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Who is Vina in Star Trek? Melissa George reveals how she reshaped the classic role for Discovery

Credit: CBS

In the very first Star Trek episode ever, the original pilot titled “The Cage,” Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) fell in love with a human castaway named Vina (Susan Oliver). Thanks to the illusory powers of the big-brained Talosians, Vina took many forms, and one of them was, famously, a green-skinned dancer. Now, five decades after “The Cage,” Vina is back, minus the green skin but still rocking a killer pair of high heels.

The latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery , "If Memory Serves," dropped a huge surprise for old-school Trek fans as Vina casually strolled up on the surface of the planet Talos IV to meet Spock and Michael Burnham. In Discovery, Vina is played by accomplished actress Melissa George, famous for her work on Alias and The Good Wife .

On the eve of Vina’s big comeback, SYFY WIRE spoke with George about her super-secret role, how she approached playing such a beloved character, and why the set of Star Trek: Discovery is “the real thing."

**SPOILER WARNING: Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Season 2, Episode 8, “If Memory Serves.”**

As the start of the new Discovery episode lovingly recaps, “The Cage” originally presented Vina as the sole survivor of the crash of the SS Columbia , a survey ship sent out from Earth a few decades before the USS  Enterprise finds its remnants on Talos IV. Because of this crash, Vina is horribly disfigured, though her outward appearance is stunningly beautiful, a permanent telepathic illusion maintained by the Talosians' mind powers.

“My first costume was Vina deconstructed ,” George says, referencing the scene in the new episode in which Burnham briefly glimpses Vina’s true appearance. “The makeup team told me we would show her badly damaged and then beautiful again.” Part of Vina’s illusion of beauty is connected to her love for Captain Pike, but in the new episode, George says it’s also suggestive of her own personal confidence. You might think Vina is a damsel in distress; George is quick to point out that nothing could be further from the truth.

“When you first see Vina with that perfect blonde hair and that perfect blue eyeshadow, you think, ‘Oh, she’s a bit off with the fairies.’ But she’s actually got such gravitas and is in fact very strong and grounded,” George explains. “So I decided I was going to embrace being a woman, with all her beauty and the hair, and those high heels, and being comfortable in my own skin. And that’s how I am in my own life, too. I think that women often get perceived in a certain way. If you’re ‘too pretty,’ you’re perceived as maybe not being smart enough. So, no, she’s not a victim. She’s everything, this woman. She’s clearly a woman in love, too. So [I] decided to be comfortable and strong with it."

Vina (Melissa George) with Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) on Talos IV (Credit: CBS)

Vina’s love for Captain Pike is central not only to the new episode's storyline but also to the fate of both her and Pike in the future. Back at the start of the new season, Pike actor Anson Mount told SYFY WIRE that he was out to make Pike’s tragic disfigurement in the original series episode “The Menagerie” into “a victory and not a tragedy.” And now, with Vina’s return to the Star Trek mythos, part of that starts to make sense. When Vina appears to Pike midway through the new episode, begging him to come to Talos and rescue Spock and Burnham, it’s very clear Pike is still in love with her and misses her terribly.

Of course, in “The Menagerie,” after Pike’s brain is totally cut off from his body, he and Vina actually get the happy ending they're longing for in Discovery . At the end of "The Menagerie," the Talosians give Pike and Vina the illusion that both are living perpetually in their youthful, undamaged bodies forever. Basically, the future of Vina and Pike’s relationship in Star Trek canon is exactly like Yorkie and Kelly in the Black Mirror episode “San Junipero,” only with telepathy instead of technology.

In preparing for the role of Vina, George says she watched the original performance by Susan Oliver and reveals that she actually re-recorded some of the classic dialogue from “The Cage" for the new Discovery episode. “They did put some of my voice on top of hers to kind of meld the two together,” she says. “I couldn’t recreate her acting because so much has changed the way we act today. There’s a different kind of inflection. But I wanted to watch it and pay homage to her and the way the character felt.”

Vina and Pike's happy ending is in 'Discovery's' future. (Credit: CBS)

Unlike the very public announcements about Ethan Peck , Anson Mount, and Rebecca Romijn returning as iconic Trek characters Spock, Pike, and Number One, respectively, George was unable to tell anyone about her role as Vina in Star Trek: Discovery . Unless, of course, you count French journalists during fashion week. She jokes that she gave “very obvious hints” to bewildered fashion journalists who had no idea what she was talking about, but for the most part had to stay quiet.

