star trek laris actress

Why Laris From Star Trek: Picard Looks So Familiar

Season 1 of "Star Trek: Picard"  was a huge event for fans of the long-running space franchise, who have missed the likes of Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) and his crew since "Star Trek: The Next Generation" concluded their voyages with a final movie in 2002. Almost 20 years later, "Picard" picks up its eponymous character's story, though obviously things are quite different: Picard himself is older, and at the beginning of the series, he is still endeavoring to live a peaceful life alongside his Romulan housekeepers Zhaban (Jamie McShane) and Laris (Orla Brady).

If something strikes you as oddly familiar about the latter character, though, you aren't alone. It may be hard to tell with the eyebrow prosthetics, but Orla Brady is quite the accomplished actress, and the chances are high that you have seen something that she has been involved in. However, if the actress' name alone can't jog your memory, then allow us to refresh your memory in regard to some of the major shows and films that Brady has been a part of.

Orla Brady had a busy beginning to her acting career

Though she's currently famous as a TV star, Orla Brady has been acting for far longer than her IMDb makes it seem. Her first credit on the site is in 1991, when Brady was already 30, in the TV series "So You Think You've Got Trouble." Before that, though, the actress worked her magic on actual stages, working with various theater productions in her homeland of Ireland, and later on other productions in England and France. "I remember going to London and being very terrified of it," Brady said in an interview with the Irish Times . "And everyone manages to come up to you and go: 'Ah, Jesus, you know, such and such went there. Never heard from her again.' I call it the actor's ghost story."

However, Brady would persevere through the uncertain stages of her early acting career. In time, her attention turned more towards TV and movies. She appeared in a two-part episode of the series "Dangerfield," became a regular on the BBC crime drama, "Out of the Blue," and starred in a made-for-TV adaptation of "Wuthering Heights." In 2001, she moved to LA, where she appeared in series such as "Family Law" (where she played Naoise O'Neill), and "Nip/Tuck." By the mid-2000s, she had established quite the resume for herself in both TV and theater. Still, her biggest and best roles were yet to come.

You can't miss Orla Brady on Mistresses

The British series "Mistresses" may not be Orla Brady's first long-term foray into a TV series (that title belongs to "Out of the Blue"), but it is one of her most significant. It is the first time she served as a main character on a series that lasted multiple seasons. In it, she plays Siobhan Dhillon, a busy lawyer and wife who, aside from trying to get pregnant, is also looking to further her career before getting embroiled in a steamy workplace affair. The role also earned her two separate IFTA Award nominations for Best Actress (per IMDb ).

"Mistresses" ended after just three seasons, but the overall success of the series meant that it would continue on in other ways. 2013 saw the rise of an American version of "Mistresses" starring Alyssa Milano. This version, though it lacked Brady as a cast member, would eventually outlive its counterpart by running for four seasons. As such, the influence of Brady's work on the franchise as a whole would extend beyond her time on the series.

On Fringe, Orla Brady played two people in one role

On top of dominating Britain's saucy soap dramas, Orla Brady also dipped her toe into the realm of TV science fiction. Beginning in its second season, Brady appeared as a regular in the JJ Abrams' 2010 creation, "Fringe." Far from the romance-laden stories of her previous roles, "Fringe" explored a variety of high science fiction concepts, especially that of parallel universes. This concept afforded Brady a unique opportunity among actors: the chance to play two versions of the same character — in this case Elizabeth Bishop, the wife of mad fringe scientist Walter Bishop — from completely different timelines.

Though "Fringe" would hardly be Brady's final foray into sci-fi, this story element certainly made it one of the most unique performances she's ever pulled off. Her exceptional acting didn't go by unnoticed, either, as it earned Brady a nomination for a Saturn Award for Best Guest Performer on Television (via Collider ). As impressive as "Fringe" was, however, Brady's next sci-fi endeavor would be of an altogether different pedigree.

Orla Brady was an alien on Doctor Who

Few, if any, sci-fi shows are as long-lasting, legendary, or beloved as " Doctor Who ." As such, appearing in the series, even for just an episode, is a huge deal. In Brady's case, it's made even more huge thanks to the importance of the episode in question. 

The 2013 Christmas special episode, "The Time of the Doctor" was a monumental moment in the "Doctor Who" franchise. Not only was it the final appearance of the Eleventh Doctor (Matt Smith) before he was replaced by Peter Capaldi, the episode — which was the series' 800th — resolved a variety of important plot threads, including the salvation of Gallifrey.

At the center of all this intergalactic, wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey mess was Orla Brady as Tasha Lem. Despite only appearing in this episode, Tasha proved an enigmatic figure with a deep history with the Doctor. Described by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat as "[The Doctor's] first girlfriend" (via Toby Hadoke's Who's Round ), the two's fond memories soon give way to conflict as she reveals herself to be a villain. Thankfully, she eventually turns back to the side of good, inevitably helping the Doctor as he passes from one regeneration to the next.

Brady goes Into the Badlands

Science fiction continued to be a comfort zone for Orla Brady even after she finished her part in "Doctor Who." In 2015, after some brief stints in short-lived series such as "Banished" and "American Odyssey," Brady became a major cast member in the post-apocalyptic AMC drama, "Into the Badlands." In it, she plays Lydia, the first wife of the Baron, Quinn, and one of his best allies and advisors.

"Into the Badlands" ran for three seasons before being canceled. In that time, Brady's character underwent some major transitions. After getting exiled by her husband, Lydia became a Viceroy to another Baron known as The Widow. Unfortunately, that would be all she wrote for Lydia ... but thankfully, it wouldn't be the end for Brady. Instead of her next major role being another science fiction property, though, she instead opted for something on the spooky side.

Orla Brady played Karen Hopple in American Horror Story

In 2019, the world's favorite horror anthology show, "American Horror Story," took advantage of Brady's old TARDIS-hopping days to rewind its setting to the ancient times of 1984. In the midst of this period of questionable fashion and George Orwell references , "American Horror Story: 1984" tells the story of five camp counselors who come face-to-face with a serial killer straight from "Friday the 13th."

And who do we have to blame for the creation of this mass murderer? Why, none other than Orla Brady's character, Dr. Katherine Hopple, a mild-mannered Chief of Psychiatry who relentlessly tortured the killer, Benjamin Richter (John Carroll Lynch), after he was wrongfully framed for a previous string of killings 14 years prior. Hopple proves herself to be a memorable and ruthless villain, the kind of psychiatrist who doesn't really care about the mental state of her patients (obviously). This leads to an overwhelmingly satisfying end for the character after Richter gets his sweet revenge.

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‘picard’ star orla brady credits character’s total sense of self to “reasonably rare” female director.

The actress is pulling double duty on this season of the 'Star Trek' series as both Laris, who was introduced last season as Jean-Luc's housekeeper, and Tallinn.

By Ryan Parker

Ryan Parker

Former Senior Reporter

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Orla Brady was not ready to say goodbye to her Romulan character introduced last season on Star Trek: Picard . So it goes without saying that Brady was thrilled to learn that she would return for the second season of the Paramount+ series in a double role as both Jean-Luc’s ( Patrick Stewart ) love interest, Laris, and also as a new character, Tallinn, a mysterious figure who serves as a guide to Picard in the 21st century.

However, the Dublin-born actress is quick to point out to The Hollywood Reporter that while fans may be frustrated with Jean-Luc’s inability to be happy in love, Laris, his housekeeper, is fine and certainly not pining over him by any means. Jean-Luc rejected her romantic advances in the opening moments of this season. However, it is clear he wants to love her in return, but something is holding him back.

