“They’re the real cowboys”: Star Trek: The Next Generation Actor Jonathan Frakes on Meeting Actual NASA Astronauts
- Star Trek: The Next Generation cast met the real-life astronauts of the Mercury Program.
- Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner agreed that they cannot be as legendary as Star Trek: The Original Series' cast.
- Jonathan Frakes is set to direct an adaptation of sci-fi Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime into a series.
Created by Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek is a science fiction media franchise that started with the eponymous 1960s television series Star Trek: The Original Series. Regarded as one of the most popular and highest-grossing media franchises, it ventured into movies, other television series, video games, novels, and comic books.
Inspired by Star Trek: The Original Series, the 1987 Star Trek: The Next Generation television series starring Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, and more premiered. It was the third series in the Star Trek franchise and followed the adventures of a Starfleet starship in its exploration of the Alpha and Beta quadrants. The series received positive responses from the audience and the critics, which pushed the production house to create a fourth series in the franchise. The cast of the show explained why they’ll always be number two when it comes to influencing the audience.
Star Trek: The Next Generation stars call the original series’ cast ‘legendary’
Back in 2011, Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members, including Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner, during an interview with Good Morning America shared their experience of meeting the astronauts of the Mercury Program of the US. The interviewer asked the stars if somebody came to them and told them that there was a mission in space they could go to; would they go?
Spiner, who played Lieutenant Commander Data on the show, joked and said that he’d go if it’s first class. The actress Marina Sirtis who played Lieutenant Commander Deanna Troi on the show added that she’d not like to go as she is afraid of heights.
Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander William T. Riker on the show, said he’d be there in a minute. The cast was also asked about their meeting with astronauts of the Mercury Program. To which Frakes said, Bill Dana is very fond of them, and when told that the astronauts have mentioned that Star Trek inspired them, Frakes noted that they just say that.
Marina Sirtis begins to explain that it would be flattering to think that it’s true, but it wouldn’t be them but the original cast members, to which Frakes added,
They’re the real cowboys.
The interviewer quickly jumped onto asking the actors if they felt the same way about their characters, just like the original cast. She explained that the original cast had explained that they become so identifiable with their characters that it was challenging for them to go on and be someone else. To which the actress said that it’s a valid point, adding that they didn’t become actors just to work on Star Trek.
The actress also explained further that she does not think that the Next Generation cast can be as legendary as the original cast, who had been playing the characters for so long. The show also starred Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard.
Jonathan Frakes set to direct an adaptation of sci-fi Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime
According to reports by Variety, Star Trek actor-director is all set to direct an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime alongside showrunners David Cormican and Dwayne Hill. He explained,
When the materials of Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime were presented to me, I couldn’t help but devour them. When asked if I wanted to direct what I read, my answer was resounding and immediate: ‘Hell yes!’‘
The actor-director added that working on such a tremendous piece of IP from the mind of another sci-fi legend is simply an honor and a dream come true for him. The executive producer Lucas Vivo Garcia Lagos also shared via Variety that for them to adapt Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime for the audience is a huge privilege and responsibility.
He said that the books, along with the incredible characters and storyline, have stayed with him since his adolescence, and he has always believed that IP has all the necessary elements to become a major blockbuster. On 25th July at the San Diego Convention Center, Jonathan Frakes unveiled Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime television series.
Frakes assured the audience that he’d do his best with the television series, adding that he hopes to show the audience the series at the next Comic-Con. Star Trek: The Next Generation is streaming on Paramount+.