“I hated it!” she says, laughing. “But, at the same time, it is a gem of a role. When I had to walk on the shuttlecraft and I saw Spock, I had a little giggle to myself. It was so exciting to play in that world. Everything on these sets is for real. I assumed all the rocks and water for the alien planet would be added in later by special effects. But no! There were 15 trucks bringing in the boulders! And adding the water! To my eyes, this was one of the most glorious sets I’d ever been on. Everything you touched was real.”

At this point in the Trek timeline, Pike and Vina won’t meet for another 10 years, when Spock steals the Enterprise to bring his ailing former Captain back to Talos IV in “The Menagerie.” But thanks to this episode, fans now get another piece of the puzzle: Pike and Vina had been thinking about each other for years and years, and now we have proof.

Because Pike and Vina's storyline is more or less set, Melissa George doesn’t think she will return to Star Trek: Discovery again, but isn’t ruling it out either.

"So far ... this is it,” she says. “Which means nothing! Vina could come back again. But, if not, I think she’s said everything she needs to say."

• Star Trek: Discovery

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Melissa George on taking on the role of Vina in “If Memory Serves”

By d. goodman | mar 13, 2019.

Actress Melissa George recently spoke about taking on the role of Vina in Star Trek: Discovery and how she paid homage to Susan Oliver.

Last week’s episode of Star Trek: Discovery had already promised to be not only a key episode of the second season but to firmly tie Discovery into the larger Trek mythos. And on both counts it wildly succeeded.

“If Memory Serves” not only expanded on Spock’s role in the search for the Red Angel, it also put a spotlight on his relationship with his foster sister Michael Burnham. It also featured the return to the world of Talos IV, which any Star Trek nerd worth his combadge knows was featured in “The Menagerie” which itself used footage from the original Trek pilot “The Cage.”

The episode was filled with Easter eggs and callbacks to “The Cage” which was widely expected. What wasn’t expected was the return of a character no one thought we’d ever see again.

The appearance of Vina, played by Melissa George in “If Memory Serves” came as a complete shock to almost anyone. The character, originally portrayed by Susan Oliver in “The Cage” is the only survivor of the crash of the SS Columbia which leaves her horribly disfigured. However, thanks to the Talosians, Vina will still always be beautiful due to their telepathic abilities.

Eventually Vina and Pike fall in love, and in “The Menagerie” they are reunited on Talos IV, both able to remain young and beautiful for the rest of their lives together.

George, best known for roles in Grey’s Anatomy and The Good Wife , spoke to SyFy about taking on the role and how she approached bringing Vina to life.

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"“When you first see Vina with that perfect blonde hair and that perfect blue eyeshadow, you think, ‘Oh, she’s a bit off with the fairies.’ But she’s actually got such gravitas and is in fact very strong and grounded. So I decided I was going to embrace being a woman, with all her beauty and the hair, and those high heels, and being comfortable in my own skin. And that’s how I am in my own life, too. I think that women often get perceived in a certain way. If you’re ‘too pretty,’ you’re perceived as maybe not being smart enough. So, no, she’s not a victim. She’s everything, this woman. She’s clearly a woman in love, too. So [I] decided to be comfortable and strong with it.”"

George also talked about keeping the return of Vina top secret so that viewers could enjoy the surprise of the character’s return.

"“I hated it! But, at the same time, it is a gem of a role. When I had to walk on the shuttlecraft and I saw Spock, I had a little giggle to myself. It was so exciting to play in that world. Everything on these sets is for real. I assumed all the rocks and water for the alien planet would be added in later by special effects. But no! There were 15 trucks bringing in the boulders! And adding the water! To my eyes, this was one of the most glorious sets I’d ever been on. Everything you touched was real.”"

New Images and trailer for Star Trek: Discovery S2E9. light. Related Story

While it’s doubtful we’ll see Vina again on Discovery , the fact George did such an excellent job bringing the character back to life was a real treat for Trekkers everywhere. And there can be no doubt now that Discovery is indeed a part of Trek canon. And Melissa George played a big part in that.

The second season of Star Trek: Discovery continues every Thursdays on CBS All Access .

Why Star Trek: Discovery's Melissa George Could Return To The Franchise After AppleTV+'s The Mosquito Coast

Actress Melissa George took on a seemingly small role when joining the Star Trek: Discovery universe for Season 2, though within the overall scope of the franchise, her role as Vina could prove to be quite substantial . Vina's story as Pike's future lover on the planet Talos was already well-established in Star Trek: The Original Series , but it sounds like the character's tale could possibly be further expanded upon in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (or elsewhere) if she is ever able to reprise her role.