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“Sometimes the best way to play a role is to not know, follow the writing and see what happens,” Brady tells THR of not knowing Laris’ arc beforehand. “One of the things that came along is: Laris loves Picard. She just does. But it’s not viable. No one is going to do anything about it. It’s in another life. And none of us knew that was going to happen.”

Brady explains that the writers and Stewart wanted to explore to a great degree Jean-Luc’s seeming inability to be happy in a viable relationship. Why so many near-misses with a long-term companion?

“The writers felt that was an opportunity to go deeper with that, to find out what his hold-back is and what does it relate to,” Brady says. “His self-vindication comes from his extraordinary commitment to work and his career. We see in the beginning: Can he go there? And he couldn’t. It was too much for him.”

Laris, of course, is to a degree wounded that he cannot allow himself this happiness, but she would never bemoan the situation, Brady says. “She has a healthy sense of self, which is partly her Romulan-ness, if you like. Many women are this way and many are not. She has a sense of herself that she can love deeply, she can commit. And if someone rejects her, her conclusion is then they are not for me because I will meet someone who loves me as deeply. She is not the woman to sit around moaning about the one who got away. It hurts, but she is not incomplete.”

Brady is pulling double duty this season as both Laris and Tallinn, who was introduced in the closing moment of the March 24 episode “Watcher.” In last week’s episode, “Fly Me to the Moon,” viewers learned more about Tallinn, who is tasked with protecting Jean-Luc’s ancestor Renée Picard in the year 2024. But, what is going on? Are Laris and Tallinn connected?

“From my point of view, when Tallinn appears, she is clearly very reminiscent of Laris,” the actress says. “I think that we are seeing Tallinn through Picard’s eyes. She is not Laris. She is a different woman in a different time. We learn that maybe there is a connection, but she is an entirely different woman. Other people would not see as much of a similarity as he does.”

As for Laris, Brady credits first-season director Hanelle Culpepper for helping her find the character and understanding her inner strength and solid foundation. “There was something about Hanelle’s input about the emotional light and the tempestuousness of this woman that set me off on this path,” Brady says. “It was wonderful to be directed by a woman because it remains reasonably rare.” Lea Thompson directed two episodes of Picard this season, including “Watcher,” with Brady noting, “Lea is lovely and makes it easy and fun.”

With a lion’s share of this season being set in Los Angeles in 2024, very much a reflection of the current time with homelessness, racism and climate change, Brady understands some viewers are out of their Star Trek comfort zone. She certainly is, admits the actress.

“I was quite obsessed with Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) when I was a child — a woman who is in command, being trusted in the top team — because it wasn’t my world in a very repressive country,” Brady explains. “It gave a vision of the future that was very inspiring, and we felt that we could do this. And I think what this season is trying to say is, ‘We won’t get there without the effort.’ It is uncomfortable, and part of me wants to go back to the pristine future of Star Trek . But, I admire the show tackling this.”

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Interview: Orla Brady On Playing Two Characters And Bringing A Gary Seven Vibe To ‘Star Trek: Picard’

| April 2, 2022 | By: Anthony Pascale 18 comments so far

Orla Brady was only in three episodes, but her portrayal as the strong-willed, protective Romulan Laris was a highlight of the first season of Star Trek: Picard . For season two the Irish actress was brought back with Laris playing a pivotal role for Picard , and Brady was also tasked with a new role that is tied into classic Star Trek. TrekMovie had a chance to speak to the actress about doing double duty, and even about a popular feline theory about her new role as Tallin the Supervisor (aka “The Watcher”).

How did you feel when they let you know not only about coming back for season two, but you were going to play two characters?

Well, I didn’t know about the second character at the beginning. At first, I was asked to come back as Laris and I was completely delighted because I had gone in as a guest role in season one for two episodes. And that became three. Going into the job, I thought, ‘Lovely, my mom is a Trekkie. So she’ll be very pleased.’ So I will do this guest role as one does and pop out of it. And then when it was finished, I was sad. I thought, I really liked her. For someone who is only there for a few episodes, they had written her in a very cool way. I felt who she was, and I missed it. So when they asked me to be part of season two, I was absolutely delighted. It was a little bit down the line that they mentioned the other one. I think there was an evolution of the story from the original thought on season two, and they told me about the second character.

From season one: Orla Brady as Laris with Jamie McShane as Zhaban and Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard

So how did you feel about Tallin when they came back with this second character?

I think for Tallin, her primary role, obviously in the story, is that she is The Watcher. She is the Supervisor, which references Gary Seven , as you know. And she is the one who has all the knowledge on this point in history; this person who changes history, but might not be able to in this break in time. So she’s very essential to how they crack the mystery and go forward.

However, the twist is that she is clearly reminiscent of Laris. Now, I interpreted that as [Picard] has not been able to… With Laris in episode one we see that although he has deep feelings for Laris and they have a bond, he has spent a lifetime pulling back from that big commitment, if you like. So he wants to, but he’s not quite ready. And he does what he classically does, which is he’s going to do what he’s good at. He’s going to save the planet and space. That’s what he’s good at, that’s where he puts his passion. But it’s like the universe won’t let him off the hook. They throw a person in his path, who reminds him so deeply of someone he loves. And I think he sees her as more reminiscent of Laris than other people would because it’s on his mind. His feelings were unprocessed if you like.

In the latest episode Raffi brings up how Tallin looks just like Laris, so it’s not just in Picard’s eye, is it? Doesn’t everyone see it?

Yes, she does! [laughs] She does look very like her. More classically, a choice would be if you had an actor playing a different role would be to do a wig or change the color of the eyes or really make them look markedly different. But that was not the producer’s vision. She looks like me. She looks like Laris in human form. I guess what I’m saying is, it’s more that is what is still on his mind and what he is trying to get away from, in some sense, is the very thing that has been pushed into the path. And that is why it’s played by the same actor to make that very clear to everybody, and to him.

Orla Brady as Tallin in episode five

One of the surprises for season two was this romance. Of course, Laris was married , but did you see it coming or have any inklings of a romantic connection in season one?

No, I didn’t see it coming. That’s not what I was asked to do in season one. My role was as a fierce and loyal Tal Shiar agent who has been assigned and has been in Picard’s life for a long time. What I did discover is that she does love Picard. And when I say “love,” I don’t mean where there’s any endpoint or endgame. Just she loves him. He had been very instrumental in accounting for and partly succeeding to save the Romulans. He advocated for them and tried to do the right thing for a species that was formerly enemies, but who he feels should be treated equally and with the same respect as humans. So with all that history, she loves him. She was married and so it would never have entered her head that there would be anything more than her loyalty. However, it’s there in the writing at the beginning of season two that Zhaban does die and she is somebody who is very, very straightforward emotionally, as Romulans are. And she is particularly. So she is able to love again very, very deeply. And that’s how it happens.

When we last saw Laris in that first episode, it looked like she was getting ready to leave the Chateau for good. Is that what was going on?

Yes. She’s somebody that is not willing to sit around thinking, ‘Oh, God, I’ve been rejected and this is the love of my life.’ She does love him very much. It is a rejection. It’s not that it doesn’t hurt. It’s not that there isn’t a disappointment. But she has a sense of self-worth that will tell her that if somebody doesn’t want her, then they’re not for her and she will find love that is equal to her own. So she is leaving. She’s going off to her own life and her own adventures and different people.

Can you say if we will see Laris again?

I would say so. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of her. Surely not. That would not be a good moment to end.

Sir Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard and Orla Brady as Laris in the first episode of season two

Laris and Tallin are central to this season. So did you just learn as you were going along or did you know where things were going? So when you are doing episode five, is your performance informed by what’s coming?

