RED ALERT! This interview accommodates spoilers for the eighth and most up-to-date episode of Star Trek: Picard season 3, “Surrender,” at the moment accessible for streaming on Paramount+.
In Picard season 3, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut performs Ensign Sidney La Forge, pilot of the U.S.S. Titan-A. The Beat leaped to Warp 9.99 for the probability to talk with Chestnut over Zoom to be taught extra about performing completely symmetrical battle scenes, ask what it’s like to hitch the La Forge family, and to seek out out her response to the surprising developments of this week’s episode!
This interview has been edited for content material and size.
AVERY KAPLAN: Do you might have a private historical past with Star Trek?
ASHLEI SHARPE CHESTNUT: I do. Growing up, my mother was an enormous Trekkie. She used to name me “Number One” after I was a child. So I do have a historical past, by default, via her.
KAPLAN: How did you come to be concerned in Star Trek: Picard?
CHESTNUT: I initially auditioned a few years in the past. I don’t suppose at the time I knew I used to be auditioning for Star Trek; I feel it was beneath dummy sides. Then after I received the official name I discovered not solely that it was Star Trek, however that I used to be going to be enjoying Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton)’s daughter.
KAPLAN: What’s it prefer to fly the Titan? Did you obtain any “training”?
CHESTNUT: No, I didn’t obtain any coaching. I simply winged it and began to create my very own choreography, if you’ll, enjoying with the keys and buttons on my console with my palms.
KAPLAN: Speaking of choreography, was that you just in the scene the place Sidney mirrors the actions of Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) in “Dominion”?
CHESTNUT: It was! Except the precise roll is my stunt double. But for the most half, like the ducking and attempting to keep away from the swings, that was me.
KAPLAN: What was it like planning that out?
CHESTNUT: We initially had a few stunt rehearsals, simply to make it possible for we have been comfy sufficient to do it on set. Plus, we didn’t do the entire sequence – we minimize in between. But yeah, it was so cool.
KAPLAN: What’s the means of recording “psychic dialogue” like? Do you file your traces later?
CHESTNUT: I didn’t try this till later final 12 months, or I had a couple of ADR periods earlier this 12 months. I went again into the studio simply to file a few of these traces.
KAPLAN: Have you seen any fan artwork of Sidney but?
CHESTNUT: Oh, sure! I feel that’s a part of the spotlight of with the ability to watch the present again and with the ability to work together with the followers on Twitter and stuff. The method these followers have embraced me… I really feel tremendous fortunate, actually.
KAPLAN: What are the uniforms like? Are there any particulars we would not be capable to see at house?
CHESTNUT: I do know in the starting, for me and Stephanie Czajkowski (Lt. T’Veen), our uniforms have been really onesies. And midway via, simply to make it simpler for us to go to the lavatory and stuff, they separated it. So our pants grew to become separate from our prime. But for half of taking pictures, it was a onesie. For hours, on and on!
KAPLAN: Do you see any of your self mirrored in Sidney?
CHESTNUT: Yeah, I do. I see her tenacity; her energy. Her loving facet; her skill to stay up for her crew and her family. Because you see that mirrored in her all through this season. She’s simply an incredible human.
KAPLAN: What was the atmosphere like on set?
CHESTNUT: It was clearly at all times enjoyable. But I feel it relies upon on the second we have been taking pictures, too.
When the TNG characters all reunited? Nothing however jokes. Just seeing them work together was so cool to see! Those have been the moments the place it was most light-hearted. You might really see their decades-long dynamic. On and off digital camera, it was actually enjoyable to see.
KAPLAN: What was it like working with the different member of the Titan bridge crew?
CHESTNUT: Oh, crew love! I really like my crew. It was nice. We’re nonetheless in contact now, by way of social media. This was our first time working on a Star Trek set, and we every had our personal tie to Star Trek. I had my mother, Stephanie was speaking about her dad. We all had our personal particular person connection to this franchise, which was actually beautiful to bond over.
KAPLAN: What was it like enjoying a personality that may be a member of the La Forge family?
CHESTNUT: Good! I imply, moving into these huge footwear to fill. I did my finest, I really feel actually good about it. The followers are embracing it. I maintain saying it, I’m sorry, however it’s surreal. I imply, Geordi La Forge was my profile image on Instagram for years! So the incontrovertible fact that I’m on set, I’m enjoying his daughter, I’m having emotional scenes with this man.
