Shazad Latif is a lot taller than I realized when I first see him walking up the red carpet. His body language is also relaxed and gentle, almost a mirror image of his on-screen counterpart — the stressed-out former Klingon, Ash Tyler, a character who will be working through much of his Season 1 trauma when Star Trek: Discovery returns next year.
What kind of emotions might we expect to see him experience in the upcoming story, I wondered, following Tyler’s self-realization of his true identity as Voq — and the aftermath of his time spent as a human in L’Rell’s capture, where the Klingon forced the then-unknowing Tyler into her bed?
“Well, for Tyler it’s big,” said Latif. “But there’s a bigger picture to sexual assault that just doesn’t include the victim — it affects everyone around him, including friends, loved ones and that’s something that needs to be addressed in our society.”
It’s a serious issue, and while victims’ rights are of paramount importance, those connected to the victim can also be affected in significant ways — relationships are strained, friendships are tested, and the experience can irrevocably alter the lives of those involved.
“Well, it’s messy, isn’t it?” he said, after a bit of reflection. “Life gets messy.”
There is always a messy dimension to life, and life on board Discovery will be no different. It’s an issue that requires serious consideration, and with the appropriate amount of gravity in his voice, Latif assures me that the topic handled with the consideration it requires.
“All of that is going to be addressed,” he promised. “It will bring more conflict and will add a lot of drama to the show, that’s for sure… It’s important to Tyler, and to me.”
Finally, on to the arrival of Captain Pike and the USS Enterprise, I was curious to hear the actor’s thoughts on this collision with Trek history. While it’s a welcome crossover to many viewers of the show, the brush with the Original Series elements won’t just be impacting life aboard the Discovery, but it seems Tyler will have a role to play as well in its story.
“It’ll have a rippling effect – an ocean effect,” Latif told me. “It’ll affect all the relationships and going to have a decided one on my character. It’s good for drama, it’s good for conflict and it’s going to be fantastic.”
If you’re headed out to Las Vegas next week, the British actor will be appearing at the annual Star Trek convention on August 4 and 5 — watch for our week-long coverage of the STLV convention to begin next Tuesday!