star trek new captain kirk

Paul Wesley on His 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Debut as Captain Kirk

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Editor's note: The below article contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The Season 1 finale of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds delivered a lot of unexpected twists and turns as Captain Pike ( Anson Mount ) was given a glimpse into a future that could be, were he to alter the course of his destiny. With Pike avoiding his date with death, Captain Kirk ( Paul Wesley ) never became the captain of the USS Enterprise and instead moved up the ranks aboard the USS Farragut to become captain to an entirely different crew. Pike ultimately learns that by saving himself, he puts everyone he cares about at risk, forever altering the courses of their fates and inadvertently causing a deadly war with the Romulans.

After fans spotted Wesley on the set of Strange New Worlds Season 2 back in March, Paramount announced that the actor had been cast as Captain Kirk in the series, though most Trekkies assumed that he'd be beaming up to the series starting in the second season. Ahead of his debut as Captain Kirk, Collider had the opportunity to talk with Wesley in one of his first interviews since the announcement. In our 1-on-1 interview with Paul Wesley, he spoke about growing up with Star Trek , sitting beside William Shatner on a flight after being cast as Kirk, whether his Captain Kirk is more like Shatner or Chris Pine , his first day in the Captain's chair, what he can tease about Kirk in Season 2, and he discusses the end of The Vampire Diaries franchise and the impact it had on fans.

COLLIDER: First of all, I just want to say congratulations on being cast as Captain Kirk.

PAUL WESLEY: Thank you.

Star Trek was very much something that was part of my childhood. Was it something that you grew up with and were a fan of before the audition?

WESLEY: Yeah. It's funny, I was born in the '80s, so obviously I didn't watch it live, but I've always [been] someone who watches films and series from the '60s, the '70s. I enjoy it. I think there's something about it. There's something about the nostalgia of not having 18,000 streamers and a bazillion special effects artists. There's something about the purity of the shows that were created in the '60s and '70s.

I think that, for me, I watched Star Trek and I always envision myself watching it live and having a limited amount of television channels. We didn't have the same technology that we have now, and so it was really the most incredible form of escapism for people. It was a way for people to see. I love the title of this new series, Strange New Worlds , because it really is. It truly encapsulates what the show is about, which is about exploration. It's [a] space adventure. It's about this crazy little community of people that are exploring worlds, and that is really what this show is. I love that there's an optimism. Again, it's fun, but at the same time, there's a lot of meaning [and] there's a lot of metaphor. We get to analyze our own behaviors on planet earth through the actions of this crew.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 2 Casts Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk — See the First Image

I remember when you were cast back in March, you mentioned that you ran into William Shatner on a flight. Did you get any advice from him?

WESLEY: No, because I was still playing a little bit coy about it. I was under this sworn secrecy, NDA madness, so I wasn't able to be like, "Hey, so, as you know, I'm playing Kirk, give me the tips." I had to kind of tiptoe, and I had to really play it dumb in a way. I wanted so badly to just talk to him about it so openly and I [also] didn't want to bother him. He [had] literally just got back from space, and he was on this plane, and we happened to be sitting next to each other. I also didn't want to sit there and talk his ear off for four hours.

We talked a little bit, but it was really less about Kirk. I'm sure he's been talking about Kirk for the last however many years and I think it was really more about just sort of chatting. We've actually spoken before very briefly. He's a classy guy. When the announcement came out that I was playing Kirk, he tweeted, "Congratulations." I just thought that was such a classy move. He didn't have to do that at all.

Kirk is such an iconic character. You're now one of three people who have gotten the chance to play him. When you took on the role, were you aiming to emulate Shatner or Chris Pine, or did you approach this as a completely fresh character?

WESLEY: No. What William Shatner did is not touchable. You cannot mess with William Shatner. He created Captain Kirk. Period, end of story. For me to try to imitate William Shatner in any way would be, I think, an insult to Captain Kirk. Right? I think it's important to just understand who Kirk is, what his childhood was like, what he wants, what he doesn't want, what the pillars of his personality and his character traits that are important to the development of that character. With that in mind, you can then play and create your own interpretation, because it is. There's a different Spock, there's a different Uhura, there's a different everything. You have to just create your own things. You can't just do an imitation, because that would be too shallow.

I would say he's somewhere in between, because this is a younger Kirk. In the Season 1 finale, it's like an alternate timeline that really has never been done before, and so there's a little bit more room for interpretation. But as we get to know Kirk in Season 2, it's a younger Kirk, it's pre-Enterprise Captain Kirk. It's a little bit of that... He's a little bit more of that, I guess, in that Chris Pine world. But Chris Pine was the Kelvin. He's sort of in between all of it, but at the end of the day, it's a different Kirk. It's a different Kirk than we've seen. I think that was really the only way to do it, frankly. There's no other way.

You mentioned the finale. You get to be in the captain's chair. What was it like the first day you got to be on the bridge of the USS Farragut and got to sit in the captain's chair?

WESLEY: TV schedules are crazy, right? You don't get to prep for two months. It's daunting showing up on set [the] first day [like], "Oh my God, I got to sit in this chair that presumably I've been sitting in for, comfortably, hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands of times, and I'm sitting in it for the first time." It's like all of those things are just so pivotal, and so I was just trying to be as comfortable as possible, trying to get out of my head that I was playing Kirk. You just have to try your best to just get that out of your head, have fun, explore, because ultimately, the reason people fell in love with Captain Kirk is because William Shatner was having fun. He was using his instinct, he was charming, he got to do so many different things, and if he wasn't using his instinct, then using some of his own personality in that role, maybe people wouldn't have appreciated it as much. I think I really just wanted to be myself in some ways while paying respect to the character.

Season 2, we get to explore a little bit more of Kirk. The Season 1 finale is plot-driven, it's Pike's episode. I mean, it's Pike's show, let's be honest. But really, I am sort of part of this plot. It's a little less getting to know Kirk, and it's a little bit more about the dynamics between the two captains. It's about the action that's taking place. There's a lot at stake. Season 2, we get to have a little bit more of exploration, I think.

I'm sure you can't say much about Season 2, but we do get a tease in the finale of Scotty, which I was really excited about.

WESLEY: Isn't that great?

Are there any Original Series characters that you would love to see in Strange New Worlds ?

WESLEY: Well, the Gorn.

That's a good answer.

WESLEY: Right? Yeah. That's the most iconic. We'll see whether that comes to fruition.

Before we wrap up, I feel like I would be remiss not to at least cross the IP streams a little bit. Legacies just got canceled, bringing the end of The Vampire Diaries era on television. What is it like for you to be part of something that has had such a long-lasting, overarching reach for audiences? It's a lot in the same way that Star Trek has been around for so long. It's such an integral part of people's lives.

WESLEY: When I was first cast in The Vampire Diaries , we all knew that there were some special things there. We didn't know that we were going to create this universe. I had no clue there would be spinoffs, and I didn't know that these characters would become so iconic and that the series would become so iconic. I had done God knows how many pilots at that point, and you're just doing your best, hoping something sticks.

We put a lot of time and effort into The Vampire Diaries . I'm just glad it resonated with people. I think that show, particularly Seasons 1, 2, and 3, it's pretty high-level stuff. I know it was on the CW, so it's a little bit more like, "Well, it's Vampire Diaries, and it's these 'attractive young people biting each other in the neck.'" A lot of people think it's not for them, but at the end of the day, when people watch Vampire Diaries Season 1, 2, and 3, it's really pretty good stuff. I'm really proud of what we created. Who knows? Maybe there'll be another spinoff in the future. I certainly won't be a part of it, because at Vampire Diaries you don't age, and I do age, unfortunately. I can't play Stefan's dad. Nor do I want to.

