‘Starfleet Academy’ Actor Explains How Darem’s Story Honors 60 Years of ‘Star Trek’ Historical past (Unique)

EDITOR’S NOTE: This text comprises spoilers for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Season 1, Episode 7, “Ko’Zeine.”

The newest episode of Starfleet Academy offers audiences a glimpse into a brand new species in a grand custom that echoes by way of the final 60 years of Star Trek historical past, with interplanetary lore and themes of identification and obligation at its core. Because the cadets arrive at their first faculty vacation, the episode sees George Hawkins‘ Darem Reymi ceremonially kidnapped again to Khionia for an organized marriage to his royal childhood sweetheart. When Jay-Den (Karim Diané) boldly follows him by way of the portal, Darem is pressured to re-evaluate whether or not the future that was chosen for him at delivery is one thing he is prepared for or if his actual future lies among the many stars.

I not too long ago sat down with Hawkins to dive deep on this episode and break down Darem’s Khionian tradition, obligation, and sacrifice. Throughout our dialog, he spoke about what it is wish to stroll within the footsteps of Star Trek legends like Leonard Nimoy and Michael Dorn as he introduces a brand new species to the franchise. We additionally spoke in regards to the deliberate selections he makes as an actor to painting the layers Darem and the duality of the 2 worlds he is torn between. This episode additionally additional explores the burgeoning relationship between Darem and Jay-Den, and Hawkins revealed how he and Diané have been capable of craft such compelling and magnetic chemistry between their characters. Hawkins gave main props to the costume division for the gorgeous new outfits Darem wears on this episode and revealed how additionally they labored to tell his character selections. Lastly, he shared some forward-looking moments to maintain an eye fixed out for within the Season 1 finale and the soon-to-be-wrapped Season 2. You possibly can learn our full dialog beneath.

George Hawkins Did His Homework Earlier than Becoming a member of Star Trek

“You’ve got actually acquired to grasp Star Trek to grasp the worth of that second.”

COLLIDER: I am so excited to speak to you about this episode. It was such a very good one in your character. Star Trek is such a large franchise that is been round for therefore lengthy. What was your relationship with the franchise earlier than you bought the half?

HAWKINS: Wow. It was little or no. I had little or no expertise with Star Trek. I used to be not a Trekkie. I used to be not a part of that a part of this world. However I used to be conscious of it. I used to be very conscious of it. And it is fairly arduous not to pay attention to it. Which provides it testomony, proper? It has its personal Emoji. It is loopy. So I had a number of work to do once I got here onto this venture. And a very powerful factor was to know the worth of issues. One thing occurs on this season, on the finish of this season, the place you’ve got actually acquired to perceive Star Trek to grasp the worth of that second, to be like, wow, that is actually spectacular. That is actually necessary. So I feel that was my homework, to know the importance of issues, to know, “Oh, that is actually necessary. That individual’s actually necessary. Their relationship is de facto necessary, or that is not necessary.” So yeah, I had a number of homework to do.

You and some of your co-stars on Starfleet Academy are introducing total races of aliens to the franchise for the primary time. On this episode, we get slightly glimpse into Darem’s species and neighborhood. What’s it wish to type of stroll within the footsteps of Leonard Nimoy and Michael Dorn, to be introducing a complete race of aliens to Star Trek, and that, hopefully, they will refer again to you in one other sixty years when the franchise continues to be going?

HAWKINS: Oh, wow, wow. Nobody’s ever made that type of reference earlier than. I’d — yeah. That is unbelievable. It is wonderful. It is such a privilege. It is such a privilege to introduce a species not simply to Star Trek, however simply as a performer. Proper? Simply common. Even outdoors of Star Trek, it is truly a liberating factor. It’s very liberating. I can think about it was very troublesome for a few of our solid members or previous solid of earlier reveals to pay homage to already current species that you simply’re not truly part of. So that you’ve acquired to essentially put money into it. I feel it was very liberating. It is a very liberating expertise to know that what I do type of paves the way in which for that species. You’ve acquired to only let go. I feel simply let go, be truthful to the character, be truthful to the circumstance that the scene finds you in, and luxuriate in it. I feel while you watch on display, you wish to watch somebody having fun with themselves, and also you wish to watch a performer actually decide to the world that our showrunners have so splendidly made. So it is a testomony to our showrunners, to be trustworthy, and our writers’ room, who’ve performed a tremendous job on this character.