CinemaBlend recently spoke with Melissa George about her upcoming AppleTV+ drama , The Mosquito Coast , and our discussion about that streaming series inevitably led to her role in Star Trek: Discovery . I asked George whether or not any producers from the Star Trek world had contacted her about reprising her role as Vina for an upcoming series or anything like that, and she confirmed there were indeed discussions at one point. In her words:

There [were] talks earlier on for me to reprise the role, but I think it would probably be like more of a bigger role? And at this point, I’m not sure, which is pretty sad. But we’ll see where that goes.

Melissa George confirmed that further Star Trek conversations were had, and not only about simply returning as Vina but seemingly for a larger presence than what her brief appearance allowed in Star Trek: Discovery . While she could obviously return to that series in some capacity, it's not the most likely eventuality. Given the character's ties with Anson Mount 's Cpt. Christopher Pike, my assumption is Vina's return would be best if it happened in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , which is currently in production on Season 1. Giving Vina a larger role in that series would make sense, given Pike learned of his eventual fate and future with Vina through wielding a Klingon time crystal. So the canon is already in place, sort of.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the possibility of Melissa George returning to the Star Trek franchise is still very much up in the air, though it's not entirely clear why the initial conversations dissolved. Any number of reasons could be in play, from shifts in the creative team's narrative decisions to scheduling conflicts limited George's availability to jump back into her sci-fi role. As mentioned, the actress was promoting her upcoming Apple TV+ project The Mosquito Coast , which co-stars Justin Theroux and is set to premiere on Friday, April 30.

Though unsure whether or not she'll be able to return to Star Trek in some capacity, Melissa George spoke highly about her brief time working on the Star Trek: Discovery set. One element she specifically marveled over was the quality of the physical sets around her, as she'd assumed before joining the series that much of the Discovery sets and locations were digital creations.

I already was the one that did the remake of the original Vina, which was such an honor and great part to play I would say. I flew in just for 2-3 weeks that’s all I could do because I lived in Europe. It was an iconic experience for me. It was everything you could imagine and the sets just blew my mind. I was touching things thinking it would be fake or not real but the quality, the marble, the columns, and when we were shooting outside, the spaceship, walking on the rubble. I thought it would be special effects, but no! They brought in trucks with the rocks and all of that environment.

Melissa George had a great time on Star Trek: Discovery , and it seems like she'd be just as pumped to get a second chance to appear the franchise again. Whether it would happen in Strange New Worlds or elsewhere, I'm sure fans new and old would be eager to see where Vina's story could go from here. Keep your fngers crossed, or perhaps keep them outstretched into the Vulcan salute , all things considered.

Melissa George will star in The Mosquito Coast , which premieres on AppleTV+ Friday, April 30. Be sure to check that series out when it premieres, since it'll be a while before we see new seasons of Paramount+'s originals like Star Trek: Picard .

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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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Melissa George

Series: Discovery

Character(s): Vina

Melissa George is an Australian-American actress who played Vina in the Star Trek: Discovery second season episode “If Memory Serves”.

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How Star Trek: Discovery resurrected a classic character in latest episode

"I wanted to watch it and pay homage to her and the way the character felt."

The actress joined the series as Vina, who was first portrayed by Susan Oliver and actually appeared in the first-ever episode of Star Trek as the human castaway lover of Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter).

She's played in Star Trek: Discovery by George, and the actor recently revealed the cool ways she worked with the production team to resurrect the character, which included Melissa re-recording some of Vina's dialogue from the fist Star Trek episode 'The Cage'.

Related: Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for season 3 with another behind-the-scenes change

"They did put some of my voice on top of hers to kind of meld the two together,” she told SyFy .

"I couldn’t recreate her acting because so much has changed the way we act today. There’s a different kind of inflection. But I wanted to watch it and pay homage to her and the way the character felt."

The actress also played homage to the original character through her costume choice, but she also pretty much ruled out a possible return as the character further down the line.

Related: Here's why Star Trek: Discovery' s empowering costumes are gender neutral and "open for all"

She added: "So far ... this is it.

"Which means nothing! Vina could come back again. But, if not, I think she’s said everything she needs to say."

Star Trek: Discovery airs on CBS in the US and on Netflix in the UK.

Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @digitalspy Instagram and Twitter account .

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Star Trek: Discovery - Captain Pike Reunites with Vina on Talos IV

“If Memory Serves,” Season 1, Episode 8

“Horribly injured in an accident, Vina was put together by the aliens of Talos IV incorrectly, meaning that her beauty is only as deep as the illusions that flourish on the planet. Captain Pike is her dream man, who the aliens bring to Talos IV hoping he’ll stay. When he doesn’t, they make an illusion of him, which keeps Vina company until he’s injured himself (rescuing children, naturally) and Spock brings him back to stay.” — 13 Of Star Trek's Most Romantic Moments, Ranked

Star Trek: Discovery streams exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada, and on Netflix in 190 countries.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 Episode 8 Easter Eggs & References

Did you catch all of these Star Trek references in Star Trek: Discovery "If Memory Serves"?