But yeah, I'm grateful. It's a needle in a haystack. It's extremely rare as an actor to be a part of something that becomes a cultural phenomenon. To do that twice now, to play this character that has been such a huge part of people's lives, I feel very blessed to not only have been a part of creating The Vampire Diaries universe, but now to be jumping into this even bigger, more important universe in many ways with this iconic role. I don't know. Karmically. I feel quite blessed.

You can stream the entirety of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+. Check out Paramount's special bonus content about the finale below:

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘star trek: strange new worlds’ season 2 trailer shows captain kirk return.

Paramount+'s Star Trek news continues with the teaser trailer for 'Strange New Worlds.'

By James Hibberd

James Hibberd

Writer-at-Large

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

The trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ‘ second season shows the return of Captain Pike, Number One, Spock and, well, plenty of strange new worlds.

There’s also the return of James T. Kirk, who is played by Paul Wesley and was introduced as a guest star during season one. Wesley is billed as a recurring guest star in the new season.

Related Stories

Major paramount layoffs to begin today, co-ceos tell staff, 'star trek: strange new worlds' beams into comic-con with season 3 footage and new castmember.

Absent from the trailer is a first look at the animated/live-action crossover episode between Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks that’s coming this season, directed by Jonathan Frakes.

The news comes on the heels of announcing another Discovery spinoff this week, Star Trek: Section 31 an original movie with Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh set to reprise her role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou. The project will launch executive producer Alex Kurtzman’s “Phase 2” of his Paramount + Trek franchise master plan.

The streamer recently ordered a teen-centric  Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series , as well as ended  Picard  (which airs its series finale this week), and announced  Discovery  will air its fifth and final season next year, while doubling down on more Strange New Worlds  and  Lower Decks  (which were both renewed ahead of their upcoming season premieres).

Season two will premiere Thursday, June 15.

THR Newsletters

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Oprah winfrey lines up ai heavy hitters for abc special, raven-symoné and danielle fishel set to direct ‘wizards of waverly place’ reboot episodes, how to watch indiana fever vs. chicago sky online without cable, ‘the acolyte’ star amandla stenberg was not surprised about cancellation after ‘star wars’ fanboy racist vitriol, ‘yellowstone’ reveals first look photos of season 5 return without kevin costner, menendez brothers look toward freedom as ‘monsters’<em> </em>flips the script on their notorious crime.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike. A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike. A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.

• Akiva Goldsman
• Alex Kurtzman
• Jenny Lumet
• Anson Mount
• Christina Chong
• 1K User reviews
• 39 Critic reviews
• 11 wins & 35 nominations total

Episodes 31

Top cast 99+

• Captain Christopher Pike …

• La'an Noonien-Singh …

• Lt. Erica Ortegas …

• Una Chin-Riley …

• Nurse Christine Chapel

• Nyota Uhura …

• Dr. M'Benga

• USS Enterprise Computer …

• Lieutenant George Samuel 'Sam' Kirk

• Jenna Mitchell

• Captain Batel …

• Admiral Robert April

• Captain James T. Kirk …

• T'Pring
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

Did you know

• Trivia Bruce Horak , the actor who plays Hemmer, is legally blind, just like his character's species, the Aenar, who are also blind.
• Goofs There are some rank insignia mistakes. Number One is introduced as "Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley" yet she is wearing the rank insignia of a full commander: two full stripes. A Lieutenant Commander's rank insignia is a full stripe under a thin stripe (in TOS it is a full stripe and a staggered stripe). It is not uncommon for a ship's first officer to be a Lt. Commander if they have not been in the position long. Spock at this point is a Lieutenant but he is wearing Lieutenant Commander's stripes; a Lieutenant just has one stripe. La'an is the ship's chief of security and the ship's second officer. She is also wearing Lt. Commander stripes but is addressed as a Lieutenant, but it would make more sense for her to be a Lieutenant Commander. Either way both of their rank insignia are not matching the rank they are addressed by. Ortegas is addressed as a Lieutenant but is wearing Lieutenant Commander's strips. A Lieutenant Commander may be addressed as a Commander or Lieutenant Commander but never as just a Lieutenant, so either her rank insignia or the manner she is addressed by the rest of the crew is in error.

[opening narration]

Captain Christopher Pike : Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

• Connections Featured in Nerdrotic: Woke Hollywood is FAILING, and That's a Good Thing (2022)

User reviews 1K

• ruidanielbarrossss
• May 4, 2022

Technical specs

• Runtime 52 minutes
• D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed.

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Actor Paul Wesley Breaks Down That Surprise Kirk Cameo in the Season 1 Finale

Keisha hatchett, staff editor.

• Share on Facebook
• Show more sharing options
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Share on WhatsApp
• Print This Page

Warning: The following contains spoilers from the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 finale.

Captain Pike is forced to confront his tragic fate in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ’ Season 1 finale, and his unexpected journey brings about a surprise cameo: Captain James T. Kirk (played by Paul Wesley ). It was previously announced that the Vampire Diaries alum was cast for Season 2, which is why his early appearance in Wednesday’s episode comes as a shock.

Catapulted into an alternate timeline where he isn’t horribly disfigured, Pike meets Kirk, who is captain of the U.S.S. Farragut and who has offered his help with the current Romulan crisis. At first, Pike and Kirk don’t see eye-to-eye on how to handle the sensitive situation. Kirk wants to strike before things get worse while Pike opts for a more measured approach.

In light of Kirk showing up in this week’s finale, TVLine hit up Paul Wesley to discuss that surprise appearance and what to expect from Kirk in Season 2. (See below for our full interview as well as new photos from the episode.)

On his interpretation of the iconic captain… “There are innate qualities to James T. Kirk that you can’t ignore — his instinct, his courage. He cares about his crew more than anything in the world. He’s a magnet. People are really drawn to him, and they trust him. I had to be aware of those characteristics, but I couldn’t just do an imitation of William Shatner. His interpretation and what he did is quite sacred, and I think it would be an insult to just suddenly do this modern-day imitation of Shatner. It really needed to be a different character, something that wasn’t an insult to the original Kirk.”

“In the Season 1 finale, it’s a very plot-driven episode [and] we don’t really get to explore Kirk in the same way that we do in Season 2. It’s a younger Kirk. It’s a Kirk pre- Enterprise , and so we get to really have fun [next season].”

On looking the part in the show… “Of course we had the side part. When you watch the original series, Kirk goes through sideburn phases where he has really pointy sideburns. Sometimes the sideburns don’t exist. He has these different haircuts, and so we got to play with it a little bit. We actually change his hair up a little bit for Season 2. When we meet them in Season 1, it’s a different Kirk. He’s captain of the Farragut . He’s never met Spock. He’s doesn’t know who these people are. But [in] Season 2, it’s within the canon. It’s the Kirk that we know [but] pre- Enterprise , so we got to play with it.”

On how the alternate timeline in the finale lessened the pressure of playing Kirk… “It’s Pike’s episode. It’s Pike coming to terms with a future that he is seeing for the first time, and Kirk comes in as part of that storyline. It was a little liberating to know that this is a Kirk no one’s ever seen before because he doesn’t really exist in this timeline. It’s all in Pike’s head. It took a little bit of that pressure off the first episode that I’m doing.”

On what it feels like to sit in the captain’s chair. “When he’s in the chair, it’s really about giving commands, and it’s so futuristic. You have this whole crew working, and he’s really just giving commands. There’s this instinct to want to steer [like the pilots in Top Gun ], but obviously, you’re not steering. It takes a minute to figure out. Even after rewatching every episode of the original series, it still takes a moment to get comfortable in this chair and really understand your role as the captain. In the Season 1 finale, I’m captain of the Farragut . In Season 2, it’s pre-captain so I don’t get to sit in the chair as much.”

On the Kirk and Spock relationship… “Ethan Peck and I have that relationship, which makes it so much easier. I adore Ethan [Peck], and we complement each other in the way that Kirk and Spock complement one another. We have this Kirk/Spock thing going, and I’m not sure if it’s because we know we’re playing [them]. I don’t want to give anything away, but when we do interact on screen, it comes naturally.”