One has the outline. Certain details change. Yes, I knew the trajectory pretty much. I knew what the outcome of the particular Tallin and Laris stories would be. You don’t see the writing and you don’t see the fineness of the moments. Sometimes you’re surprised when you read it and you see a beat that you hadn’t foreseen before. But broadly, yes, an actor would want to see where on the journey you are. So, of course, we were made aware of that.

You mentioned Gary Seven, so I assume you did your research and watched “Assignment Earth”  to get into the mindset of a Supervisor?

Of course. I had seen it before because there were several classic episodes that I had seen across several of the Star Trek series. I loved that episode, partly because it was realized very beautifully by Robert Lansing with a really wonderful performance. There’s a lot of richness in there. And I like the idea. Maybe it’s because I’m an ex-Catholic, but the idea of somebody who would watch over humans, like a guardian angel. Now, I don’t believe in that. But I just like the idea that we all find comfort in the fact that there might be someone… especially when people feel alone. There might be a being who cares and who sees them.

One of the striking things about Lansing’s portrayal and that character was how he stood up to Captain Kirk and dealt with him on his own level. There seems to be an element of that with Tallin and how she sees Picard, which is totally different than the dynamic between Laris and Picard.

Yeah. Tallin thinks, ‘Who the heck is this old guy? What is he doing here messing around?’ She learns in short order he is a time traveler. She doesn’t like that, at all. He’s clearly entitled and bossy because he’s used to having people who have a reverence for him. Remember, he is one of the most well-known people in the galaxy as Admiral Picard, and he has this legendary lifetime, in the timeline we’re normally in. But in this timeline, she just has this white man in front of her. And remember, this is her patch. She has been taking care of this particular girl and taking care of her very well and watching and doing her job that she committed to and sort of her whole sense of self-worth or vindication is in the execution of this job. And then this guy comes in and without explaining anything to her start telling her what she’s going to do. But understandably she is: ‘Hang on a sec.’ If anything, it’s the other way around. So yes, I did notice that as well about Gary Seven, that they were very equally matched.

While they didn’t change your look for Tallin, besides the ears, you did change your accent to the more American accent…

We wanted to not be obviously Irish because there is a story behind Laris. Remember, season one was essentially an immigration story. It was a story about a people who no longer have a home. This could be akin to Syria or Ukraine currently where people have had to leave their own country and have had to go and find lives in other places which the Romulans had to do. Laris was assigned to Ireland because they wanted several actors who were not American to use their own accents. Star Trek being a human phenomenon, not an American phenomenon. So Laris when Romulus was destroyed, that’s where she found a home. And that’s where she learned her English. So her accent would be an Irish accent. There was no such rationale for Tallin, so we just decided to make her more neutral, if you like more.

Sir Patrick Stewart as Picard and Orla Brady as Tallin in episode four

Before we wrap up, was there anything else…

You know what I will tell you… yes, I will, is that a lovely thing that is happening with the fans, who are just, I mean, honestly, the best part of this job. Well, there are many best parts to the job, including working with Patrick and playing a character I love. But one of the things is what fans say to you. And so many people have said that they think that Tallin is Isis , the cat in human form. [laughs] And it’s just my favorite theory. Whether it is true or not we do not know, but it’s just rather lovely. So it made me laugh.

Maybe you just have a feline essence?

There you go. Maybe that. I think it’s just so heavily referenced. And I think Isis the cat was rather wonderful. I think there is some talk about that [episode] as pilot for a spinoff series. Had that been the case, Isis would have become a character in human form because she is shapeshifting. So I rather love that as a theory. I just think Trek fans are so inventive, and always make me laugh, in a good way.

Isis in her human form in “Assignment Earth”

Keep up with all the  Star Trek: Picard  news and analysis .

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What a lovely interview with such a great actress. Thank you.

Very nice interview. I’ve always enjoyed her work and thought she was quite underused in season 1, for someone with that talent. Glad to see she has a bigger part in season 2.

I met her once, briefly. Such a lovely, friendly, approachable person, as likable as she is beautiful.

Yeah, but she is not playing two characters………..

If you look closely Tallins padd has Romulan script on it, people think they’re one and the same character. It could be a red herring tho

She referenced being a cat in her twitter a couple of days ago – so…hmm

She is a very underrated actress, so glad they are utilizing her more this season. I said at the beginning of the season that she will be the secret MVP of this season and I feel like that will be true.

Wow. Thought she was in her 40’s, but she’s actually 61! Good for you, Orla!

Same here. I would have said early 40’s.

She’s MY age? Geezus, Indy was right, it’s not the years, it’s the mileage. And she is, in my opinion, what somebody writing TNG s1 would call a low-mileage pit woofie, if I remember THE NEUTRAL ZONE correctly (it has been 25 years since I watched it.) Pretty sensational looking, aging like a Vulcanoid.

Great interview! Also, I hope Orla Brady will be coming to the Las Vegas convention this year and be able to meet the woman who played the human form of Isis all those years back: April Tatro (who is confirmed for the convention).

Other reason Orla Brady needs to come to Las Vegas this summer: John Noble is already one of the featured guests, and Orla played Walter Bishop’s wife on “Fringe.” Get that dual photo op session scheduled now, Creation!

Well, lookee here. Gary Seven. There’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. Since all before you were born. A very long time.

Ok, we’ll see. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6lmBbV3VWo&t=4s

So does this confirm that the Supervisor and Laris are not connected and that they happen to both be portrayed by Oral Brady because the Supervisor’s face reminds Picard how much he wants to tie the knot with Laris?

Great interview; thanks.

I also always liked Robert Lansing’s portrayal of Gary 7. The sequence near the beginning of the episode when on stepping off the transporter platform he initially dismisses Kirk’s explanation that he is from earth’s future until he see’s “humans with a Vulcan”, always makes me smile.

I love everything about that opening.

I loved Orla Brady as Laris right from the first episode of season 1. I always felt that she and Jean-Luc had serious chemistry. I’m glad that the old fool Picard has stopped running away from love and finally admitted his feelings for Laris. I’m hoping and praying for a wedding between the two in season 3.

Orla Brady Talks Laris and Picard's Future: 'She's Not Going to Hang Around'

Star Trek: Picard actress Orla Brady talks about the future of her character.

This article contains spoilers for the season premiere of Star Trek: Picard, "The Star Gazer." Trekkies were introduced to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard's Romulan housekeeper last season. In the first season of Star Trek: Picard , Jean-Luc is living with Laris, played by Orla Brady, and her then-husband Zhaban, played by Jamie McShane in his second Star Trek role, at Château Picard. Although the couple's story isn't expanded on much in the actual TV series itself, the complete answer to whom they appear in the IDW comic book miniseries, Star Trek: Picard: Countdown by Mike Johnson, Kirsten Beyer, Angel Hernandez, and Joana Lafuente.

But in the second season Picard premiere, "The Star Gazer," fans learned that Laris, a Tal Shiar operative, handled by Zhaban's mother, was promised to her husband Zhaban since her childhood. But as Laris recounts this story to her confident, boss, and now-lover over a glass of wine, not synthehol, meaning it can lower people's inhibitions (although not as much as Romulan ale), the two connect on a deeper level. They are in love, and Picard is terrified. Good thing the Borg arrives, so he can once again run away from his feelings, just like he did with Vash so many years ago on Star Trek: The Next Generation .

During last night's virtual Picard premiere, the Laris actress spoke to a Ten Forward Lounge bartender, who was just Angélique Roché in disguise (or Beckett Mariner in disguise with all the Romulan ale she was giving out for free). Notably, she discussed what's next for the character after Picard flies off without even saying his goodbyes.

