carol marcus in star trek

Alice Eve defends her controversial Star Trek scene: “I’m proud of that”

Alice Eve, who stars in the new sci-fi film Warning , reflects on her much-criticized Star Trek moment.

Star Trek once promised to boldly go where no man has gone before. But Alice Eve knows science fiction can go much further by foregrounding women within its strange new worlds.

“A lot of women in sci-fi are self-sufficient,” says the actress, who played one such character — Dr. Carol Marcus — in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness , though not without controversy. (More on that later.)

Still, more than 50 years after Star Trek first aired, “science fiction is not necessarily the domain of women in terms of creation” off-screen, Eve says. For all the Ellen Ripleys and Sarah Connors on screen, this lack of female perspective behind the camera can hold the genre back.

An English actress who’s also known for her roles in Men In Black 3 and on Marvel’s Iron Fist series, Eve is experienced at navigating this tension. Her latest film — Warning , from Polish director Agata Alexander — marks the first time Eve has made a sci-fi thriller with a female filmmaker.

“I wanted to support a woman tackling traditionally male subject matter,” Eve tells Inverse , speaking in support of the film (out now on digital platforms). “I loved her audacity. She had this grand vision she was determined to execute on a small budget. And she did.”

Broadly, Eve is a sci-fi fan. And playing characters like Star Trek ’s Carol Marcus is part of the appeal. “Sci-fi is cool because it shows powerful women,” Eve tells Inverse. “They're not usually married with kids. They’re working for their passion.”

In 2013, Eve found herself discussing the optics of female representation in sci-fi in a more negative sense. When Star Trek Into Darkness hit theaters, some audiences objected to a scene in which Marcus strips to her underwear and is glimpsed by a chastened Captain Kirk (Chris Pine).

After the release of Star Trek Into Darkness , Alice Eve found herself at the center of online debate about the portrayal of women in mainstream sci-fi.

A throwaway shot, it served little narrative purpose in the film’s theatrical cut. Online, the backlash was swift to what some saw as a gratuitous instance of a female character being unfairly sexualized. (Though, of course, there was also a backlash to this backlash. ) Eventually, producer Damon Lindelof apologized, and director J.J. Abrams conceded that he understood the criticism. Eve has spoken only sparingly about the incident but, looking back on the scene, remembers being taken aback by the controversy.

“It was something I voluntarily worked with a trainer to be fit for, was very much prepared for, and very much enjoyed [doing] — filming, executing, promoting,” recalls Eve, who says she was actively involved in discussing all her character’s scenes. “The feeling I shouldn’t have done it, or that it was exploitation, was confusing to me.”

Eventually, Eve shrugged it off: “There are many things in the world that are confusing. I put it down to one of those anomalies. I’m proud of that scene, and all the work I did.”

The experience was still eye-opening for the actress, leading her to seek out projects, like Warning, that would avoid the male gaze dominant in most Hollywood sci-fi. Told over a series of disconnected vignettes set during a freak storm, Warning stars Eve as Claire, a lonely woman whose daily life is dependent on a pyramid-shaped smart home device called “God 2.0.” (In real life, Eve avoids such smart devices.)

Living in a near-future where technology is seen as a substitute for human contact, Claire’s isolation is heightened by everyday interactions that are hostile, cold, and unfriendly. “People have their main relationship with their device and they lose the ability to connect, to feel each other and empathize,” Eve says. “To me, the ‘warning’ is to remain empathetic, to remain in tune” with humanity, she adds.

Eve found shooting Warning to be isolating, as her main scene partner is an inanimate object (voiced by actor James D’Arcy). “The pleasure of the movie was the experiment of not having another actor,” she says. “It’s different, but it was much more lonely.”

Alice Eve ( Star Trek Into Darkness ) stars as “Claire,” a lonely woman dependent on a smart home device called “God 2.0.”

Claire’s backstory isn’t deeply explored in Warning , but Eve and Alexander collaborated on the idea that her character’s vulnerability stemmed from heartbreak. “When we suffer heartbreak, we retreat,” she says. “And when we retreat, we don’t like to connect with people. And then she becomes reliant in that period of recovery on this device.”

Far from helping Claire, “the device hooks into her,” making Warning a cautionary tale, says Eve. Claire turns to God 2.0 in an almost fanatical way, with Warning taking an unsubtle stance against organized religion and its power to prey on people.

“She’s lured into this belief she'll be a better person,” says Eve. “Organized religion seduces people by telling them life will be better. It's old capitalism: You won’t be lonely and sad if you don’t commit sin . Obviously, it’s important to be a good person, but it’s not going to make your life better to live.”

A scene from Warning.

Eve is still learning all it can mean to be a woman in science fiction. She will soon star in The Power , an Amazon series based on Naomi Alderman’s 2016 novel in which women possess electric superpowers. Alderman is writing the adaptation of her own book, with Handmaid’s Tale director Reed Morano at the helm of at least one episode and an all-female writer’s room involved in the project.

Eve says the 10-episode series’ main concept is teased by its title: who gets to wield power, and what will they decide to do with it?

“ The Power is an idea of a future where women have power and are more physically capable than men,” she explains. In the series, Eve stars opposite Leslie Mann, Auliʻi Cravalho, Daniela Vega, Tim Robbins, Rob Delaney, and John Leguizamo.

“My character is something of a choir [for] understanding the story,” she says. “I think it’s a really important story to tell, to show us throw[ing] the world on its axis and show how much of our [society’s] power dynamic relies on physical strength.”

In the years since Alice Eve starred in Star Trek , she’s paid closer attention to how women have been represented in the final frontier and beyond.

“There’s a different generation coming up, and I hope they’re feeling empowered,” says Eve, praising the long-overdue reckoning that the #MeToo movement has played one part in triggering. “I believe we're all having a human experience, and that’s a painful thing to have.”

Warning is available on Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 22.

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Who Is Carol Marcus in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

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The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2, Episode 9, "Subspace Rhapsody," now streaming on Paramount+ .

The Strange New Worlds musical episode was full of emotion, often expressed against a character's will. This is why it's important that La'an got to tell James T. Kirk about her feelings in spoken dialogue. Kirk didn't even have to say the thing about La'an liking Carol for Star Trek fans to know who he was talking about. But, for those who've only discovered the franchise through Strange New Worlds , Carol Marcus is a big deal to Jim Kirk and Star Trek .