Completely. I feel this present is totally firing on all cylinders always. And I like that.

HAKWINS: Thanks a lot, Samantha, thanks.

Taking part in Darem Pushed Hawkins Out of His Consolation Zone Early on in ‘Starfleet Academy’

“If somebody walks into the room, their power does not have as a lot of an impact on Darem because it does on me.

We get a number of Khionian within the lore on this episode with the kidnapping ritual and the matrimonial moon. What’s one thing that we do not essentially see on display, however you possibly did in your character work for Darem, that fuels your efficiency?

HAWKINS: Oh, sure! Actors love to speak about their very own course of. I actually needed to work on slowing down, I feel, which is de facto humorous as a result of I really feel like I discuss fairly shortly, and I’ve acquired fairly an depth to myself. Darem is loads slower; he turns to see one thing loads slower than I do. Or if somebody walks into the room, their power does not have as a lot of an impact on Darem because it does on me. So I did a number of bodily work on the king caricature, the place they’re slower in temperament, and so they transfer, they reduce by way of the air. One thing I actually liked about taking part in with Darem is when he strikes, it is virtually like he cuts by way of the air. So I simply wished to decelerate. I feel I wished to decelerate and permit standing to rise and to inflate in somebody’s ego. And what does that really feel like, to be stuffed with confidence in a second? You see Darem in just a few moments on this season, like when he turns into the captain, and he is being paraded round on the chair. That for me was actually arduous. That was actually troublesome for me to do. Having a great deal of individuals simply watching you, and you need to, like, flaunt your self like that. I needed to actually, actually construct some adrenaline up for that. It was nearly taking on house. How do you’re taking up house and really feel assured in that, and like, actually breathe into that? Yeah. Not the simplest factor to do for certain.

I like the perception that we get into Darem on this episode. As a queer individual and likewise a individuals pleaser myself, I discovered him very relatable. For you as an actor, while you’re diving into these two sides of who he’s, how did you go about reconciling this type of double life he is been dwelling?

HAWKINS: I feel, firstly, there’s nothing to reconcile. I feel there’s one thing that all of us see in ourselves the place we stay in a sure sense, like a double life, the place we consider this factor and we are saying this factor. I wish to say this, however I do that. And we’ve got these two minds, and I feel that is the place nervousness comes from, is these two locations, like a conflicted thoughts. I feel it is about being variety and compassionate in direction of Darem. I feel that is type of why I used to be solid as Darem, is that I did not actually wish to strategy him as simply this floor stage, type of cocky man that is simply going to have intercourse with every little thing that strikes and type of simply needs to be worshiped by everybody, however truly to grasp that the place that deep ambition comes from is a longing and a working away from one thing. So in each second the place I noticed Darem present these big moments of confidence and bravado, I wished to fill that with some sense of humanity. And to know that irrespective of how assured somebody comes off and irrespective of how assured and cozy somebody comes off in a situation, there’s an equal sense of hysteria, and concern, and working that they are doing on the similar time.

You do such a very good job of that duality as a result of each elements of his persona are true. You’ve woven it in very fantastically by way of the season.

HAWKINS: I admire that.

One other factor that I actually liked about that storyline was that regardless that marrying Kyra is not what’s proper for him anymore, you may see why he would really feel such a robust sense of obligation to her and to his individuals. As a result of there’s a lot love there. How do you assume abdicating will have an effect on his relationship together with his mother and father and his individuals shifting ahead?