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If there are still DISCO -haters out there who believe that Star Trek: Discovery  is somehow not “real”  Star Trek , the latest episode will almost certainly disprove that insane claim. In the eighth episode of Star Trek: Discovery   Season 2 , Burnham and Spock hit up Talos IV, and a bevy of old school Trek references follow them there.

Here are all the Easter eggs and Trekkie shoutouts in the super-retro adventure, “If Memory Serves.”

Intro is a cheeky re-cap of “The Cage”

Though this is fairly obvious reference, the beginning of this episode of Star Trek: Discovery simply starts off with the words “previously on Star Trek,” and establishes the basic story beats of the first Trek pilot episode, “The Cage,” using actual footage from the ’60s.

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In terms of chronology, “The Cage” happens in 2254, and the current season of Discovery  happens in 2257, so, canonically, Pike and Spock last visited Talos IV three years prior to this episode of Discovery . Also, the new Vina — actress Melissa George — recorded some of Vina’s dialogue for this recap, which was subtly merged with the performance of the original Vina actress, the late Susan Oliver.

Tons of Vulcans in Starfleet references one specific original series episode

When Georgiou and Leland talk to Starfleet Command about the whereabouts of Spock and Burnham, one of the admirals is a Vulcan woman. At this point in Trek history, there are actually a ton of Vulcans in Starfleet. In fact, in the original series episode “The Immunity Syndrome,” an entire starship — the USS Intrepid — is crewed only by Vulcans. Maybe this Vulcan admiral made that possible?

Andorian Admiral first appeared in the Mirror Universe

In the same scene, there’s an Andorian admiral played by actor Riley Gilchrist. This characters name is “Shukar,” who actually appeared in Trek canon as a Mirror Universe version of himself before he showed up as his Prime Universe counterpart.

In Season 1 of Discovery , Gilchrist’s first episode was the episode “The Wolf Inside,” where he played Shukar as a member of the rebels (led by Mirror Voq) fighting against the Terran Empire. Then, in the same season, he appeared as his Prime Universe self in the episode “The War Within, The War Without.” In that episode, he beams on the bridge of the Discovery with Admiral Cornwell and Sarek, phaser in hand.

Talosians were warp capable

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When Burnham’s shuttle gets close to Talos IV, the computer casually reads her all sorts of fun facts about the planet. Specifically, that the Talosians were warp-capable at some point, 1,000 years in the past. Though this was never specifically mentioned before, it does make some amount of sense. Still, the idea of the Talosians warping around the galaxy is pretty scary.

Singing plants

When Burnham steps onto the surface of Talos IV, she touches the singing plants almost exactly the same way Spock and Pike do in “The Cage.” The sound effect is also exactly like the one in the original series, which, is an eerie alien planet sound effect used in several other original episodes.

The biggest throwback reference in the episode, is perhaps the most obvious. In a huge surprise, actress Melissa George plays Vina, the sole survivor of the crash of the spaceship S.S. Columbia from “The Cage.” In this episode, Vina mentions that an illusory version of Pike has been living with her on Talos IV. This references the ending of “The Cage,” but it also foreshadows the ending of “The Menagerie.” In that original series episode, Spock takes a crippled Captain Pike to Talos IV where he can live the rest of his life with Vina, both of them safe in the powerful illusion that their bodies are still functioning.

Classic sound effects

In addition to the singing plants, the episode is covered in classic sound effects from the original series. When the Talosians appear and disappear, the sound effect is nearly identical to “The Cage.” And, later, when Burnham and Spock seem to be transported up to the Section 31 ship, the transporter sound effect is briefly augmented by the a version of the transporter effect used during “The Cage.” At that point in time, Star Trek hadn’t settled on which sound effect was the right one for “beaming” sound effect. And, at the very end of this episode,  Discovery layers both sound effects on top of each other.

Vulcan’s Forge

When Spock recounts the memory of Michael Burnham running away, he mentions that fact that she went deep into “Vulcan’s Forge and its many dangers.” This references the episode of The Animated Series called “Yesteryear,” but also the Enterprise episode “The Forge.” In “Yesteryear,” we see young Spock run away from home, and is nearly killed by several predators. And in “The Forge,” Captain Archer traverses the surface of Vulcan with the katra of Surak inside of his mind.