Orla Brady Says Laris is Not That Kind of Woman

The Ten Forward Lounge bartender asked Brady, "What's your favorite memory working on the journey of Season 2 or just of working on Star Trek: Picar d overall?" To which the actress responded:

You know, every day was favorite. It was so glorious working with Patrick [Stewart] and all the cast. But, I worked very intensely with Patrick and if he hadn't been as lovely and generous, and by the way, quite a good actor... it was just a really lovely experience. So I went to work every day very, very happy. On the other hand, my least favorite moment was working with the dog because the dog managed to ruin the scene. Sometimes the dog was a bit onerous. Every day, the dog was total diva.

Multiple actors have commented on what a diva the Château Picard dog is, so yeah, total diva, which Brady and the Mariner look-alike joked about during the virtual event.

Next, the bartender asked Brady about the future of Laris and Picard's relationship, asking, "We've seen some interesting things from your Picard character in this first episode; what can you tease about what's next?" Although Brady's response did not please many of the hopeless romantics in the audience, it feels true to a character who is a former Tal Shiar. She said:

Well, I think, as you have seen, Picard is not as completely able to respond and to reciprocate when somebody loves him, and Laris is somebody who has a great sense of self, and she's not going to hang around. If someone isn't interested in her, she's not that kind of woman. I think we could all take a leaf out of her book. I think she has enough sense of self to think, well, if they're not for me, then I'm not for them. So I think there might be an even of her own adventures ahead.

What Laris adventure could Brady possibly be teasing? Trekkies sound off!

Series: Picard

Characters: Laris, Tallinn

Orla Brady is an Irish actress who played Laris in the first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard’s first season. She has been promoted to series regular for the second season where she also plays Tallinn.

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Star Trek fans changed a surprising Picard Season 2 plotline, cast member confirms

Orla Brady thinks Trekkies are to thank for both of her expanded roles.

While some Trekkies were conflicted about parts of Star Trek: Picard Season 1, everyone agreed that Laris was great. Irish actress Orla Brady only appeared in three episodes of Season 1 but has a much bigger role in Season 2, including a second character. And, it turns out, Brady partially credits huge fan support for her big comeback. Here’s how she approached her new role as Tallinn, and why both of her characters are vital to the story of Jean-Luc Picard. Spoilers ahead for Picard Season 2, Episode 5, “Fly Me to the Moon.”

In Season 1, Laris and her husband Zhaban (Jamie McShane) were former Romulan Tal Shiar secret agents working for Jean-Luc as not-so-secret bodyguards. Brady tells Inverse that she feels her part in Season 1 wasn’t extensive because it was “part of the prologue... just a slightly more functional role. It was just getting us the backstory of where Picard had been.”

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But after a tremendous outpouring of fan love for Laris (including several videos and memes of her saying “Cheeky Feckers” ), it was eventually decided that Brady would be back in a big way for Season 2. In Season 1, she was a guest star, but in Season 2 she’s a regular cast member.

Orla Brady in her new role as Tallinn the Watcher in Picard Season 2.

“Laris seemed to love Picard [in Season 1],” Brady tells Inverse . “I think it was commented on by fans and the writers kind of responded to that. They felt that could naturally blossom into a story between them.”

That’s at least partly why she has such a big role in Season 2. But what about this new human version, the mysterious 2024 Supervisor named Tallinn who just happens to look exactly like Laris?

“The reason they decided, I think, to ask the same actor to play [Tallinn] is it's almost like [Picard] has once again stepped away. In Episode 1 he’s not quite been able to go there with Laris. He denies his feelings and then does what he always does, which is that Captain Picard is called for and he leaves. But it’s like fate will not let him off the hook. The person thrown in his path is strongly reminiscent of Laris. It keeps him in a zone of emotion.”

As the mysterious Watcher, Brady’s second character is a part of a group of humans who live on Earth but are trained by advanced aliens. First introduced in the 1968 episode, “Assignment: Earth,” these “Class 1 Supervisors” are like secret agents who wield tech and powers reminiscent of Doctor Who .

Gary Seven, a Supervisor, is beamed aboard the Enterprise in “Assignment: Earth.” Picard Season 2 is picking up the story of the Supervisors for the first time since this TOS episode.

The original Class 1 Supervisor was Gary Seven (Robert Lansing), who had a black cat called Isis that seemed to be a shape-shifter. Brady joked about this connection in a tweet that read : “That faraway look of a woman trying to remember if she was a cat once, or if she just dreamed she was…”

So will we get more answers about how Tallinn connects to Gary Seven? Will Picard Season 2 explain why Tallinn and Laris look identical, even though one is a human in 2024 and the other a Romulan in 2401? What’s in store for Orla Brady later this season?

“[Tallinn] does reference Gary Seven, much much more,” Brady reveals. “She is one of the Supervisors and is not Laris. Is there a connection? Yes, we will hear that there is.”

Back in 1968, Gene Roddenberry tried to create an “Assignment: Earth” spinoff starring Gary Seven. With Orla Brady playing two characters in Trek canon, it seems like we could see a lot more of her, even in a hypothetical spin-off. Could it happen?

“It's never up to the actor, it's always up to where the story goes,” Brady says. “But it’s been such a pleasure to be part of this universe. I love the character. But the second great pleasure was working with Patrick [Stewart]. And then the third great pleasure for me is the fans. I'm gobsmacked. I'm knocked out by the fans because they're funny, thoughtful, and very clever, and very inventive. It's such a dimension of life that I haven't had before.”

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 airs new episodes on Thursdays on Paramount+.

Ryan Britt's new book on the history of Star Trek's biggest changes. From the '60s show to the movies to 'TNG,' to 'Discovery,' 'Picard,' Strange New Worlds,' and beyond!

• Science Fiction

• View history
• 1 Biography
• 2 Alternate timeline
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 Background information
• 3.3 Apocrypha
• 3.4 External link

Biography [ ]

Her name meant "A New Day" in the Romulan language . ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ")

She was a close friend of Picard, and they truly cared for each other.

Laris and Zhaban were promised to each other at birth, in accordance with Romulan tradition. Prior to her relocation to Earth, Laris had been a member of the Tal Shiar , and part of her duties at Château Picard included Picard's security. As a young Tal Shiar operative, her handler, Zhaban 's mother , once revealed to her details about the rumored Zhat Vash organization and its hatred of synthetic lifeforms. In 2399 , she revealed this information to Picard. ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ", " Maps and Legends ")

She was a skilled cook and she also seemed to have a decent understanding of at least basic medicine . ( PIC : " Remembrance ")

She demonstrated extensive experience with forensic analysis, which she employed in 2399 to reveal details of the attack on Dahj Asha at her apartment in Greater Boston and of Dahj's correspondence with her sister, Soji , off-world. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ")

After Zhaban's death in 2400 , Laris' affection for Jean-Luc Picard became deeper, and she hoped to develop a romantic relationship with him, but his sense of duty left him unable to reciprocate, despite clearly having romantic feelings for her. When Picard suggested that nothing had to change between them following her confession, Laris responded that ruing would be awkward she was too old for awkward. ( PIC : " The Star Gazer ").

During Picard’s trip to the past Laris arranged for the solarium of Chateau Picard to be restored to its former glory. She also began preparing to leave the chateau for good. Before Laris left, Picard returned home. Having come to understand the origin of his difficulties regarding long-term relationships, Picard admitted his foolish behavior and asked Laris for her forgiveness and a second chance. Laris agreed. ( PIC : " Farewell ")

Later, that year, Picard retired from Starfleet again and made preparations to accompany Laris to Chaltok IV where she would be setting up diplomatic security. However, the plan changed when he received an encrypted message from his old friend, Beverly Crusher , pleading for his help. He played the message for Laris and asked her opinion. Laris stated that could see that Crusher looked both terrified and injured. Laris speculated that Picard and Crusher's past history on the USS Enterprise -D , which included an attempt at a romantic relationship, lead Crusher to see Picard as the only person she could trust. Laris stated that, from her viewpoint as a former Tal Shiar operative: Crusher's fear was genuine and not the result of paranoia. She was out of options, which led her to turn to Picard, and only Picard, for help. Both realized he would have to go to answer Crusher's call. Before leaving, Laris promised to save him a seat at a bar at Chaltok IV. She also advised Picard to mind himself, kissed him, and departed alone. ( PIC : " The Next Generation ")

Alternate timeline [ ]

In an alternate timeline created by Q , Laris was still married to Zhaban , where together they were the leaders of the Free Romulan movement during the Romulan uprising . Both were killed at the gates of Romulus . General Jean-Luc Picard had encountered Laris before her death .

