After 51 Years, Star Trek Finally Pinned Its Scariest Alien Race

in 1973 USS Enterprise suddenly there was a relief liaison to help Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) with her workload. But while Uhura’s voice was legendary, her colleague’s voice was literally legendary grunt. Fifty-one years ago, when Star Trek: The Animated Series When we debuted, we were all accidentally introduced to the concept of a cat-person alien in the form of M’Ress and her sultry cat voice provided by the Trek legend. Majel Barrett Roddenberry.

But today, the flirty cat alien’s face is no longer what contemporary Star Trek wants. Actually, quite the opposite. Actress Gillian Vigman – aka Dr. “It was kind of this weird fetishized animal idea,” T’Ana said. Lower deck — tells Opposite. “She was a fantastic cat-looking woman with super big breasts. Of course, that’s not what I’m doing now.”

In the animated comedy Dr. We caught up with Vigman who plays T’ Ana Star Trek: Lower Decks It’s 2020 to chat about playing a more realistic version of this Catian (alien cat) character, how she feels about channeling Forestless Kelley, and why she’s ready to dress up as a cat IRL — right now.

Mild spoilers ahead Lower deckSeason 5, Episode 6.

Canonically speaking, there is actually two There are different types of cat aliens in the Trek universe, and oddly enough, both Animated Series. In addition to the Catians (M’Ress, T’Ana, and some live-action unnamed catmen) Journey Home) you also have the super-aggressive Kzinti, created by science fiction author Larry Niven for his “Known Space” books and later brought into the Star Trek fold in the episode “Slave Weapon”. We’ve seen both types of cat aliens Lower deck Since then, however, philosophically Dr. T’Ana combines the sensibilities and temperaments of both Trek cat aliens, but is much less “dignified” than M’Ress.

“The idea is as if you’ve been run over by a truck,” says Vigman. “She’s been in fights many times. She looks like an alley cat. Like if she were a real cat and you had to guess how old she is, you’d say this cat is 27 years old. So she’s a lively, angry old lady from Maine, and she’s also from 1866.” , a tough sailor with lots of tattoos.”

Vigman said he felt happy and relieved when the art team realized the grumpy direction the character was taking, citing Deforest Kelley’s Dr. He admitted to being a little impressed by “Bones” McCoy.

“I think what I like about him compared to Bones is that, yes, they’re both grumpy, but they’re also determined in what they do,” Vigman explains. “He’s so into his business that if you go off topic about what he’s talking about, he’s like, fuck you. Focused on the vaccine we need Now because there is a biological threat on board.”

In the sixth chapter Lower deck Season 5, “Of Gods and Angles” Dr. T’Ana eventually forms an unlikely friendship with the hapless Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and even invites him to her book club near the end of the episode. So, what books are grumpy cat aliens reading in the 24th century?

“Emily St. I’m into dark, dystopian things like John Mandel’s station 11. Maybe Dr. “T’Ana reads some of this,” Vigman says. “But it might surprise us. Maybe she’d like it.” Lady Chatterley’s Lover because we know he has that kind of sexual and romantic side.”

like his friend Lower FloorS.Vigman has mixed feelings about the series’ ending. But unlike most of its castmates, it will be a little more difficult to jump into the live-action version. No fully recognizable live-action Catian has appeared in a Trek film since. Journey Home In 1986. (Although there is some debate about the cat lady Last Frontier and the tailed twins Into the dark.) The thing is, Vigman is the live-action Dr. If she were to play T’Ana, she would have to spend at least some time in the makeup chair with fur glued to her face. After all, it hasn’t happened yet, but he’s more than ready.

“Yes, I’m begging to do that,” says Vigman. “I would sit in prosthetics for five or six hours. Definitely. “I wish I could be that lucky.”

Star Trek: Lower Decks Streams on Paramount+. The finale of the series will be broadcast on December 19, 2024.