Spock’s beard

When Burnham makes fun of Spock’s beard, it’s easily one of the best moments in what is otherwise a pretty tense episode. Spock’s beard in this episode could have two indirect references. The most obvious is that in the Mirror Universe, episode “Mirror, Mirror,” Spock rocked a goatee, something that Dr. McCoy said he prefered saying, “You know I think I liked him better with a beard.”

But, it’s also possible that Burnham is making subtle reference to Spock’s other half-sibling, the Vulcan zealot, Sybok, from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . Because Sybok is probably older than Spock, it’s possible Bunrham never met him. Sybok’s father was Sarek, but his mom was not Amanda. Still the important thing here is Sybok had a beard, and maybe Burnham knows that, and this is a secret burn against the other Vulcan brother neither of them want to remember.

Needs of the many

Burnham mentions “the needs of the many,” on Talos, which, of course, references Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan .

Spock’s crazy drawings are reminiscent of Captain Sisko’s alter ego in Deep Space Nine

In one flashback, we see Spock at the Starfleet medical facility, drawing the seven signals all over the floor. This is vaguely like a scene from the Deep Space Nine episode “Shadows and Symbols,” in which Captain Sisko briefly believes he’s in a mental institution, and in the guise of Benny Russell, the science fiction author from “Far Beyond the Stars.” This might seem like as stretch, but consider this: that same DS9 episode also featured Sisko and Ezri Dax wearing desert robes nearly identical to the ones Burnham and Georgiou wore in “The Vulan Hello.”

Reno’s robots cleaning up the mess

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After Tyler and Dr. Culber’s big brawl, the dining room of the Discovery is a total mess. Luckily, we see the three little robots that Reno (Tig Notaro) built in the first episode of this season, “Brother,” helping straighten things out.

Does Detmer knows that Airium isn’t Airium?

In the previous episode, “Light and Shadows,” we clearly saw the future probe download its program into Lt. Airium. But does Detmer know what’s up? For a second, after the Spore Drive has been sabotaged, it seems like Detmer sees Airium acting suspicious.

Burnham’s insult to Spock reference’s a Captain Kirk clone

In the big flashback scene, we finally witness what went on in Spock and Burnham’s childhood. Basically, Burnham insulted Spock, so he would leave her alone forever, with mixed results.

The choice of insult is a huge reference. Tellingly, Burnham calls Spock a “half-breed,” which is exactly what Kirk calls Spock in the original series episode “What are Little Girls Made Of?” In that episode, right before Kirk is about to be cloned against his will, he starts muttering this “Mind your own business Mr. Spock, I’m sick of your half-breed interference!”

Kirk’s plan is simple: he would never call Spock something so offensive, but if he transfers the phrase to the clone, it tip-off Spock that the clone is not the real Captain Kirk. At the end of the episode, Spock says this “Frankly, I was rather dismayed by your use of the term half-breed, Captain. You must admit it is an unsophisticated expression.” Did Kirk know that Bunham called Spock a “half-breed” as a kid? It’s possible!

Ryan Britt  is the author of the book  Luke Skywalker Can’t Read and Other Geeky Truths  (Plume/Penguin Random House). You can find more of his work  here .

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

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We don't have a biography for Vina yet. Hang in there, or go ahead and contribute one.

Appearances

• Episode 2x08: If Memory Serves ( Mar 7, 2019 )

Vanessa Jackson

• View history

In 2019, she appeared in Dark Phoenix , which also featured Xavier Sotelo and stunts by Marcello Bezina , Tim Cody , James Eddy , Penande Estime , Tig Fong , Stéphane Julien , Andrei Kovski , Thomas Liccioni , and Al Vrkljan , and Rabid , which featured Stephen McHattie and Hanneke Talbot in the cast, and stunts by Bart Badzioch , Dana Jones , and Melanie Phan . Her television credits include guest roles in the series Web of Lies and Bedtime Stories for Men .

Star Trek appearances [ ]

• " Die Trying "
• " Scavengers "
• " There Is A Tide... "
• " That Hope Is You, Part 2 "
• " Kobayashi Maru "

External links [ ]

• Vanessa Jackson at the Internet Movie Database
• Vanessa Jackson  at Instagram
• Vanessa Jackson  at Instagram (second profile)

Screen Rant

Who played the progenitor in star trek: discovery’s finale.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 6 Or Movie - Everything We Know

Star trek: discovery’s ending beautifully showed saru changed for the better, i'm confused, i thought star trek: discovery had already fixed short treks.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery's Season 5 & Series Finale - "Life, Itself"

• The Progenitor Captain Burnham meets reveals ancient technology with the power of creation, and charges her with choosing its fate.
• A Nigerian actress portrays the Progenitor in Discovery's finale, presenting Burnham with a moral dilemma.
• Salome Jens played the original Progenitor, called an Ancient Humanoid, in Star Trek: TNG.

