This Writer Wrote

One of the major draws to Star Trek, particularly women, was the relationships and friendships between the various men and women on the Enterprise, where each had each other’s back in battle and in life, not just because the commission said so, but because they generally loved and cared for each other. And I believe that such friendships like that of Kirk-Spock-McCoy and Sulu-Chekov and that between all of them, Scotty and Uhura is one of the biggest reasons original Star Trek has endured. Banter and humor being a big part of that as well.

And while I watch a diverse range of television shows, I can’t think of one which I come back to week after week that doesn’t have these very strong bonds of friendship.One of the most valuable things I took away from doing the Star Trek: New Voyages episode was new friendships to cherish. And I wanted to share a glimpse into one. Like their characters of Sulu, Chekov, and Uhura, John Lim, Andy Bray, and Julienne Irons share strong bonds of friendship that are a joy to be part of, even for a short period of time.

When I asked them to do some interviews to help publicize the premiere of “World Enough and Time,” not only were they all for it, but they wanted to do them together.Since time to the premiere was short, I agreed, and I chose the quietest place I could — my living room. So we gathered together and had a blast. What ensued was a great time.

So I wanted to share with you a glimpse into this appealing and humorous friendship that grew up through their association with Star Trek New Voyages which drew these actors together. You’ve heard what each had to say separately of who they are, what drew them to New Voyages, and where they are going, now hear the fun of having them in a room together. Remember that the following was done in fun and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Believe me, we weren’t. We were laughing throughout this section.

Me: Now this last thing is just an experiment. Because you’re all friends and everything.

Andy: I’ve never been to college to experience that fun. I never got to experiment.

Me: I just thought that since you’re all friends, I was going to ask you and see where it goes. Andy, what would fans like to know about John and Julienne?

Andy: Hmmm. What would fans like to know about John and Julienne?

Me (clarifying): Not together. (everyone laughing)

Andy (laughing): Oh, okay then I won’t say –

Me (teasing and laughing, cutting in): Unless there is something between them.

Andy: The thing about John… I don’t know. He’s the perfect roommate. He and I always seem to be ending up in rooming conditions, sharing hotels at premieres. I always feel like the Odd Couple. John literally almost to the point of having things wrapped in plastic. Really very neat. I feel like a slob next to him. It’s really like traveling with Oscar when I’m traveling with John, which seems fitting for Chekov and Sulu.

John: We’re pitching that as a new series. If anyone’s interested.

Andy: What the fans should know about Jules. I think they know a lot about her. She kinda wears her emotions on her sleeve. She’s very real. What you see is what you get. Very cool and down to earth – totally good-looking, uh, but that’s just me in love with her. I think that’s probably what fans want to know about her: the hot chick is totally accessible. She’ll talk to you guys. She’ll totally love it. She even put her MySpace page on the New Voyages website. She’s easy to talk to, she’ll talk to anyone. She’s a normal, down-to-earth, great girl.

Julienne: Aw shucks.

Me: John, what would fans like to know about Andy and Jules.

John: Andy, in addition to being a great actor, and I think this has already come out with talk about the vignette, is an incredible writer. I’ve read some of his work and he’s very talented. Very creative. He understands character very well and multi-talented. So, I’m extremely jealous. As for Julienne, heart of gold. I mean, as beautiful on the inside, if not more, than she is on the outside. She’s even lovelier in person than what you’d see on the screen. And I have to agree with Andy, we’re totally, obsessively in love with her.

Julienne: Aw geez.

Me: Okay, now it’s your turn to get back at these guys.

Julienne: Talking about Andy as a writer, Johnny Lim is a fantastic writer himself.

John: I paid her to say this.

Julienne: We’re… can I say this? Yeah? We’re working on a film project ourselves, totally doesn’t have anything to do with New Voyages, but it stars Andy, John and myself. John’s been writing it and it is amazing. It’s such a great script. Like all the elements with drama and comedy. It’s amazing, he’s hands down a great writer and I see these boys as my brothers. Like I love them so much. They are like… I don’t know… I feel like with Andy… there’s so many things I could say…

Andy: Go on.

Julienne: There is so much… Andy and I are going to be roommates. In an apartment. One thing that people would like to know, too, is that we’re moving in together. We’re gonna be roommates. Which is going to be too much fun. I had a slumber party the other night which Andy was at, and I hadn’t had so much fun with these guys that I’ve had in really a long time. They are just phenomenal people. Like phenomenal, phenomenal people and I cherish them. I really do. John’s mom calls me her daughter. I cherish these boys. They are the greatest boys ever.

Me, teasing: You guys going to be roommates or more?

Julienne (aghast): I just said they’re like my brothers.

Me (laughing): There’s always incest.

Andy, laughing: What publication is this for?

Me: Hey, come on, I might be able to do a different publication.