In keeping with franchise history, Strange New Worlds is a series that frustrates shippers. The only relationship currently underway is Spock and Chapel's, which The Original Series fans know doesn't last. Yet, even though she doesn't know it, there's still hope for La'an and Kirk to explore their feelings for each other. This moment is less about Kirk than it is about the Enterprise's security officer. From the series debut until "Subspace Rhapsody," she's been on her own journey. When she introduces herself to people, all they hear is "Noonien Singh" and think of Khan. The Jim Kirk she fell for had never heard that name. While she's aware the real Kirk isn't that man, La'an wants the chance to be seen that way again. So, while she's perhaps written off Kirk for now, she shouldn't. As important as Carol Marcus is to Star Trek , her time with James T. Kirk is likely near its end.

RELATED: The New Star Trek Series Could Erase the Kelvin Timeline, but Shouldn't

How Strange New Worlds Perfectly Lines Up With The Wrath of Khan

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , audiences meet Dr. Carol Marcus, the leader of the civilian-run Genesis Project. It is meant to be a mechanism of life, but La'an's ancestor Khan wants to use it as an engine of death. In a way, Carol Marcus is the J. Robert Oppenheimer of Star Trek , but only if he wasn't aware he was about to become "death, the destroyer of worlds." Yet, more important to Star Trek fans is Carol Marcus, the mother of David Marcus, Kirk's son. While this may have seemed like the inevitable result of Jim Kirk's eagerness to fall in love , the relationship with Carol Marcus predated The Original Series .

While she's a brilliant scientist, Carol Marcus is also "the one that got away" for Captain Kirk. When he reunites with her in the film, he tells her he "stayed away like you asked." David's existence surprised fans, but Kirk knew he had a son. He didn't know what he looked like, though. The two fought when they first met, but he knew David's name. While the Star Trek timeline is convoluted , it does make sense that David was born before Kirk took command of the Enterprise. The Wrath of Khan is a study of aging, so David and Carol represent the life Kirk almost had.

On a rare occasion of studio penny-pinching helping a movie, the original opening of The Undiscovered Country had to be cut. Of all the original characters, Kirk's retirement was the least disappointing. Even though David died in The Search for Spock , he and Carol were living together on Earth. Of all his many romantic entanglements, Carol Marcus is the love of James T. Kirk's life. Well, after the USS Enterprise, of course.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds Reminds Fans People Are Still Flawed in the Future

Carol Marcus Is the Most Important Person in James T. Kirk's Life Outside the Enterprise

Carol only appeared on-screen in The Wrath of Khan , yet her absence in The Original Series and the successive films looms large. Knowing Kirk had a one-true love that didn't work out informs much about his character. The Kelvin Timeline films took place in a different continuity, but Carol Marcus played a significant role in Star Trek Into Darkness, another Khan story . Interestingly, her relationship with Kirk amounts to mere flirting. The filmmakers were likely saving that for a future film that never came. Marcus ends up on the Enterprise, but three years later, during Star Trek: Beyond , she's no longer onboard. Also, as a crew member, it makes her relationship with Kirk problematic at best.

What the Kelvin Timeline Kirk has in common with the Kirk in Strange New Worlds is that both feel adrift. Kirk didn't truly become the best version of himself until he captained the Enterprise. To borrow a term from Across the Spider-Verse , Kirk choosing Starfleet over Carol is a "canon event." In The Wrath of Khan , David doesn't remember Kirk when he meets him. It's also unclear if David knows Kirk is his father or merely figures it out by the end. This all adds up to Kirk being out of Carol's life, at her request, before David develops object permanence.

Captain Kirk's reputation as a philanderer is overblown, mostly from 57 years of parody. Kirk is looking for love. Fans already know he doesn't find it with Carol Marcus. Perhaps he does find it, if only briefly, with La'an Noonien Singh? Strange New Worlds already showed the beginnings of some of Kirk's foundational relationships. Perhaps the series is also going to show how that foundation is built on the ruins of the ones that couldn't last? Carol Marcus may only appear twice in the entire Star Trek franchise , but it's her absence that makes her so important.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is currently streaming on Paramount+ .

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

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Carol Marcus

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Dr. Carol Marcus was a female Human who was one of the Federation 's leading molecular biologists of the 23rd century .

• 1 Starfleet career
• 2.1 The Genesis disaster
• 3 Later life
• 4 Alternate timeline
• 5.1 Connections
• 5.2 Appearances
• 5.3 External link

Starfleet career [ ]

In the early 2250s , Marcus attended Starfleet Academy alongside James T. Kirk and Gary Mitchell . During their time at the Academy, Marcus became romantically involved with Kirk, but their relationship came to an end in 2254 , when he cheated in the Kobayashi Maru scenario and abused her trust.

By 2260 , Marcus had graduated from the Academy and achieved the rank of lieutenant . Despite commendations for her superb work as a scientist , Marcus also earned several reprimands for minor insubordination and an unwillingness to follow orders.

In 2260, Lt. Marcus was assigned to the USS Eagle , under the command of Captain Botwin . Also serving aboard at this time was Commander Kirk, who was serving as Botwin's first officer . For the first few months they managed to avoid contact with each other, but Botwin ordered Kirk to try and set Marcus straight and make sure she became an excellent Starfleet officer. Over the next few months, the pair got reacquainted and once again became romantically involved.

The relationship came to an end following the Eagle 's mission to Caperna IV , where Marcus' ignorance of an order from Commander Kirk led to a landing party becoming endangered. Thankfully, all members of the party returned safely to the Eagle and Marcus was placed on report by Kirk. Shortly after, Marcus resigned from Starfleet after discovering that she was pregnant with Kirk's child. ( TOS comic : " Star-Crossed ")

In 2261 , Marcus was working for Kraden Interplanetary Research . ( TOS novel : Inception )

That year, Marcus gave birth to a son, David . ( ST reference : Chronology )

Scientist [ ]

Considered an expert in molecular biology , bio- protein development, cell mutation and radiation , she was offered many posts in the Federation , but kept being refusing to get involved in projects with potential military applications. ( TOS video game : 25th Anniversary )

In 2266 , she was assigned by the Federation Council to the meta-genome project at Starbase 47 as a civilian overseer. It was here, realizing the potential of the meta-genome , that Marcus first envisioned developing a technology that could create entire star-systems from scratch. ( VAN novel : Reap the Whirlwind )

David and Carol in 2267.

