Spock had one heck of an ordeal in this week’s new Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode, and his “Charades” storyline concluded with his fiancé T’Pring declaring their relationship on hold after she was left out of his subterfuge.
 
We sat down with T’Pring herself, actor Gia Sandhu, to talk about playing the elegant Vulcan, her relationship with Spock, and those amazingly intricate costumes.
 

Note: This interview occurred before the SAG-AFTRA contract expired on July 12, 2023.

TREKCORE: I love when T’Pring shows up, because you know it’s going to be a fun episode — but this time, we also get to learn more about her as a person. How do you think her upbringing influences the decisions that she makes now, both with her career and with her relationship with Spock?

GIA SANDHU: I think we get a good insight into why she is who she is. I think when we meet the parents, we kind of see the blend of the two that she is — but also her rebellion against wanting to be that, which is so universal, isn’t it?

TREKCORE: Yes, it’s very relatable!

SANDHU: Her mom is obviously so overbearing, and so controlling, that I think that it’s natural for her to sometimes want to push Vulcan culture — and Vulcan principles — away at times. So there’s that side to her. And then I think there’s also the side to her that is really conditioned by this upbringing as well, and that she at the same time can’t help who she is and can’t help the Vulcan within her.

I think that all of this comes into play with her relationship with Spock. We see her wanting to support him, and support his journey, and support his discovery of self, but she also at the same time, wants him to adhere to certain ideas that she has about what a relationship should be and should mean and what a Vulcan relationship is like. So the two things seem maybe a little bit like they push against each other, but I think that’s what creates the complexity of this character.

TREKCORE: She can relate to Spock in that way too, because they’re both struggling with two sides.

SANDHU: Exactly.

TREKCORE: That makes her choice of career even more interesting: rehabilitating criminals.

SANDHU: Her career is high stakes; she is in a position of power. She’s a high-achieving Vulcan!

TREKCORE: Since I was young, I’ve considered T’Pring in “Amok Time,” played by Arlene Martel, a feminist role model.She couldn’t change the antiquated system that she was in, but she pushed that system to its limits to get the life for herself that she wanted to have.

How do you think about the character, independent of her relationship with Spock?

SANDHU: I think the way that she presents herself is always with so much grace, with so much dignity and integrity. And I think that comes across when we see her at her workplace. I think it also comes across in her relationship with her parents, when her mom really pushes to the point where it’s now insulting to Spock. It’s now hurtful to Spock. And she does stand up and say something to her mother.

I think that just has to do with her own moral compass. And of course, with Spock as well, when she speaks to him at the end, and she says to him, “How was I meant to feel when I was the only one being kept in the dark?” I think she’s so eloquent in the way that she delivers this. It’s very similar to, I think, when she expresses herself in the first season when Spock shows up late for their dinner in the body swap episode.

And she articulates to him then as well, like, “I’m here, I’m present, even though I have so much work to do as well, but I am prioritizing this.” I love the way that she carries herself and how she expresses herself. I think that that feminism is beautiful. It’s such an attractive quality of hers.

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TREKCORE: She stands up for herself in what she wants in that relationship — and when she stands up to her mother, she does it in such a Vulcan way too: “Your assessment is not required,” which is a line I’m gonna keep in mind for my own life!

And then at the end, when she does choose to end her relationship with Spock — or at least, to go on a break…

SANDHU: Like Ross and Rachel. Yeah.

TREKCORE: Oh, no! What is T’Pring hoping for, from her point of view, with this time apart?

SANDHU: Because we know what happens in “Amok Time,” I imagine that him falling for somebody else [Chapel] is not what she meant by, “Let’s take a break.” (laughs)

TREKCORE: That’s true! Though we also saw Stonn — T’Pring’s new man from “Amok Time” — last season. Was that just an Easter egg, or is that something that might come into play during your time on Strange New Worlds

SANDHU: I thought it was a nice thing for them to drop in for the Original Series fans — but whether that develops into something or not during the season, I don’t know actually.

TREKCORE: You’re a very talented comedic performer. What are some of the challenges with that when you have to work within the confounds of playing it straight as a Vulcan? 

SANDHU: When I read the scripts, I’m usually laughing out loud, and the humor and the delivery is all in the writing. With some comedic scripts, there’s a lot on the actor, in terms of having to kind of mold it and sculpt it to make the thing be funny. With these episodes with T’Pring and Spock and their relationship, all the work is kinda done for us.

The circumstances are just so funny. You know the characters, it’s so clear to see what archetypes we’re hitting. So because it’s all so clear, I think it makes for an easier time for us as the actors. And I really enjoy being able to kind of push the limits on how emotional a Vulcan can be, and how much they can display.

TREKCORE: Because they have emotions, but just try to suppress them.

SANDHU: Exactly. And Spock, I think he puts it so beautifully in this episode when he explains that actually Vulcan emotions are more powerful than human emotions, and that’s why we have to suppress them.

TREKCORE: Who are some of your comedy influences?

SANDHU: In terms of comedic actors, I’ve had the benefit of working with some great standup comics as acting partners. Kristen Schaal is one of them, in The Mysterious Benedict Society. And with Russell Peters a few years back, and he’s so funny. I love performers who do multiple things. It’s always a joy to see how they work.

TREKCORE: We’ve got to talk about that Vulcan fashion, because T’Pring is just always rocking these outfits! How much fun is it when you get into character? Beyond the ears — her makeup, the beautiful gowns, the jewelry. How does that affect your  performance?

SANDHU: With each layer that comes on in the morning when I’m getting dressed, the more I start to feel like this other person. It starts with the ears usually, then it’s a bit of hair, then makeup, then more hair. And then it’s finally the wardrobe. But there’s something about the hair, because I have these crazy long extensions.

TREKCORE: They’re fabulous!

SANDHU: They’re heavy, my neck doesn’t really move properly, it’s like I’m wrestling this to just, like, be able to balance the weight on my head! (laughs)

But it works really well. And as soon as it all comes together and I look in the mirror, I go: “Oh, yeah, there she is.” And it’s a feeling. It’s a feeling. It’s the weight of the hair. It’s the feeling of the corset-like costumes and the shoulder pads. And also, like, the length of the sleeve — there’s something regal about that that is informative.

So it’s all of those things… it all kind of comes together.