Interview: Wilson Cruz, Anthony Rapp, and Blu del Barrio Discuss Their Favorite Alien Races and ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season Four [EXCLUSIVE]
Strap on your comms badges and lock into your spore drive because we are headed for a DISCO inferno! That’s right! Season four of Star Trek: Discovery premieres today on Paramount+, which means that we had to check in with the Discovery crew and see what strange new worlds they might be exploring this season.
We spoke with Wilson Cruz (Dr Hugh Culber), Anthony Rapp (Paul Stamets), and Blu del Barrio (Adira) about what lies in store for Discovery‘s favorite family, what alien races they would love to play, and how Paul feels about Book’s new affinity with his beloved spore drive.
Nerds and Beyond: Hi! So your characters are all human crew members, but at the end of season three, we get to see Hugh and Adira, due to the massive holodeck program, as Bajoran and – oh gosh I’m blanking on what species Adira was transformed into –
Blu del Barrio: Oh yeah…
Wilson Cruz and Anthony Rapp: Xahean!
Blu del Barrio: Yes! Xahean!
Nerds and Beyond: Yes! Thank you! I was curious what other Trek species makeup would you love to put on if there were another Holodeck-centric episode?
Wilson Cruz: I mean, I think I look really good in green personally.
Anthony Rapp: So Orion?
Blu del Barrio: Awwwww.
Wilson Cruz: Orion, yeah. And then I could play Elphaba right after that.
Anthony Rapp: Gorn! I want to be Gorn! I just want to go “Raaaaawwwwhhh!!”
Nerds and Beyond: And have a rock fight with Kirk?
Anthony Rapp: Exactly.
Blu del Barrio: I think Vulcan or Andorian would be really fun.
Nerds and Beyond: For Anthony, now that both Paul and Book can communicate with the spore drive do you think Paul is going to be getting a maybe a little territorial, maybe a little competitive —
Anthony Rapp: YUP. YUP. YUPPPPP. I do get to have it out, well not have it out, but I get to have moments with David Ajala — Book — this season. And I was just grateful for that as an actor. He is a wonderful human being, and I am such a fan of his. So to get to be in the room with him and bounce off of him in that way — and that is a piece of it! That little dynamic is a part of it. And it’s really satisfying to play.
Nerds and Beyond: Thank you so much!
Star Trek: Discovery season four airs Thursdays on Paramount+.