In 2401 , after Admiral Jean-Luc Picard found himself in the alternate timeline, he asked the General's valet Harvey about the whereabouts of Laris. Later that day , Harvey answered Picard's question and he learned about this timeline's Laris. Harvey suggested that he could make an inquiry with the Museum of Conquest to see if they might have tribute photos of Laris in the museum's files as he knew that his Picard enjoyed looking at the photos. Picard declined the offer. ( PIC : " Penance ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Remembrance " ( Season 1 )
• " Maps and Legends "
• " The End is the Beginning "
• " The Star Gazer " ( Season 2 )
• " Farewell "
• " The Next Generation " ( Season 3 )

Background information [ ]

Laris was played by Orla Brady .

While Laris more closely resembles Romulans of the Original Series era, who are physically indistinguishable from Vulcans, Zhaban possesses prominent brow ridges like the Romulans which appeared during The Next Generation era series and movies. Laris calls Zhaban and a Zhat Vash agent with similar ridges a " Northerner ." ( PIC : " The End is the Beginning ")

Apocrypha [ ]

Zhaban and Laris reveal their identities to Picard and Raffi Musiker (2385)

Before her first onscreen appearance, Laris was featured in the Star Trek: Picard - Countdown prequel comic book , alongside Zhaban. According to the comic, before the supernova, she and Zhaban were agents of the Tal Shiar who fell in love, and then defected to aid Picard. In issue #3 , a Tal Shiar commander addresses her as "Agent Avem".

External link [ ]

• Laris at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 Ancient humanoid

Laris does return in season three of Star Trek: Picard

By rachel carrington | aug 18, 2022.

Laris and Admiral Picard were starting a relationship in Star Trek: Picard.

At the beginning of season two of Star Trek: Picard, Laris, played by Orla Brady , admitted her feelings for Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). When he didn’t immediately reciprocate, she packed up with the intention of leaving the chateau. But, by the end of the season three, Picard had battled his demons and was ready to love. The ending scene between the couple showed the beginnings of a romantic relationship.

But season three of the series has most of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation returning, including a woman Picard has always loved from afar, Dr. Beverly Crusher played by Gates McFadden. Her return to his world puts a big question mark over Picard’s relationship with Laris.

Star Trek: Picard is making room for all of the Star Trek: The Next Generation guest stars.

With The Next Generation characters returning, there has been no mention of Orla Brady’s return to the series which has seen the exit of most of the series’ stars with the exception of Jeri Ryan and Michelle Hurd. At least not until now.

In an interview with TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast , Picard season three showrunner Terry Matalas confirmed that Brady would be returning. Unfortunately, Laris won’t be a huge part of the season.

"You will see Laris in season three… She is not a huge part of the season, but Orla Brady is wonderful. In fact, my favorite Orla scene is this one scene in the first episode of season three."

While she appears in the first episode of the season, it’s obvious the series won’t be spending a lot of time exploring her relationship with Picard, wihch is a shame. Though many have wanted a romance between Picard and Crusher, Orla Brady and Patrick Stewart have amazing chemistry, and Picard deserves a happily ever after.  Perhaps the producers have something bigger in mind for Picard. We won’t know until season three rolls around, but it seems a shame to have set up a relationship that might not get to continue.

Next. Why Star Trek: Picard should explore Picard and Laris’ relationship. dark

Star Trek: Who Is Laris?

Jean-Luc Picard's dutiful housekeeper has enjoyed a bit more characterization than the role might typically demand.

Across the endless expanse of the Star Trek franchise, there are enough characters to populate a reasonably sized real-world nation. Crew members, aliens, allies, and enemies appear so frequently that no one can keep track of the entire catalog. Look at Laris, Picard's housekeeper, and occasional complicated love interest for a great example of a minor figure with enormous implications.

Star Trek: Picard is part of the massive sci-fi franchise's ongoing efforts to rebuild after the 2009 reboot film trilogy. Critics have been fond of the series, while some fans find it to be too self-referential. The show has a new cast of interesting characters that add much to the universe.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard - Who Is Captain Vadic?

Who is Laris in Star Trek: Picard ?

Laris is a Romulan woman who works for Jean-Luc Picard after his retirement. She's best known as a housekeeper who attended to Picard in his advanced age and held down the homestead while he was away. Before working for Picard, Laris served her government in the Tal Shiar. The Tal Shiar is an intelligence agency that is most comparable to a secret police force. Little is known about her time with the organization, but their track record isn't great. The Tal Shiar is known for vicious behavior towards anyone who dares to defy the central Romulan government. She learned several skills like forensic analysis and medicine in the Tal Shiar that would be helpful in her second life as a housekeeper. She also made some connections in that organization that would define her life.

Laris's handler in the Tal Shiar opened her eyes to the Zhat Vash, an ancient order of Romulan matriarchs who operated behind the scenes of the secret police. Her son Zhaban became Laris's husband after a traditional arranged marriage ceremony. Zhaban also worked for the Tal Shiar and served Picard as a housekeeper. Together, they provided security for the retired Captain Picard and worked to ensure he could live out his later years in peace. Zhaban worked out the eventual interview with Richter that compels Picard to give up his retirement. Zhaban died during the story of Star Trek: Picard , leaving Laris with a new role in the story. She begins pursuing Picard romantically, only to be rebuffed. After some soul-searching, Picard asks for a second chance and the two begin a relationship. It hasn't developed much since then, but the third season could depict their romance in further detail.

Laris in the Alternate Timeline

Star Trek: Picard features a short-lived alternate timeline that was created by Picard's longtime nemesis, Q. Q's alternate timeline exists entirely as a guilt trip designed to force Picard to reckon with his previous choices. In that timeline, Laris lives a very different life. Instead of working as Picard's housekeeper, she remains part of Romulan culture and spends her time fighting for her people. Laris stays married to Zhaban. They're the twin leaders of the Free Romulan Movement, a tribe of freedom fighters who work to oppose the Confederation of Earth. In Q's timeline, Earth keeps Romulus under its thumb. It's the bad timeline's answer to the United Federation of Planets. Through one slight change, Q shifted the lives of everyone in the universe.

Q created his alternate timeline by preventing the work of Dr. Renee Picard. Jean-Luc's ancestor discovered an alien microbe that became crucial in preventing human extinction. Since she didn't get to save the day, humanity was forced to turn toward a disgraced scientist named Adam Soong. With Q's forewarning, Soong was able to claim credit for saving the world. His philosophy, "a safe galaxy is a Human galaxy," became the main thesis of the Confederacy of Earth. Instead of bridging gaps, establishing peaceful relationships, and working with everyone to seek a better tomorrow, the Confederacy is a human supremacist organization. The Confederacy held Romulus in cruel bondage, forcing its strongest citizens to rebel. Laris and Zhaban are the heroes of the resistance, but their stories don't end well. Both Laris and Zhaban are killed at the gates of Romulus, along with most of their fellow resistance fighters. It's a tragic fate. Picard is saddened by the revelation, which possibly contributes to his eventual romantic pursuit.