On how he found out about the role… “I didn’t know they were casting Kirk. Obviously, I was aware of Star Trek . I knew that Paramount+ was doing all of these shows. I had seen the J.J. Abrams films and watched some of the spinoffs of the original series. But it really was the original series that I truly understood. It was literally a call on a weekend with my agents, and they were like, ‘Can you get on a Zoom tomorrow?’ And I was like, ‘Sure, of course.’ It happened pretty quickly.”

Comparing Kirk to The Vampire Diaries ’ Stefan Salvatore… “Stefan is a guy who’s been alive for 160 years, and he’s very tormented. Kirk is a guy who’s much less tormented. There’s a magnetic energy to Kirk. He is enjoying life in many ways, and for me, the big distinction between the two characters is that I’m not sure Stefan was enjoying life as much. Kirk is a guy who takes it all in. He’s a guy that you can’t help but be drawn to. He’s a natural-born leader. He’s someone who really relies on his instinct, and he’s also someone who has a lot of humor, and we get to explore that humor in Season 2. It’s a good time.”

On honoring what came before… “I know that with a role like this, there’s a lot of scrutiny and rightfully so. I just think it’s important for me to vocalize how much respect I have for this character and for what William Shatner created. It’s really just about paying respect to that character and having fun with that character and doing a whole new different version of it that pays a great respect to who he is.”

What did you think of Paul Wesley’s appearance as Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ‘ Season 1 finale? Are you excited for Season 2? Sound off in the comments below. 

Cancel reply

49 comments.

Email * Your email address will not be published. We will notify you when someone replies.

Did you have to ruin the surprise with the headline. Can’t we have some time to watch it. Love TVline but geez

Hey thanks a lot for that spoiler in the headline on the day the show came out. Your are now blocked from all my feeds. Shame on you

The finale has been out FOR LESS THAN HALF A DAY and you spoiled it in the headline. All this is doing is convincing me to come to this site less and less. What would have been wrong with “SPOILER Talks About His Big Surprise Cameo in the Brave New Worlds Finale”?

you literally had to open this article to see who it was…… if you didn’t want to be spoiled don’t open the article. or wild concept, don’t come on tvline before you’ve watched. common sense.

The Headline (unless they have since edited it) is: “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Actor Paul Wesley Breaks Down That Surprise Kirk Cameo in the Season 1 Finale” That spoils everything.

The email I received was titled “Breaking News: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Actor Breaks Down That Surprise Cameo in the Season 1 Finale”, with no additional information other than the pic of Uhura, Sam Kirk and Pike all looking at Spock after the alien transmission was decrypted. No spoilers for me – this time!

That’s what I did . I waited until I watched the episode.🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️

Nothing is more silly than complaining about spoilers in the message boards… everyone should know if you come to this site you will see spoilers for tv shows… I came here exactly to read about these interviews .. if you don’t watch the show right away and want to stay spoiled then don’t go online till after you watch.. simple as that.

The spoiler isn’t in the “message boards.” It’s literally the headline and supporting image. You can certainly hold people responsible for clicking on the article itself (do the click, take your chances), but presenting the information this way – where visitors to the site have no choice in receiving the information – is indeed a spoiler. Simple as that.

People complaining was in the message boards. People have a choice NOT to go to a website where things are going to be spoiled.. You don’t need to sign on and see the headlines… the internet is vast.. you know this site is full of spoilers, stay off it if you don’t want to know.

You don’t have a choice if it appears in your news feed. Plus, even if you’re already on the site, you shouldn’t have to worry about seeing something like this less than half a day after the episode airs. Other sites are more careful. This is just bad taste.

Personally, I did not care for it. This is the first season and I thought this was Pike’s star trek. If this lasts seven seasons then bringing Kirk in the last couple of seasons, to me, would be best. Oh well what’s done is done. I hope we do not start making the show about Kirk yet.

Agreed. I thought Kirk really detracted from the episode, and changed the whole tone. I also felt the absence of Chapel and the energy she brings.

The episode was a ‘remake’ of the ToS episode ‘Balance of Terror’. Kirk was in the episode because he was always supposed to be the Enterprise captain at that point in history.

For those who are interested watch Season 1 Episode 14 of the Original series. You’ll see how this encounter was supposed to go down with Kirk as Captain of the Enterprise. You’ll even recognise much of the dialogue.

Here’s a tip for these commenters. Assume everything is a spoiler. Take responsibility for your own experience and stop whining. Jeez. It’s the comment section not the complaint section. A real fan would’ve watched the episode the second it dropped and avoided stories until they did. It’s not the writers job to protect your experience. It’s yours. You’re only a victim of your own actions.

That’s pretty insulting logic. Not every “real fan” has the chance to see something the second it comes out. It’s poor taste, and not consistent with current internet etiquette.

I wasn’t surprised being there was a promo picture of the actor as Kirk being shown for months, it wouldn’t make sense if he didn’t pop up in season one.

Other than the fact that he was billed as joining the series in Season 2. An early appearance was unexpected based on that. And they’ve wrapped filming Season 2 already, so clips of JTK in and or themselves would not be a surprise.

It would be absolutely lovely if you guys didn’t put the spoiler *and* a spoiler-photo in the dang headline. And then to say “the following contains spoiler for the season finale” in your intro… Unbelievable. There are ways to get clicks without doing this. Tease us and we will follow.

Has the episode even been up for 24 hours? I’ll watch it tonight, but thanks for stepping on the moment!

It’s nice to see Paul Wesley get a job, since his little vampire TV show was cancelled.

Great episode… losing a character last week and putting another in jeopardy this week… so glad we knew we were getting a season 2.

I say eeew. All I saw was a Jim Carey look alike as if the Cable Guy was a Star Trek Captain (like he did IN Cable Guy)🤮 🤢

They had to know his mannerisms and his appearance was SO NOT KIRK that it was unsettling.

Exactly! I said the same thing on another article. That’s all that went through my mind. Jim Carrey doing his ‘Shatner-as-Kirk’ impression. Welllll…alrighty then!

Wrong face shape, wrong body type, wrong mannerisms, wrong voice pattern, wrong energy. The most unsettling (to reiterate your perfect word choice) part is that Anson Mount is more reminiscent of William Shatner‘s Kirk then this actor cast to portray an established character he decided to “make new.”

I had to get used to the “new“ Spock and Uhura, true,, but at least they have *some* characteristics that connect to the original portrayal. This guy could’ve been ANYBODY but Kirk! 🥸😖

“… THAN the actor cast…,“ and I see that double comma. But, there’s no way to edit or delete comments on this thing that I know of. 🤷🏼‍♀️ #ProofreadTwice PostOnce

Agreed. Paul Wesley is ALL WRONG. Watched TOS every week as a kid in the ’60s. Anson is perfect as Pike Wesley does not work as Kirk. Voice: wrong; hair: wrong; way Kirk was played: wrong. GAH! See for example: Ethan Peck. No. Just no. What happened to the great casting? PLEASE no more Paul Wesley!

You’ve got a funny definition of “cameo”…

Shatner and Pine brought warmth, humor, charm and charisma to the role, hopefully we’ll see that from Wesley in Season Two

I loved it. The finale, the whole season. There were lots of fun TOS “easter eggs”, in not just the finale, but the whole season. (And before anyone comes at me for liking it, go back and watch TOS before you start screaming/crying about inconsistencies and retcons). The OG show was full of them, including the constant revolving name of their agency, before settling on Starfleet 20 episodes into the first season.

