Michelle Hurd Interview: Star Trek: Picard Season 1

Star Trek: Picardseason 1 is out on Blu-ray, limited edition Steelbook, and DVD. The CBS All-Access series introduced many new characters into the Star Trek universe and one of the most fascinating is former Starfleet Lt. Commander Raffi Musiker, played by Michelle Hurd. Raffi was revealed to be the former First Officer and close friend of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) but they had a bitter falling out when Star Trek: Picard season 1 picked up their story.

Raffi is a unique and intriguing new Star Trek character. Initially isolated and disillusioned with Starfleet and Picard, Raffi is pulled back into space when she joins Jean-Luc's mission to find Soji (Isa Briones), the synthetic daughter of the late Commander Data (Brent Spiner). While Raffi is nursing a substance addiction and her anger at being ostracized from Starfleet because of Picard, she becomes an important part of the Starfleet legend's new quest, which resulted in the ragtag crew of the starship La Sirena saving the galaxy from an ancient synthetic threat coming from beyond the galaxy. In addition, Raffi learned that she was right all along that a Romulan conspiracy led by Starfleet's Director of Security, Commodore Oh (Tamlyn Tomita), was behind the Mars Attack 14 years before the events of Star Trek: Picard season 1.

Screen Rant had the pleasure of interviewing Michelle Hurd and we delved in-depth about Raffi's personal journey, her surprising romantic pairing with Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), the importance of representation in Star Trek, and what it's like working with the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart.

First of all, I'm a huge fan of Star Trek: Picard. I'm so excited to be here on Planet Raffi right now.

One of my favorite things about Raffi is that at the end [of Star Trek: Picard season 1] she was vindicated. They should make "Raffi Was Right!" shirts. She was totally right about the Romulan conspiracy. How do you think being ultimately right makes her feel? What's her next step now that the last 15 years was about something real and she can prove it?

Do think in season 2 that Starfleet is out of the question for her? Could she ever return? Is that something she even wants at this point?

In episode 5, you and Raffi had one of the most heartbreaking moments of the whole season when she met her son [Gabriel Hwang played by Mason Gooding]. He had a Romulan wife who was pregnant and he just shut [Raffi] out. Can you speak about that scene? Do you think there's hope for Raffi and her son, or is she just going to say, "I've got to move on?"

I also have to ask about Seven of Nine and that scene at the very end of the season. Now did you know that was coming [that Seven and Raffi ended up together]? Was that a surprise for you as well? Because a lot of tongues were wagging at the end of that season. When I rewatched episode 5 and there was a little interaction between Seven and Raffi, it's kind of there. I can see it but you wouldn't know it at first.

Did you know that was coming or was that a surprise when you read the script?

And that changes the trajectory of both characters. It's a huge thing. And that's another aspect of representation, which is one of the things that Star Trek: Picard does so well. If you look at the cast photo, that's the world represented right there.

Yes, and that's what Star Trek's future is, what we should be aspiring towards: humanity. Just who we are as people and trying to better ourselves and each other.

I've got to ask you about Patrick Stewart. "SPS". You work with one of the greats. What's the most surprising thing about working with him? What weren't you expecting at all and all of a sudden you're on set with this guy and you're like, "What?" I heard he likes Beavis and Butt-Head. Is that true?

Star Trek: Picard is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Source: screenrant.com