Who plays the Progenitor Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) meets in Star Trek: Discovery 's series finale? The USS Discovery's season-long search for the Progenitors' technology finally comes to a close in the series finale, as Captain Burnham literally comes face-to-face with one of the creators of humanoid life in the galaxy. Since Burnham has proven herself worthy by passing every test to acquire the power of creation, t he Progenitor charges Michael with the awesome responsibility of choosing what to do with ancient and powerful technology.

First introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6, episode 20, "The Chase," the Progenitors are responsible for creating all humanoid life in Star Trek, in all its diverse forms. Written by Kyle Jarrow and Michelle Paradise and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, Star Trek: Discovery's finale, "Life, Itself," reveals a bit more about the Progenitors and their powerful technology. Although Burnham never learns exactly how the technology works, she discovers that it actually predates the Progenitors themselves. The Progenitor Burnham encounters reveals that there could be "a cycle of creators and creations, countless times over," going back who knows how long.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is the final season, but will Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery be back for season 6 or a Paramount+ movie?

Who Played The Progenitor In Star Trek: Discovery’s Finale?

A new actress embodies the progenitor..

Nigerian actress and model Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama played the Progenitor in Star Trek: Discovery's season 5 finale. Although the Progenitors and their technology have been at the center of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 , much about their species remains a mystery. Iyamah-Idhalama's Progenitor has been waiting in a "liminal space-time" for someone like Burnham to arrive ever since Dr. Marina Derex visited centuries ago. This Progenitor offers to show Burnham how to operate the life-creating technology, but Burnham comes to the conclusion that no one should have access to that kind of power. The Progenitor reveals that she finds "meaning in embracing difference" and that the technology was originally used to create diverse beings to populate the galaxy. But Burnham notes that her galaxy is already home to countless diverse lifeforms.

Born in Nigeria, Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama has been acting since 2013 and has appeared in shows such as Gidi Up, Coronor, The Expanse, Station Eleven, and Titans. On the film side of things, Iyamah-Idhalama played Dr. Ada Igonoh in 93 Days, a Nigerian film recounting the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. She won numerous awards for her performance. Iyamah-Idhalama has also appeared in 2018's Lara and the Beat and 2020's A Soldier's Story: Return from the Dead . Iyamah-Idhalama has been involved in some of the Nigerian film industry's most notable productions, and she manages the fashion brand, Andrea Iyamah, which was founded by her younger sister, Dumebi Iyamah.

In the 2023 film Orah , Iyamah-Idhalama portrayed Lace alongside fellow Nigerian actress Oyin Oladejo as Orah. Oladejo played Lt. Commander Joann Owosekun in 49 episodes of Star Trek: Discovery.

What Happened To Star Trek: TNG’s Original Progenitor Actor?

Salome jens is currently 89 years old..

Back in 1993, actress Salome Jens portrayed the original Progenitor (credited as "Ancient Humanoid") in Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Chase." When Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D solve a puzzle using different DNA samples, a holographic projection appears depicting an ancient humanoid played by Salome Jens. Although these humanoids were not originally named, Star Trek: Discovery has dubbed them the Progenitors. This Progenitor reveals that her people seeded planets throughout the galaxy with their DNA, as there were no other humanoid species in the galaxy at the time.

Actress Salome Jens began acting in the late 1950s and has appeared in numerous films and television shows over the decades. After TNG, Jens went on to portray the female Changeling in fifteen episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Jens' last performance was a voiceover role for the animated film Norm of the North in 2016. She is currently 89 years old. Although the Progenitors remain a mysterious ancient humanoid species, Star Trek: Discovery revealed more about their history and technology. Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama became only the second actress to portray one of these enigmatic beings, following in the footsteps of Salome Jens.

Star Trek: Discovery & Star Trek: The Next Generation are available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the third installment in the sci-fi franchise and follows the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew members of the USS Enterprise. Set around one hundred years after the original series, Picard and his crew travel through the galaxy in largely self-contained episodes exploring the crew dynamics and their own political discourse. The series also had several overarching plots that would develop over the course of the isolated episodes, with four films released in tandem with the series to further some of these story elements.

Did you know?: Chris Pine once dated the ship from Star Trek: Discovery?

S tar Trek has seen a lot of great romantic and non-romantic couplings over the years. William Shatner and Leonard McCoy were notoriously good friends for most of their lives. Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine) dated Star Trek: Voyager executive producer Brennan Braga for a time. Heck, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine stars Alexander Siddig and Nana Visitor were married for a time.