In 2267 , Carol and her son David then attended Sam Kirk 's funeral, though she did not want her son to meet his father. ( TOS - Year Four: The Enterprise Experiment comic : " Part 3 ")

In the year 2268 , approximately halfway through the USS Enterprise 's five-year mission (on stardate 3998.6), Carol Marcus and her seven-year-old son David were involved in a Klingon attack upon the Federation colony world of Beta Canzandia , where a terraforming research project was underway, supervised by Dr. Marcus. Carol and her son barely managed to escape alive, thanks to the intervention of the USS Enterprise and its first officer , Commander Spock . ( TOS novel : Faces of Fire )

By another account, in 2268 she had transferred to the ARK-7 space station to continue work with Dr. Anthony Cheever , eventually developing a device called the Cradle , which contained scores of microscopic life forms. Her team also accidentally created a virus during the course of their research which was deadly to Vulcanoid life forms. Thinking that the station was creating a weapon to be used by the Federation to commit genocide against the Romulan people, a Romulan force led by Centurion Preax boarded the station and took Doctor Marcus and Cheever prisoners. The crew of the USS Enterprise arrived to investigate the situation. Upon boarding the station Spock was infected with the virus, which made him seriously ill. Dr. Leonard McCoy worked rapidly to find a cure for the virus, curing Spock and the Romulans on board the station, and freeing the captives. Satisfied that the creation of the virus was an accident, the Romulans left Federation space peacefully. ( TOS video game : 25th Anniversary )

Apparently using the knowledge gained from the meta-genome project, Dr. Marcus invented the Genesis device and in 2284 , received Federation support for the project. Project Genesis was classified as top-secret and housed at the Regula I space station located near the Mutara Nebula . ( TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan )

The Genesis disaster [ ]

In 2285 , the Reliant discovered the planet Ceti Alpha V whereupon the ship was commandeered by the infamous Augment Khan Noonien Singh who learned of the vessels mission. He attempted to get more information on Project Genesis from his nemesis, Admiral James T. Kirk but was thwarted in his plan. He later traveled to the Regula facility where he was looking for the Genesis device and killed many of the station's personnel. Using a mind controlled Pavel Chekov , he learned of the prototype being located in a bunker on Regula and used the transporter to beam the device onto the Reliant . However, Admiral Kirk attempted to stop him and during the skirmish between the two, the Genesis device was detonated which killed Khan in the Mutara Nebula . The resulting explosion resulted in the formation of the Genesis Planet due to the energy matrix within the Genesis device. ( TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : The Wrath of Khan )

Later life [ ]

Following the Project Genesis disaster in 2285 , Marcus was forced to live the rest of her life under tight security, lest her top-secret knowledge of Genesis fall into unfriendly hands.

She lived a secluded life on the world of Pacifica , under the constant watch of Starfleet security officers. She was allowed to leave her exile whenever she wanted, but seldom did as she was required to bring along an entourage of bodyguards to protect her from any enemy who might desire the Genesis information. ( TNG novel : The Genesis Wave, Book One )

In 2293 , early in the year, Marcus was critically wounded during a Klingon attack upon the Federation colony world of Themis ; a weapons-test for General Chang 's prototype Bird-of-Prey capable of firing while cloaked . Near the end of the year, she attended Kirk's memorial service that was held on the grounds of Starfleet Academy . Also in attendance were former crewmembers of the USS Enterprise , and some of his other old "acquaintances." ( TOS novelization : Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ; TOS novel : The Fire and the Rose )

In 2310 , Marcus, along with Dr. Gillian Taylor and Captain Uhura of the USS Hermes , planned to test an experimental Genesis Device on Pacifica. However, Marcus and Taylor encountered intelligent life in Pacifica's ocean, and the plan was abandoned. ( TOS short story : " The Hero of My Own Life ")

In 2375 , she was kidnapped by a race of shape-shifting Moss Creatures , who tricked her into revealing the secrets of the Genesis Device . The moss-creatures used the Genesis technology to reform entire sections of space for resettlement. Marcus was killed in the explosion of the moss-creatures headquarters. She willingly stayed behind so that no other race could gain the knowledge of Genesis from her. ( TNG novels : The Genesis Wave, Book One , The Genesis Wave, Book Two )

Alternate timeline [ ]

In an alternate timeline in which John Frederick Paxton destroyed Starfleet Command and ended the talks for the Coalition of Planets in 2155 , Carol Kirk married Commander James T. Kirk , the first officer of the UESS Enterprise , in 2255 . They had a son named David Samuel Kirk , who was born in 2261 .

In 2264 , she and David were killed when their transport vessel, the Galileo , was travelling to an interstellar symposium on molecular biology proposed by the Vulcan government. Upon the sight of a human vessel crossing the border of the Interstellar Coalition , the ship was destroyed by the Coalition vessel ICV Vanik when its Vulcan captain T'Prynn claimed that the human transport was not responding to hails. This led to her husband developing a deep resentment towards Vulcans. ( TOS - Myriad Universes novel : A Less Perfect Union )

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ].

Template:Vault personnel

Appearances [ ]

External link [ ].

• Carol Marcus article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Cheronian
• 2 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 3 Eclipse class

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Flips A Switch On Kirk's Heartbreaking Backstory

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."

In the latest episode of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," "Subspace Rhapsody," the crew of the Enterprise falls under the influence of a mysterious psychic field that is activated by a broadcast of Cole Porter's "Anything Goes." The crew becomes unable to keep its emotions hidden, and individuals find themselves confessing their more passionate inner lives ... in song. "Subspace Rhapsody" is a full-blown musical. 

As established in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) has developed a powerful romantic attraction for James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley). This was complicated for her, however, as the Kirk she met hailed from an alternate timeline that was ultimately erased (dating in "Star Trek" seems quite difficult). In La'an's native timeline, however, Kirk is still alive, and she has to wrestle with the fact that she is intensely attracted to a man who has no memory of their time together. In "Subspace Rhapsody," Kirk visits the Enterprise, and La'an, thanks to the singing epidemic, has to confess her feelings for him. Kirk admits, however, that he cannot pursue anything with La'an ... because he's already in a relationship. He says that he's been periodically dating a woman named Carol and that she's pregnant with his child. La'an hadn't counted on that. 

