Star Trek: Strange New Worlds executive producer Akiva Goldsman confirms Khan connection
Christina Chong as La’an Noonien Singh in the cast teaser for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
FEBRUARY 6, 2022 - With just under three months until the debut of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, excitement is building around a new character. Cast member Christina Chong will play La’an Noonien-Singh, a bridge officer aboard the Enterprise and direct descendant of Khan Noonien-Singh. During last week’s Television Critics Association panel, Executive Producer Akiva Goldsman confirmed the relationship between the two, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
With Chong’s character expected to be a series regular, Goldsman was prompted to confirm whether or not La’an Noonien-Singh is, in fact, related to the classic Star Trek villain, Khan. Goldsman responded, saying, “She’s related to Khan, for sure, and, uh, and the deal will unfold.” While all the details are still under wraps, Goldsman was keen to assure audiences that using the Noonien-Singh is more than just fan service. “We don’t want to bring folks into the show to be splashy,” he said. “We want to dig deeply into characters that are part of our ensemble and then, obviously, we’re open. … But right now, what you see is what you get.”
While that doesn’t tell us much about what to expect from La’an Noonien-Singh, it’s pretty clear that we can expect to see some aspect of her lineage bridge with the events of Strange New Worlds.
Khan Noonien-Singh, on the other hand, is no stranger to fans of the Star Trek franchise. Played by Ricardo Montalban, Khan Noonien-Singh made his first appearance in 1967, in the TOS episode “Space Seed”. Montalban reprised the role in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, released in 1982. It would be another 31 years before the character would return to screens in Star Trek: Into Darkness, with Benedict Cumberbatch assuming the role.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is set to premiere on Paramount+ May 5th, 2022. Download the app or visit paramountplus.com to learn more and to subscribe.
Chris Peterson is a contributing writer for Daily Star Trek News on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. An outdoor enthusiast and a fan of film and literature, he is also an actor, singer and musician with stage credits including CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and The Producers.
