We all have daily rituals that help us focus on our jobs and remain productive, and actress Zoe Steiner of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is no exception. As Tarima Sadal, the daughter of the President of Betazed, her character is different from those of the other cadets because of her telepathic and empathic abilities.
NewBeauty caught up with Steiner recently, who discussed how she gets into character with a few rituals that almost anyone might recognize. When asked how she discovered her character, she replied: “That’s such a good question. Honestly, costuming really helped me. I remember my first fitting for the red outfit Tarima wears at the Betazoid cocktail party. That really helped me. It got me in touch with her status as the president’s daughter."
Steiner continued by saying:
"As an actor, I always find it hard to answer this question. There are some different rituals I do—even journaling helped me drop in. It’s going to sound a bit cheesy, but playing a telepathic and empathic character, that was really important to me. It was important to me to do things in my daily life that kept me grounded, so I could show up and really be in my body and not too up in the clouds."
Daily journaling is popular with other creative types, such as writers and artists, who use it in many ways, from brainstorming to paring down project ideas.
Creating compelling characters for any Star Trek creative project, from writing to costume design, typically starts as a spark of inspiration or a single vision that is usually not fully formed. While Steiner didn't go into detail about her journaling habits, you can build your own system, one that suits your lifestyle and allows you to make the most of your creativity.
Suppose you want to create an original alien species for a Star Trek short story. Journaling about the appearance, habits, physical stats, and even likes and dislikes can help you form its core and give you a clearer idea of where it fits into your setting. This is also useful for creating or expanding on a singular character.
While Steiner didn't mention if she journals as a way of slipping into Tamira's skin, this technique can help you discover your creation's wants, needs, and goals. More than a few Star Trek characters likely began this way as script writers searched for ways to create them in a way that felt both compelling and authentic, especially onscreen. I like to believe that Gene Roddenberry kept a creative journal that helped birth Mr. Spock, Captain Kirk, and other beloved original characters.
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