The name Carol will instantly ring a lot of bells in Trekkies' minds. In Nicholas Meyer's 1982 film "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," Kirk (William Shatner) is reunited with an old flame named Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch), the developer of an instantaneous terraforming technology called the Genesis Wave. Kirk is also reunited with his son David (Merritt Butrick), now a bitter young man who never knew his father. 

"Star Trek II" made Kirk look like a deadbeat dad. "Subspace Rhapsody" attempts to recontextualize that interpretation. 

Dr. Carol Marcus

Kirk doesn't call the off-screen Carol by her full name, but it's safe to assume it's Dr. Carol Marcus. 

The dialogue in "Star Trek II" between Kirk and Dr. Marcus is full of quiet animosity, but an attempted understanding. Both characters are wholly devoted to their careers, and although they had a child together, they agreed — at some point in the past — to stay apart. David grew up resenting Kirk, seeing him as a violent military man that he wanted nothing to do with. The sudden introduction of an estranged son and abandoned lover reflected poorly on Kirk, but also lent important thematic underpinnings to "Star Trek II." The film is largely about getting older and facing the consequences of one's actions. Kirk is middle-aged and no longer has the luxury of galavanting away from his problems under the auspices of his career. Having a son indicates that he finally needs to take responsibility for things. "Star Trek II" implies that Kirk, as a younger man, was reckless and blasé. 

At best, Kirk was someone who had to leave behind a pregnant girlfriend under a mutual understanding. At worst, he knowledgeably ignored Dr. Marcus and absquatulated with his career intact. 

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" is set just a few years before the events of the original "Star Trek" series, and, given David's age in "Star Trek II," it syncs up that Kirk would be fathering his son at about this time. "Subspace Rhapsody" seems to reclaim Kirk's caddish reputation, staging him as a man who would happily stay with Dr. Marcus and raise their child, but also that his relationships can be fraught and complicated. He is not a wild sexual cowboy as his popular reputation might suggest.

Kirk's popular perception

The popular perception of Captain Kirk is, even to this day, that of a careless lothario. Yes, in the original "Star Trek" series, Kirk kissed his share of beautiful women, but Kirk's sexual prowess was rarely a plot point. Indeed, he was more often presented as a judicious, even serious starship commander, approaching most situations with logic and thought. This pop image of Kirk likely emerged in reruns, wherein Trekkies could watch key scenes back-to-back and form a rendition of Kirk that presented him as a sexual dynamo. "Star Trek II" tried to humble Kirk in light of his reputation. 

The Kelvin-verse "Star Trek" movies ran in the opposite direction, presenting a young Kirk (Chris Pine) as a sex-crazy super-stud who had threesomes on the regular, and who was instantly attracted to a young Dr. Marcus (Alice Eve), presented in her underwear. The Kelvin movies weren't so much a new version of "Star Trek" as they were the non-Trekkies' popular image of "Star Trek" presented literally. Kirk's romantic recklessness was a big part of the character in those movies. 

"Strange New Worlds," in contrast, is rescuing Kirk from his reputation. This younger man is a mite brash but presented as friendly, compassionate, clear-headed, and even sympathetic. The SNW version of young Kirk doesn't need to grow out of his "wild oats" period, he needs to harden into an adult. He's actually a lot more sensitive as a young man in "Strange New Worlds" than in the Kelvin-verse. He thinks about Dr. Marcus a lot and wants to do right by her. 

"Subspace Rhapsody" turns Kirk's womanizing into a myth. He may be destined to abandon Dr. Marcus, but we now know that he never wanted to. He is not reckless. He is haunted. 

Oh, That's Where Carol Marcus Was During Star Trek Beyond

At the end of Star Trek Into Darkness , it seems like Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) is poised to join the Enterprise and become an important member of the crew (and break up the near-total sausage party that is the cast). But come Star Trek Beyond, she’s nowhere to be found. Now we know why.

On the latest episode of the official Star Trek podcast , Simon Pegg answered the question. The real world answer was, basically, that co-writers Pegg and Doug Jung thought that they would “underserve” her character. Pegg also pointed out the fairly obvious point that killing her was a terrible option. No clue why that was something that might have happened, but, yes, it would have been bad.

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“We thought rather than have Carol Marcus be not used to a reasonable capacity, let’s just not include her, have her be alive, in canon, and be ready to come back at any time,” he concluded.

They did try to give a reason for her absence. “I think we had some lines to explain her absence in one of the initial drafts that had her going off to start work on the Genesis project and do sort of very, very early research on that,” Pegg went on to explain. “But it didn’t make it into the final cut.”

Can I just say, as nice it would be to have her back, let’s not bring back Carol Marcus in a movie to do the Kelvin universe’s take on Genesis . Please.

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Why alice eve's carol marcus didn't return for star trek beyond.

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Star Trek Reveals One of the 21st Century's Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs Is Illegal in the Future

Seven of nine just delivered star trek's sickest burn, star trek unveils the breen's terrifying ultimate weapon, the chimera.

Star Trek Beyond   was the second sequel to JJ Abrams' well-received  Star Trek   reboot, but why didn't Alice Eve's Carol Marcus make a return? Abrams enjoyed success with the first two installments in his rebooted franchise, with  Star Trek  earning $386 million worldwide while its sequel  Star Trek Into Darkness   doing even better with a $467 million haul.

Unfortunately for the franchise,  Star Trek Into Darkness   faced a lot of flack for its needless deception as to who its secret villain was (spoiler alert; it was Khan), and Abrams was soon tempted away from the franchise by making a movie set in a galaxy far, far away.  Star Trek Beyond  ended up being a ship with a different captain and Abrams' introduction of classic character Carol Marcus - who first appeared in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , played by Bibi Besch - ended up being left behind.

