We look at 10 actors and actresses we feel,would be a good fit to replace Brent Spiner as Data if the role were to be recast for Star Trek Picard
None of us want our favourite things to be edited, updated, changed, remade or re-released in ‘Enhanced Special Editions’, but occasionally an actor needs to be replaced due to aging, illness, death, or even regeneration and now and then these changes turn out to be a great thing.
Could it also be a great thing for Data?
With our article from earlier today our own David Goodman talked about whether it was a good idea to recast Data for the upcoming Picard series, and he made a very compelling case, which got me thinking about who I would like to see cast as Data if this were to happen.
It goes without saying that Brent Spiner has played the character to perfection, but as he pointed out Data is not meant to age, grey streak ‘Skunk’ Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation: All Good Things notwithstanding.
To me it’s never been enough for a recasting article to just pick cast members who kind of look like the younger version of a character, you also need to have someone who can play the part, add their own feel, depth and dimension to the role. Fortunately Data makes this process a little easier in that his innate curiosity and wish to grow in experience and ability means that he might just as soon pick a very different look for himself if his body were to be replaced.
With that in mind we have been able to look at some great choices, presented in no particular order, to further the character, let’s start an easy pick who could continue as another Sooing type body…
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Rami Malek attends the World Premiere of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at SSE Arena Wembley on October 23, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Twentieth Century Fox )
Best known for his role on Mr. Robot, and recent star of the Freddy Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody our first pick is Rami Malek.
Rami Malek is a proven talent, who happens to have the look to fit right into the Sooing family. Over three seasons of Mr. Robot he has proven he has the acting ability to play the role and would be a great fit for the role of Data.
With this combination of the look and ability he could easily be retconned into the role of B4 who has slightly modified his look over the past twenty years.
Who knows, we could see Mr. Robot become Mr. Android.
Best known for her work on Pretty Little Liars and the recently cancelled Life Sentence our second pick is Lucy Hale.
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 11: Lucy Hale attends Annual Charity Day hosted by Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC and GFI at BGC Partners, INC on September 11, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for Cantor Fitzgerald)
With a range of talent including acting and singing Lucy Hale would be a breath of fresh air for the role of Data,
Data learned along the way to use artistic expression as a way to further his quest to become more human, doing everything from painting, to playing instruments and even flying around singing Gilbert & Sullivan so it would only make sense to cast an actress with the skills needed to continue that growth.
Add to that Data’s willingness to allow his daughter to pick her own gender and appearance and we can easily see how he may have wanted to eventually become a woman.
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 07: Tom Payne speaks onstage during the Comic Con The Walking Dead panel at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on October 7, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for AMC)
Best known for his role as Jesus on The Walking Dead our third pick is Tom Payne.
An actor able to convey a sense of danger, compassion and wonder Tom Payne would be a great choice to take over the role of Data.
From the first time we meet him in The Walking Dead we want to know more about this fascinating character and most of that fascination came from the way Tom Payne portrayed that sense of mystery, and yet you feel instantly at ease with him making him feel like a pretty solid choice for the role.
Best known for his role of Glenn on the Walking Dead our fourth pick is Steven Yeun.
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 09: Steven Yeun attends the Celebration at TIFF, hosted by The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, featuring Museum Director Kerry Brougher, Academy President John Bailey and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson, at TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 9, 2018 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images)
On the surface this may seem like a strange pick, but bear with me here for a minute….
Energetic, strong screen presence, unimposing and a fan favourite, am I describing Steven Yeun or Brent Spiner, Glenn Rhee or Lt. Commander Data? The two have some very similar traits.
Add to that Data’s interest in learning about other cultures, and why wouldn’t he go for more diversity?
Steven held a pivotal role on one of the most popular tv shows of our time for years and fans were sad to see him go, he’s handled a fan base similar to our own and really enjoyed it so he would be a great fit to join the Star Trek family and a worthy successor that would be able to carry the Data role for years to come.