He’s not Kirk!

i’m 62 years old i’ve seen all of the Star trek franchises go through my years Star trek strange new worlds was the first one that i’ve watched in some years there is something about this one Star trek I don’t know if it’s the actors or the timeline or the writers or the directors this one these actors the directors and the writers are going places they’re literally going where no one has gone before in a great many years stay the course don’t go do something stupid keep with what you’re thinking I promise you I will stay with you and watch every episode Star trek strange new worlds is just unbelievable and the actors that they have chosen nail it week after week please pardon an old man but when you can please a 62-year-old with science fiction you’re doing something right thank you for listening by the way that was very interesting bringing scotty or should I say montgomery Scott at the bottom of the jeffrey’s tube saying Mr spock i’m in engineer not a miracle worker

Well said and agree!! 👌

Nope didn’t have the spark of Kirk at all not Shatner or Pine. I love the show but could Pike have his show without Kirk for 7 seasons please.

Hey he does kinda look like Chris Pine, so I guess it’s doable!

No, he looks and performs it like he’s Jim Carrey. Terrible casting choice.

I come to TvLine every day for news, but the blatant disregard for spoilers in this headline/picture has me rethinking that.

Boooo…. Talk about spoilers way too soon! Don’t put that kind of thing in the article’s title!!! :(

Paul Wesley did a great job as Kirk. Looking forward to what season 2 has in store.

How can you say you are paying homage to James T and then say it is a totally new character? Kirk is superman you can’t change him! He is a gun slinger,a ladies man the movies did a better job with young kirk.

A starring role is not cameo.

The new Star Trek series is truly Awesome, and it is so fun to watch relationships develop between the characters. It is a joy to see new versions of our beloved TOS characters in the series like Uhura, Nurse Chapel, and Spock. In that vein, I truly enjoyed seeing a young Captain Kirk interacting with the other members of the crew!!! Excellent job- Awaiting Season 2!!!

Most Popular

You may also like.

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Star Paul Wesley Discusses Playing Captain Kirk for the First Time: ‘It’s Not an Imitation’

By Adam B. Vary

Adam B. Vary

Senior Entertainment Writer

• ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ First Look: Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey Keep the Dinosaur Franchise Roaring 16 hours ago
• ‘Rings of Power’ Bosses on New Parts of Middle-earth, Last-Minute Visual Effects and Why They Haven’t Changed Course From Season 1 1 day ago
• Joe Locke on ‘Heartstopper’ Embracing Sex, Being a Queer Marvel Star in ‘Agatha’ and Why ‘There Are Days I Never Want to Play a Gay Character Again’ 3 days ago

SPOILER ALERT: This story discusses major plot developments in the Season 1 finale of “ Star Trek : Strange New Worlds,” currently streaming on Paramount+.

One day in 2021, Paul Wesley got a call from his agents asking whether he would be interested in playing James T. Kirk, the iconic “Star Trek” character originated by William Shatner in the original “Trek” series from the 1960s.

Related Stories

High-Resolution 8K Has Its Places, but TV Might Not Be One of Them

Universal Music and Meta Announce ‘Expanded Global Agreement’ for AI, Monetization and More

According to Myers, Wesley was cast after the production had already held “a bunch of auditions” to find the right actor to play Kirk. “We were looking for someone who had a combination of gravitas and fun and was sort of familiar and yet different,” Myers says. “Honestly, we tried a lot of people and he was the guy that we all agreed on who we felt could do it. And then when we talked to him, he really seemed to understand what the role entailed and what he could bring to it.”

After news broke in March that he’d been cast in the role, Wesley tweeted about meeting Shatner on a flight to Los Angeles following Shatner’s voyage into low Earth orbit on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space shuttle. “I’m not one who usually believes in fate but this was more than a coincidence,” Wesley tweeted . “So thanks Mr. Shatner for the good company.”

The episode leaps into an alternate timeline after Pike, who’s known that in the future he is horrifically injured and disfigured, attempts to avoid his fate. Suddenly, Pike jumps seven years into the future, and lives through what would happen if he survived and remained captain of the Enterprise. For one, he encounters Wesley’s Capt. Kirk, who now is leading another Federation starship, having never joined the Enterprise — or met Spock (Ethan Peck).

In what Wesley said was his first ever interview about the role, the actor discussed what it felt like to take on a character who has loomed so large in pop-culture for over half a century, why he felt it would be “blasphemous” to try to recreate Shatner’s performance, and why the Kirk of the “Strange New Worlds” Season 1 finale is different than the Kirk from the original series.

From your tweets about meeting William Shatner on that flight, I gather you’re a “Star Trek” fan. What pulled you into “Trek”?

You know, it’s funny. I was born in the ’80s, so it’s not like I grew up watching the original series live. With that said, I’ve always had an appreciation for films from the ’60s, ’70s. I always like to think of if I were watching that live in that era, and I think, “Holy crap, that was the first show that really gave people this sense of a bigger world out there.” And so when I watched the original series, even when I was younger, I still got that sense of awe, that sense of, Wow, how cool would it have been to see this live on television? It really was is this incredible form of escapism for many, many people. It offers this incredible sense of hope that I think people really need.

In your first meeting with the “Strange New Worlds” producers about playing Kirk, was there a sense yet of what kind of performance they were looking for, how they were going to recreate this character who had been played by the original actor in a very specific way?

I think one of the most important things that I said — well, they may have said it first and I entirely agreed — was that I think the biggest insult would be to do an imitation of what William Shatner originated and what people fell in love with. If I did that, it would just be a reminder that I’m not William Shatner. And that in a way it’s almost like an insult of character, right? I think William Shatner, when you watch the original series, he’s so incredibly charming. He has this incredible sense of leadership, but it’s done with this little twinkle in his eye that no one can quite describe. It’s what made him so famous. It’s what made that character so iconic, and it’s just not something you can easily replicate. That’s something that comes organic to the actor himself.

So what essence of Kirk as a character, separate from what Shatner was doing in his performance, did you want to capture?

A director I was working with on “Star Trek,” said, “Kirk’s the kind of guy that will jump off out of a plane without a parachute and he knows he’ll figure out a way to land midair.” Obviously, that’s an extreme example. But his instinct, his gut, is his North Star. It’s something that I really wanted to make sure that I captured. And then on top of that, he has incredibly good sense of morality. He is someone who I think is selfless for his crew. He’s someone that, even though he has his bravado, I think at the end of the day, he has a deep sensitivity, and he cares about doing the right thing. I think those are the pillars of Kirk, if I had to really pick apart the archetype.

In the Season 1 finale, we jump ahead in time and meet a Kirk who never becomes captain of the Enterprise and hasn’t ever met Spock. Did that affect your approach at all?   

Yeah. It was liberating. We can talk about it openly because the Season 1 finale is an alternate timeline. Kirk hasn’t been influenced by Spock, by Uhura. In many ways, he’s the same Kirk. But he’s not really the Kirk that we know, because he’s had a completely different life. So there’s room in Season 1 for exploration of Kirk in a different way. It allowed me to put less pressure on myself, at least for that particular episode.

You knew this would be the first time audiences would get to see you as Kirk, so what were you hoping to communicate within this alternate version of him?

It’s sort of an iconic moment for Kirk: He’s talking to Pike in the first scene, and then Spock interjects, and Kirk is intrigued by this man who said something that Kirk immediately flags as, that’s pretty sharp, that’s pretty wise. I want to capture that he recognizes, “Oh, that’s an interesting guy,” and they form a connection, even if it’s for a split second. Little Easter eggs like that. I wanted to capture a little bit of that bravado, but at the same time, that particular episode, there was a lot at stake there. There was less room to play with Kirk’s humor. There was some charm, but he was very mission driven in that episode, so we didn’t explore Kirk as much as we will in Season 2.

When Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn (as Number One) and Ethan Peck (as Spock) were cast for Season 2 of “Star Trek: Discovery,” there was no sense yet that they would ever been in their own “Trek” spin-off. So has anyone talked with you about playing Kirk beyond “Strange New Worlds”? Do you expect to be playing Kirk for a long time?