Related: The Complete History of Star Trek

There was a period of uncertainty following the release of  Star Trek Into Darkness  in 2013, and it wasn't until three years later that  Star Trek Beyond arrived. The film wound up being directed by Justin Lin - best known at the time for his work in the  Fast & Furious   franchise - and had a script written by co-star Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. The sequel enjoyed a decent critical response but profits sadly dipped to a figure even lower than the first film's box office. Alice Eve's sort-of love interest Carol Marcus for Captain Kirk in  Star Trek Into Darkness  didn't return for  Star Trek Beyond , probably to the benefit of Alice Eve. She had said in previous interviews she was game for returning , so why didn't the character return?

Carol Marcus' use in  Star Trek Into Darkness had already come under flack in the media for not having much of a purpose in the overall story, as well as for having a needless scene of star Alice Eve in her underwear . The reception to the poor handling of her character wasn't the reason for Marcus' lack of appearance in  Star Trek Beyond , however. Rather, Simon Pegg has gone on record to say that the story - which saw the crew of the Enterprise abandon ship, stranded on a planet by Idris Elba's mysterious villain - didn't have a role or a purpose for Carol Marcus. Pegg stated;

"We thought rather than have Carol Marcus be not used to a reasonable capacity, let’s just not include her, have her be alive, in canon, and be ready to come back at any time."

Rather than overpack an already crowded cast list for  Star Trek Beyond , Pegg opted instead to save Carol Marcus for a potential future installment. Sadly, that hasn't yet come to pass, although Noah Hawley is working on a new  Star Trek   movie. Whether that includes any of the Kelvin Timelines'  cast, Hawley isn't saying. Whatever the future holds for  Star Trek , it's looking unlikely Alice Eve's Carol Marcus will make a return.

Next:  Star Trek 4 Has Some Big Hurdles To Overcome

• SR Originals

• View history

Alice Eve ( born 6 February 1982 ; age 42) is an actress who played Carol Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness .

She also recorded the audiobook of the film. [1] The 2013 virtual collectible card battle game Star Trek: Rivals is using a picture of her for card #83 Doctor C. Marcus.

In 2019, she appeared in a video advertisement promoting the mobile game Star Trek: Fleet Command , appearing as both herself and Carol Marcus. [2]

Personal and early career [ ]

Born in London, England to actor parents Trevor Eve and Sharon Maughan , she made her screen acting debut in the BBC's 2004 biographical movie Hawking , in which Benedict Cumberbatch starred as Stephen Hawking . Eve and Cumberbatch later worked together in the 2006 comedy Starter for 10 before reuniting for Star Trek Into Darkness , in which Cumberbatch portrayed the primary antagonist. In the 2006 crime comedy Big Nothing , Eve co-starred opposite Simon Pegg , with whom she also reunited on Star Trek Into Darkness .

Eve was married to financier Alex Cowper-Smith from 2014 to 2017. [3] [4]

Eve's first American-made film was the 2009 drama Crossing Over , in which she co-starred with Ashley Judd . The following year, Eve was seen in two major motion picture comedies: she had the female lead in She's Out of My League and a supporting role in Sex and the City 2 . The latter film also featured Kim Cattrall and Willie Garson .

In 2011, Eve appeared on the HBO series Entourage in the recurring role of Sophia. Among the performers she worked with on this series were Melinda Clarke , Alan Dale and Malcolm McDowell .

In 2012, Eve played the lead female role in the Edgar Allan Poe -influenced thriller The Raven and appeared as a young Agent O in the sci-fi comedy sequel Men in Black 3 . The latter also featured appearances by Bill Hader , Marti Matulis and Keone Young . After the release of Star Trek Into Darkness , Eve and Chris Pine appeared in the video for Paul McCartney 's single "Queenie Eye". [5] (X)

Further credits include the drama Decoding Annie Parker (2013, with Spencer Garrett and Bob Gunton ), the drama Some Velvet Morning (2013), the crime thriller Cold Comes the Night (2013, featuring Erin Cummings and co-written by Oz Perkins ), and Chris Evans ' romance Before We Go (2014). She also produced the 2013 drama Death of a Farmer , starring her parents Trevor Eve and Sharon Maughan. Eve had a small cameo role together with Hugh Jackman in the 2014 comedy sequel Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb , with Bill Cobbs , Andrea Martin , and Rachael Harris .

She appeared in the drama/comedy Dirty Weekend (2015), the action drama Criminal (2016), the drama film Misconduct (2016), the science fiction action film Replicas (2018), and the drama film Bombshell (2019). In the latter, she played FOX News anchor Ainsley Earhardt about the sexual harassment scandal at the network, co-starring Spencer Garrett as Sean Hannity, Malcolm McDowell as FOX News founder Rupert Murdoch and Anne Elizabeth Ramsay as Greta Van Susteran.

Eve co-starred in the 2017 film Please Stand By which premise revolved around the character of a young autistic Trek fan named Wendy who runs away in order for her to be able to submit a script for a Star Trek writer's competition. Of interest to note is that near the ending of the film, Eve's character Audrey appeared as the visual representation of James T. Kirk in an imaginary dream sequence.

On television, Eve appeared in the 2016 Black Mirror episode "Nosedive" and the 2018 BBC whodunit miniseries Ordeal by Innocence . In 2018, she had a recurring role in the Marvel superhero series Iron Fist . In 2020, she co-starred in the Epix historical miniseries Belgravia , alongside Ella Purnell , followed by Belgravia: The Next Chapter in 2024.

External links [ ]

• AliceEve.net – Official website
• Alice Eve at Wikipedia
• Alice Eve at the Internet Movie Database
• AliceSophiaEve at X (formerly Twitter)
• Alice Eve at TriviaTribute.com
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

Alice eve: carol marcus.

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James T. Kirk : Dr. Marcus, I'm glad you could be part of the family.

Carol : It's nice to have a family.

Carol : [slaps her father]  I am ashamed to be your daughter!

James T. Kirk : [reading aloud]  "Lieutenant Carol Wallace. Doctorate in Applied Physics, specializing in Advanced Weaponry."

Spock : Impressive credentials.

Carol : Thank you.

Spock : But redundant now that I am back aboard the Enterprise.

James T. Kirk : And yet, the more the merrier.

Spock : What are you doing, Doctor?

Carol : Verifying that the torpedo's internal...

Spock : You misunderstand. What are you doing aboard this ship? There is no record of you being assigned to the Enterprise.

Carol : Really? That must be some sort of mistake.

