RED ALERT! This interview comprises spoilers for Star Trek: Picard season 3 episode 5, “Imposters,” at present obtainable for streaming on Paramount+.
In Picard season 3, Todd Stashwick performs Captain Liam Shaw of the united statesS. Titan-A. A self-proclaimed “dipshit from Chicago,” Shaw holds a singular place in relation to Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain William T. Riker (Jonathan Frakes).
The Beat was thrilled to get the possibility to speak with Stashwick by way of Zoom. We requested in regards to the actor’s Star Trek origin story, whether or not or not Shaw has any particular replicator programming aboard the Titan, and about the opportunity of an animated incarnation of the character on Star Trek: Lower Decks!
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
AVERY KAPLAN: Would you be prepared to share the story of the way you first bought into Star Trek with The Beat?
TODD STASHWICK: 1974, Christmas night: I open a gift from my cousin Torrey. And it’s my Kirk, Spock, and McCoy motion figures.
I had been watching Star Trek: The Original Series, however that’s after I began taking part in the present. And that’s after I began pretending to be a Captain of Starfleet. My cousin knew that I used to be a six-year-old fan, and so he bought me these motion figures and the Enterprise playset. So that was the start, all these years in the past, what number of many years later… I used to be six years outdated. Almost fifty years in the past!
Now I’m a Captain. But nonetheless, pretending to be one.
KAPLAN: To me, Shaw appears each very motivated to maintain his crew secure and really loyal to Starfleet. What’s it like for him to hitch Riker and Picard on their mission on the finish of “Imposters”?
STASHWICK: Well, he’s doing each, nonetheless. He is being loyal to Starfleet as a result of he sees Starfleet is compromised.
It’s fascinating as a result of I believe perhaps he’s began to get a glimpse as to why, perhaps, previously, Riker and Picard have needed to make the selections that he sees as reckless and area cowboy-ish. He’s beginning to go, “Wow, sometimes you’re put in positions where you have to be the voice of reason, even if does feel reckless from the outside.”
Right now, from many Starfleet positions, they are going to appear like fugitives. But figuring out what he is aware of, he realizes that one of the best factor he can do to maintain his crew alive – they have been about to be fired upon by the Intrepid! To hold his crew alive, and to maintain his precise loyalty to Starfleet, is to go on the run.
KAPLAN: Is there something you possibly can inform us in regards to the Titan-A, both the set or the in-universe ship, that gained’t be apparent from watching Picard season 3?
STASHWICK: Well, they’re on two totally different sound phases. It’s not constantly one large ship. It’s over right here, and in one other sound stage are my quarters.
Where the bridge of the Titan is, is identical sound stage that I shot The Riches on in 2007. So it was a homecoming for me. The similar drive to work, stroll by means of those self same doorways. It’s the place the Malloy home was.
And I truly shared that with (The Riches costar) Suzy Eddie Izzard when she known as the opposite day as a result of she’s an enormous Trek fan. She was excited to see me as a part of the present, and I shared together with her the truth that it was the identical drive to work as we shared again within the day. So that’s shocking and enjoyable! Not essentially Trek-related, but it surely definitely is an fascinating little bit of trivia.
KAPLAN: During the dinner scene (in season 3 episode 1, “The Next Generation”), what have been you consuming?
STASHWICK: Space meat. It’s blue, and it’s area meat.
So that is what I used to be consuming after I was telling Picard and Riker to fork off. Space meat and fries. #picardseason3 @startrekonpplus pic.twitter.com/Vn9DVmO6Po
— Todd Stashwick (@ToddStashwick) February 20, 2023
KAPLAN: Every actor I’ve spoken with about Picard season 3 cites working with showrunner Terry Matalas as a revelation. Given your further historical past working with Terry, I’m curious should you can present any perception into what makes him so exceptional to collaborate with as an actor?
STASHWICK: The key phrase is there: “collaborate.”
Terry is all the time wanting your enter and perception right into a second. If you’ve shot the scene, he’ll say, “What else you got? You got another way you want to play this? Do you have any pitches of a moment, of a line?” He is tremendous collaborative on the set.
