Posted in: Movies, Paramount+, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: discovery, Georgiou, michelle yeoh, preview, section 31, star trek

Star Trek: Picard Cast Reacts to Michelle Yeoh's "Section 31" Return

Star Trek: Picard stars Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Jeri Ryan & Brent Spiner shared their thoughts on Michelle Yeoh's Section 31 return.

While there's a bittersweetness that comes from having to say goodbye to Paramount+'s Star Trek: Picard this week, fans can't help but feel like the overall franchise is moving in the right direction. With "Discovery" still having one more season to go, we have "Strange New Worlds" returning this Summer and new seasons of "Lower Decks" & "Prodigy," too. And we can't help but feel a little optimistic about there being something to the buzz surrounding "Picard" Showrunner & EP Terry Matalas and his "Star Trek: Legacy" concept. And then we learned that the franchise would be expanding into special event films for the streaming service – and who better to star in the very first one than Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh?

Paramount+'s Star Trek: Section 31 sees Yeoh returning to her "Discovery" role as Emperor Philippa Georgiou, who joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past. And now, cast members from "Picard" and "The Next Generation" are sharing their thoughts on having Yeoh back in the Star Trek universe during a red carpet event for the series finale. "It is a really cool time to have Michelle Yeoh back in the family," Jonathan Frakes (who's also directed several episodes across the "Star Trek" franchise) shared with Variety. "I had the privilege of directing her a number of times on 'Discovery.' She's a very special human being. She is a special actor. So the idea that we get her now on 'Section 31' is kind of a big deal."

Gates McFadden added, "Talk about badass! Oh, I'm so happy for her. I've been a huge fan of hers. I think she's fantastic." For Jeri Ryan, Yeoh's return to "Star Trek" after her Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once is "a testament, I think, to the strength and the legacy of this franchise and to the fans." As Brent Spiner sees it, Yeoh is just another example of the excellent talent that the franchise attracts, saying, "When you look at who's been in the films, it is a cornucopia of fantastic talent. I feel very lucky to have been a part of it and love seeing people like Michelle returning."

"I'm beyond thrilled to return to my 'Star Trek' family and to the role I've loved for so long," said Yeoh in a statement when the news was first announced. "Section 31 has been near and dear to my heart since I began the journey of playing Philippa all the way back when this new golden age of 'Star Trek' launched. To see her finally get her moment is a dream come true in a year that's shown me the incredible power of never giving up on your dreams. We can't wait to share what's in store for you, and until then: live long and prosper (unless Emperor Georgiou decrees otherwise)!" Written by Craig Sweeny and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi, Paramount+'s Star Trek: Section 31 is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Craig Sweeny, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, and Yeoh, and is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!