There’s Picard, Strange New Worlds, a potential new film on the way. We didn’t jump the shark or anything, but that symbolism is there, those parallels were there – and I appreciate that. I appreciate the way they were able to funnel it into the story in a way where you still have to suspend your disbelief. How do we navigate that kind of uncertainty with those kinds of stakes? That’s very much what we’re dealing with as a people and in the world. It’s an unpredictable threat that can’t really be known, keeps changing, and threatens life as we know it. One of the biggest conflicts in season four is uncertainly. The writers put a great deal of symbolism in season four for the pandemic and the time that we’re in. Given all that we’ve been through these last couple of years, how does season four and five capture our moment and the zeitgeist? Star Trek never shies away from social commentary. The three words I would use to describe season five are ‘refreshing, invigorating, and lovely.’ I think that’s a great phrase, I’m going to steal it. Can we expect the unexpected? Does that track for the new season? The show always throws curveballs like the Mirror Universe or the 32nd Century. I love how quiet it was and that it had a sweetness in the bittersweetness. Alex Kurtzmann – he was quoting someone else – said, ‘Nobody remembers plot, they remember character’ and those end up being nearest and dearest to my heart too. The Burnham/Tilly moments tend to be my favourites, those really special, quiet moments that characters have with each other – those just sing to me. I loved that moment too, it’s one of my favourites. Thank you for acknowledging that moment and acknowledging Mary, she’s utterly brilliant. How do you think it was handled? Because you see these big departures in shows and it’s always very tragic. One of my favourite moments in season four is a really low-key one in episode four where Tilly leaves the ship. And what does that mean? And how do I apply everything that I've learned? How do I apply all of these lessons and all of this wisdom? How do I lead from the middle out? How do I make people feel valued? So there's a lot of growing that still is happening. What you see in season four is that Burnham has to learn how to be a captain. But when I came back to it, it was all the more genuine and authentic. I set that dream of being captain free somewhere around season two, and then had to come back to it. What I had to do over the course of the story was the ‘if you love something, set it free’. I think, for Burnham, there was a journey towards the chair in Burnham’s mind from the very beginning. That just can’t be the case – because nothing teaches like failure. So often as Black women, we’re taught and conditioned to believe that there are no mistakes allowed. It's important to see Black women be fallible, and be vulnerable, and make mistakes, and learn and grow from them. What would you say was Michael’s defining moment as captain? It can be a moment of strength or a moment of weakness – because she is fallible and that’s interesting to see in a captain. And I love how we've been able to see that I love being able to see that in practice as well, especially as a Black woman. There has been a great deal of change and maturation, and character development, a lot of falling forward. Then, at the same time, I know who I am as Burnham in my heart – but I’m also getting to change. That’s exciting, challenging, and fulfilling as an actor. I am, as Burnham, so completely different than I was at the beginning. It’s a little bit of both, right? There has been so much reinvention with our show season-to-season and with every character, that’s one of the things I love most about our iteration: we are all continuing to become who we are and you are watching it in real time. What did you learn about Burnham this season? As an actor, four seasons in, you might feel quite comfortable, and you know all sides of her – but maybe that’s not the case? Then as a member of the Federation, in Starfleet, then now as captain, it’s huge for me. I have so much respect for the writers: the way Burnham has grown, the way Burnham has matured, the way she has settled into who she is as a woman, first and foremost. Once I got into the actual story that was laid out before me, I was able to use that and let my imagination run free and go on the journey.
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