The different factor is, he has – and I’ve made this comparability earlier than – he has that very same intuition for delight onscreen that, say, Steven Spielberg has. Terry actually is aware of learn how to entertain an viewers, visually in addition to on the web page. He has impeccable style: on the ultimate edit, the ultimate say, what he desires onscreen, who he places in his author’s room, who he places in entrance of the digital camera and behind the digital camera… he has impeccable style.
Because he’s a fan, he desires to pop his popcorn, and simply sit down and be taken away on a terrific emotional journey. So he is aware of learn how to craft nice emotional adventures for an viewers, as a result of he principally desires to entertain himself, in some ways. He sees himself sitting at residence watching it, and asks, “What would I want from a Star Trek story?” And he additionally intrinsically is aware of Star Trek.
There, I simply in contrast him to Spielberg, and I mentioned he has impeccable style. I count on a examine from him quickly. I’m his strolling, speaking PR.
KAPLAN: Do the Titan-A replicators have any particular recipes programmed in?
STASHWICK: Chicago Deep Dish.
Come on! I do know, I do know, I do know. “It’s not pizza.” It’s pizza, it’s simply regional pizza that you’ve but to return to its joys and pleasures. I grew up… It was intravenously fed into me. Since start, I’ve been consuming Deep Dish pizza.
So after all, this dipshit from Chicago would have Chicago-style Deep Dish in his replicator.
KAPLAN: Any explicit toppings?
STASHWICK: I personally like a very good mushroom, onion, perhaps spinach typically. Yeah, or simply good ol’ usual cheese. Mile-high cheese that you simply eat with a fork – sure, it’s pizza!
KAPLAN: When did you first hear composer Stephen Barton’s Titan-A theme? What was your response?
STASHWICK: I’ve been listening to Stephen’s music… Oddly! This is bizarre. The first I heard of Stephen’s music was in a recreation known as Titanfall. 2014’s Titanfall 2, on which he was the composer. And then he scored a bunch on 12 Monkeys.
Here is the sensible @ComposerBarton conducting his Titan theme with all these fantastic nods to Horner in his association. String part solely. It’s been caught in my head for over a 12 months. #StarTrekPicard pic.twitter.com/f5YCKXI6MS
— Terry Matalas (@TerryMatalas) March 4, 2023
So I’ve been listening to Stephen’s music for a very good very long time, and I’m an enormous fan. And to listen to him scoring my ship… It simply fills my nerdy coronary heart. To know that (a) I’m the Captain, and that’s my ship, and (b) that my ship has a theme music? It’s a humiliation of riches.
KAPLAN: What is it like working with Jeri Ryan?
STASHWICK: Horrible. She’s so imply.
No. The enjoyable half about Jeri. One, we’re the identical age. She went to high school at Northwestern, so we share a Chicago historical past. You look throughout the desk at somebody you sort of intrinsically perceive. She is a laugher, a self-admitted straightforward chortle. And I’m a monkey. Monkeys prefer to make individuals chortle. So that was a pleasure.
In all these intense scenes between Shaw and Seven, they might yell, “Cut!” And then we’re simply being kids and fooling around on set. And having the time of our life. And her expertise are so excessive, and she or he’s grounded and fantastic to play with.
I believe that affection exhibits in our funding within the scenes. I might be completely happy to work with Jeri for the remainder of my life. I’m fortunate to know her.
KAPLAN: Obligatory: Can we count on to see extra of Shaw and the crew of the Titan-A? Would you take into account reprising the position in animation?
STASHWICK: Well, please reprise me in animation. I’d like to see a post-Wolf 359 Shaw on Lower Decks. And then to get to work with Tawny Newsome once more, who I bought to go on the Star Trek Cruise with – that will be a hoot. So if the producers of that present are listening: my pipes are prepared for you!
And look. I’ve mentioned this earlier than: I’m Aragorn, and so they have my sword. Anytime they want it. We are in Star Trek for all times. So in the event that they sound the Horn of Gondor, they know they’ve their Shaw at any time when they want him.
If all I ever get to do is Picard season 3… You know what? That is greater than I may have ever hoped for.
New episodes of Picard can be found for streaming on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
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