Laris isn't the most important character in the Star Trek franchise, but she plays an interesting role in Picard's life. A lot of the plot of Picard is about the title character overcoming the strange elements of his life and career. His inability to hold down a long-term relationship is one of those difficult traits, and it took a character like Laris to partially break him of that phobia. Laris may look like a dull addition to the franchise, but she means a lot to Picard . She's more than just a housekeeper. She's a freedom fighter, a dedicated warrior, a former secret police officer, and an important new love interest for Picard.

MORE: Picard Vs. Discovery: Which Is The Better Star Trek Show?

• The Inventory

I Love Star Trek: Picard 's Romulan Murder Mom and Dad

Star Trek: Picard is, obviously, all about the return of The Next Generation ’s iconic captain, and a few of his old friends from aboard the Enterprise . But it’s also brought in some new friends of Jean-Luc for us to meet—and two of them have become my surprising favorites of the entire show.

Laris and Zhaban, played by Orla Brady and Jamie McShane, form a minor but crucial part of the first three episodes of Star Trek: Picard . As Romulans, they’re our primary insight into just what has happened to citizens of the Star Empire in the wake of the supernova that turned the vast majority of said Empire into ash, scattering its remnants across a tumultuous galaxy.

Their mere presence at Picard’s estate in La Barre, not just as aides for the retired Admiral in his golden years, but his closest friends, is left unstated as a quiet reminder of just how much Picard tried to do for the Romulan people before he left Starfleet—still trying to help, in whatever way he can, even if it’s just giving two refugees a home and some company.

As former agents of the Tal Shiar, they also provide important understanding into how the Romulan s’ most secretive and sinister operatives really work, guiding Jean-Luc as he uncovers the mystery of the Zhat Vash—Romulus’ secreter police, attempting to hunt down and destroy advanced synthetic life like Dahj and Soji Asher. Which also means they can do everything from engage in a bit of CSI-style snooping around as Laris does in episode two , or kick total ass when, say, a group of Zhat Vash assassins come knocking on Picard’s doorstep as they did in last week’s episode .

Their third, and perhaps most vital function is that they make Picard tea, badger him to remember to eat his meals, and tidy up his scruffy suits, all while wearing what honestly might be some of the comfiest knitwear ever depicted in Star Trek history. That’s the thing about Laris and Zhaban that’s so delightful: they’re Romulans, so they have zero chill. But also? They have all the chill .

That push and pull between what we know of the Romulans—that they’re sneaking, duplicitous, always ready to plant a knife in your back regardless of how many times they insist that gosh, no, there aren’t even any knives in the room—and what Laris and Zhaban are presented as—kindly, compassionate, deeply loyal to the man who has taken them in, big fans of tea—is really what the heart of Star Trek: Picard is about. We’re presented with familiar faces and imagery, and invited to consider what time and trauma have done to that imagery. While the show primarily does that to remind us of what has changed about its titular hero (and more crucially, what has not changed about him), with Laris and Zhaban it is both humorous and a reminder of the inherent biases we have with the franchises’ presentation of non-human races as being defined by a handful of tropes.

Romulans are sneaky. They’re always up to no good. They’re the enemy—the oldest foes, as the Federation newscaster lectures Picard in episode one’s infamous interview scene. And yes, Picard itself has Romulans that are sneaky and up to no good, from Narek and Narissa to the masked assassins that chased after and brutally murdered Dahj. But it also has Laris and Zhaban, the stalwart company that Jean-Luc himself leans on for support in his most dire times, passionate and kindly people who desperately want to see the man who took them in looked after and kept safe.

But beyond that, like I said, they’re also just fun as hell.

There are few things in this new Trek series more delightful than when Laris, ex-Tal Shiar herself, investigates the Zhat Vash coverup in Dahj’s apartment and can’t help but let out a “You cheeky feckers, ” unable to hide how impressed she is by their work—as horrifying as that work is. Or when Zhaban, not missing a single beat, goes from gleefully telling Picard that he’s packed him some bread, Roquefort, and some of Madame Arnaud’s terrine for the road to ducking a Zhat Vash disruptor blast and calmly telling his wife that they’ve killed the alarm and it’s time for them to get to work .

That work being kicking a bunch of Zhat Vash ass. Zhat Vass? It doesn’t matter. It’s cool as hell and, once again, they do it wearing what can only be described as the hottest fall/winter looks of 2399.

Looks can be deceiving, of course. That is, indeed, a very Romulan thing too.

Laris and Zhaban are Star Trek ’s best mom and dad—there to look out for you whether the situation requires a nice mug of something warm, or a Romulan disruptor to the face. As Picard looks to the stars and leaves La Barre behind to focus on its grand quest, I really hope we don’t leave them behind in the process. They’re not just vital to the show’s heart, they’re just too much fun to cast aside at this point.

For more, make sure you’re following us on our Instagram @ io9dotcom .

Star Trek: Picard's Romulan Friends, Explained

Star Trek: Picard's first two episodes have introduced us to Laris and Zhaban, Romulan refugees that Picard lets work on his vineyard. Who are they?

WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 2 of Star Trek: Picard , "Maps and Legends," now streaming on CBS All Access.

The first two episodes of Star Trek: Picard finds the elderly captain living on his family’s ancestral chateau . Although Picard has no living relatives, he isn’t alone. Keeping him company is his pet dog, Number One and a Romulan couple named Laris and Zhaban.

In “Remembrance,” the premiere episode, we meet Laris and Zhaban as grateful refugees. Since the supernova of their system’s sun and subsequent destruction of their homeworld, Picard has allowed the two to live on the chateau and work the vineyard as its sole caretakers. It is a job they dutifully perform while showing immense respect and devotion to Jean-Luc. Maybe more than Picard is willing to see or admit, the couple has also taken the responsibility of caring for him in his golden years. But Laris and Zhaban are much more than the humble vintners they present themselves to be.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard - What Is the Romulans' Dark Secret?

In “Maps and Legends,” it’s revealed that the two are former operatives for the Tal Shiar, an intelligence agency the Federation naively referred to as the “Romulan secret police”— a designation the couple finds humorously redundant. They got a chance in the second episode to show off some of their expertise by helping Picard in his investigation. Laris uses Tal Shiar criminology tech to help Picard piece together a holo recreation of the Zhat Vash’s attack on Dahj’s apartment. And the two are the ones who inform Jean-Luc of the Zhat Vash’s existence in the first place.

Though they have put Picard on the right track, it is not without reservations. They worry about his health, both looking after him in their own ways. Insisting he needs help, Zhaban offers to go back out into space with Picard without hesitation, but Jean-Luc asks that he remain with Laris and oversee the vineyard for him. Laris is more protective. She lashes out at both the captain and her partner for contemplating something as crazy as taking on the Zhat Vash.

It’s been made clear they admire him for his attempts to save the Romulan people, but the specifics of how they met have yet to be brought up. However, their first encounter can be found in the prequel comic, Star Trek: Picard - Countdown . In issue #3, Laris and Zhaban operate as the Tal Shiar agents, Avem and Noctis.

RELATED:  Does Starfleet Being Picard’s Villains Betray The Star Trek Promise?

The Romulan government was resentful of Starfleet’s assistance, and the two were meant to act against Jean-Luc. However, the two were moved by Picard’s efforts and defected. They assisted Picard in his efforts, falling in love in the process. Following him back to Earth following his resignation, the two have been with the former captain ever since.

It’s clear that in the fourteen years since his retirement, they have become an integral part of Jean-Luc’s everyday life. While it may surprise some that he’s spending his golden years in the care of Romulans, once counted amongst his most heated adversaries, it is comforting to see that he’s being tended to by people who understand just how special Picard is. They’ve been useful allies so far, and while they may not be following him into space, Laris and Zhaban may still have an important role to play.

