear to be telling the truth about such encounters over the years. But he says it didn't involve having "power" over the other person.

The 80-year-old George Takei became famous for playing Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek and, over the years, as a gay manhimself, has become a major advocate for LGBTQ rights. Brunton says, "I don't want anything from him but an apology. I am sure he'll disown all this, I don't know, maybe not." Since Takei has denied the claim, it's likely that apology won't be coming. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Brunton did meet up with Takei years after the incident, but he says it was "too uncomfortable" to confront him about it. You can check out George Takei's response on Twitter for yourself below, as well as video of Hank Azaria discussing Takei's behavior, and Takei's admission of wrongdoing.

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

Friends,

I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Bruton. I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them. /1

2:01 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  2,2412,241 Replies
 
•  2,4592,459 Retweets
 
•  12,53112,531 likes

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20h

George Takei 

 ✔@GeorgeTakei

Friends,

I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Bruton. I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them. /1

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do. /2

2:03 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  629629 Replies
 
•  767767 Retweets
 
•  4,8454,845 likes

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20h

George Takei 

 ✔@GeorgeTakei

Replying to @GeorgeTakei

The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do. /2

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment. /3

2:03 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  246246 Replies
 
•  634634 Retweets
 
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20h

George Takei 

 ✔@GeorgeTakei

Replying to @GeorgeTakei

But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment. /3

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful. /4

2:04 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  1,0061,006 Replies
 
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20h

George Takei 

 ✔@GeorgeTakei

Replying to @GeorgeTakei

Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful. /4

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side. I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times. /5

2:05 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  669669 Replies
 
•  754754 Retweets
 
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20h

George Takei 

 ✔@GeorgeTakei

Replying to @GeorgeTakei

Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side. I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times. /5

George Takei 

✔@GeorgeTakei

Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust. It means so much to us. 

Yours in gratitude,

George /end

2:06 PM - Nov 11, 2017

•  2,6742,674 Replies
 
•  999999 Retweets
 
•  12,49712,497 likes