Ultimately, I don’t know what their plans are. All I can say is that I’m really enjoying being a part of this storyline, because it’s a Kirk that we’ve never seen. This is a younger Kirk. It’s before he was fully developed as a man. I know we saw a little bit of that with Chris Pine in the J.J. Abrams films, but it wasn’t part of the original canon. That’s the Kirk we’re dealing with [on “Strange New Worlds”]. So anyway, I really don’t know.

Even if there’s not necessarily a long professional commitment, there is a certain cultural commitment that you’ve now made in playing Kirk. How does that feel, to be stepping into that tradition?

It feels amazing. First of all, I was part of a cult-y family, in a sense — I don’t mean cult in a bad way. I mean, a cult classic. You know, “Vampire Diaries” was obviously a different audience. It was much more younger skewing. It was a very successful show. We created our own fanhood — there was a real community that was built around it. There were multiple spinoffs.

It’s much smaller than the “Star Trek” world. But I know what it’s like to be involved in those worlds, in the spotlight, so to speak. And frankly, my goal after “Vampire Diaries” was to do something that took me out of that world in a way, because you don’t really want to be stuck in that world forever. As an actor, as an artist, as a person, you want to evolve. You want to try different things. So when this opportunity came along, I said, “Of course, I want to jump into it.” This to me feels like the next evolution for me as a man now. I’m in my late 30s. I want to go to that next phase. I don’t mean to demean “Vampire Diaries”; it’s awesome. But I mean, “Star Trek” feels like a more adult level of that. So I was very excited to move on to that next phase of my life.

So now that you’ve nearly wrapped Season 2 of “Strange New Worlds,” what can you say about what to expect?

I can’t talk about it too much, but man, I had such a blast on Season 2. The writing is so good. It’s so fun. Season 2 is where we get to really let loose and explore Kirk. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

More from Variety

Documentary on Trey Parker and Matt Stone Reopening Iconic Mexican Restaurant Casa Bonita Gets Trailer and Theatrical Release

How Media Companies Medal in a Different Olympics: European Video Market Share

‘Dancing With the Stars’ Pro Artem Chigvintsev Arrested on Suspicion of Domestic Violence

‘Scare Tactics’ Reboot From Jordan Peele Sets October Premiere Date

Hollywood Must Define AI Technical Standards to Prep for Its Future    

M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ Gets Digital, Blu-ray/DVD Release Dates

More from our brands, killer mike, el-p reunite for politically-tinged single ‘detonator’.

Six Senses Are Suddenly Everywhere. Inside the Luxury Resort’s Growing Global Empire.

Chinese Tennis Star Zheng Qinwen Has ‘Yao Ming’ U.S. Marketing Potential

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Knots Landing Is Streaming in Full for the Very First Time — Find Out Where

Paul Wesley Talks Meeting William Shatner and Playing Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

"You almost have to be a lunatic to take on the role of James T. Kirk."

Just before the Enterprise launched in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ’ second season, Men’s Health sat down with its new Captain Kirk, Paul Wesley, to talk Trek, bourbon, vampires, and snowboarding—so, a focused interview.

Wesley has been portraying Kirk since 2022 and the first season (for Wesley, really, the last episode) of Paramount’s latest iteration of the iconic series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Wesley is the most recent actor (after Chris Pine) to portray the character, first brought to life by William Shatner in 1966. (Kirk has only appeared on screen in five separate iterations, including Shatner, Pine, and Wesley as the main movie/series protagonist, with Sandra Smith and Jimmy Bennett portraying a body-snatched Kirk and a child Kirk, respectively.) Needless to say, there were big shoes to fill. How big? “There are no bigger shoes to fill than Shatner’s,” Wesley says. “You almost have to be a lunatic to take on the role of James T. Kirk, because he's arguably the most iconic character in the history of television.”

Wesley’s lunatic approach was to create a gap between the Kirk we know and the Kirk who must have preceded him. “I took inspiration from [the original], but I because I’m playing Kirk before he was captain of the Enterprise, I wanted him to be different from the Kirk that we have seen on screen in the original series,” Wesley says. “And so I wanted to give him time to grow into the Kirk that we all sort of know. It's a slow kind of walk towards the Kirk that we know and that was done intentionally, and I wanted to kind of give it my own spin so that it wasn't, you know, some sort of an imitation.”

Wesley says he filmed his first episode before speaking to that other Captain Kirk, the Kirk we know, William Shatner. “I didn’t really ask him for advice,” Wesley admits. “I feel like he’s kind of over people asking him about Kirk.”

Ditto for Pine, the other Kirk we know: “I did see Chris Pine at a party. So I had to go up to him and say ‘hi.’ I didn’t ask him for advice either.”

Watch the video for more on Wesley’s non-imitation Kirk.

.css-sq6566{height:1.25rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-sq6566{overflow:unset;line-height:1.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-sq6566{line-height:1.25rem;}}.css-sq6566:before{background-color:#D2232E;color:#fff;margin-right:0.625rem;width:1.25rem;height:1.25rem;content:'';display:block;} Entertainment

DK Metcalf Says He’s a 'Fat-ass at Heart’

How Josh Rivera Got Into the Mind of a Killer

The 32 Best and Most Anticipated New Shows of 2024

'Alien: Romulus' Made a Former Athlete Horrifying

‘Industry’ Is Back and Better Than Ever

Michael Keaton Shares His 'Batgirl' Reaction

‘Homicide’ Is Streaming for the First Time Ever

How Sci-Fi Fans Can Watch 'Alien: Romulus'

How ‘Alien: Romulus’ Connects to the Alien Series

Fans Are Worried About 'Reacher' Future

How to Watch the ‘Alien’ Movies in the Right Order

Strange New Worlds ’ new Captain Kirk could solve a huge Star Trek mystery

Paul Wesley will become the third actor to play James T. Kirk in Star Trek, but when does this happen in Kirk’s timeline?

Risk is his business. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , the role of James T. Kirk will now be played by... Paul Wesley. The veteran actor most famous for The Vampire Diaries will officially appear in some capacity as Kirk in Season 2 of Strange New Worlds . Here’s why this new Kirk isn’t a digitally de-aged William Shatner (or regular-aged Chris Pine), where this might happen in the timeline, and what it could reveal about Kirk’s past.

Why was Captain Kirk recast in Strange New Worlds?

If you’re confused as to why there’s a new person playing James T. Kirk in Strange New Worlds, here are a few things to keep in mind.

• We don’t know that Paul Wesley’s Kirk is actually a Captain , yet. (The press release doesn’t mention his rank.)
• Strange New Worlds takes place in the Prime Timeline — not the Kelvin Timeline of Chris Pine’s movies — which is why the actor isn’t Pine.
• This kind of recasting has happened before , very recently. Celia Rose Gooding is playing Uhura in Strange New Worlds (played by Nichelle Nichols in TOS and Zoe Saldana in the Kelvin films.) Plus, Ethan Peck and Anson Mount have been playing Captain Pike and Spock, respectively, since 2019 in Discovery Season 2. In both cases, though played by Jeffrey Hunter and Leonard Nimoy in TOS , those roles were also recast for the Kelvin films too; where Pike was played by Bruce Greenwood, and Spock by Zachary Quinto. So, Paul Wesley playing Kirk follows this same pattern.

Kirk and the Star Trek timeline

Captain Kirk (William Shatner) in the TOS episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” the earliest canonical appearance of the Prime Timeline Kirk...until Strange New Worlds Season 2!

Another important detail here is that Paul Welsey’s new Jim Kirk won’t appear in Strange New Worlds Season 1, which premieres in 2022. This casting announcement is for Season 2. So where does that put this Kirk in the timeline?

This is a very tricky question. For one thing, we don’t know exactly when Strange New Worlds happens, yet. The best guess is that it’s 2258 or 2259, which would be immediately following the events of Discovery Season 2. But because The Original Series doesn’t begin until 2265, there’s a decent amount of wiggle-room. And, because Strange New Worlds is billed as a return to episodic Trek, we’re not even sure how much time will pass during Season 1.

