Captain's Log ST-CHI: Christina Chong Imagines Underwater Episodes, Federation Olympics, and Strange New Worlds Spinoffs
- Antal Bokor
- Nov 25
- 3 min read
The last panel we saw at ST-CHI was with the lovely Christina Chong. Last but definitely not least. As the only panelist that is on a currently running Star Trek, Chong plays La’an Noonien-Singh on Star Trek Strange New Worlds. Not only is Chong a talented actress and a great dancer, she’s also a talented singer with a few albums under her belt–the latest even featuring Ethan Peck.
Chong came onto the ST: CHI stage beaming, and said, “Wow, I get William Shatner’s audience members! Brilliant! I see a few of you leaving, but I won’t take that personally.”
And while Shatner is a hard act to follow, Chong was up to the task, which turned out to be a quick draw question and answer session from the audience. She was straight to the point, and there’s something I really have to admire about that.
With Chong’s music and dance background, you think she’d be thrilled to do a musical episode on Strange New Worlds. And, she was, telling the audience:
“It was my dream like, literally. My dream as an actor to be able to do a musical film. Uh, and you know, a musical TV show, sure? "
"So, when they told me that it was a yes, it was like, my career had come 360 because I started in musical theater, and that was always what I wanted to do. Then, I injured myself. And thought, I, I can't do this forever. Let me change career. Let me try acting, with the dream that I would one day come back to it. So I could never have known that Star Trek would make my dreams come true."
In Chong's response to a different audience member’s question, the actress revealed that her dream musical gig would be to play Roxie Hart in Chicago–a role that Nana Visitor filled at one point. I had to wonder if Chong and Visitor had a chance to talk about it back stage.
Christina also revealed that her desire was always to incorporate her dancing background into her Star Trek work, and that she actually requested her dancing be incorporated into Strange New Worlds, where she teaches Spock some dance moves and more.
Chong also casually mentioned at one point that she pitched the musical episode, and didn’t expect it to come to be. An audience question followed up on this asking Chong who gets credit for the upcoming Strange New Worlds muppet episode, and she had a very interesting answer:
“The Muppet episode. I think that came from the creators of the show. But I have always pitched the idea of Federation Olympics. Right, and we end up. Facing the Klingons at the last hurdle. Uh, and we have to find a way to beat them, you know, and maybe we have to find a way to cheat. Or, you know, to beat them? "
"Uh, and then there was also an underwater episode that I pitched. Which would have to be shot in Mexico City. Uh, just because of the cenotes and things. And you know, and? Uh, yeah, we'd have to learn to scuba dive. And then that would probably only be fun for a few hours, and then we'd be just cold and wet.Yeah, those were my two other ideas that may or may not have happened.”
Okay, I’m sorry, but the underwater pitch was way too specific not to be a thing. Or maybe she was using that to distract from her Federation Olympics idea. Either way, we might see one of those concepts in the upcoming final seasons of Strange New Worlds.
Chong also fielded a question about a potential Strange New Worlds spin-off.
She had this to say:
“Will there'll be a spin-off? We don't know yet. And. If there is, we're not all going to be in it. So, it's going to be a very different show. It's not going to be Strange New Worlds. It's going to be something different, So, yeah. It's kind of sad. But, with anything, I think, [it's about] trying to appreciate the the last few moments, and then also looking forward to what is to come. And, kind of, the world’s the oyster right now, for all of us.”
We're going to hope that means more fantastic Trek for all of us fans, and great success for Christina.
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