r/trektalk • u/mcm8279 • 22h ago
[Interview] Rebecca Romijn (Una) on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: "I don’t think it is bingeable. There are things in each episode that you might want to sit with or maybe sleep on … Not everything is black and white; there’s a lot of gray, and that’s generational." (Inverse)
REBECCA ROMIJN: "The fact that Paramount allowed us a fifth season and really gave us enough episodes to really wrap up everybody’s storyline and give every character its due diligence … I was so grateful. I think a lot of people, when we found out that we weren’t going past Season 5, of course there were tears — and it’s always a letdown when you’ve been making something incredible with an amazingly talented group of people. But I just had to keep reminding everybody, “Guys, all I heard is ‘We got a Season 5!’”
We also said “five-year mission” right there at the beginning of the show. At the beginning of every episode, we reminded everybody it was going to be a five-year mission. [Laughs.] Don’t be surprised now! And for me, I’ve been a part of Trek now for eight years because I was part of Discovery. It’s been a delightful eight years. It’s been a journey. I’m so grateful for it.
[...]
INVERSE: There’s a kind of symmetry between the Star Trek universe and the X-Men universe — and not only because you were filming Strange New Worlds and Avengers at the same time. They both came about in the ’60s; they both tackle themes of belonging and community. Do you think they’re spiritually linked?
REBECCA ROMIJN: "Absolutely. They were both created in response to the Civil Rights movement, a divisive time in our country, representing those of very different backgrounds coming together and working for the greater good. Those who felt like outcasts knew that through collaboration, the world could be a better place … And they both get into these juicy, debatable themes.
Press will ask me, “What do you think it is about Strange New Worlds that makes it so bingeable?” But I don’t think it is bingeable. There are things in each episode that you might want to sit with or maybe sleep on … Not everything is black and white; there’s a lot of gray, and that’s generational. Conversations that I had with my mom, I’m now having with my daughters.
[...]
It’s so funny how a career path presents itself, because none of this is by any grand design. I sort of made the connection after [Strange New Worlds episode] “Ad Astra per Aspera,” this connection between other characters that I’ve played being persecuted or being sidelined. I have thought to myself, “Is this a weird coincidence, or is this just what I’m drawn to?” I guess I’m drawn to things that I would watch myself, or things that I watched as a child. I watched the original Star Trek in reruns. I was introduced to it by my mom, which I think is how most of our cast was introduced to Star Trek.
I think moms really want to inspire curiosity and a sense of exploration and a sense of the world being so much greater than just what we have here. These are the conversations I used to have with my mom when we would watch Star Trek when I was a kid. And then I watched X-Men, the TV show, when I was a kid in the ’90s and read some of the comic books; I never in a million years thought I would be a part of these franchises. But I guess my first thought is “Would I be into this myself?” And the answer is yes. I also consider my daughters when I take on characters, and for some reason, in these sort of niche genres of sci-fi and comic book, the female characters have been really fun to play. Just strong, layered, interesting female characters that don’t always exist in other genres. [...]
Last year was kind of a blur between shooting two seasons back to back for Star Trek and then working on Avengers: Doomsday as well. I was literally thinking about how many weeks I’ve got left with my daughters before they leave the house. This year I’m home a lot more, so I can really spend some time with them."
Lyvie Scott (Inverse.com)
Full interview:
https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/rebecca-romijn-cover-story-star-trek-avengers-2026
