Posted in: Paramount+, streaming, Trailer, TV | Tagged: james kirk, Kirk, paul wesley, preview, star trek, strange new worlds

Strange New Worlds: Wesley's Kirk Inspired by "Star Trek" Pilot & More

Strange New Worlds star Paul Wesley on playing alternate Kirks, how the second original "Star Trek" pilot inspired his Kirk, and much more.

Working under the assumption that you've had a chance to check out Paramount+'s Anson Mount (Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Una Chin-Riley) & Ethan Peck (Spock)-starring Star Trek: Strange New Worlds S02E03 "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," then you know that Paul Wesley has been working "overtime" when it comes to playing James T. Kirk (no spoilers yet). Coming off of this week's on-screen timey-wimey adventure with Christina Chong's La'An, Esquire went live with a profile interview of Wesley – and yes, he definitely talks Kirk. In the following highlights, Wesley explains how close the character is to him, what it was from "Where No Man Has Gone Before" that inspired his take on Kirk, and how he approaches the role when "different takes" are required.

Wesley on How Close Kirk Is to Him Personally: "I think very. I think he's very close to me. If you were to give me Kirk without any preconceived notion of Kirk, and there was no William Shatner, and there was no Chris Pine, I would feel like, 'This role is made for me.' But because of the stigma and the zeitgeist of Captain Kirk, every day, I'm like, 'Wait, am I doing this correctly? Should I be doing it this way?' I normally wouldn't question that. But because it's such an iconic role, I can't help but think about my choices because I'm doing something so different from the norm."

How 1965's Second Pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" (S01E03) Inspired Wesley's Kirk Take: "I totally took that 'stack of books with legs' line, and I actually based my Kirk on that line. I didn't want him to be a complete stack of books with legs because that would have been like watching paint dry. But I wanted to incorporate that brainier aspect of Kirk into my version of the character. When we think of Captain Kirk, there's an immediate sort of reaction: we know who he is. Kirk has obviously been established very clearly by not only pop culture history but also, obviously, what William Shatner did in the 1960s. But the key thing is he's recognizable. There's a recognizable feeling, and I wanted to do something a little different with that. I thought this was a really good opportunity to start from a different place and watch Kirk build into the character that he's known for in pop culture history. A lot of that has to do with maybe creating a bit less brawn and a little more brains, for lack of a better phrase. Having him still finding his footing. A little less self-assured. At this point, he's trying to understand who he is and who he wants to be, and what kind of leader he wants to be. Because, ultimately, he's not a captain yet."

Wesley on How He Approached Playing Alternate Kirks: "In the Season One finale, I wanted to play a different Kirk. Even though it was modeled on 'Balance of Terror' from 1966, I was a little more subdued and stoic. Then, in Season Two, when we first meet Kirk, it's a dark time. It's like 'Mad Max.' The galaxy is in disarray. Things are not harmonious. And then, slowly, he finds the joy of being back in time. He's like a kid in a candy shop in Episode Three. By the end of it, he doesn't even want to leave. He loves Earth, and he almost wants to stay. But, at the end of the day, he's someone who will always do the right thing. He essentially sacrifices himself for the future of mankind. I wanted there to be a bit of an arc. But ultimately, I did want the Kirk we know: that fun, jovial, having-a-good-time guy. But also the man who does the right thing and is the hero. It's a lot like 'City on the Edge of Forever,' my favorite episode of 'Trek.' When I read the script, that's the first thing I thought of, and I rewatched that episode."

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