Christina Chong Interview Reveals Insights on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

and see her kick ass, it was really rewarding to explore her vulnerable and emotional side in this episode. La’an is a complex character, and getting to touch those deeper layers was a real gift as an actor. It was heartbreaking to see her finally let her guard down and open up to James, only to have him taken away from her. I think it’s a universal experience to have loved and lost, and I wanted to bring that rawness and authenticity to my performance. I hope that viewers were able to connect with La’an’s journey and feel the same emotions that I did while portraying her., my arena is more drama. That’s where I excel and what I truly love doing. So being able to go there in this role was incredibly cathartic for me. It was a much-needed release after the journey I had been on. The scene where La’an is crying on her bed was actually one of the first scenes we shot. Paul and I were in the same room, but he was in a corner shooting his part against a wall while I was on the bed. We couldn’t see each other on screen or in real life, but we shot it simultaneously to create an emotional connection. I believe it was Paul’s first time on set, and we filmed that scene at the beginning.

I was a bit worried because I had to go to such an emotional place and then backtrack to make sure I earned the right to get there. It all weaves together with my single, “Twin Flames.” It wasn’t planned specifically for that episode, but it coincided perfectly. Now people are making videos of La’an and Kirk set to “Twin Flames,” and it’s just so fitting. They truly are Twin Flames, meeting in this lifetime and in another. So when La’an is on the bed, emotional and going through her own journey, I could easily tap into my own experiences of loss in a relationship to bring her character to life.

Now, let’s talk about the Khan of it all. La’an protected the person who haunted her for so long. How does she feel about Khan now? And how do I feel about La’an and Khan? It’s a tricky situation, especially with the historical parallels people are drawing. Would you kill him or not? But La’an is not Khan. She’s his descendant, but she doesn’t possess his qualities. She saw a little boy and chose not to kill him. She made the decision to save his life, even though she had the chance to come back and everything would be fine. It was a moment of acceptance and realizing that good can come from bad situations. That’s how I try to live my life as well.

Yes, things happen, and they may not be great, but they’ve happened. We have a choice to stay resentful or change our perspective, find the good, and move forward. And that’s exactly what La’an has chosen to do. I come from that lineage. The Enterprise, my family, all came from that. It wouldn’t exist if Khan hadn’t done what he did. So La’an has accepted her connection to him. She may not like him or what he did, but she has accepted her past, her shame, and who she is.Ever since I had the opportunity to interview you and the cast of Strange New Worlds at Comic-Con last year, I’ve been hearing whispers about this mysterious episode 9 in season 2. And guess what? I’ve heard that the idea actually came from you! Can you give us a little tease about it?

Before we move on, I just have to say congratulations on “Twin Flames.” Your song is available on Spotify, iTunes, and all major streaming platforms. Let me take a moment to give you a little plug. It’s a stunning song that has a James Bond-like vibe, and everyone is talking about it. What’s next for you and your music?

Everyone is comparing “Twin Flames” to a Bond theme. With the Bond movies rebooting, could we possibly see you as a Bond Girl in the future?

Before we wrap up, I have to ask about that scene in “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” where you and Babs Olusanmokun are sparring. We recently found out that Babs is one of the greatest jiu-jitsu fighters in the world.

Christina Chong: I know, right?

What was that like sparring with him? Because that scene hits harder, so to speak, now that you know what Babs can actually do. What’s it like throwing down with him?

Christina Chong: Well, this is the thing about a good fighter: a good fighter also is aware of his opponent, right? So Babs is very good, and very gentle, and very careful. And respectful of the fact that he’s a powerhouse. And he’s aware that I am not the same way. I’m my own version of a little powerhouse, but I’m not like that. (laughs) He’s extremely respectful and disciplined and careful. And it’s exactly what you would expect a top-notch fighter to be like when doing something like this. So yeah, he’s great, Babs.

About Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 follows Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise in the 23rd century as they explore new worlds and carry out missions throughout the galaxy during the decade before Star Trek: The Original Series.

Check out our other Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 interviews here:

• Valerie Weiss
• Yetide Badaki
• Anson Mount & Rebecca Romijn
• Ethan Peck & Paul Wesley

New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 air Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Max Hensley

Max, a film journalist and screenwriter originally from Melbourne, Australia, brings a global perspective to his writing. Having studied film at RMIT University, he enjoys exploring the cultural impact of cinema and highlighting the unique storytelling approaches from diverse film industries around the world.