SPOILER ALERT The last question of this interview contains a spoiler for Season 3’s finale. “The Boys.”
“I love Boimler,”” “Star Trek: Lower Decks”Star Jack Quaid, his adorablely hapless character Brad Boimler “I love him so much.”
Quaid’s third season voicing the Starfleet ensign launched on Paramount+ on Thursday, but as Quaid and co-star Tawny Newsome (who voices Ens. Beckett Mariner was revealed at San Diego Comic-Con in June. Both actors will play the roles in live-action in the second episode of Season 2. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”2023 The actor explained. Variety how the episode was possible, why he’s proud of Boimler in Season 3 of “Lower Decks,”His character “The Boys”Will he react to the Season 3 finale’s big reveal? “The Boys”Spinoff series “Gen V.”
How can you get into the Boimler mindspace while recording the show?
Mike McMahon was talking about it. “Star Trek.”His passion for the franchise is contagious and it shows in his enthusiasm. Boimler geeks out on all things Starfleet just like Mike geeks out about everything else. “Star Trek.”That is how you are made to feel in that environment. Other than that… I make my voice a little bit higher pitched, and he kind of just comes out of me. I’ve always wanted to play a goofball like him in a show like this. I’ve been a cartoon nerd for forever. It’s a joy to voice him. He holds a special place in my heart. It was great to get to play the live-action version. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” crossover.
So you’re playing a live-action version of Boimler, not voicing him?
Just to clarify. Tawny Newsome, and I, are playing live-action Mariner and Boimler. We’re coming on to “Strange New Worlds.” We’re coming aboard the Enterprise. I won’t get into the plot details of how exactly that happens. We were able to experience the physical set. We were able to experience the bridge, the transporter bay, and the hallways. We were able to interact with the amazing cast as we toured the ship. There are some animated elements to the episode, but it’s not like a Roger Rabbit where, like, there’s an animated Boimler following Pike down a hallway. It’s not like that.
Was it strange for you to suddenly become Boimler? Are your locks purple?
Oh it’s purple. Yes, it is purple. We made sure. Yes, it was. It was a great challenge for me as an actor to do something I normally just use my voice for, and then re-create it. I was fascinated by the animations and the artists’ renderings of Boimler, as well as his movements and the gestures he would make. While I tried to incorporate as much as possible of this information into the episode, I was still trying to make things work. [that]They were too large, too animated, and too animated for a live-action setting but they still kept it within the Boimler range. This was an amazing challenge. That was the true blessing. [“Star Trek: The Next Generation” star]Jonathan Frakes was the director. He’s just a legend, and he just absolutely nailed it. He directs so much “Star Trek,” and just to have Riker telling you what to do — if Riker is saying that you’re on the right path, you probably are. That was a true dream.
It was a true dream come true for you and for Boimler. It’s a win-win situation.
Oh, it was a Big Boimler is a dream. This is very meta. Boimler is an avid fan of Riker, and comes to work alongside him on Titan. Jonathan and Jonathan got to work together, and I consider Jonathan to be a good friend. It was the best.
The episode I am referring to was the result of a conversation that you had on the set. “The Boys”?
Yeah, there’s this writer David Reed who worked on “The Boys”And more “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”He just came up to me, and he was like: “I love ‘Lower Decks.’ How can we get you on a live-action ‘Star Trek’ show?” I’m like, “I would do it in a heartbeat. There’s no resistance for me.”This was something I believed could work. It wasn’t necessarily the show that I thought would be the crossover point, because they don’t really take place in the same timeline. It was a great show. It was a great idea to combine this older era. “Trek”We are very excited to have you with us in the future. I love merging the two timelines. You’ll see how that all works out on the “Strange New World” episode. But it’s cool because from Boimler and Mariner’s perspective, they know about Captain Pike and Spock and Uhura. They think that they’re all awesome. They were able to get to know their heroes in a unique way. I’m just excited I get to actually talk about it because I had to keep it secret for so long. The crew over there “Strange New Worlds”It is amazing. Ethan Peck and I had an epic bromance — I just want to say that right now.
Boimler was such a proud beta man “Lower Decks,”But it seems like he asserts himself more in Season 3.
He is starting to get a lot more confident, maybe going overboard, but he’s still Boimler. This is the season where he’s just going to be bold, no matter what the consequences are. I’m proud of my man, Boimler. I am. He’s come a long way since Season 1.
The majority of people who first saw you were in “The Hunger Games” as Marvel, one of the formidable and threatening tributes from District One — quite the opposite of Boimler and Hughie from “The Boys.”What was that journey like for you?
It was a role I didn’t expect to play in my first movie. It was a career I didn’t expect to go that far. Hughie, Boimler and I are closer to my personality than Marvel. I enjoy playing different characters. You see, I had the chance to play a different type of character. “Scream” recently. I’ve been lucky enough to be able to experience a lot of different types of characters.
You’re about to start shooting Season 4 of “The Boys.”What are you planning to do? “Gen V”?
At this point, no. I haven’t really talked about that with anyone, but I’d love to be. Because it was happening while I was filming, I can actually talk about it now. “Strange New Worlds”Toronto was the scene, but it was not as dramatic as the cast of “Gen V”I was in the process of starting production. So, I went with them all to brunch. I met a lot of them. They’re awesome. They’re so talented. They’re so cool. I can’t wait for that show to come out. I wish them every success. They’re gonna knock it out of the park.
[SPOILER ALERT]The finale of Season 3 “The Boys,”We learn that Butcher still has one year left to live. How do you think Hughie will react to the idea that there is no Butcher in this world?
Man, I mean, we’re gonna have to find out, but it’s not gonna be good. Butcher is his best friend and older brother. So that’s pretty devastating news, when Hughie finds out but we’re just going to have to wait and see how that plays out. I haven’t read all the scripts for Season 4 yet. I don’t really know, actually. This is my time to be a fan and just kind of let things come to me and react to them genuinely as I’m reading them. The way the writers set everything up for the next season was amazing.
This interview was edited and condensed.