Christina Chong hasn’t been a Star Trek staple for lengthy, however her work as La’an Noonien-Singh has made a giant impression on followers. As we await her return within the upcoming Trek sequence Unusual New Worlds‘ third season, I used to be listening to one of many actress’ interviews, and was shocked to find out about her preliminary disappointment concerning Season 2’s massive musical episode.
The actress, whose La’an is totally anticipated to seem when new episodes arrive later this yr for followers with a Paramount+ subscriptions, appeared on The D-Con Chamber to debate her profession and all issues Star Trek. After getting some props for her efficiency within the musical episode “Subspace Rhapsody,” Christina Chong revealed she was let down by her character’s scenes when she initially learn them. She defined why intimately:
Are you able to consider I used to be upset with it? Once I pitched it, I began pitching this musical thought from Season 1– clearly, Henry [Alonso Myers] and Akiva [Goldsman] are massive musical individuals too, so I believe they already had it of their head–I used to be pushing it. Anybody who would pay attention, I used to be like, ‘Gorn. Dancing Gorn. Faucet footwear. Canes. Hats.’ And I am pondering, ‘La’an and the Gorn in faucet footwear.’ Once we acquired the precise script, I used to be like, ‘The place are the sequins? The place’s the razzle-dazzle?’ There was none of that.
I can solely think about what the response can be from the fandom had Gorn with faucet footwear appeared in Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds. There’s been sufficient dialog already in regards to the Gorn having tails and looking out like a special species in comparison with those that appeared within the authentic sequence. I am certain if one thing nearer to what Christina Chong had imagined on-screen was the top end result, there would’ve been some destructive reactions amongst followers extra aligned with exhausting sci-fi.
Certain, “Subspace Rhapsody” had Klingons carry out a boy band track, however as Anson Mount talked about when he defended the dance scene, it was for instance their embarrassment of singing one thing so ridiculous as a proud species. Shaming Klingons is one factor. Glamming up Gorn is kind of one other.
Christina Chong continued, saying her emotions in regards to the episode clearly modified within the interim. As she put it:
I used to be so upset. Clearly I am not now, however in that second, in my head, it was one thing utterly totally different.
La’an’s scenes within the episode solidified her romantic emotions for James T. Kirk, although it was sadly a Kirk from an alternate timeline. As such, it is unclear if the Prime Kirk and La’an will ever have a romance. And if we’ll solely get to find out about what occurred if somebody sings about it.
What we do know is that Paul Wesley’s Kirk is coming again in Season 3, and can seem in Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds Season 4 as nicely. I might wager that, due to that, the Paramount+ sequence is invested in persevering with to inform that story between the 2, as we march nearer to the day Kirk inevitably takes management of the Enterprise. Whereas we all know what Kirk’s path shall be sooner or later, we’re nonetheless at nighttime about what occurred to La’an, who has change into considered one of Trek‘s greatest characters in simply a short while.
Hopefully, we get a way of the place she’s headed in Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds Season 3, which is slated to debut sooner or later in 2025. I am getting so desperate to get a launch date for the season, and with First Contact Day rolling up on April fifth, this is hoping we get a solution on when to count on it.