She Will's Alice Krige Shares Her Feelings About Playing Star Trek's 'Elemental' Borg Queen - Exclusive
Alice Krige has brought characters to life in movies and TV shows for over four decades, most recently in the haunting psychological thriller "She Will," where she gives a tour-de-force performance as an aging movie star who finally confronts the reality of the abuse she suffered on her first movie set as a child. However, to "Star Trek" fans, Krige will always be the Borg Queen, a role she originated in the 1996 movie "Star Trek: First Contact."
Krige makes the Borg Queen singularly fascinating and enigmatic, qualities that made an indelible impression on viewers and earned her a Saturn Award for her performance. Although others have played the Borg Queen since, Krige still periodically returns to the role. Just last year, she lent her voice to the character when she appeared on "Star Trek: Lower Decks." In an exclusive interview with Looper, Krige expressed her gratitude for the role while also coming across as just as fascinated by the character as fans.
The Borg Queen 'was the ultimate collaboration'
Even years after playing the role for the first time, Krige is still excited to talk about the Borg Queen, but she's also quick to point out that she couldn't have done it on her own. "I describe and believe that the Borg Queen was the ultimate collaboration," Krige noted. "Think about it: You cannot imagine her separate from what she looks like. I couldn't have rocked up and been the Borg Queen, me. [Makeup artist] Scott Wheeler gave me a gift of such magnitude by giving me that, and Todd Masters made the suit and was instrumental in designing it, so I was given so much.
"It took eight hours to assemble me," Krige added, "but by the time it was on, I felt as if the Borg Queen had showed up. I really felt as if I was a channel and she rocked up, checked in, did her thing, checked out."
Krige feels the Borg Queen is 'endlessly interesting'
Even years after first embodying the character, Krige remains intrigued by the Borg Queen, even if she doesn't happen to be the one playing her. "I still feel that no matter how many times they think they've got rid of her, they're kidding themselves," Krige shared. "They really can't. She's out there, and every now and then, she chooses to show up and they can do their damnedest, [but] they're not going to erase the Borg Queen. I can't quite explain it myself, but she's endlessly interesting. There appear to be an enormous number of permutations. Also, it appears that it doesn't matter who plays her, because there have been other actresses who have played the part, subsequent to 'First Contact.' She is elemental."
Krige confessed that she came to this conclusion when she first started developing the character before filming on "First Contact" began. "At the time when I was looking for her, before we started shooting, I reread 'A Brief History of Time,' and this idea that you're taught at school that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it's constantly transmuted, I thought, "Well, that's her then,'" Krige remembered. "She was there from the Big Bang. She's always been there, [but] we weren't aware. She finally showed up. I can't explain the Borg Queen. She's a phenomenon, an entity that is inherent in our universe."
More than anything, though, Krige remembers the joy of playing the Borg Queen. "I had so much fun," Krige reflected. "You wouldn't think it was decent to have as much fun as I had playing her."
Alice Krige can currently be seen in "She Will," now playing in select theaters and available for rental and purchase digitally and on demand.