Ella Purnell, Brett Gray, & Rylee Alazraqui Interview: Star Trek Prodigy
A new crew of young alien heroes joins the Star Trek universe in Star Trek: Prodigy, led by Dal (Brett Gray), Gwyn (Ella Purnell), and Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui). Paramount+ and Nickelodeon's newest animated Star Trek series is designed to bring a new generation to the Star Trek franchise, but Prodigy's cast will also be mentored by Star Trek: Voyager's Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), who returns as a hologram to guide the brash young crew of the USS Protostar.
Screen Rant spoke with Ella Purnell, Brett Gray, and Rylee Alazraqui in a press roundtable to discuss why not having a history with Star Trek works better for the actors in Star Trek: Prodigy and what Captain Janeway taught each of their characters.
Rylee, Brett, and Ella, you're all new to Star Trek. What have you learned about the message of Star Trek and how do you feel Star Trek: Prodigy will resonate with your peers?
Brett Gray: It's awesome. I feel like today I got a crash course in the Prime Directive from Kate Mulgrew herself. That ideal that the world is a place that all of us belong to together, that no matter what species or race or generation - those sort of things we use to place people in boxes - no matter what, we all belong and we all have a spot on the team, and strengths and weaknesses that we can use to lean on each other to help take us all forward.
Rylee Alazraqui: I think [Star Trek: Prodigy] is gonna teach people to work together and to realize people for who they really are. To look at the qualities within people and appreciate them more, and work together, and have more cooperation with other people.
Ella Purnell: I would agree with everything Brett and Rylee have said. I think what is cool, as you quite perceptively pointed out, is that we are new to the world [of Star Trek] as the characters and we are learning about it as the episodes go on. And so we come in with each character perhaps caring more about themselves than the collective. And I think what they learn, and what I'm gathering is the greater message of Star Trek, is it's about team-building. It's about being a family and a collective, and I think that extends into the fanbase as well.
How familiar were you with Star Trek when you got cast, and if you watched any of the shows and movies as preparation, and which of the shows and movies you enjoyed the most and why?
Brett Gray: I, unfortunately... I know... I didn't do any sort of preparation at all. I didn't watch anything. My only memory of Star Trek was at my grandma's house. She loves sci-fi in general and at nighttime, she would always have on Star Trek. I remember there being this interesting cast of people, and they were very respectful and poised, and it was admirable to watch, definitely. It was something that I was interested in but I was so young, I didn't really have a way in for myself.
So it's awesome to bring [Star Trek: Prodigy] though because I feel like it's the perfect thing for first-time Trek people to come in with this new group of kids and to learn [Star Trek] as it goes. So I hadn't seen any of it. I know the big characters but [otherwise] nothing. It's funny [because] I did my first Captain's Log and it was completely wrong. The Captain's Logs are supposed to be super poised like, "Hello. Today, this is what happened." And my Captain's Log sounded like, "So lemme tell you how..." (laughs) Which they ended up keeping and really liking. So I feel like not having the pressure of living up to something has sort of [helped] our performances.
Ella Purnell: I have to agree with that, actually. My stepdad always used to watch [Star Trek] and I'd come downstairs on a Sunday morning and he'd be sitting watching, and I remember he'd watch the reruns - I couldn't tell you which episode or movie or show it was - but it must have been the very first [Star Trek] because my teenage self was like [scoffs], "The graphics are terrible in this." It's different from what I grew up watching. That was kind of my first experience watching Star Trek. I actually kind of like the idea that none of us really have any experience [with Star Trek] or married ourselves too closely to the original ones. Because I think that's what going to modernize it - not that it needs modernizing - it's gonna make it carry into the next generation and make it more relatable and attractive for them.
Rylee Alazraqui: When I got [my role in Star Trek: Prodigy] I didn't know what it was so we watched a movie. I don't know which one. We just started watching one of the Star Treks. And I didn't really learn that much from it because either it was too confusing, it was inappropriate for my eyes to watch, or... there were many reasons and I was confused. And I was focused on the marshmallows in my hot chocolate. So I think that I'm learning a lot from just doing these recording sessions and reading the scripts. It's gonna be really exciting for me to learn more and for everyone watching the show to learn about the Prodigy of Star Trek.
Screen Rant: Your characters are all mentored by Captain Janeway's [Kate Mulgrew] hologram on the show. Can you sum up in a couple of words what Janeway teaches your characters? Without spoilers, obviously.
Brett Gray: Without spoilers? (laughs) Great. Two words?
Ella Purnell: (laughs) It's a really good question, actually. I've never been asked that. It's such a great question because each character has their own arc and their own lessons that they have to learn. And [Janeway] facilitates almost every single one. I think for my character [Gwyn], personally, [Janeway] teaches her a softer and more vulnerable side of leadership. Gwyn has learned leadership from the Diviner only, and that is not the kindest way to lead, to say it nicely. And I think she learns from Janeway that it is okay to be vulnerable and that kindness and love and respect are greater assets when it comes to [leadership].
Brett Gray: You said two words and now I have them. "Think first" is gonna be my answer for Dal because he has the tendency to jump into things without knowing what's going to happen or have a plan. Which is great. The gumption is incredible. But I think Janeway teaches him: think first and how does this affect the people around you? And how are you utilizing the members of your team so this can be one mission and executed in a way that is strategic and not just audacious?
Rylee Alazraqui: I think Janeway teaches Rok-Tahk to stand up for herself more and to be more confident. She kind of gets bossed around by Dal sometimes. And I think that she just needs to stand up for herself and she's learning how to take on more challenges by herself instead of leaning [on] everyone else. And she has to learn to be responsible.
Star Trek: Prodigy premieres on October 28 with new episodes streaming Thursdays on Paramount+.