HAWKINS: I feel you see it. You see it within the second the place Kyra offers Darem permission to stay the life that he needs to stay, or stay the life that feels more true to him. As a result of I can think about for Darem, there’s a type of objective, and there is success in truly being the king and truly dwelling the life with Kyra and main that life out. Nevertheless it’s simply that second the place you see everybody flip round, the place Kyra expresses to everybody and type of lets everybody know what’s occurred. And also you see his mother and father flip, and that’s the second. That is what I used to be envisioning when in Episode 3, the place we discuss in regards to the second the place he is taking part in the Belaklavion, and he misses a word, after which his mother and father go away. That type of judgment that he will get from his mother and father, the place his worth was present in what he might do and what he might obtain and uphold and be, as an alternative of dwelling, for being alive, for being who he was. This episode is de facto particular. It is actually, actually particular. And it is actually necessary for Darem’s story, to see what he is working away from. And what he is attempting to outline himself as.

How Hawkins and Diané Crafted Darem and Jay-Den’s Will-They-Will not-They Chemistry

“He is a solution to a number of empty house for Darem.”

I additionally actually love the burgeoning relationship between Darem and Jay-Den. The strain between these two is de facto good, and it appears like there’s slightly thread of jealousy between Darem and Kyle.

HAWKINS: (Laughs) Just a bit bit.

I’d love to listen to about the way you and Karim went about crafting that dynamic.

HAWKINS: Karim is such a wonderful human being, and we get on actually, rather well. We come from such completely different backgrounds, and it is such a stunning factor to see two fully completely different individuals come collectively and type of create chemistry. Karim was the primary individual I had chemistry reads with to do that venture, to play this character. And he was the primary individual I met in my auditions who was taking part in one other character. So he’s type of the individual I held onto, and he is like a staple on this job for me. Karim is a sweetheart. Karim is such a sweetheart. So it is fairly arduous to not, he’s only a nice individual. My household loves him. My associates love him. He is a sweetheart. And he is an unbelievable actor. He’s unbelievable to work off of. And truly watching Karim create Jay-Den, after which seeing the top consequence…Jay-Den is so highly effective due to his stillness. It’s like he is rooted to the bottom, I feel, and that is simply an admirable factor. I feel that is a extremely admirable factor for Darem to witness, is somebody standing nonetheless, confidently saying what they love, saying what they need, and saying what they consider. As a result of that is simply such an absence of what Darem has had in his life. He is like a solution. He is a solution to a number of empty house for Darem.

I like that a lot. We have now to take a minute to speak in regards to the unbelievable costumes that you simply guys acquired to put on on this episode. What was it wish to lastly get out of the cadet uniforms and into such gorgeous appears?

HAWKINS: You understand what — the costumes, massive as much as Avery (Plewes), our costume designer. She’s unbelievable. And the gown that I get to put on on this episode was unbelievable. The way in which it pins your shoulders again, your head up, your neck up, so you may’t assist however maintain some type of regality to it. And that is what the cadet uniforms do as effectively. They do half the job for you, as a result of they pin you on this place, and you’ll’t actually pull your arms up, however you are feeling the authority, you are feeling the standing. You’re feeling what you are attempting to uphold. And there wasn’t a lot distinction within the Khionian wedding ceremony costumes as a result of they had been heavy. Like, oh, my gosh, this factor has alligator pores and skin on it. It is deep, deep materials, thick materials. It was unbelievable. So you’ve got simply acquired to let it do its work. You have to enable the costumes to play a component within the story themselves. They are a character in their very own proper. It was stunning. It was a wonderful expertise.

I feel it was a little bit of a shock, each for Jay-Den and the viewers, after we acquired to Khionia’s moon, and it is a very dry local weather. I do know they’ve the reason that it dried up, however I’m curious if, in some unspecified time in the future, we are going to get to see Khionia in its aquatic glory or if we’ll see Darem’s fish type once more in Season 2, maybe?

HAWKINS: You understand what, I can not say something about Season 2, as a result of I will get sniped. Man, Khionia is such a wonderful place. And it is such an ideal alternative to point out a special tradition. So, I hope so. I actually, actually hope so. I actually hope we get to dive deeper into the Khionian tradition, as a result of it is a wonderful factor to be part of. And it is a wonderful factor to play. I actually hope so.

