As La'an Noonien Singh on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Christina Chong creates a fascinating new Star Trek character who has a personal connection to one of the franchise's greatest villains, Khan (Ricardo Montalbán). The British-Asian actress is known for her roles in Black Mirror, Line of Duty, 24: Live Another Day, and Dominion.
In Strange New Worlds, Chong plays La'an, the Security Chief of the Starship Enterprise, and she boldly goes where no one has gone before alongside Anson Mount's Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn's Number One AKA Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley, and Ethan Peck's Lt. Spock.
Screen Rant interviewed Christina Chong, who is currently shooting Strange New Worlds season 2, and probed about her role in Black Mirror, being cut out of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, La'an's tragic backstory and character, what her favorite Star Trek series is besides Strange New Worlds, and the personal project she is currently producing.
Screen Rant: How is season 2 going?
Christina Chong: Season 2, oh my gosh! I didn't think it could get better than season 1, but guess what? I can't say anything about it other than it's going really, really well! It's like they've gone, "Wow, okay, season 1 was great. Let's top it!" And they absolutely have in every way that you can possibly imagine. Fans are gonna be absolutely blown away and surprised.
Screen Rant: Before we talk more about Star Trek, I want to talk about you and your career. I read you started out and trained at the Lee Strasberg Theatre in New York, which is pretty impressive.
Christina Chong: I did. We're [in] New York for the premiere [of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds]. Melissa [Navia, who plays Lt. Erica Ortegas] is based in New York and she took photos of all of the [Strange New Worlds] posters that are up in Union Square. And I got really emotional. Lee Strasberg is right off Union Square and that's where I spent a lot of my time when I was younger. Union Square, hanging out in Union Square, lunch in Union Square.
I was based in Brooklyn when I lived there so I would come into Union Square station. For me, to think when I go down there [to New York City] -- obviously, I'm going to go down there and have a look -- it's going to bring back so many memories for me.
Screen Rant: Your resume is really impressive outside of Star Trek. Your Black Mirror episode ["The Waldo Moment"] is the first time I remember seeing you.
Christina Chong: Can I tell you something about that? So, Black Mirror -- it wasn't a big thing when I did it. They were just like, "Do you want to do a show called Black Mirror?" I was like, "Yeah, sure." And then I did it, and years later, when it went on Netflix, it's amazing how it blew up.
Screen Rant: You were also in 24, Dominion, and a lot of sci-fi. So you're a very natural fit for Star Trek.
Christina Chong: It would seem so, yeah. I know. Crazy! I don't even know why that is but I always get the sci-fi jobs. (laughs)
Screen Rant: I also read you were supposed to be in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Christina Chong: Well, I WAS in it. I was actually on set for the first day of filming in Abu Dhabi but all my stuff got cut. Which is normal for an actor, right? Especially in a big movie like that. They have so much money. I even had to reshoot one of my scenes at Pinewood [Studios] in London because -- I can't remember exactly why, now, but something didn't work.
I tell you, that was an incredible experience. I've never, still to this day, been in such a huge movie production with such a huge budget. I remember going to fittings with costumes and hair and all of those things. They had to put these massive black capes and gown things on me just to walk from one part of the studio to another. So it was an amazing experience. I got to work with J.J. Abrams but, unfortunately, it was all cut.
But I'm in Star Trek now, so who cares? (laughs)
Screen Rant: Great segue. Let's talk Strange New Worlds, then. So La'an is Khan's descendant as we know now. But to me, that's actually not what's cool about her.
Christina Chong: Oh! Go on, then.
Screen Rant: She has an amazing backstory of being a survivor. Do you want to talk about who La'an is beyond the whole Khan thing?
Christina Chong: Yeah, let's throw Khan to the side. Who needs Khan right now? What I love playing about La'an, actually, is that she does have a vulnerability about her but puts this wall up. Like anyone does, right? When you've been through a traumatic experience, especially in childhood, if your first experience in the world is pain and horror and loss, then, of course, you're going to put up a wall. And a lot of people do. It's normal, it's natural, it's protection. And so, that's what it is for her.
Slowly, especially when she's reunited with Una, and also when she's faced with the thing that caused [her] anxiety and PTSD again, she makes the decision to go through it. As opposed to hiding from it again, she is now, this time, gonna work through that pain and that trauma. And she's gonna get over the other side of it.
And I think a lot of people in life are never faced with [the cause of their] trauma again. And, obviously, that's a good thing. But then, maybe we're not aware of what that trauma is doing to us if we're not faced with it again. We're not forced to understand it and unpick it. So La'an does with the help of the crew. With Una and also with Pike, who is also gently coaxing her to open up. And he says [to the effect of], "Is surviving enough? Why don't you try living?" And that's exactly what she does throughout [season 1]: learn to open up. A little bit. Not loads. Just a little bit.
I also think it's really cool that La'an is the Security Chief of the Enterprise. Which means she's a badass. Pike, Spock, Number One - they're very tall. And you are comparatively tiny.
Christina Chong: (laughs) Very small! I don't mind you saying that. I'm very small.
But I can totally believe you can take them.
Christina Chong: Oh good! I love that.
It's the presence and fierceness that you bring to the role, which has to be there with the Security Chief of the Enterprise. You have to be formidable but I think you bring it and it's there.
Christina Chong: Good. I love it.
You mentioned La'an is very close to Una, Number One. They have an interesting backstory and a few links there in their past.
Christina Chong: Una was the one who found her. She basically saved her and then directed her onto the path that she's on now. And, in a way, Una gave her a second go at having a family. Because of what happened to her, she doesn't have anybody. Una has become an older sister-type for her and guided her to Starfleet. And now, the Enterprise crew are, essentially, her family. Which is another reason why she's so stern and removed and cold.
It's because she has been given another opportunity of connecting and having that support around her. But for her, when she gets close to somebody, they die. From her childhood experience, that's the psyche that she has. I think that's why she doesn't open up to them so much, because [La'an thinks], "If I do, I'll lose them."
She has a natural connection with Una because they met when she was young and very, very vulnerable. So that's why she has that [closeness] with Una more. But still, the closest to fun she has is with Una in episode 5.
Besides Star Trek, you're also working on your own projects. Do you want to talk about what you're up to besides Strange New Worlds?
Christina Chong: So, I am working on a project, which I can't actually talk specifics about. But I am writing and creating a very personal project, which I'll hopefully be able to talk about toward the end of the year. It's very much focused on diversity and Southeast Asian heritage, and my personal story. That's going to be very exciting and I will be acting in it as well as producing and writing. I'm really looking forward to it.
Is it a feature or a short?
Christina Chong: It's a TV series.
That's great. I'm very interested. I'm Filipino, so I love the representation with you, Isa Briones on Star Trek: Picard, Michelle Yeoh on Star Trek: Discovery.
Christina Chong: And they're consistent with [representation]. It's not just a token Asian character, you know what I mean? What's great about Star Trek is they're really building [our characters]. Michelle Yeoh has an amazing story arc on Discovery, and look where she is now. It's incredible.
You said in our last interview you weren't a Star Trek fan when you got the role but you are now.
Christina Chong: Oh, of course! I mean, how could you not be? (laughs)
Besides your own show, what Star Trek are you into?
Christina Chong: I'm not just saying this, I swear: It is The Original Series. Because for me, there's something about The Original Series. I find it hard to follow the sci-fi jargon [of the other Star Trek series]. For me, The Original Series makes it very simple and easy to follow. You have the breadth to really absorb what's going on and absorb the characters. From what I've seen [of TOS], Star Trek: Strange New Worlds does that same kind of thing.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams Thursdays on Paramount+.