Key Highlights
- Holly Hunter plays Nahla Ake in ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’
- The role allows Hunter to play a character who enjoys going barefoot on duty
- Hunter sees the logic in her character’s casual approach, given her long lifespan
- Paul Giamatti praises Hunter’s unexpected decisions as the character
- Hunter values Star Trek for its optimism and moral universe
Holly Hunter, the Oscar-winning actress, is taking on a new role in ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’, and it’s shaping up to be one of her most fun yet. In this latest series, she plays Nahla Ake, the chancellor of the freshly relaunched Starfleet Academy and captain of the school’s field exercise starship the Athena.
Playing Nahla Ake: A Cozy Captain
What makes Hunter’s role unique is that her character, Nahla Ake, is a bit unconventional. “That’s fun, because it’s the antithesis of what you should do,” she says with a laugh. While everyone else in Starfleet wears protective footwear—boots, maybe with steel toes—Nahla enjoys kicking off her shoes while on duty. “I thought was really fantastic,” Hunter explains.
Embracing Casualness
Hunter’s character is more than just barefoot. She wants to be adaptable and curious, leading with humor. As the head of a learning institution, Nahla projects warmth and informality that brings her down to earth for unseasoned cadets. “I was really drawn to the character as soon as I read her,” Hunter says.
Her long lifespan, being half-Lathanite, gives Nahla a unique perspective on life. Things shift in your mind after four centuries. “Priorities would really announce themselves to you in a way that maybe they hadn’t when you were 30 or 40.” For Nala, play is a priority, and she enjoys experiencing life viscerally and sensorially.
A Star Trek Fan’s Take
For Holly Hunter, playing in the Star Trek universe has always been special. “From the beginning, when I watched William Shatner and Leonard Nemoy with my father when the show first began in the ’60s and I was so impressionable,” she says. The show gives people a tremendous amount of comfort—there’s something comforting about the moral universe of Star Trek.
Now at 67, Hunter finds it very comforting that Star Trek always maintains its optimism. “I have never been attracted to movies or plays that sent me out a big message or claimed a moral correctness,” she adds. “But I love the moral universe of Star Trek.” It’s an optimistic story that goes on and on, and never loses its optimism.
Collaborating with Paul Giamatti
Giamatti, who plays Nus Braka, the half-Klingon pirate, was blown away by Hunter’s unexpected decisions. “The first time I saw her curl up in her chair on the bridge, I just thought, ‘That’s genius!'” he says. “It says so much about the character and about the world.” For Hunter, it’s all about staying loose and approachable. She values the fresh eyes of young actors playing cadets under her command, reminding her to stay vibrant.
“Those kids, they always are having fun,” she says. “And that is a great reminder to stay loose.” Hunter admits that even after her own long and varied career, acting in Star Trek affords her all sorts of fresh challenges, including embracing the show’s longstanding ability to comment on the conditions of the present day through the metaphorical lens of the future.
So there you have it. Holly Hunter is bringing a new layer of fun and adaptability to ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’, and she’s doing it with style and grace. Stay tuned for more updates as the series continues its journey into the cosmos!