This week’s episode of the animated comedy “Star Trek: Lower Decks” saw the gang visiting a post-‘What We Leave Behind’ era Deep Space Nine with Colonel Kira Nerys now in charge of the station.
Actress Nana Visitor, who played the role for seven years on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” returned to voice the role in animated form for the episode, which incorporates many tributes to DS9.
Speaking with Slashfilm recently, the actress was asked what was it like returning to a role nearly thirty years later. Turns out the actress and character are still so intertwined that it was quite easy:
“So easy. I mean, it’s really, it’s a character. I mean, first of all, those seven years were like dog years. One year equals seven years, so I was Kira for 49 years, and she is so ingrained in me. Really, she actually shifted who I was, which makes sense when you think of … You dropped thoughts in your head, and it actually changes the way your brain synaptically forms. So I was shifted by this character in really good ways, in having to accept foibles and having to self-examine. She did a lot of good for me. So it’s joyful for me to step into who she is.”
Some parts of the fandom had issues with the character back in the day, issues that have mostly faded with time and coming back to it she has seen how the culture at large has changed. She tells CBR:
“Back in the day, she wasn’t so well received. There was a lot of pushback from men and women who said [Kira’s] not the way a woman shows strength — as if there wasn’t multiple ways women can show strength. Everything felt so prescribed for how a woman in my position was supposed to behave. It was very much the culture of the time.
As the culture has progressed, Kira seems less of an anomaly. It’s been remarkable to watch and go, “Oh my god, here’s a 15-year-old boy, going ‘I think Kira is really cool,’ instead of being like, ‘what a bitch,'” you know? That’s huge progress. So I get to see how the culture has evolved over the last 30 years.
Considered the black sheep of the time with its serialised storytelling, heavy focus on character and darker themes, opinion towards “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” has changed over the years and is now considered amongst the best (if not the best) ‘Trek’ series amongst parts of the fandom.
Both “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks” are available on the Paramount+ service in the United States and select global territories, whilst DS9 is available on Netflix and ‘Lower Decks’ on Amazon Prime in some countries.
