Star Trek Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman admitted a condition for him doing Star Trek was not having another male captain.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Kurtzman and CBS All Access executive vice president Julie McNamara were asked by Joy Press, “Star Trek: Discovery stars a number of women of color. Can you tell me about the conversation behind that?
Related: Is Star Trek: Discovery Embracing Discrimination?
Kurtzman responded:
“About three years ago when, when CBS asked me to consider doing another Star Trek, my first instinct was: it’s got to be a woman and it’s got to be a woman of color. I’m not interested in having another male captain.”
He then made it clear it was a condition of his involvement with Star Trek.
“We made that very clear and a condition of our involvement and Julie was immediately supportive of it.”
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Then Kurtzman revealed that he and the casting team questioned whether they should cast a man on the morning Donald Trump was elected president.
“And one thing I remember very clearly was that we were still casting the morning Trump was elected and somehow in the casting conversation this question came up like, okay, do we have to reconsider this? And we doubled down and said, this is exactly why we have to do this right now.
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The producer followed up that comment by admitting that he finds it more difficult to write males as compared to females.
“And for me personally, I have a harder time writing men—that’s the truth. I don’t know why. It’s always been the case.”
Star Trek: Picard star Patrick Stewart recently commented on the importance of diversity in entertainment while talking about the show at Paris Comic-Con.
Stewart stated:
“You see before you five actors. And we are each one of us, from very diverse backgrounds and experiences. Now, I don’t think that was a conscious act when this series was being cast, but it’s absolutely appropriate that it should be so. Because diversity is becoming increasingly important in the world of showbiz and entertainment.”
Given Kurtzman’s comments about their casting process for Discovery, it’s quite likely it was a conscious act.
What do you think of Kurtzman’s instincts when it comes to managing the franchise? Do they match founder Gene Roddenberry’s vision? Or is something missing?
Star Trek: Picard goes live on January 23rd, 2020. Will you be catching it?