Star Trek: Picard stars Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera, and Harry Treadaway. New episodes of the series premiere every Thursday on CBS All Access.

KEEP READING: Star Trek: Picard's Anger At Starfleet Means More Than You Think

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Star Trek: Picard

Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life. Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard in the next chapter of his life.

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• 14 wins & 54 nominations total

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• Trivia The Chateau Picard vineyard first appeared in Family (1990) . It was run by Jean-Luc Picard's brother Robert and his wife Marie, and their son René. Jean-Luc would learn in Star Trek: Generations (1994) that Robert and René had both burned to death in a fire, leaving Jean-Luc as the last in the Picard line.
• Goofs Commodore Oh often wears sunglasses. Star Trek lore establishes that Vulcans have an inner eyelid to protect against harsh sunlight on their desert planet. Oh's shades are a fashion statement, not a protective measure.
• The first season features a Borg cube and the planet Romulus.
• The second season features a Borg ship, a wormhole and hourglass, and the Borg Queen's silhouette.
• The third season does not have an opening titles sequence.
• Connections Featured in Half in the Bag: Comic Con 2019, The Picard Trailer, Streaming Services, and Midsommar (2019)

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Barbara Baldavin, Actress on ‘Star Trek' and ‘Medical Center,' Dies at 85

Barbara Baldavin, who appeared on three episodes of the original Star Trek and recurred on Medical Center before working in the casting department on shows including Dynasty and Trapper John, M.D. , has died. She was 85.

Baldavin died Sunday of congestive heart failure at her home in Manhattan Beach, her son Marc D'Agosta told The Hollywood Reporter .

Baldavin portrayed phaser control officer Angela Martine on two first-season episodes of NBC's Star Trek in 1966. On the first one, her wedding to Starfleet officer Robert Tomlinson (Stephen Mines) - with William Shatner's Capt. Kirk presiding - was interrupted by a Romulan attack.

She then returned as Lt. Lisa, a communications officer and court reporter, on the series finale, "Turnabout Intruder," which aired in June 1969.

Baldavin played Nurse Holmby on 51 episodes during the last six seasons (1970-76) of CBS' Medical Center , starring Chad Everett and James Daly. She had appeared as another character on the first season.

In the 1980s, she worked in the casting departments of shows including Hagen - Everett's series follow-up to Medical Center - Square Pegs , Matt Houston , Dynasty , Finder of Lost Loves and Trapper John, M.D.

A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, Baldavin started acting while attending El Camino College in Torrance, California, and she studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

She also showed up on episodes of Rawhide , The Fugitive , Insight , Columbo , Mannix , Adam-12 , Toma , The F.B.I. , McMillan & Wife , Bronk , Baretta , Barnaby Jones , Charlie's Angels , Fantasy Island , Vega$ and more.

Baldavin worked as an instructor at Dawn Wells ‘ Film Actor's Boot Camp. She and the late Gilligan's Island star were great friends and shared a birthdate: Oct. 18, 1938.

Survivors include another son, Joseph, and her grandchildren, Casandra and Justine. Her former husband was Joseph D'Agosta, who served as casting director on Star Trek and other Desilu series.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• Barbara Rush, Classy Star of 1950s Melodramas, Dies at 97
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We Asked Star Trek: Discovery’s Mary Wiseman About The Starfleet Academy Series, And Her Response Is All I Need

Yeah, I think I have my answer.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 finally premiered, and with its arrival came some big surprises about the final chapter in the series. It's also an exciting time in the franchise in general, as the recent confirmation that the upcoming Star Trek series Starfleet Academy will take place in the 32nd century ensures Discovery characters can appear in the new show. I asked Tilly actress Mary Wiseman about the project, and her response to me was all I needed to hear.

I've theorized Mary Wiseman would have a role in Starfleet Academy ever since her character took a teaching job at the school, and Season 4 featured what felt like a backdoor pilot to the spinoff . At the same time, I recognized that if Wiseman was involved in the spinoff, she likely couldn't tell me since the series' place in the timeline was not publicly known when I spoke to her at the junket for Star Trek: Discovery . As such, I mentioned how interesting it was that Season 5 established that she was still teaching at the academy, considering the spinoff was in development. I tried to get a response about her involvement by presenting a hypothetical about returning to Trek . After a short pause, Wiseman said the following:

Man, don’t try to get me. Don’t you try to get me. We can be friends or we can be enemies [laughs].

Mary Wiseman didn't confirm or deny anything with her statement, and it should be stressed that her tone was more in jest than serious. Essentially, the way the question was worded made it hard to answer without acknowledging the possibility of her involvement. While I thought I could get her to comment on returning to Star Trek ahead of the possibility of it happening, she hit me with that instead. Touché to the actress, though; wouldn't she just say she wasn't involved if it wasn't on the table?

It would be a missed opportunity not to include any Star Trek: Discovery character in Starfleet Academy , and there isn't a more obvious character to include than Sylvia Tilly. As mentioned, the show has firmly established her as an instructor at the academy, and she has strong bonds with just about everyone on the crew. It's easy to justify anyone from Michael Burnham to Saru popping in to check on her in the show without it feeling forced or inorganic.

I was shocked to hear this.

Previous seasons of Star Trek: Discovery , available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription have shown she can step away to aid the crew when they adventure. As such, it makes more sense for her story to continue on Starfleet Academy rather than Michael Burnham leaving Discovery to become headmaster or something of that nature. With Alex Kurtzman telling CinemaBlend that surprises are coming up regarding Star Trek , I'd sooner see Sonequa Martin-Green's character out traversing the stars in case a movie is on the table.

While we don't know for sure whether Mary Wiseman is in Starfleet Academy , the hope of Star Trek: Discovery stars appearing in the spinoff makes the ending of the series feel less bittersweet. I wrote that Season 5 feels like Voyager in a way, but in fairness, Voyager never had a true spinoff. I'm keeping my fingers crossed Wiseman will be the connective tissue to the series, and we'll see more cast added down the line.

Of course, we shouldn't worry too much about Starfleet Academy when Star Trek: Discovery airs new episodes of its final season on Thursdays on Paramount+. Tune in to see this crew's "last ride" and more inspiring moments from Captain Michael Burnham .

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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Star Trek's Nazi Portrayal Got A Season 2 Episode Banned In Germany For Decades

In the "Star Trek" episode "Patterns of Force" (February 16, 1968), Kirk (William Shatner) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) visit the pre-warp planet of Ekos to find out what happened to John Gill (David Brian), an old history professor of Kirk's. Ekos, they find, has been culturally contaminated by Gill, as he taught them all about Nazi Germany in the 1930s, and the Ekosians have rearranged their society to match. They wear Nazi uniforms, praise John Gill as their Führer, and plan to exterminate their peaceful neighbor planet Zeon. The Zeon characters have names like Izak and Abrom. 

There is also a secret resistance that Kirk and Spock can hide out with, and they eventually find a way to confront John Gill. Gill, they find, has been propped up by one of the more zealously Nazi Ekosians, and has been kept in line with drugs. Gill admits that he landed on Ekos finding it to be disorganized and chaotic, and only aimed to put an efficient system into place. Shockingly, Gill came to the conclusion that Nazi Germany was the most efficient government he could think of, and implemented Nazism for practical reasons. I guess Gill was not a very good historian, otherwise he might have remembered ANYTHING ELSE about the Nazis. 