And, Patrick Stewart… Professor X! It’s been a wild journey. An pleasant one.
KAPLAN: Is it attention-grabbing enjoying a family member to 2 precise blood family members?
CHESTNUT: Yes! But in a great way. They’ve embraced me. I’ve talked about this earlier than: they invited me to Thanksgiving. They didn’t have to do this! I’m telling you, these individuals are simply as good off-camera as they’re on-camera.
KAPLAN: One of my favourite scenes this season is when Sidney visits Seven (Jeri Ryan) in her quarters in “Seventeen Seconds.” Have you seen any of the reactions to this scene in specific?
CHESTNUT: Yes, particularly as a result of Captain Shaw (Todd Stashwick) calls her Commander Hansen, primarily deadnaming her. And I’m like, “Nope. Commander Seven.” And it’s out of respect – it simply reveals my respect for her.
It’s like, “I see you.” That was one among my favorites, too. I feel that was a stunning second between Sidney and Seven.
KAPLAN: What was it like enjoying a Changeling model of Sidney in “No Win Scenario”?
CHESTNUT: Uh, nuts! So in the scene, I’m strolling into the room attempting to mess some stuff up. The actor Ashlei was attempting to make it discrete in a method that the viewers wouldn’t essentially comprehend it was a Changeling till I give this look, proper earlier than Commander Seven has a phaser to my head.
It was a enjoyable scene to shoot. I used to be simply looking for that stability between being a plausible Changeling and a plausible Sidney.
KAPLAN: How did the scene the place Sidney sees “herself” lifeless on the sickbay desk in “Imposters” come collectively? Was there really somebody mendacity there?
CHESTNUT: There was a stand-in. So fortunately, it wasn’t like a prosthetic model of myself. I feel that may have been too bizarre. But simply imagining… when she vomits, it’s positively warranted. You’re seeing your lifeless physique, and it’s like, what? It’s wild, it’s loopy.
KAPLAN: Are there any storylines or parts of the character you’d particularly hope to see explored in a possible Star Trek: Legacy spinoff?
CHESTNUT: Absolutely. I’d like to proceed seeing the blossoming friendship between Jack and Sidney. I’d like to proceed to discover the sisterhood bond between Alandra (Mica Burton) and Sidney. And I’d love simply to proceed seeing my crew from the Titan.
There’s a little bit little bit of every little thing. Alandra’s the engineer. I’m the pilot. We have Jack’s physician/badass factor. We have a little bit little bit of all people. The followers are asking for it — #StarTrekLegacy. The followers are asking for this spinoff. I feel it could be a service to them and us to proceed.
KAPLAN: What would you personally order from the replicator?
CHESTNUT: I like seafood, possibly some seafood. Like the buffet, let’s try this.
KAPLAN: I perceive you might have stage-acting expertise. Did you discover this knowledgeable your efficiency as Sidney in any respect?
CHESTNUT: My background’s positively in theater. I’ve been performing – I went to performing arts center college, highschool, and received my diploma in it in school. Just having that base of data and finding out this craft for a very very long time positively ready me for this.
Because in this sci-fi world, we’re doing numerous creativeness, too. We have numerous inexperienced screens and issues like that. It’s cliché, however with the ability to play fake and use our creativeness actually helped me step into this function, for positive.
KAPLAN: Do you might have any response to Vadic (Amanda Plummer) killing T’Veen in “Surrender”?
CHESTNUT: Yeah! I used to be unhappy, okay? Sad! Okay? Distraught! Aw man.
But it’s Star Trek, you by no means know. We’ve seen all through the historical past of every little thing, individuals come again. So, crossing my fingers. You by no means know.
KAPLAN: Is there the rest you’d like me to make sure and embody?
CHESTNUT: If we’re speaking particularly on the present, I feel you’re nonetheless in for a great deal with. These two episodes are going to be jam-packed with the info we discover, what’s behind that purple door.
Outside of that, I might similar to individuals to notice the camaraderie that we have now off-set. It’s been a stunning journey. And I hope we will proceed the journey!
New episodes of Star Trek: Picard can be found for streaming on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
Read all of The Beat’s Star Trek protection by clicking right here!
Like this:
Loading…
Discussion about this post