"For good or ill, they didn’t put a cap on me."
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy drops on Paramount Plus a week from Thursday, and fans can be sure about one thing: Nus Braka, the show’s villain, is going to be an over-the-top pain in the butt. As it turns out, Paul Giamatti wouldn’t have it any other way. In a new interview with the RadioTimes.com, the actor made it plain he was going all out when it came to portraying the half-Klingon, half-Tellartie baddie Braka. Giamatti said (via TrekMovie.com):
"I wanna be an alien! I wanna wear make-up! I want to have something fun and crazy going on!"
Giamatti has starred as some wonderfully quirky characters before, like the easily relatable Miles in the dramedy Sideways, and who can forget his Golden Globe-winning performance as Professor Paul Hunham in The Holdovers?
However, in this case, Nus Braka gave the actor the ability to work without a net. In other words, Giamatti didn’t have to hold back one iota, let alone worry about giving a nuanced performance where the Starfleet Academy antagonist is concerned.
“My roles have gotten quieter and quieter,” Giamatti explained during the same sit-down. “I acted on stage for many years before I got film work. I tended to get cast in much more flamboyant roles and I missed doing that. So, I was very happy to be able to play a big, performative guy. […] A lot of the Star Trek parts that were attractive to me growing up were bad guys. He’s [Nus Braka] a low-life. He’s playing the clown but he’s not a fancy, high-end criminal. He’s drunk most of the time.”
Certainly, some fans online have voiced their displeasure with Starfleet Academy seemingly taking on the shape of the 1990s Beverly Hills, 90210, but Brenda and Brandon never had to go toe-to-toe with a despicable space pirate like Nus Braka in the hallowed hallways of West Beverly.
Yes, Starfleet Academy will present the viewpoint of younger characters, but I for one can’t wait to see what these talented newcomers can accomplish alongside the likes of more seasoned thespians, including Giamatti, Holly Hunter, and Robert Picardo.
Are you excited to watch Paul Giamatti ham it up as Nus Braka? I am! Now, share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages. And Star Trek: Starfleet Academy debuts on Paramount Plus Thursday, Jan. 15.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!