RED ALERT! This interview incorporates spoilers for Star Trek: Picard season 3 episode 3, “Seventeen Seconds,” obtainable for streaming now on Paramount+.
We’ve recognized for some time that Picard season 3 could be bringing again the principle solid from Star Trek: The Next Generation. With the discharge of the season’s third episode for streaming in the present day on Paramount+, the long-awaited full return of Michael Dorn as Worf has arrived!
The Beat caught up with Dorn over the cellphone to ask about Worf’s character arc in Picard, how placing on the Worf make-up has developed through the years since TNG, and whether or not he would think about reprising the function once more (together with in animation)!
This interview has been edited for size and readability.
AVERY KAPLAN: Did you could have any significantly exceptional interactions with Star Trek followers through the years since TNG left the air?
MICHAEL DORN: Not essentially with the followers, per se. But what sort of will get me is the extent of pleasure, or the extent of fandom that’s nonetheless on the market in any case these years. You would sort of assume that it could wane to the place there’s ten individuals in a room, or one thing.
We did a perform in New York, and there was 800 individuals in an auditorium – packed, offered out, simply to see us on stage. So it nonetheless is kind of viable in any case these years, and that’s sort of a shock to me.
KAPLAN: What does being concerned in Star Trek imply to you?
DORN: To me, you look again, and I’ve had a really good profession. I’m extraordinarily lucky, as a result of as an actor, there’s not many actors that get a chance to be a part of one thing that’s lasted this lengthy. So I think about myself extraordinarily lucky.
KAPLAN: How has the method of placing on and performing in the Worf make-up modified through the years?
DORN: It began out to be a protracted course of – three hours. They obtained it down to 2 hours through the years, two and a few change.
But, I gotta say, the Picard make-up individuals obtained it down even additional – to about an hour. Which helps rather a lot. You’re not in it for these further couple of hours… though the method itself, the make-up and the glue and the hair and every thing like that, is at all times a ache for me. But they made it rather a lot simpler.
The wonderful factor is, you see his ears [on Picard]. Because you by no means noticed his ears earlier than! And I stated, “You want to see his ears?!” Yes! Okay, nice.
KAPLAN: How do you are feeling about Worf’s new character arc?
DORN: I believe they did a unbelievable job. I’m one of many lucky actors, the place I by no means actually needed to go up there and kick and scream and yell about writing extra stuff, or writing extra fascinating stuff. And perhaps its simply because the character lends itself to that, I’ve at all times been lucky the place they’ve at all times written unimaginable stuff.
I give them parameters. I prefer to say, “Okay, about his humor,” or, “About his lack of humor,” and that sort of factor. Otherwise, I’ve been extremely lucky. I believe his arc in the collection is a tremendous arc.
In reality, one of many causes that I took the job was that they despatched me the primary three scripts. And I used to be in a position to look, and go, “I like what they’re doing, and I think it’s interesting, and I want to do this.”
KAPLAN: Was there a selected sort of motion or choreography for the scene in episode 3 in which Raffi finds Worf meditating?
DORN: Yes it’s. It is Klingon martial arts. Dan Curry, who developed all of the preventing weapons for Worf through the years, he was very instrumental in instructing me these strikes.
And I’ve stored them through the years. All the stuff you see is an amalgamation of our creating that a part of his character, our collaboration through the years. That’s what we see.
KAPLAN: Do you additionally get pleasure from chamomile tea?
DORN: I really do, yeah. I prefer it rather a lot. I’ve been a vegan and a well being nut and a gymnasium rat and a tennis nut, so I’m very into well being. Quite a lot of occasions, once you’re sick: chamomile tea.
Although, I needed to say one of many traces in a Worf approach, and so they stated, “No, no, don’t do that.” When I say, “Do you take sugar?” I needed to say, [angry Worf voice] “DO YOU TAKE SUGAR?” [normal voice] Like I hate sugar.
KAPLAN: Do you could have any Worf merchandise or souvenirs that you simply’ve stored through the years?
