Star Trek: Prodigy Casts Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway

Star Trek: Voyager alum Kate Mulgrew will reprise her role as Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Prodigy, a new CG-animated series from CBS' Eye Animation Productions.

"When Alex Kurtzman called me -- over a year ago now, I think -- to propose this idea, I have to tell you that I was at first a little bit uncertain," Mulgrew shared at New York Comic Con. "After all, I had played her for seven years in four-and-a-half-inch heels. I had invested ever scintilla of my being in that woman. And I thought, 'An animated version of Janeway? I don't know! I don't know.' But even as I was talking to Kurtzman on the phone, long-dormant longings to restore her started to stir, and I thought, 'This will be heavenly.'"

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"I can now endow her with nuances that I didn't do before, because I will have the privacy and freedom of a recording booth," she continued. "We can take it to unlimited places! And then I thought, I was the first female captain, and now I'm going to be the first children's captain, and what on Earth could be better than that?... How thrilling to be able to introduce to these young minds an idea that has elevated the world for decades! To be at the helm again in that way is, I think, going to be deeply gratifying in a brand new way for me."

"Captain Janeway was held to a different standard than her predecessors," executive producer Alex Kurtzman added. "She was asked to embody an inhuman level of perfection in order to be accepted as ‘good enough’ by the doubters, but showed them all what it means to be truly outstanding. We can think of no better captain to inspire the next generation of dreamers on Nickelodeon, than she."

"Kate's portrayal of Captain Janeway is truly iconic, and has resonated with a global audience for many years," Nickelodeon Animation President Ramsey Naito agreed. "We can't wait to see her bring this character to life in a whole new way, while continuing to be an inspiration for both new and loyal fans."

Star Trek: Prodigy will center on "agroup of lawless teens who discover a derelict Starfleet ship and use it to search for adventure, meaning and salvation."

Developed by Emmy Award winners Kevin and Dan Hageman, the show will be executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, Katie Krentz, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth, while Aaron Baiers will serve as a co-executive producer.

Starring Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway, Star Trek: Prodigy will debut on Nickelodeon in 2021.

Source: www.cbr.com