Canon tells us that Kirk takes command of the USS Enterprise in 2265, sometime just before the events of “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” And from the TOS episode “The Menagerie,” we also know that Kirk briefly meets Captain Pike at some point in his career when Pike is “promoted to Fleet Captain.”

In roughly 2257 (or maybe 2258) Kirk was serving on the USS Farragut when the ship was attacked by an alien vampire cloud, which killed two hundred people, including Captain Garrovick. Between that incident and taking command of the Enterprise , we actually don’t know what Kirk was doing. On top of that, canon doesn’t make it clear if Kirk had a previous captaincy before taking over the USS Enterprise from Pike. The 1968 book The Making of Star Trek suggests Kirk did command a “destroyer” before the Enterprise , but that’s never really been taken too seriously.

So, where will Paul Wesley’s new Kirk fall into that timeline? The new promotional photo from Paramount+ suggests that Kirk has captain’s stripes, but as we won’t see him until Strange New Worlds Season 2, it’s tough to say what his story will really be.

Because despite being the first beloved Star Trek captain ever, we actually know very little about Kirk’s pre- TOS career. But that’s all about to change and get, a little bit stranger .

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 hits Paramount+ on May 5, 2022.

• Science Fiction

Paul Wesley Brings Captain Kirk Down to Earth

As the most famous space hero of all time in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Wesley has a need for speed and whiskey.

Although the idea of James Kirk might conjure up images of William Shatner fighting a rubber lizard in slow-motion, or, perhaps the wise-cracking Chris Pine , the character of Kirk is far more relatable and real than his reputation suggests. “If you actually watch The Original Series , yes, there’s some exaggerated stuff there, but for the most part, Kirk is pretty down-to-earth,” Wesley explains. “He’s not like the caricature people think of, or as big as people have made him out to be in their heads over the years.”

Perhaps most well-known for his role as immortal Stefan on The Vampire Diaries , Wesley is the opposite of a caricature. He’s a thoughtful, relatable guy, more apt to ask a question about you than talk about himself. He’s charming and he’s got swagger, but he’s also subtle and kind. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season Two, Wesley appears as James T. Kirk in a few surprising episodes, beginning with the third story, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow.” It’s a cracking time travel romp, which sends a version of Kirk and series regular La’an (Christina Chong) back to 21st-century Toronto. In the vein of classic Trek time travel, Paul Wesley gets to play Kirk as a fish out of water, and in doing so, makes him more realistic and more interesting than any version of Kirk we’ve seen before.

For most viewers, Strange New Worlds is a back-to-basics version of Star Trek ; each episode is mostly self-contained, and even the complicated sci-fi plotting feels secondary to characters and emotions. And in this way, Wesley’s version of Jim Kirk is a microcosm of the entire series. He is Kirk, sometimes from a different timeline, sometimes found just a few years before taking over the Enterprise , but don’t worry about it too much. He’s the guy you trust, because he believes in people when no one else will, and he’ll always do the right thing, even if nobody notices or remembers. In Strange New Worlds, Wesley doesn’t reinvent the character of Captain Kirk, but instead, does something that feels radical: his performance reminds us that all of us could be Kirk if we wanted to be. Kirk isn’t a legend—he’s just a guy. A very competent and cool guy, but someone you’d want to hang out with all the same. In real life, Wesley is very much the same. His enthusiasm for life and his interest in art and music is infectious. He’s a man of action, and a Renaissance man, too. But, ultimately, Wesley feels like the guy who would loan you his hoodie and never ask for it back.

Esquire caught up with Paul Wesley to discuss playing Captain Kirk in Strange New Worlds , making whiskey, and how to know when you’ve really grown up. Spoilers ahead for Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 3.

ESQUIRE: In the new Strange New Worlds episode, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” thanks to time travel, Kirk gets to drive a red Dodge Challenger Hellcat. FAST. Did you really drive it?

PAUL WESLEY: Absolutely. I'm all about it. I'm a speed fanatic. I race motorcycles. I love cars. I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I was on a downhill racing ski team when I was five, and then I transitioned to snowboarding. I love speed. You know, that's something Captain Kirk and I have in common. I kick it into fifth gear, immediately.

You were Stefan in The Vampire Diaries , and that must have been some aspect of yourself at that time. How close is Kirk to you?

I think very . I think he’s very close to me. If you were to give me Kirk without any preconceived notion of Kirk, and there was no William Shatner and there was no Chris Pine, I would feel like, “This role is made for me.” But because of the stigma and the zeitgeist of Captain Kirk, every day, I’m like, “Wait, am I doing this correctly? Should I be doing it this way?” I normally wouldn't question that. But because it's such an iconic role, I can't help but think about my choices, because I'm doing something so different from the norm.

Why was this role made for you? Where does Kirk intersect with Paul Wesley?

When I was in my teen years, I developed this tough guy persona as a way of protecting myself. Growing up on the East Coast, I got kicked out of three high schools. I was in a ton of fist-fights. I was lifting weights and playing sports and all that crap. That was a bit of a façade that I maintained for a long time as a sort of protective layer for whatever reason, until I grew older.

And now I'm more of the sort of guy that would much prefer to hang out by myself and read a book, or watch a great movie, than go out with the bros. I don’t do that as much anymore. I hate to use the word intellectual , because it sounds so pretentious, but that’s the sort of energy for me now.

People tend to think of Kirk like he’s a frat bro, but as written, he’s a chess nerd, right? In the second pilot episode in 1965, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” he’s described as a “stack of books with legs.”

Not to interrupt you, but that’s it exactly. I totally took that “stack of books with legs” line and I actually based my Kirk on that line. I didn’t want him to be a complete stack of books with legs, because that would have been like watching paint dry. But I wanted to incorporate that brainier aspect of Kirk into my version of the character. When we think of Captain Kirk, there's an immediate sort of reaction: we know who he is. Kirk has obviously been established very clearly by not only pop culture history, and, but also, obviously, what William Shatner did in the 1960s. But the key thing is he’s recognizable. There’s a recognizable feeling, and I wanted to do something a little different with that. I thought this was a really good opportunity to start from a different place and watch Kirk build into the character that he’s known for in pop culture history. A lot of that has to do with maybe creating a bit less brawn and a little more brains, for lack of a better phrase. Having him still finding his footing. A little less self-assured. At this point, he’s trying to understand who he is and who he wants to be, and what kind of leader he wants to be. Because, ultimately, he’s not a captain yet.

You've had a triple challenge because in Season One, you played an alternate version of Kirk. When we see you in this time travel episode with La’an (Christina Chong), you’re again an alternate Kirk. We get “regular” Kirk later in the season, but that’s a lot of Kirks! How did you keep all that straight?

In the Season One finale, I wanted to play a different Kirk. Even though it was modeled on “Balance of Terror” from 1966, I was a little more subdued and stoic. Then, in Season Two, when we first meet Kirk, it's a dark time. It’s like Mad Max . The galaxy is in disarray. Things are not harmonious. And then slowly, he finds the joy of being back in time. He’s like a kid in a candy shop in Episode Three. By the end of it, he doesn't even want to leave. He loves Earth and he almost wants to stay.

But, at the end of the day, he’s someone who will always do the right thing. He essentially sacrifices himself for the future of mankind. I wanted there to be a bit of an arc. But ultimately, I did want the Kirk we know: that fun, jovial, having-a-good-time guy. But also, the man who does the right thing and is the hero. It’s a lot like “City on the Edge of Forever,” my favorite episode of Trek . When I read the script, that’s the first thing I thought of, and I rewatched that episode.

Okay, so you’re technically older than Shatner was in 1966. You’re 40, but you look 30. Are you a vampire in real life? What’s your secret there?

