Growing up as a young Star Trek fan meant that you always had a favorite character or alien species. You probably ranked them in your head, and when you role-played, they were the ones you embodied. Even award-winning actor Paul Giamatti had his favorites as a kid. Giamatti, who plays the Klingon/Tellarite antagonist Nus Braka on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, said via People:
“I think even as a child, there was probably some recognition I couldn't pull off a Vulcan, that I was more temperamentally probably suited to Klingons than Vulcans. There was something I admired about the Vulcans, but as I got older, the Klingons became more interesting to me.”
Giamatti continued by saying:
“I haven't played a whole lot of out-and-out bad guys — I've only played a few. I play sort of bad guys. I play complicated, unpleasant people. I don't think I've played a whole lot of bad guys, capital B, capital G ... it's always fun to do that kind of thing. You're really given a lot of license and to be kind of grand.”
Imagine how it feels to be so fascinated by aliens from your favorite TV show as a kid and then actually stepping into their shoes as not only an actor, but as a fan who gets to form a brand-new character!
I can imagine Giamatti being absolutely giddy when he first found out he got the role of Nus Braka, and it's a fantastic casting choice!
Anyone who ever created a hybrid alien character will tell you that it's no easy task. The balance between the two sides can permit character growth, but not in a way that feels forced. Spock is, of course, the best example inside the Star Trek franchise, as both the writers and Leonard Nimoy contributed to his character. Talk about Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations (IDIC) working in the real world!
Because Nus Braka is a new character and Giamatti is such a talented actor, I'm looking forward to seeing more of this original character with legacy origins. The familiar species' names are a definite hook, especially when they're both tied to so much of Federation history.
I also want to know more about Nus Braka himself, who seems like the type of guy who will take offense at any comment and make it about himself. For example: "Ambassador Gav was my cousin's sister's brother-in-law's former roommate!" And somehow he would have you apologizing for every misdeed the Federation ever committed!
Have you watched Starfleet Academy yet? What's your take on Nus Braka? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.