It's not at all surprising but with all the hookups, dates, and marriage proposals, few can say they were romantically connected to a ship. More precisely the ship's computer. Chris Pine, who played the Kelvin Timeline's James Kirk, apparently dated a woman by the name of Annabelle Wallis. The name of the actress may not be the most well-known, but if you're a fan of Star Trek: Discovery you may recognize it.

She is, after all, the voice of the Discovery herself, Zora. Zoar is the artificial intelligence that helps control the Discovery. She has a personality, an identity, and a voice. That voice of course belongs to Wallis, who herself is a member of the Star Trek acting community.

While never official in any tangible way, Entertainment Tonight revealed that the two dated for some time before breaking up in 2022, making Wallis the first woman from the Star Trek franchise that Pine (probably) dated.

It's always interesting to see how the interpersonal dynamics between the acting crew develop and how things come together for them. With such a rich history that spans decades and such a wide array of opportunities to meet one another, it's a bit surprising that we haven't heard more couplings happening on the sets of the shows and films.

Wallis to her credit has just wrapped up her turn on Discovery but she'll likely return as Zora on Section 31. Pine, however, awaits the news of the fourth installment of his Star Trek film series.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Did you know?: Chris Pine once dated the ship from Star Trek: Discovery? .

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

If Memory Serves

• Episode aired Mar 7, 2019

Spock and Burnham head to Talos IV, where the process of healing Spock forces the siblings to confront their troubled past. Stamets desperately tries to reconnect with an increasingly discon... Read all Spock and Burnham head to Talos IV, where the process of healing Spock forces the siblings to confront their troubled past. Stamets desperately tries to reconnect with an increasingly disconnected Hugh, while Tyler struggles to shed the crew's suspicions of him due to his past as... Read all Spock and Burnham head to Talos IV, where the process of healing Spock forces the siblings to confront their troubled past. Stamets desperately tries to reconnect with an increasingly disconnected Hugh, while Tyler struggles to shed the crew's suspicions of him due to his past as Voq.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Bryan Fuller
• Alex Kurtzman
• Sonequa Martin-Green
• Anthony Rapp
• 61 User reviews
• 23 Critic reviews

• Cmdr. Michael Burnham

• Lt. Cmdr. Paul Stamets

• Ensign Sylvia Tilly

• Dr. Hugh Culber

• Specialist Ash Tyler

• Captain Christopher Pike

• Talosian #2

• Starfleet Psychiatrist
• (as Alisen Down)

• Lt. Cmdr. Airiam

• Lt. Keyla Detmer

• Lt. Gen Rhys
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia When Burnham first arrives on the surface and silences the singing plants by holding onto their leaves she mirrors the actions of both Pike and Spock when they first landed on the planet in The Cage (1966) .
• Goofs When Burnham and Spock land on Talos IV the computer says the atmosphere consists of 4.6% CO2, which is lethal to Human life. So why wouldn't Burnham wear an EV suit to go out in that harsh climate? Talos IV is said to be an M-Class planet meaning it is sustainable to humanoid life which would mean that the levels of CO2 are below that amount of concentration. Clearly an error on the show runners they should have put it at .46% CO2 not 4.6%.

Captain Christopher Pike : You allowed the fight to proceed?

Saru : Well, I believe the confrontation was a necessary and unavoidable catharsis for both men.

Captain Christopher Pike : But... hardly an example of by-the-book conflict resolution.

Saru : The Starfleet manual offers no regulatory guidelines for interactions between humans with Klingons grafted to their bones and a ship's doctor returned from the dead.

• Connections Features Star Trek: The Cage (1966)

User reviews 61

• Mar 8, 2019
• March 7, 2019 (United States)
• United States
• Lafarge Quarry, Dundas, Ontario, Canada (Talos IV planet surface)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 54 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Netflix’s Eric, Star Trek: Discovery’s series finale, and more new TV this week

Plus: The end of Hulu’s Under the Bridge, Hacks season 3, and more

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Share All sharing options for: Netflix’s Eric, Star Trek: Discovery’s series finale, and more new TV this week

The week has barely started (if you’re in the U.S. and reading this on the Monday holiday: even less so!), and already there’s a whole lot of TV to get through.

With any luck, the long weekend gave you some time to catch up with things — after all, as our summer preview is any indication, there’s only gonna be even more coming soon. But while a bunch of new stuff might be coming up, there’s plenty to watch this week alone. Under the Bridge and Hacks are both wrapping up really strong seasons, while shows like Pyramid Game and We Are Lady Parts are just ramping up.

Here are all the best new TV premieres and finales this week.