Julienne: As much as I would be honored to be romantically involved with either one of these boys, I just love them too much.

Andy: Likewise.

John: Likewise.

Andy: The fans would kill me if I…

Me: Well, I had to ask…

Julienne: I wouldn’t… I’d feel like in any other situation, if it came down to that, I’d have no problem with it at all. I love them to death. They’re amazing people, but I feel like we have such a kinship and such a friendship right now, that anything else, I’d be afraid to ruin that. I can’t express to you how much I love these boys.

Andy: Aw, shucks.

Me: I love you all, too. You are all wonderful guys. Now let’s see, Andy… what shouldn’t the fans know about John and Jules?

Julienne whistles. Laughter from everybody.

Andy: I was going to say that Jules is not a Star Trek fan, but I think they all do know that. (Note: this was a referral back to an earlier part of the interview where Julienne mixed up the names of the episodes and the boys teased her about that showing she wasn’t a Star Trek fan.)

Julienne: How could I not… I admire Star Trek. I just don’t… like Andy who has… am I allowed to say this?

Andy: What?

Julienne: Andy has like posters on his walls and he has a collection of Star Trek paraphernalia. I don’t know, I’ve just never been into it like that. But I love it. I do. I admire it. But you’re right, I’m not a fan. (laughs)

Andy: I don’t know what they shouldn’t know about Jules.

Julienne: Um-hmmm.

Andy: Maybe they shouldn’t know that she’s totally accessible and if you want to go out with her, go to her MySpace.

Everyone laughs.

Andy: What shouldn’t they know about John?

John: Oh geez.

Andy: For the helmsman of the Enterprise, he’s really bad with directions. If it weren’t for his GPS, his navigator, he’d get lost.

John: Very true.

Andy: He needs his navigator. He needs his computer.

Me: That shouldn’t be. Okay, John, what shouldn’t they know about Andy?

John: What shouldn’t they know about Andy? Well, gosh. So many things. No, I’m just kidding. I’m gonna have to pass to Jules.

Julienne: Want me to go?

John: Yeah, go to Jules first.

Me: Okay, what shouldn’t they know about Andy. Remember this is going on the Internet.

Julienne: I think that…. I don’t know if it is what you shouldn’t know but what is really interesting about Andy is that he’s really a sensitive guy. He has such a soft heart and like he would never, I don’t know if you would ever think that when meeting him, he’s such a goofball. Like he’s so sensitive and it’s so cute.

Andy: Unless it’s girls which in that case they’ll say that I’m bad to the bone.

Julienne: I think that’s just Andy. Because he has such a sweet, sensitive heart, he gets his heart broken easily. And that’s cute. It’s cute.

Me: So they shouldn’t know how easy it is to break his heart.

John: Well, now they know.

Julienne: Now they know.

Andy: It’s now all over the internet.

Me: I told you it was an experiment to see what we would get.

Julienne: About John. I have in my head that John collects cans and bottles and takes them to the recycling bin and collects the money to do his laundry.

John: I do that for the environment.

Julienne: I think it’s awesome. But you go to Johnny’s house and there’s cans and bottles and you’ll say what are you doing, like the other day I went to his office, he says I’m going to the recycle bin to do my laundry. Got $4 for all my cans. Think that kinda cute.

Me: Okay, John, what shouldn’t they know about Andy?

John: What shouldn’t they know about Andy? The one thing that comes to mind is that when he’s playing Chekov, he isn’t really wearing a wig. That’s his real hair. He actually grew it out and he molded it into this kinda Davy Jones look.

Andy: I have to walk around with this.

John: And he still walks around with it.

Andy: You know, I still think it’s cool. He’s a nice comfortable character.

John: What shouldn’t they know about Jules? The one thing that comes to mind is that, you know, you wouldn’t expect this of someone who’s so beautiful—

Andy: What? She gets drunk and throws her feet out of the car?

John: Well, that too. But it’s kinda like cool, I think, Jules will call me up and say, I really like this guy, but I’m not really sure if he likes me. Oh my god, if he’s hetero, then he’s gonna like you. Oh jesus, it’s a no brainer.

Julienne: Okay, I said yes already.

John: Someone so beautiful. Someone so wonderful. Someone so amazing. I mean for…

Julienne laughing. I do.

John: She has insecurities about whether or not someone likes her. You know, yeah everyone likes you.

Andy: We have so many insecurities.

John: Yeah we do.

Julienne: I’ll be sitting there with John and Andy and I’ll say, I don’t know if he likes me or not.

John: Please. And if you know Jules in person, you know, she’s even more beautiful than what you see on TV, so it’s like… that’s why I’m in love with her. So I’m just saying all this stuff to get on her good side. I think with all of us, we’re just trying to make our way and yeah, we have those insecurities, so.

We should all be blessed with such friendships — those we see, like this one in real life and those that keep us going back to the Star Trek universe to play in.