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 08: Actor Jack Cutmore-Scott of the television show Deception speaks onstage during the ABC Television/Disney portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 8, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Best known for his dual role on the now cancelled drama series Deception, our fifth pick is Jack Cutmore-Scott
With the recent cancellation of Deception, where he played the dual role of twin brothers, Cameron and Jonathan Black, both magicians and masters of deception Jack Cutmore-Scott was able to show that he has the range to portray to extremely similar (Identical even) characters with their own distinct personalities.
Sound like any Data/Lore Actor we know?
While he’s not exactly a household name he has the ability and would make for a great choice to take on the role.
Best known for the role of Emily Rhodes on Designated Survivor our sixth pick is Italia Ricci.
CULVER CITY, CA – OCTOBER 25: Actress Italia Ricci attends the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation’s 26th Annual A Time For Heroes Family Festival at Smashbox Studios on October 25, 2015 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation)
Without Emily Rhodes there was no way President Kirkman would have survived as long as he did in the Oval office. Out of her element, biting off more than she could chew then finding the strength within to take the reins and start to become the person she needed to be Emily was in many ways similar to the personality traits we saw in Data over the course of Star Trek: The Next Generation, sure their situations were far different, but the range is there.
Italia Ricci was a highlight in Designated survivor while it lasted and would make a great choice to serve as the new Data.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 12: Actor Jacob Anderson attends the premiere of HBO’s “Game Of Thrones” season 7 at Walt Disney Concert Hall on July 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
Best known for the role of Grey Snake on HBO’s Game of Thrones our seventh pick is Jacob Anderson.
You know him as the loyal, cold, hard warrior with a heart of gold who leads the unsullied into battle for his Queen, we’ll replace the heart with a pump and the Queen with his captain and you’ve got yourself a Data.
From carrying himself as an unfeeling warrior, to showing a subtext of hidden love, to a full love scene Jacob Anderson has proven himself a very capable actor, one who has already hit on every tool he would need to be the next Data.
Best known for his role as Martin Riggs in the television re-imagining of Lethal Weapon, our eighth pick is Clayne Crawford.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 16: Actor Clayne Crawford arrives at the premiere of SundanceTV’s “Rectify” Season Two at Sundance Sunset Cinema on June 16, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
Ok, admittedly this pick feels like a bit of a loose canon, I mean for all we know Captain Picard is just days from retirement and we literally want to pair him with Martin Riggs? Did we learn nothing from Detective Murtagh’s suffering?
But seriously, we may never know exactly what went on leading to his termination from Lethal Weapon, but this is an actor who was able to step into an iconic role originally played by a big name actor and make it his own. Clayne’s version of Riggs was a beautiful tortured mess, exactly what it needed to be, and it was pitch perfect.
Besides, tell me you wouldn’t love to see his take on Lore also?
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – AUGUST 06: Madeleine Mantock from “Charmed” speaks onstage at the CW Network portion of the Summer 2018 TCA Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on August 6, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Best known for her roles on Into the Badlands and The Tomorrow People our ninth pick is Madeleine Mantock.
She certainly already has other projects on her plate, but this list would be incomplete without Madeleine Mantock.
Her body of work speaks for it’s self, she’s proven that she can handle just about anything and was among the first names to come to mind when the thought of recasting Data came up.
HOLLYWOOD, CA – APRIL 23: Actor Tom Hiddleston attends the Los Angeles Global Premiere for Marvel Studios? Avengers: Infinity War on April 23, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Disney)
Best known for his role as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, our tenth pick is Tom Hiddleston.
How could this list be considered complete without Tom Hiddleston?
Yes, it’s every fans fantasy casting, and it’s ours too, since the release of The Night Manager we know he will do TV, he is beloved by the comic book crowd and seems pretty happy to be an icon in a group with such a strong fan base, so why not take on the role for Star Trek: Picard?
Then we can all start hoping for Star Trek: Data.
Which actor or actress would you like to see take on the mantra of Data? Keep the conversation going in the comments section below!