Paul Giamatti is bringing his Deep Space Nine fandom straight into Starfleet Academy, and his admiration for Captain Benjamin Sisko is front and center.
In a new interview promoting Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the Oscar-nominated actor talked about how much he loves Sisko and why the Emissary remains such a compelling figure. When asked which Star Trek figures inspire him, Giamatti immediately singled out Avery Brooks’ legendary Deep Space Nine captain. The actor said via TrekMovie.com:
"Well, I love Captain Sisko. I mean, he’s a fascinating character, that character, and the sort of strange religious mission that he’s given and his sort of struggle with that stuff."
Giamatti added:
"That character, and the actor’s great. Avery Brooks is amazing. He’s such an interesting character, such a complicated, interesting character. Wonderful journey that character has."
Giamatti even used the moment to evangelize Deep Space Nine to his Starfleet Academy co-star Holly Hunter. After raving about Sisko, he turned to Hunter to ask if she had seen the series, underscoring how strongly he feels about DS9’s place in the franchise. Hunter admitted she hadn’t watched it yet, giving Giamatti the perfect opening to sell her on Brooks’ performance and Sisko’s evolution across seven seasons.
Giamatti’s admiration for Sisko dovetails neatly with Starfleet Academy’s promise to explore Starfleet’s ideals through a new generation of cadets. His villainous Nus Braka stands in sharp contrast to Hunter’s principled chancellor Nahla Ake.
However, his touchstone for great Trek storytelling is a captain defined by moral complexity, faith, and growth. For fans, that deep respect for DS9 lore is a reassuring sign that one of the franchise’s most acclaimed captains is helping to shape the energy Giamatti brings to Starfleet Academy.
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