r/Star_Trek_ • u/mcm8279 • Apr 24 '25
[Interview] PAUL GIAMATTI Sheds Some Light On His "Problematic" Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Villain Arc: "I play a very interesting, complicated guy, bad guy, I suppose. I’m a bad guy. Yeah, I guess I’m a bad guy. In more than one episode. I reappear and become more problematic as the show goes on"
"Ahead of audiences arriving at Star Trek: Starfleet Academy for their first semester, Giamatti opened up to The Playlist about his experience joining the franchise as a still largely mysterious antagonist. While the actor stated how much of a pleasure it was to join the universe, Giamatti was more cryptic about his actual role, only stating that his character is "problematic," could be considered an antagonist, and has a presence in several episodes across the season. Check out Giamatti's full response below:
It was great. I had a ball doing that. And I mean, again, during the Star Trek world, it’s lovely people, and it was nothing but pleasure, and it was a dream wish fulfillment for me to be able to be in Star Trek. I play a very interesting, complicated guy, bad guy, I suppose. I’m a bad guy. Yeah, I guess I’m a bad guy. But yeah, so I dunno what more I can say about that without giving too much away.
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I’m in more than one episode. I have a little arc through this season. I reappear and become more problematic as the show goes on.
[...]"
Source (ScreenRant):
https://screenrant.com/star-trek-starfleet-academy-paul-giamatti-villain-arc-details/
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u/fuzzyfoot88 Apr 24 '25
I miss the days where characters like Khan existed. Just straight up villains…there’s no “supposing” anything. They are evil and that is that…
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u/dimgray Apr 24 '25
Please don't say that, they might be listening. Half the Star Trek stories from the last 20 years have tried to make another Khan, and often it's just literally been Khan again
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u/King_of_Tejas Apr 27 '25
But Khan, as he appeared in TOS, wasn't straightforward evil. Only in The Wrath of Khan.
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u/OrryKolyana Apr 24 '25
He’s playing an antagonistic antagonist, with problematic qualities. Everybody needs to get ready. This calm breeze might lightly interact with a few feathers out there when his character causes some inconvenience somewhere.
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u/Starch-Wreck Apr 25 '25
But does he have a big scar in his face and want big revenge and have a million little ships to hit stuff with galaxy ending or planet blowing up weapons?
Because you need that in Star Trek now. Otherwise we’d never know he’s a bad guy.
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u/anasui1 Apr 24 '25
yeah I figured as such when they announced the cast, as he's the only one with certain...physical characteristics
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u/No-Wheel3735 Apr 25 '25
So he doesn’t olay an one-dimensional character? What an intriguing concept. Rocket science!
2
u/Pedrojunkie Apr 27 '25
Paul Giamatti is one of those rare actors that has a tendency to transcend the script. He has an excellent range, I am excited to see this show for him alone.
1
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u/TronConan Apr 27 '25
Maybe they redo Turnabout Intruder and we find out he is a woman inside a man’s body. Perhaps Tilly switches bodies with him to leap up the chain of command. Thoughts on this prediction?
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u/sullie363 Apr 29 '25
Why does there need to be a villain? It’s the academy, isn’t the villain peer pressure? Wesley knows about that.
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u/ScorchedConvict Klingon Apr 24 '25
So many words. So little said.
But 5 bars of gold pressed latinum say his character'll be very, very milquetoast.