Carol Kane Was A Total Star Trek Rookie Before Strange New Worlds Season 2
Carol Kane is a film and television legend, and that means she hasn't always had the time to watch TV or movies herself. The actor recently joined the cast of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," connecting with the crew of the Enterprise as the new chief engineer after the tragic death of Hemmer (Bruce Horak) in season 1.
In season 2 of "Strange New Worlds," Kane plays Pelia, a kleptomaniac Lanthanite with a sunny disposition and a unique accent. The Lanthanites are apparently extremely long-lived and pass as human in almost every way except for their longevity, and they've hidden among humans on Earth for centuries. A Lanthanite who's been in Starfleet for many years would probably have extensive knowledge of the Federation and Starfleet history, but that aspect proved to be a bit of a challenge for Kane. In a recent interview with Variety, Kane revealed she has actually never seen a single episode of "Star Trek." She hasn't seen any of the movies, either, making her a total "Trek" newbie, but she was willing to jump in and take the plunge, to all of our benefits.
It must be challenging to learn all of the necessary "Star Trek" lore before starring in its newest live-action series, but for an acting veteran like Kane, that's just another day at work.
Learning the lingo
Kane explained that until now, she simply hasn't been that interested in science fiction stories, but being in the thick of filming a sci-fi TV show changed her perspective. Now that she's a part of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," she's realized just how big of an impact "Star Trek" has had on pop culture:
"People I knew who I had no idea were big 'Star Trek' fans started to come out of the woodwork. My oldest friend was telling me about the depths of it, how it really has a meaningful story to tell. I really didn't anticipate that there were so many emotional connections within the characters. I liked that a lot."
In addition to learning about the cultural impact of "Star Trek," Kane also had to learn all of the lingo, especially the scientific technobabble the franchise is so fond of. Just as Melissa Navia, who plays Lieutenant Ortegas, figured out exactly which buttons on her console to press for different parts of piloting the ship, Kane wanted to know the ins and outs of her various orders as chief engineer. That meant not only learning all of the jargon, but trying to understand what it means, too. She said the cast and crew would explain the reasons behind some of her engineering requests and helped her get a grasp on everything she would need to know as chief of engineering, from warp nacelles to plasma conduits.
Joining the Star Trek family
According to Kane, the cast and crew of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" have been instrumental in helping her comprehend more than just the technobabble and the "Star Trek" lore — they also helped prepare her for the emotional impact of being part of the greater "Star Trek" universe, including the response she might receive from viewers. She explained:
"I've been told that when you become part of the world, you will experience a reaction from the fans, which I guess are called Trekkies. I don't know exactly what it will be like, but I'm kind of bracing myself for it, and also excited about it."
This Trekkie is beyond thrilled at her joining the franchise and feels like she's a perfect fit, but we will have to see how other fans take to Pelia. And as for Kane checking out "Star Trek"? She said the writers actually wanted her to stay in the dark for a bit because they felt it would be "useful for [the] character," but now she's ready to finally check out one of science fiction's greatest franchises. Honestly, I'm a little jealous that she gets to experience it all for the first time, but if anyone's deserving of that kind of treat, it's Carol freaking Kane. Live long and prosper, my comedic queen; you're going to love the Ferengi.
You can catch Kane as Pelia on new episodes of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" every Thursday, exclusively on Paramount+.