New shows on Netflix

Genre: Drama miniseries Release date: May 30, with all episodes Showrunner/creator: Abi Morgan Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Gaby Hoffmann, and more

Vincent (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a puppeteer happily living and working in 1980s New York City. Then, his 9-year-old son goes missing on the way to school, plunging Vincent into a dark, volatile depression. Vincent believes his son will come back if only he can get Eric, a monster based on a drawing his son did, to the screen.

Genre: Teen show Release date: May 30 Based on the book by: Holly Smale Cast: Emily Carey, Sarah Parish, Emmanuel Imani, and more

Harriet (Emily Carey) is just another geek trying to get by in high school, even if it means brushing off some mean girl bullies to do it. But everything changes when — against the odds and Harriet’s wishes — she finds herself scouted to be the next hot supermodel.

New shows on Hulu

The veil season finale.

Genre: Spy thriller Release date: May 28 Showrunner/creator: Steven Knight Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Yumna Marwan, Josh Charles, and more

The stage is set in London for a deadly attack. But Imogen (Elisabeth Moss) and Adilah (Yumna Marwan) are also on the move. And with Imogen keeping her master plan secret from even us, it seems likely that this attack could go either way.

Under the Bridge finale

Genre: True-crime mystery Release date: May 29 Showrunner/creator: Samir Mehta, Quinn Shephard Cast: Lily Gladstone, Riley Keough, and more

There’s nothing about the murder of Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta) that feels easy to swallow, and it’s a testament to Under the Bridge that the show has been able to balance the complexities of that reality in its seven episodes so far. Now, it’s coming to a close — one that no doubt will carry the weight of every ounce of tragedy in this story.

New shows on Max

Hacks season 3 finale.

Genre: Comedy Release date: May 30 Showrunner/creator: Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky Cast: Hannah Einbinder, Jean Smart, and more

It’s all happening for Deborah (Jean Smart), now that she finally got her dream of hosting a late-night show. Only suddenly, there’s some last-minute doubt: Will Ava (Hannah Einbinder) be allowed to come along for the ride?

New shows on Paramount Plus

Pyramid game.

Genre: Thriller Release date: May 30, with all 10 episodes Showrunner/creator: Choi Sui Cast: Bona, Jang Da-a, Ryu Da-in, and more

Seong Su-ji is a new student at the Baekyeon Girls’ High School, and everything is already feeling like a fight for survival as she battles bullies and studies alike. And then she’s introduced to a new ranking system that lets people secretly vote for who they think should be a class outcast. Now, Su-ji has to decide whether to keep going along (and possibly accepting the violence that comes with it) or else lead an uprising against this shadowy “Pyramid Game.”

Star Trek: Discovery series finale

Genre: Star Trek Release date: May 30 Showrunner/creator: Akiva Goldsman Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Wiseman, Doug Jones, and more

The end of an era! By which I mean not only the season we got of 900 years in Star Trek’s future, but also Discovery , which wraps up this Thursday. It’s the end of the first Star Trek show of the modern era, and is free in a way Star Trek hasn’t been in a long, long while , all while paving the way for more Trek to come.

New shows on Peacock

We are lady parts season 2.

Genre: “Yeah, I’m in a band” teen comedy Release date: May 30, with all episodes Showrunner/creator: Nida Manzoor Cast: Anjana Vasan, Sarah Kameela Impey, Juliette Motamed, and more

We Are Lady Parts is back and ready to record their debut album. Which means it’s the perfect time for more bandmate shenanigans — including battling a rival Muslim band, playing a festival, exploring your “villain era.” All that and Malala Yousafzai is supposed to show up sometime this season!

New shows on Apple TV Plus

Loot season 2 finale.

Genre: Comedy Release date: May 29 Showrunner/creators: Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard Cast: Maya Rudolph, Joel Kim Booster, Nat Faxon, and more

The Wells Foundation — and Molly (Maya Rudolph), the billionaire woman who runs it — are nearing their greatest success yet. Which, of course, means reality is about to come crashing in with some major personal decisions. How will the dust settle in the season 2 finale?

New shows on Showtime

Couples therapy season 4.

Genre: Documentary series Release date: May 31, with one episode; on-air premiere at 10 p.m. EDT on June 2 Showrunner/creator: Dr. Orna Guralnik Cast: Real-life couples in therapy

It’s a new season of Couples Therapy, and an all-new cast of couples to undergo real therapy with Dr. Orna. The result will be unpredictable — couples therapy, after all, is about figuring yourselves out together, not necessarily saving the relationship. The good news? It will most likely be cathartic, one way or another.

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Take a break from your day by playing a puzzle or two! We’ve got SpellTower, Typeshift, crosswords, and more.

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