Christina Chong On What She Hopes To Bring To The World Of Star Trek - Exclusive
With each new spin-off and sequel series that comes out, the world of "Star Trek" gets a little bit bigger. It's appropriate that a show that's all about exploration and seeking the answers to life's greatest mysteries continues to be relevant well into the 21st century. There are always new lifeforms to meet and new themes to exemplify, and that's why "Star Trek" maintains a sizable fanbase.
The latest entry into the franchise's canon is "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," and while there are a few familiar faces in the bunch, it's clear the show will also expand what viewers know about characters from the past. One inclusion that makes sure of that is the new character of La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) — a relative of the iconic villain, Khan Noonien Singh, from "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."
Chong spoke exclusively with Looper about her latest role. While she mentioned that she wasn't necessarily a fan before being cast, that changed quickly, and she soon discovered the majesty that is "Star Trek."
Christina Chong loved being able to make La'an her own
"Star Trek" is already a massive franchise. There are so many characters, planets, and aliens to keep track of that it can all feel a bit overwhelming to newcomers. Christina Chong was new to the universe of "Star Trek" stepping into the role of La'an, and one thing she loved about the character was that she was completely new. As she stated, "I love the fact that La'an is a new character because it means I can bring whatever I want, essentially, within the realms of what the writers have written, but I can make her my own. I still get to interact with the legacy characters."
In terms of what she hoped she brings to the role, Chong went on to say, "I want to bring that feeling of we are all ... the same. The whole diversity thing: we're all the same." "Star Trek" was revolutionary when it first came out for having people from different races inhabit the same ship, in addition to meeting all kinds of alien races. The franchise, through its various spin-offs, continues to be a beacon of what the world could be, and Chong wants to showcase how a brighter future can be achieved by audiences recognizing that deep down, we're all the same.
Through that recognition, there's the hope of spreading empathy, as Chong concluded, "It doesn't matter where you are from, who you are, what you look like. You should be treated as equally as the person sitting next to you."
New episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" air weekly every Thursday on Paramount+.