My father looked like he was 20 years old until he was like 50! [ laughs ] I think I inherited those genes. I also think that if you look at all the older films, you know, some of the films in the sixties, the TV shows of the seventies, everyone looked older. Actors in their twenties looked like they were 50 years old. It’s bizarre. But, you know, now people are living longer, and they have healthier habits. But I drink a lot of bourbons, so what do I know?

To be honest, I keep waiting for myself to grow up. I keep going, “When am I going to be an adult?” I think that’s why I don’t have kids. Because I’m like, “How am I going to do this?” I do want kids at some point, but I guess I’m just waiting to be an adult.

You have a whiskey company with your Vampire Diaries co-star Ian Somerhalder. How long do you plan to keep making Brother’s Bond? Forever?

It's a brand that I want to give to my kids if I ever have them. I've never built a brand before in this capacity. Certainly not one where I've been one of the co-founders from the ground up. And, you know, it's become a part of my life now, and I want to build it into a legacy brand that exists that I can give to future generations. So the answer is yes, forever.

Okay, Brother’s Bond Whiskey forever. How long can you play Kirk? Can Strange New Worlds take us into the era of The Original Series ?

As long as great people like Ethan Peck and Akiva Goldsman are involved, I would do that in a heartbeat. How cool would it be to watch Kirk turn into the Kirk that we know? And then watch what happens next? That would be fucking awesome.

Chris Pine’s Kirk listened to the Beastie Boys. Shatner’s Kirk listened to… probably spoken word jazz? What about your Kirk? What does he listen to?

It would be way too meta to say my Kirk listens to William Shatner’s band. [ laughs ] My music taste is all over the map, and I think in a good way. I mean, I’ll listen to anything from Gary Clark Jr. to Tame Impala or Muse. But I grew up on hip-hop, like Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. and Dr. Dre. But you know what. I’ll say this: I saw The Rolling Stones fairly recently. I was talking about my style—how I want to wear something that never goes out of style. That’s how I feel about The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger's up there doing his thing and he's just killing it. I feel like that’s Captain Kirk right there.

@media(max-width: 73.75rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.4375rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1ktbcds:before{margin-right:0.5625rem;color:#FF3A30;content:'_';display:inline-block;}} TV

"Ted Lasso" Season 4 Looks Like It's Happening

Everything We Know About ‘Fallout’ Season 2

“Yellowstone” Sequel Series: Everything We Know

Alex Edelman's Big, Strange, Thoughtful Career

Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan Are Getting Weirder

All Hiroyuki Sanada's Dreams Came True. Now What?

Will Zoë Kravitz Ever Return to ‘High Fidelity’?

How TV’s Phil Donahue Became a Feminist Hero

Everything We Know About ‘Disclaimer’

Why Does Every Netflix Show Look Like This?

An Exhaustive Breakdown of the Dutton Family Tree

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Captain James T. Kirk

'Sam's brother?'

Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1, Episode 10 "A Quality of Mercy" to follow!

"Sam's brother?"

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In addition, the series airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada and on SkyShowtime in the Nordics, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and Central and Eastern Europe. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Screen Rant

Star trek: strange new worlds.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Your Rating

Reviews (4).

Never was super big into Star Trek but after rewatching the Kelvin trilogy I decided to dive right in with Strange New Worlds. I loved both seasons of this and found myself getting right into The Original Series when I finished up. The characters are rich and complex and the balance between lighthearted moments and serious ones is incredible. Really love this show and can't wait for the next season.

I started watching Star Trek around 1966, I enjoyed it then and I enjoy it now in whatever new versions it’s in.

No shade towards any other Star Trek series released recently, but I think Strange New Worlds is the best entry point for newcomers. The series is a return to the classic tone and style of earlier series, but with stellar modern characterizations and little need to do any additional homework.

Whether you have been a Trekkie since the beginning or are completely new to the franchise, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is undoubtedly worth watching. Following the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and his USS Enterprise, the show fills in the time period before Captain Kirk took over command. The cast of Strange New Worlds is pitch-perfect, with Anson Mount's Captain Pike and Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura particular standouts. With the perfect combination of stand-alone adventures and serialized story threads, Strange New Worlds feels like classic Trek made for the modern era of television and pretty much everything about just works.

Melissa Navia

Babs olusanmokun, celia rose gooding, rebecca romijn, seasons (4).

Season 1 (2016)

Season 2 (2018), season 3 (2022), season 4 (2026), sdcc 2024: star trek: strange new worlds cast & eps celebrate season 2 & hype season 3, star trek: strange new worlds season 3 first look clip, images (40), users reviews (125).

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the review below and remember to keep it respectful.

Your comment has not been saved

Latest Stories

Anson mount wants strange new worlds to stick with captain pike’s star trek canon, i think the perfect actor to play spock’s brother in star trek: strange new worlds is zachary quinto, strange new worlds can finally make “beam me up, scotty” star trek canon, carol kane was “challenged and surprised” to join star trek: strange new worlds, related titles.

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

BABY REINDEER

Strange New Worlds Can Finally Make Beam Me Up, Scotty Star Trek Canon

Despite being one of the franchise's most iconic phrases, no one in Star Trek actually says "Beam me up, Scotty," but Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can change that. Following the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the USS Enterprise, Strange New Worlds has much in common with classic Star Trek . While there are serialized story threads that run through each season, each episode of Strange New Worlds stands on its own. With the inclusion of legacy characters like Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck), Strange New Worlds has built upon the lore first established in Star Trek: The Original Series .

Throughout Star Trek: The Original Series, Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott (James Doohan) served on the Starship Enterprise of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), often operating the transporter. When returning from an away mission, Kirk would often ask Scotty to beam the landing party back to the ship. Although he said many variations of "beam us up," he never uttered the exact phrase, "Beam me up, Scotty." Now that a young Lt. Scott (Martin Quinn) has joined the crew of Captain Pike's Enterprise, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has the chance to officially add this iconic phrase to Star Trek canon.

Beam Me Up, Scotty: Star Treks Most Famous (& Incorrect) Catchphrase Explained

"Beam me up, Scotty" has become one of Star Trek's most famous catchphrases in pop culture despite no Star Trek character ever actually saying it.

Strange New Worlds Seems Likely To Make Beam Me Up, Scotty Star Trek Canon

Scotty will be acting as transporter chief in strange new worlds season 3..

In its two seasons so far, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has leaned into established Star Trek canon, referencing numerous events and characters from Star Trek: The Original Series. Strange New Worlds has also acted as a love letter to the Star Trek franchise as a whole, with episodes like the incredibly fun crossover with Star Trek: Lower Decks , "Those Old Scientists." Episodes like this and Star Trek's first-ever musical episode, "Subspace Rhapsody," will go down in history and undoubtedly find their way onto best-of lists.

It has been confirmed that Martin Quinn's Scotty will play a larger role in Strange New Worlds season 3, acting as the Transporter Chief. This gives the show the perfect opportunity to finally bring the phrase "beam me up, Scotty" into official canon. With its references to past Trek and its often cheeky sense of humor, Strange New Worlds seems like the perfect show to do this. It's also possible Strange New Worlds could go another route and cut someone off as they are about to utter this famous phrase, which could be hilarious in its own right.

Scotty Has His Old Star Trek: TOS Job In Strange New Worlds Season 3

The first clip of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 shows that newly minted series regular Scotty has his old TOS job back on the Enterprise.

Scotty In USS Enterprises Transporter Room Means Pelia Is Safe As Chief Engineer

With Scotty operating the transporter, Commander Pelia's (Carol Kane) position as Chief Engineer seems to be safe for the time being. Pelia joined the crew of Captain Pike's Enterprise in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, after the death of Lt. Hemmer (Bruce Horak) in season 1. Fans of Star Trek: The Original Series know that Scotty will eventually take over as Chief Engineer of the Enterprise, a ship he will come to love more than any other. As Chief Engineer, Scotty will gain a reputation as a "miracle worker," as he keeps the Enterprise running even in the direst of circumstances.