Spock : My conclusion as well, Dr. Marcus. Except that you have lied about your identity. Wallace is the surname of your mother. I can only assume the Admiral is your father.

Carol : You're much cleverer than your reputation suggests, Captain Kirk.

James T. Kirk : I have a reputation?

Carol : Yes, you do. I'm a friend of Christine Chapel's.

James T. Kirk : Christine, yes. How is she?

Carol : She transferred to the outer frontier to be a nurse. She's much happier now.

James T. Kirk : That's good.

Carol : You have no idea who I'm talking about, do you?

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Strange New Worlds Finally Explains Return of Classic Star Trek Original Series Character

Strange New Worlds showrunners had long wanted to beam up Scotty to the Enterprise. Will more Original Series characters to follow?

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This Star Trek: Strange New Worlds article contains spoilers.

Prequel cameos are always tricky storytelling gambits. When done right, they can thrill fans with a shiver of recognition. When done wrong, it can feel cheap and sentimental, like almost everything with baby Leia in Obi-Wan Kenobi . But against all odds, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has managed to stay on the right side of this balancing act.

Casting delightful actors such as Celia Rose Gooding and Jess Bush has allowed showrunners Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers to explore characters who never really got their due in The Original Series . Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley manage to pay homage to Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner while forging their own takes on Spock and Kirk. Add to that number Montgomery Scott , the beloved engineer who made his SNW debut in the season two finale, “ Hegemony .”

We meet Scotty in the best possible way, when the Enterprise crew stumble into an ingenious trap the Lieutenant Junior Grade cobbled together to survive the Gorn. Played with both humility and abundant charm by True Scottsman Martin Quinn, Scotty immediately establishes himself as one of the episode’s highlights.

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For Myers, Scotty’s appearance was a long time coming. “We’ve been talking about him for a while as a general idea,” Myers explained to TVLine . “As we were going into the finale, it suddenly became a weird, rare opportunity to introduce him for a lot of different reasons.” Once they realized that they had spot for Scotty, Myers and Goldsman then had a chance to make Star Trek history with the casting. “We also had a great opportunity to cast someone who’s from Scotland,” Myers enthused.

Of course, it wasn’t just about the accent. Quinn also had to be both recognizable and distinct as Scotty, as he isn’t yet the miracle worker who saves Kirk’s Enterprise time and again. According to Myers, Quinn is an actor “who can do that Scotty, but also who can go through all of the things that we want to see him go through before he becomes the person that we know.”

Indeed, all of the major TOS characters have had this mixture of familiarity and difference, whether it’s Uhura unsure if she wants to join Starfleet, Kirk considering monogamy with Carol Marcus, or Spock experimenting with emotions. According to Myers, that tension makes for good storytelling with well-worn TOS characters. “We don’t meet our understanding of who they are in that series, we meet who they are before,” he explained. “They don’t know who they will be, and they aren’t that person yet. They have some stuff to go through.”

For Goldsman, Scotty’s appearance is just part of the nature of a prequel series like SNW . “[I]t starts to become inevitable that we start to pull in more folks that are sort of  TOS -based,” he admitted. Does that mean that Sulu, Chekov, and Rand will drop by in season three? Goldsman and Myers aren’t saying anything yet, but they do promise this about the great Montgomery Scott: “We will see him more.” As with all things Scotty, that’s miracle enough.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is streaming now on Paramount+.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

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Published May 31, 2024

Robin Curtis Looks Back at Star Trek III: The Search for Spock For Its 40th Anniversary

Curtis on portraying Saavik, being directed by Leonard Nimoy, and more!

StarTrek.com

Forty years ago this weekend, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock inherited the monumental task of picking up the tale of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew following Spock's tragic death in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Written by Harve Bennett and directed by Leonard Nimoy himself, the film dealt with the aftermath of the battle with Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban), the evolution of the newly-created Genesis Planet, and Kirk's unsanctioned jaunt to bring Spock's body and katra — a Vulcan’s living spirit — to be reunited on Mount Seleya.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Complete with Christopher Lloyd's portrayal of a ruthless Klingon commander named Kruge, the original Star Trek series' cast's signature camaraderie, and an adventurous spirit, the third Star Trek film welcomed Robin Curtis to the role of Lieutenant Saavik, the Vulcan officer who accompanied Kirk's son Doctor David Marcus (Merritt Butrick) during his expedition to the Genesis Planet. Curtis was kind enough to speak to StarTrek.com and help us celebrate The Search for Spock 's 40th anniversary by reflecting on her time as Saavik and the rare experience of playing a Vulcan while being directed by Leonard Nimoy.

Four decades later, and Robin Curtis recollects that her respect for Nimoy as a director and collaborator was established the instant they met. "Right out of the gate, I could express nothing but praise for working with him, and it's only gotten better over time. Like good wine, my experience with him has aged well," remarks Curtis. "I look back with such fondness at his sensitivity, his respect for other actors, his ability to orchestrate the existing cast — his fellow coworkers for so many years — and newcomers like myself and Christopher Lloyd."

During her audition for the role of Saavik, Curtis had the unique distinction of hearing Nimoy's insight into what an actor can do to truly become a Vulcan. "Mr. Nimoy took such a lovely, intuitive approach to directing. He said, 'Vulcans have 1,000 years of wisdom behind the eyes,'" says Curtis of Nimoy's early advice regarding the Vulcan nature. "When I was given the role, he told me I should look in the mirror [and practice] talking without using my face to express what I was saying. Being so still and so contained near about did me in, and I thought I was failing so miserably at it that I was going to be fired. I didn't feel the innate knack or confidence that I was nailing it."

The challenge of assuming a Vulcan disposition weighed even more heavily on Curtis' shoulders when placed in context with her desire to deliver an excellent performance. "I was as serious as a heart attack on the set! I didn't speak until I was spoken to, which is totally unlike my normally sociable self. I was very earnest, wanting to show and demonstrate that I was grateful for this part. I wanted to do a good job and hit it out of the park," adds Curtis, who sensed that Nimoy appreciated her devotion to the film and her role as Saavik, as well as her overall work ethic and approach to acting.