There are a few scenes of Shatner and Nimoy — both Jewish actors — wearing full Nazi regalia. It's a bleak episode to be sure. Actress Valora Noland, who played the resistance fighter Daras, reportedly retired from acting after having to wear a Nazi armband for the part. The Nazi imagery and the sentiment that Nazis were the most efficient system of government ever devised kept "Patterns of Force" off German television for many years. 

Postwar Germany

In Germany, the display of Nazi imagery, the flying of Nazi flags, and the vaunting of Nazi rhetoric are illegal, unless they are being presented in either an artistic or educational context. Indeed, only 11 countries around the world legally allow the display of Nazi images: Canada, Finland, Iran, Japan, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Taiwan, Switzerland, and the United States. Germany has also made Holocaust Denial illegal, as did they the wearing of Nazi uniforms and participation in Nazi-themed websites. A portion of their laws called Section 130  has strictly criminalized hate speech, which bans, according to Dateline, "incitement to hatred and insults that assault human dignity against people based on their racial, national, religious, or ethnic background." 

Section 130 was written in the 1870s, but took on new life in the early 1950s to assure that Nazism remain silenced. It wouldn't be until 1994 that Holocaust Denial was banned explicitly. 

"Patterns of Force" may fall in the exception mentioned above for "artistic context," but the makers of the episode — director Vincent McEveety and writer John Meredyth Lucas — mishandled the episode's messaging. "Patterns of Force" may end with the defeat of the Nazi regime, but not before a character explicitly complimented how efficient the Nazi Party was. Dialogue complimenting Nazis was not allowed in Germany under Section 130, and the episode was banned from broadcast. It's the only "Star Trek" episode to have that distinction . 

Indeed, "Patterns" remained banned for many years. When "Star Trek" returned to German TV in the 1970s, "Patterns" was left out of the rotation. The episode wasn't dubbed into German until 1995 and only showed on pay TV in 1996. The first public German broadcast of "Patterns of Force" occurred in 2011. 

The Triumph of the Will

"Patterns of Force" also included film clips of actual Nazi rallies. While Kirk and Spock are investigating John Gill, they find a store of Nazi film reels depicting scenes of Adolf Hitler in his car. These were taken from Leni Riefenstahl's infamous documentary "Triumph of the Will," a widespread piece of Nazi propaganda. "Triumph of the Will" is about the 1934 Nazi congress in Nuremberg, and shows Hitler making speeches and soldiers saluting him. For many years in American film school, "Triumph of the Will" was taught as an example of superior film technique being wielded for immoral means, and the power of media to disseminate political ugliness. Studying the making of Riefenstahl's film may offer young film students some insight. No one ever needs to actually watch it. 

While "Star Trek" doesn't comment on the footage, audiences in 1968 would indeed have seen it as shocking and dark. It had only been 23 years since the end of World War II, and many people still remembered it first-hand. One can see the makers of "Patterns of Force" were trying to offer a critique of Nazism, and how easily a world can fall back into those, well, patterns of force. Fascism, the episode argues, can take hold more easily than you think. 

But "Star Trek" was perhaps too objective, ignoring the terrors of the Holocaust and fliply complimenting Nazi efficiency. It's like that old saw about how fascism "at least gets the trains to run on time." Perhaps the makers of "Patterns of Force" felt that enough time had passed that they could speak objectively about Nazism . Sadly, that involved dressing Jewish actors in Nazi uniforms, and that's a hard image to get around. 

In closing: punch Nazis.

Screen Rant

Moll & l’ak: star trek discovery actors eve harlow & elias toufexis explained.

Facing off against Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery, Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis star as Moll and L'ak in Star Trek Discovery season 5.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

• Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis play Moll and L'ak, a dangerous duo challenging the crew of the USS Discovery in season 5.
• Moll has unexpected ties to Book's mentor and is determined to achieve her goals.
• Elias Toufexis plays L'ak, Moll's tough and impulsive partner whose origins are a mystery.

Star Trek: Discovery introduces Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis as Moll and L’ak, mysterious and dangerous lovers who challenge the crew of the USS Discovery. Recurring characters in Discovery’ s fifth and final ten-episode season, Moll and L’ak face off against Starfleet on an epic adventure to find the power to create life itself. Discovery 's wicked new adversaries hide secrets of their own and allude to a greater threat. Formidable and dangerous, Moll and L’ak are partners in crime, desperate to claim the prize for themselves and they will stop at nothing to get it.

Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis join Callum Keith Rennie as the new faces of the Star Trek: Discovery season 5 cast . Rennie stars as Starfleet Captain Rayner of the USS Antares, while Harlow and Toufexis’ Moll and L’ak build on the show's intricate and developing character relationships and multilayered narrative, adding mysterious and unexpected backstories of their own. The dangerous duo offers an unrepentant ambition and deceptively charismatic intrigue to the interstellar adventure, willing to stop at nothing to get what they want. Here’s a look at Discovery season 5’s nefarious bad guys and the actors behind the characters.

The Complete Star Trek Timeline Explained

Eve harlow plays moll in star trek: discovery season 5, harlow's moll shares a "bonnie and clyde" relationship with elias toufexis' l'ak.

Malinne "Moll" Ravel is one half of the Star Trek: Discovery season 5 antagonistic duo. Moll is a highly intelligent human with strong strategic skills and a sharp wit who can quickly adapt to any situation. Engaged in a romantic and professional partnership with the mysterious and overprotective L'ak, Moll is a former courier turned outlaw with unexpected familial ties to Book's (David Ajala) mentor - Cleveland Booker IV. Confident, bold, and disruptive, Moll is determined to accomplish her goals and enjoy the process. Dangerous, confident, and dramatic, Moll's partnership with L'ak subtly and darkly mirrors the show's earlier relationship dynamics and poses a significant threat to the Federation and the crew of the USS Discovery.

Eve Harlow's casting as the complex and villainous Moll in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 adds another - and significant - franchise to her list of acting credits.

A talented and accomplished Moscow-born Israeli-Canadian actor, Eve Harlow enjoys a growing and diverse list of roles in television and film across various genres. Best recognized for performances in The 100, Next, and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , Harlow received several awards for minor, supporting roles, also making appearances in Juno, The Tall Man, Heroes Reborn, DC's Titans, The Tomorrow Man, 12 Monkeys, N.C.I.S., Fargo, Rogue, and The Rookie . Eve Harlow's casting as the complex and villainous Moll in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 adds another - and significant - franchise to her list of acting credits and foreshadows even greater future success.

Elias Toufexis Plays L’ak In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5

Elias toufexis appeared in season 1 and season 5 of star trek: discovery.

The infamous Clyde to Moll's Bonnie, Elias Toufexis' character, L'ak, is tough, impulsive, driven, and fiercely protective of his partner . A brand new and recurring character in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 , L'ak is of unknown alien origin. A mysterious and villainous former courier turned outlaw, like Moll, L'ak's ambition and disregard for consequences make him a dangerous adversary for Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery. Despite his dedication to Moll's safety, L'ak's unpredictable nature and status as a hired gun mark him as a significant, unexpected, and tense villain and push him to ambitious lengths to accomplish his goals.

Elias Toufexis first appeared in Star Trek: Discovery , season 1, episode 3 - "Context Is For Kings."

A talented and versatile Canadian actor, Elias Toufexis has built a film, television, and voice acting career in various video games. Appearing in popular television shows such as The Expanse, Supernatural, and Smallville, Elias Toufexis demonstrates a distinct creative flair and action-oriented dramatic preference through an exploration of complex and interesting characters. Recognized for his roles in Shadowhunters, Blood of Zeus, and The Expanse , Toufexis has also performed in voice acting roles for Deus Ex, Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, Immortals Fenyx Rising, and Star Trek: Resurgence . A diehard Star Trek fan, Elias Toufexis previously appeared in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 as Cold, a human Federation prisoner. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+