Prior to joining the Enterprise crew, Pelia served as an instructor at Starfleet Academy, a job which she could potentially return to (maybe even in the far future of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy ).

But even when Scotty takes over for Pelia, there are still plenty of opportunities for Carol Kane's character to pop up in Star Trek. As a member of the Lanthanite species, Pelia has an extremely long lifespan, leaving the door open for her to appear in almost any Star Trek project. She also has a colorful history that the franchise could continue to expand. Wherever Scotty and Pelia's story goes next, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is moving closer and closer to catching up with the events of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Paul Wesley, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Release Date May 5, 2022

Showrunner Akiva Goldsman, Henry Alonso Myers

Where To Watch Paramount+

• Newsletters
• News Insiders

William Shatner says he would consider ‘Star Trek’ return: ‘Here comes Captain Kirk!’

By Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press

Posted May 5, 2024 08:00:00 AM.

Last Updated May 5, 2024 08:10:22 AM.

TORONTO — At 93, William Shatner would entertain boldly going where no man has gone before — again.

The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in “Star Trek,” says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.

“It’s an intriguing idea,” Shatner says on a video call while promoting his new documentary “You Can Call Me Bill,” which drops digitally and on video-on-demand Tuesday.

“It’s almost impossible but it was a great role and so well-written and if there were a reason to be there not just to make a cameo appearance, but if there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it.”

Shatner’s last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film “Star Trek Generations,” where Captain Kirk is killed off. He suggests he could play a younger version of the Starship Enterprise captain as he’s recently signed on to be the spokesperson for Otoy, a company specializing in technology that “takes years off of your face, so that in a film you can look 10, 20, 30, 50 years younger than you are.” 

He muses on a scenario where Kirk is resurrected.

“A company that wants to freeze my body and my brain for the future might be a way of going about it,” he says in a recent call from Los Angeles.

“‘We’ve got Captain Kirk’s brain frozen here.’ There’s a scenario. ‘Let’s see if we can bring back a little bit of this, a little salt, a little pepper. Oh, look at that. Here comes Captain Kirk!’”

“You Can Call Me Bill,” directed by Alexandre O. Phillippe, offers a look back at Shatner’s body of work — from his “Star Trek” TV show and films to TV series including “Boston Legal” and “T.J. Hooker” — and follows his trip to outer space aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin shuttle in 2021. It also features the actor’s musings on life, death and nature. 

“Over the years, people have come to me and said, ‘Let’s make a biographical film,” Shatner says.

“I’d say, ‘Oh no, I don’t want to do that.’ A biographical film sort of signifies the end. Cut! And then you die.”

But Shatner says he was sold on the idea when the doc’s producers Legion M approached him with the idea of crowdfunding the film.

The self-described “fan-owned” company allows fans to own a financial share in the film and any profits it generates. “You Can Call Me Bill” raised US$750,000 in four days. 

The actor also wanted to “leave some part of a truth” about him for his children and grandchildren after he dies.

Shatner says he learned a great deal about himself while making the film but on the other hand, “I don’t know what ‘know thyself’ means.”

Even at 93, he says he doesn’t believe he has much wisdom to offer.

“That’s a mystique that has no basis in truth: as you get older, you get wiser. If you’re dumb as a young man, you’re dumb as an old man. You’re a dumb old man is what you are. It doesn’t necessarily mean time foists wisdom on you. What it does put upon you is how quickly life is over. That’s for certain.”

Well aware of his fleeting mortality, Shatner is making the most of the time he has left. He’s releasing a children’s album, “Where Will The Animals Sleep? Songs For Kids & Other Living Things” later this month and will join a cruise to Antarctica with astronaut Scott Kelly and astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson in December.

He’s also joined several “companies of the future,” as a spokesperson for some and in the background for others, including one that develops “technology like the medical device on ‘Star Trek,’ so it’s the size of a pack of cards and can tell you whether you have a disease or not,” and one “that will take your DNA, make an artificial gem out of it and give you two: one that you keep and one that goes into a box that will be released on the moon.”

“Life is so short, you’ve got to do something now. Go to that place, know that person, read that book now!” he says.

“That’s what I think old age (teaches you). But then, by the time you learn that, you’re dying. You don’t have any time. That’s right. You’re dead.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2024.

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press

Top Stories

Waterloo Regional Police are searching for a suspect after receiving a report of a suspicious male in Sault Park in Cambridge. Police got the call Thursday afternoon and initiated an investigation,...

Ontario students are heading back to school, but this year, the provincial government says there will be fewer distractions.

It's been a stressful week-and-a-half for residents of Ayr, still cleaning up after the tornado on August 17. It was the northern edge of the town that was hit particularly hard. Dozens of massive trees...

The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth has launched a new campaign, saying it hopes to raise donations to better support the needs of families and pets across the community. The...

Most Watched Today

Ontario education minister Jill Dunlop says this fall there will be fewer distractions in the classroom as the province moves to ban cellphones and vapes in schools.

A SpaceX crew made up entirely of civilians is preparing for what's being described as a historic and risky space mission.

A look at the weird historic day in baseball that former Jays' player Danny Jansen was at the centre of. CityNews' Sports Reporter Lindsay Dunn with a look at one of the weirdest games of the season.

A woman is lucky to be safe this afternoon after an violent attempted abduction. York Regional Police are now looking for at least four suspects.

The federal Conservative leader is calling on the NDP to pull out of the supply-and-confidence deal with the Liberals, and trigger a general election. The Liberals say the Tories are worried the economy is recovering without them.

Adjust preferences

With your consent we may collect cookies and information to enhance our service, and improve your experience.

These cookies and data are essential for browsing our website and allowing services. Examples include, session, authentication, and security cookies.

These cookies and data enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalized content.

These cookies and data inform us which pages are most informative and engaging via analytics.

These cookies may track data across websites for marketing and interest-based advertising to provide personalized content, offers, and advertisements.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes

Star Trek actor Robert Picardo roasts Elon Musk's 'Let's make Starfleet Academy real!' post

Picardo has played the "The Doctor" in the franchise since 1995.

Star Trek actor Robert Picardo shut down Elon Musk after the SpaceX and Tesla owner proclaimed " Let's make Starfleet Academy real! " in a post on his social media app X.

"First step: Support a leader that embodies Starfleet values like diversity, inclusion and ethical behavior," Picardo replied. Musk is allied with former president and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, and Musk's ownership of the social media platform prompted numerous celebrities to leave X amid a rise in hate speech on the app.

Starfleet Academy is where the likes of Captain Kirk and Spock trained in the Star Trek universe.

Picardo has played holographic character "The Doctor" and his creator, Lewis Zimmerman, since January 1995, when TV's Star Trek: Voyager premiered. He has appeared in the sci-fi franchise many times, including in TV shows such as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine in 1997 and Star Trek: Renegades in 2015 and movies including 1996's Star Trek: First Contact . He also voiced his characters in video games tied to the brand.

"It's a wonderful feeling to have, you know, a signature role as an actor that makes you known around the world, but that is a source of interest for the fans everywhere, that they happen to love Star Trek ," Picardo told the official Star Trek website in July. "When you join the franchise and they particularly like your character, it's a nice feeling of being welcomed into something larger than yourself, with a history, obviously, that predates my involvement, but that will go on forever after I'm gone."

Paramount Television/Everett; Marc Piasecki/Getty

Picardo is scheduled to pop up on a new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy , which went into production this week. He will again portray the Doctor, alongside Star Trek vets Tig Notaro, Oded Fehr, and Mary Wiseman.

Holly Hunter is joining the series too, as the captain and chancellor of the academy. The show follows a new class of cadets, played by actors including Kerrice Brooks, Karim Diané, George Hawkins, Sandro Rosta, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner. Paul Giamatti and Gina Yashere will be recurring guest stars.

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly 's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related Articles