In spite of her doubts, Curtis had her morale boosted by a pact she made with the director. "I shook his hand on my very first day of filming, and I said, 'Mr. Nimoy, you seem to think I know what I'm doing. And I need to tell you I do not.' And he said, 'Robin, I will take you every step of the way. I will never take you out on the end of a limb and leave you there.' I said, 'Deal.' And we shook hands on it, and he fulfilled that promise in each and every scene," declares Curtis.

Curtis also attests that there were certain scenes which were easier to approach and more straightforward than others. Those involving Saavik and weighty emotions demanded more scrutiny and attention. For example, while holding Saavik, Kirk's son David Marcus, and a reborn Spock hostage on the Genesis Planet, Kruge ordered one of his soldiers to kill a prisoner in order to demonstrate his conviction toward acquiring the Genesis Device. The sentence was inflicted upon David, and Saavik was forced to report the death to the man's father. "That [moment] filled me with anxiety and dread. How could I possibly say that with the Vulcan demeanor?"

Those complexities also rang true on the other end of the emotional spectrum. With a rapidly aging Spock overwhelmed by the urges of the pon farr , or the Vulcan time of mating, Saavik guided him through the intimate process. This scene, with its close contact and affectionate hand gesture, represented another significant Vulcan hurdle to overcome. "The reverence and enormity and profundity of pon farr , and going into this cave with Spock," begins Curtis. "We came to the set with no sense of what that would look like. [Young Spock actor] Stephen Manley and I were both a little trepidatious about what Lenoard was going to have us do. What would a Vulcan love scene or Vulcan foreplay look like? In fact, I've only just learned recently that the simple gesture that Leonard introduced us to that day, the notion of [the characters] joining their fingers, was originally introduced by Spock's mother and Sarek in the television series."

Behind-the-scenes of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Of course, having pioneered the Vulcan temperament for nearly 20 years by the time The Search for Spock entered production, Nimoy was singularly suited to answer questions about such delicate matters. Whether dealing with Saavik's reaction to David's death, the intimacy of pon farr , or any of Curtis' other scenes, Curtis recalls Nimoy's valuable input. "He would take me aside before every scene, and we'd sit down at the edge of the set on the platform, and I'd say the lines. He would moderate me no differently than we do with our cars with the radio volume. I was so grateful for that," shares Curtis.

Shifting her focus to her overall impression of their professional association, Curtis conveys her appreciation for Nimoy's leadership on the film before admitting she does have one slight regret. "I absolutely love the man. Loved him as a person, loved him as a director, and I'm sorry that I was too shy to even hint or suggest that we would have a friendship outside the realm of the shoots themselves."

While their friendship was largely limited to the production itself, the director did leave an indelible impact on Curtis' personal life. "Leonard Nimoy was aware that my father was battling cancer at the time, and it wasn't looking good," notes Curtis. "The best thing I remember about Star Trek is that it was a colossally beautiful distraction from the agony we were feeling as a family. Leonard Nimoy reminds me of my dad, and they were the same age. And [Nimoy] was so sensitive and kind about the idea that Star Trek was such a gift and a bright light for my family in a time of suffering. Ultimately, my dad lived long enough to see the movie. I went home to be at the Riverside Mall in Utica, New York, with my neighbors and family, and my dad made it to the movie theatre. I will always be grateful for that."

Curtis' thankfulness extends to the many fans who regularly compliment her for her tenure as Saavik in The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . "I'm flabbergasted at the multitude of ways that [Star Trek] has enriched my life. My heart explodes over the tenacity of the fans and how the franchise only gets better and richer. People are very generous and sentimental about [ The Search for Spock ]. They understood it was part of a triumvirate [of films]," observes Curtis. Referring to her final on-screen moments in The Voyage Home , in which Saavik and Amanda Grayson remain behind on Vulcan, Curtis jokes, "What did she and [Amanda Grayson actor] Jane Wyatt get up to? [ laughs ] What happened with the pon farr ? Did she end up being pregnant? I think the fans were just as curious as I was."

Perceiving her connection with the fans as a gift, Curtis contemplates an unexpected phone call she received from a medical facility in Cleveland, Ohio. A young man who she had once met at a convention had been taken off of dialysis and given only two weeks to live. The staff member contacting Curtis informed her that the man's last wish was to share a meal with her. "I had shown him some kindness at a convention in Ohio in the '90s, and he remembered," reveals Curtis, who didn't hesitate to make the five-hour drive to Cleveland that very same day. Before leaving, Curtis advised the caller, "You tell him I'll be there for dinner, and I wouldn't miss it for the world." Arriving Friday evening, Curtis spent every waking hour of that weekend with the fan. After departing on Sunday, they talked each day until he passed the following week. "That was a gift to me, and I like to think maybe a small gift to him," explains Curtis, noting that their connection has endured via her ongoing friendship with the fan's aunt.

The Search for Spock clearly meant a lot to those who watched it repeatedly, but Curtis' own perception of the movie has evolved since its release. "I saw the film at the time and then never saw it again for so many years. My memory of it was that it was depressing [ laughs ]," confesses Curtis. "The fact of the matter is, everything dies. Genesis dies, the ship dies, Kirk's son dies. Spock comes back to life, but he starts out dead [ laughs ]." As was the case for many of us, the pandemic changed everything for Curtis. "We were all in our houses and seeking connection. I felt like I needed to go back, so I rewatched [ The Next Generation two-parter] 'Gambit,' and I rewatched the movie. And I thought, 'This is funny!' There's a lot of good parts in this film that aren't depressing. I don't know why I had that impression stuck in my brain, but maybe it's because my involvement was very serious. Everything I had to do dealt with great disappointment and loss and tragedy."

Looking back, Curtis cites Sarek's mind meld with Admiral Kirk as her favorite scene, describing the sentiment behind the characters' interaction, the cinematography, and the close up of the actors' faces as "gorgeous." Though she felt the mood on the set of The Voyage Home was more joyful and playful — after all, she still has Polaroids of herself making funny faces with Walter Koenig, George Takei, Kirk Thatcher, and other cast and crew, Curtis maintains fond memories of working on The Search for Spock . "The cast were so generous and classy with me, and they understood the weight upon my shoulders as the newcomer. They were reassuring. I remember Walter Koenig told me to keep a journal. And of course, like a jackass, I didn't listen. [ laughs ]," jests Curtis. "Now, I wish I had kept one."