DORN: Over the years – that is sort of a technical factor. When you signal a contract, and also you signal for merchandise, you could have a clause in there that they should ship you considered one of every thing that they make. And so I had a ten by ten storage unit filled with simply Star Trek stuff. And it was going to waste. I even had a Next Generation pinball machine, nonetheless in the field, brand-new.
I stated, “It’s just going to be in there.” So I offered all of it. I gave it to this firm, and so they offered all of it to individuals who would actually admire it.
KAPLAN: What was it like working so carefully with Michelle Hurd throughout this episode?
DORN: It was nice. Michelle is an excellent actress. I welcomed the prospect to work together with her. And as soon as we began working collectively, we developed an affection for us as actors, and as individuals, as associates. She is simply a tremendous individual. And a whole lot of stuff about our performing lives and our private lives coincide.
I believe it translated. Just like Next Generation, after we began to gel, the private affection we had for one another confirmed on the display screen, in phrases of performing collectively and respecting one another. And I believe that’s the identical factor that occurred with Michelle and I.
KAPLAN: At least up till this level in Picard season 3, we haven’t seen the entire TNG crew reunited. However, you had been all collectively for the Picard season 3 premiere. What was it prefer to get everybody again collectively once more?
DORN: To me, it was weird! Not as a result of us being collectively, at Mann’s Chinese Theater. But twenty-five years later, you’re again on the identical place… it’s fairly weird. Especially, this enterprise is the one enterprise the place you go on tv and see your self age!
Its at all times weird to have a look at your self age proper in entrance of your eyes. And in the event you’re on the Chinese Theater with your folks, you had been there again in ’95, ’96. You’re speaking about a whole lot of years which have passed by. But it’s nonetheless good to be on the Blue Carpet, and folks nonetheless .
Although it’s just a little disconcerting that the people who find themselves interviewing you’re like, twenty. They weren’t alive once you began the present. That’s disconcerting.
KAPLAN: Do you could have a favourite piece of Worf fan artwork that you simply’ve seen (or been introduced with) through the years?
DORN: I simply obtained the newest one, that I cherish. I did The View with Whoopi Goldberg and Sunny Hostin. They introduced me with an award for being on probably the most hours of Star Trek. It’s a really humorous award, and I find it irresistible.
#WhoopiGoldberg honors her former #StarTrekTNG co-star Michael Dorn (@akaWorf) for his practically 300 appearances on @StarTrek, probably the most of any actor in the franchise’s historical past. https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/DXadCCnLz3
— The View (@TheView) February 16, 2023
And now, that’s the one factor that I’ve in my home that’s figured prominently in my little den.
KAPLAN: Did you understand that you simply held that honor earlier than you had been introduced with the award?
DORN: I did, however not all alongside – any person stated one thing to me 5 or 6 years in the past, and I stated, “You’re joking.” I didn’t even give it some thought, ? Did not even give it some thought. And then I stated, “Wow!”
And together with having the ability to have a fairly good profession, to carry that distinction is fairly particular. And now I’ve added a number of extra episodes to that complete.
KAPLAN: Would you be prepared to reprise the function once more?
DORN: It would all rely on how fascinating it’s. The one factor that I by no means needed Worf to do was simply to be standing round and scowling at individuals. If it’s fascinating, and it’s going to be enjoyable, then yeah, in fact. Of course.
I like the character. It’s a very nice character to behave, and I used to be very lucky that I used to be Worf.
KAPLAN: Would you be open to enjoying the character in animation?
DORN: If it’s fascinating animation. And that’s the one factor about having achieved the present, to have a profession like this… you may decide and select the stuff you need to do.
Now, they personal the character. So they’ll do no matter they need with it. But if its fascinating, yeah, I’d like to be part of it.
KAPLAN: Having been in Star Trek VI, I’m curious: what’s it prefer to be concerned in the ultimate cinematic outing for 2 generations of Star Trek?
DORN: I believe the phrase “finale” is used far too usually. I’ve stated goodbye to Star Trek perhaps 4 occasions through the years, and it at all times comes again.
So I don’t have a look at it as a finale. I have a look at it as one other step in the journey.
New episodes of Picard season 3 are launched for streaming on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
Read all of The Beat’s Star Trek protection by clicking right here!
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