I do know you may’t share spoilers, however you guys had been gearing as much as movie the finale once I spoke with you guys final, at the start of January. Have you ever wrapped but?

HAWKINS: We wrap on Saturday. (…) We’re virtually there.

Working With Holly Hunter on ‘Starfleet Academy’ Was a Great Honor for Hawkins

“For me to collaborate with Holly is a extremely massive factor.”

Additionally on this episode, just a bit factor that I caught onto probably coming again sooner or later, we discovered that Darem could be type of knocked unconscious with slightly boop to the brow. Is that going to return again at any level? That appears slightly harmful for him!

HAWKINS: I do know! They’ve given him a secret, it’s like Kryptonite. I want to consider that that is solely a Khionian warrior type of factor that may occur that they’ll do to individuals. It isn’t essentially one thing you may simply occur to Darem, however it’s one thing that Khionians can do. So I truly wish to see Daram use it. I wish to see Darem use towards different individuals.

Just like the Vulcan nerve pinch!

HAWKINS: Precisely. That will be good.

Star Trek is such a wide-ranging factor by way of tone and style. You could be doing arduous sci-fi and drama one week and be doing camp and comedy the following. What’s one thing in Starfleet Academy that pushed you as an actor and allowed you to develop and your craft additional?

HAWKINS: Wow. Wow, wow, wow. I can not communicate for all actors, however I feel one thing that is actually highly effective and actually fulfilling is being part of a narrative meaning a lot to individuals and has one thing to say. And there is a lesson. I feel what’s serving to, and what I’ve discovered and what I am studying, is a number of doing this present is how you can maintain a message. It is virtually like Shakespeare, actually. As an actor, you need the textual content to type of do its job for you. Or to do its job for you, however to do its job. And there are deep classes, psychological classes, and ethical classes in our present. So it is about giving your self over to a narrative. That is what I’ve liked doing, is realizing that there is one thing a lot larger happening than me, and I am part of a franchise that basically cares about its viewers and actually cares in regards to the message that it is giving. So yeah, simply being subservient to a narrative and being subservient to a message has been a extremely, actually beautiful lesson. Tips on how to give myself over.

Lastly, is there a specific second, both on this episode or within the season on the whole, that you’re particularly pleased with? Possibly it was difficult to get there, or simply one thing that, while you acquired there, it simply unlocked one thing for you.

HAWKINS: Oh my gosh. Yeah. One thing that involves thoughts is that there’s a second in Episode 10. It’s not likely it is not likely a scripted second, however there is a second between my character, Darem, and Nahla. It’s only a beautiful second of connection. It wasn’t actually within the script, however it made a lot sense. And Holly Hunter is who she is, proper? She holds the authority that she has each proper to carry. And for me, who doesn’t have the identical authority, for me to collaborate with Holly is a extremely massive factor. That is an enormous factor for me. And I had an concept for considered one of our scenes, and he or she was so receptive to it. It was dangerous, as a result of she might have very simply been like, “Who’re you speaking to? Who do you assume you’re?” However she was so, so receptive, and it was such a wonderful lesson of sharing concepts, sharing private beliefs.

In that second, in that scene, it reveals a second of braveness and unity, and we get to see Nahla Ake being who she is, and why she’s such a very good captain is as a result of she comes all the way down to the cadets’ stage and actually — she, like, kneels. It is virtually like while you meet somebody who’s actually nice with youngsters, they get all the way down to the kid stage, and so they develop into an equal with that baby. In a, in a way, type of like a holistic, symbolic method, I feel that that interplay with Nahla in that scene actually appears like she’s like a humble chief, I suppose. (…) I actually hope they maintain it in. I have never seen Episodes 9 and 10, so I actually, actually hope. As a result of I used to be at dinner with Holly the opposite evening, and we had been talking about it. I actually, actually hope it’s within the present, as a result of it is a wonderful second.

Episode 7 of Starfleet Academy is now streaming on Paramount+. Keep tuned at Collider for extra.