Kate Mulgrew Almost Passed On Star Trek Return Until A Surprising Thing Happened
Kate Mulgrew was not ready to return to one of her most iconic roles on Star Trek, until an unlikely source convinced her to stay.
Star Trek fans have more shows than ever to enjoy, thanks to the availability of old properties as well as new ones on streaming platforms. Fans have been even more delighted to see some of their favorite actors reprising their iconic roles in these new shows, but Kate Mulgrew almost passed on the opportunity to play Kathryn Janeway again. That would have been upsetting, to say the least.
In an interview with RadioTimes.com, Kate Mulgrew said that she was hesitant about returning to the role she originally brought to life, but her family and friends were able to convince her. She said that they reminded her that she could bring Janeway’s mentorship and wisdom to the children, and that was an opportunity that she just couldn’t pass up. In her words, “Nobody’s going to grasp this philosophy, this ideology, more readily than the little sponge-imagination of the five-year-old, six-year-old, seven-year-old child.”
That’s good news for both fans of the original Star Trek shows and new viewers alike. Kate Mulgrew is an integral part of the Star Trek universe, and she would definitely be missed if she didn’t make an appearance. Mulgrew is best known for playing Kathryn Janeway in the Star Trek: Voyager series. She starred in 168 episodes before it ended in 2001, forever etching her name into the halls of Star Trek history. Star Trek: Prodigy, which is streaming on Paramount+, is an animated Star Trek series that will surely bring in a lot of young viewers. This makes it the perfect place for Mulgrew to redefine her role for a new generation of Trekkies. Star Trek: Prodigy is about a group of teenagers who steal a Starfleet vessel and use it to adventure throughout the galaxy.
Though Kate Mulgrew may be used to playing a live-action version of Janeway, she has the experience to nail the voice-acting. She’s played various characters in video games and in other animated series such as Gargoyles and Batman: The Animated Series. Contrary to popular belief, not every actor can make do both live-action and voice acting well, but Kate Mulgrew has no problem making that jump.
In addition to her role in the Star Trek: Prodigy series, Kate Mulgrew is staying busy with her live-action acting roles as well. She has a supporting role in the upcoming The Man Who Fell to Earth series which is premiering today. It tells the story of an alien who comes to Earth to find a way to save his species. The show stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Naomie Harris, Clarke Peters, Bill Nighy, and more. She also has a smaller role in The First Lady as Susan Sher. The First Lady features Viola Davis as Michelle Obama, Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford, and Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt.
As for Star Trek: Prodigy, if you want to see Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway again, the first ten episodes are currently available on Paramount+. The first season will have a total of 20 episodes, with the second half of the season airing sometime later in 2022. The show also has been ordered for a second season, so it sounds like fans will be getting some more of Janeway in the future.