The Search for Spock 's conclusion exuded hope and wonder, as Spock's body and katra were reunited in a ceremony on Mount Seleya. Following his resurrection, Spock passes by each crew member in attendance, eventually finding himself embraced by the group. Although a glance between Spock and Saavik was fleeting, much preparation went into that moment. "[Nimoy] approached me before the scene and asked, 'How would you feel if you were to suddenly come upon somebody that you loved or were intimate with on a New York City street? How would you imagine that?' In the matter of a split second, so many thoughts went through my mind," says Curtis. "First, what a personal question to ask. Then I felt tenderness, embarrassment, sentimentality, nostalgia, and vulnerability all at once. I looked up at him, then looked down. He said, 'That’s it!' And I thought, ' Oh, okay, I love you! ' It is so lovely and simple when a director does that. No arm wrestling had to happen, he just asked me a simple question and I got [the scene]."

As for The Search for Spock 's ending, when Spock's friends crowd around him on Vulcan, Curtis recollects that she and the other cast members were given a general direction to "be encouraged by that moment and confident that his katra had been restored. Sometimes we don't work those moments out, and it's all on the fly. It was very much off-the-cuff." Whether meticulously planned or inspired by the moment, these scenes combined to create a film that has stood the test of time and established itself as a crucial installment in the pantheon of Star Trek stories.

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Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer, author, and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Learn more about Jay by visiting JayStobie.com or finding him on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms at @StobiesGalaxy.

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Emmys 2024: Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees!

Michael ausiello, president & editorial director.

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Two HBO dramas — Succession and The White Lotus — accounted for all (yes, all ) of last year’s Emmy nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

With the former now concluded and the latter between seasons, the 2024 contest is about to get rocked by an injection of new blood. And we at Dream Emmy headquarters are welcoming the potentially unprecedented reset with open arms.

Scroll through the list below to review all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren’t predictions ; they’re wish lists ) and then tell us if our picks warrant a “Hell, yes!,” “Um, no” or “How could you leave off so-and-so?!”

For the record, 2024 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 13-24, and unveiled on July 17. The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, Sept. 15, on ABC.

Scroll down for links to our previous Dream Emmy categories:

Outstanding Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees

Tadanobu Asano, Shōgun

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Asano grunted his way into our hearts as scruffy warlord Yabushige in FX’s samurai epic, always happy to backstab a trusted ally if it worked to his advantage. Yabushige’s pragmatic power moves and blunt manner of speaking provided much-needed comic relief throughout the saga, but Asano also showed us the warlord’s tender side as his schemes ultimately came back to bite him in the backside. We can’t say that we endorse all of Yabushige’s self-serving maneuvers, but we can say we enjoyed every minute Asano was on screen. — Dave Nemetz

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: The Emmy winner outdid himself in Season 3. As Cory tap-danced his way around UBA’s many landmines, Crudup nailed the character’s grandiose monologues with his usual style. But we were struck hardest by how he tackled moments where the character was completely thrown. When Cory learned UBA was about to be dismantled, for instance, the confusion and panic on Crudup’s face — as well as his inability to string more than a few words together — told us volumes more than any bloviating would have. This was a character that was scared , and in Crudup’s hands, all the more watchable for it. — Kimberly Roots

Vondie Curtis-Hall, Justified: City Primeval

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Curtis-Hall’s Marcus “Sweety” Sweeton was colorful enough as just a former musician who used to roll with George Clinton and now, as owner of a Detroit watering hole, looks the other way whenever lowlife Clement Mansell darkens his doorstep. But in Episode 4, Sweety started to get big ideas about the murder weapon he’d found stashed in his bar, and Curtis-Hall added to his finely calibrated performance a cool, calculating pragmatism… that, alas, threatened to sour Sweety’s mild-mannered existence. — Matt Webb Mitovich

Babs Olusanmokun, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Olusanmokun’s complex portrayal of Strange New Worlds ‘ Dr. M’Benga was a highlight of the second season. It was refreshing to see the actor delve into the grittier parts of the Enterprise ‘s normally affable and calm chief medic, losing some of that well-practiced control. We saw that most in “Under the Cloak of War,” as a haunted M’Benga grappled with traumatic memories, displaying a chilling stoicism in one moment and navigating harrowing panic attacks in the next. Olusanmokun brought new depth to the OG character and, in turn, became one of our favorite parts of the show. — Keisha Hatchett

Ke Huy Quan, Loki

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: As Ouroboros, the TVA’s quirky head of Repairs and Advancement, Quan brought well-timed comedy and deeply felt emotion to Loki ‘s second season — and it was often O.B.’s charming, engaging passion for quantum physics that kept Loki from collapsing under the weight of its own time-and-space jargon in Season 2. Both effortlessly funny and compellingly sincere, Quan’s performance was an instant standout, elevating even Loki ‘s most head-spinning moments on the continuum. — Rebecca Iannucci

Tim Robbins, Silo

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: When we first ventured into the Apple TV+ series’ titular underground community, Bernard Holland, the head of IT, frankly came off as just a d—k. Which would have been fine, because few can do officious like Robbins. But as the 10-episode season unfolded and characters’ secrets and agendas were slowly revealed, Robbins clearly relished peeling back Bernard’s deceptive layers. Robbins created a formidable, if entertainingly irritable, foil for Rebecca Ferguson’s crafty Juliette. — M.W.M.

Ray Stevenson, Ahsoka

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: It was important that Baylan Skoll make an impact from the very first instant he was on screen, and then hold our attention as the former Jedi Knight’s agenda clashed with that of Ahsoka Tano. The late Stevenson, with his physical presence, the timbre of his line delivery, and the gravitas of his performance, made Skoll an instantly iconic Star Wars character. Stevenson served up just the right amount of menace, while his master/apprentice bond with Ivanna Sakhno’s Shin Hati was itself a story we’d love to learn more about. — M.W.M.

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Ray Stevenson – yes! But also…

Hayden Christensen.

I don’t think anyone deserves anything for Justified: City Primeval. That show was such a huge disappointment in every way.

Absolutely Tadanobu Asano!

I think my top 6 would be

Tadanobu Asano, Shogun Billy Crudup, The Morning Show Jon Hamm, The Morning Show Boyd Holbrook, Justified: City Primeval Jack Lowden, Slow Horses Jonathan Pryce, The Crown

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