Few Star Trek stars engage with the fanbase quite like Melissa Navia. She “flies the ship,” as her character, Lt. Erica Ortegas in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, put it. Recently, the actress began going live on Instagram alongside fellow Trek alumni like Todd Stashwick and Robert Picardo. The latest live conversation between Navia and Picardo took fan questions and offered behind-the-scenes talk, including glimpses into the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Pilot…
Fans were surely smiling to see Melissa Navia and Robert Picardo, who played The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager and the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, together on Instagram Live. Their charming personalities complement each other, and it is no wonder that they’ve become good friends.
“One of the many wonderful things that happen when you join the Star Trek family…is you get to meet and often become close with all the actors from the different Star Trek shows and one of the ways you get to do that is through conventions. Back in October 2023, I got this opportunity to do conventions in Australia and New Zealand and Bob (Robert Picardo), Kate Mulgrew and Jess Bush and Todd Stashwick were with me so we had a 3-week adventure!”
– Melissa Navia.
episode of Strange New Worlds.
The duo discussed Picardo’s recent hosting for Star Trek at San Diego Comic Con, which Navia did not attend. Picardo noted how much he enjoyed the experience, especially being on stage with his fellow Starfleet Academy actors. An intriguing question for Robert Picardo delved into Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, his return, and what had changed the most since Star Trek: Voyager.
“First of all, on Star Trek: Voyager, there were no zippers in the 24th Century, you had no idea how we got in and out of our clothes. We had these little hidden zippers and if a zipper head ever showed in a take, they’d spent thousands of dollars reshooting the take to get rid of the zipper tag. Well now, in the 32nd century, zippers have made an extraordinary comeback and you see zippers being zipped and unzipped so many times…”
Robert Picardo
Picardo was naturally keeping cards close to his chest, but he did have a tidbit to share about the upcoming Starfleet Academy series. We can expect a bright new cast and some great storytelling, whilst retaining those core Star Trek values. Further, when asked, Picardo could not confirm nor deny if The Doctor will be heard singing opera in the new show (we are hoping so)! An entertaining conversation ensued when they were asked how they work on Star Trek‘s sets and how they “push” the buttons. Suffice it to say, Google wasn’t helpful in finding a starship manual:
modern augmented Reality screen.
The Play’s The Thing
One fan asked the pair what part of their jobs as actors brought them the most joy.
Navia explained that fan interactions were at the top of her list. After meeting fans at conventions, she always leaves on a high note. She noted that it’s the fans who truly make Star Trek the beloved franchise it is. They are a massive part of its success and continued longevity.
Top of Picardo’s list was the execution of the script. Taking what has been written and transferring it through acting, on the day, to the screen. He also mentioned the phenomenal fan response to Star Trek over the years, with so many re-watching shows twenty-plus years after filming. And still enjoying it!
The Planetary Society
The hour-long Instagram live-cast wrapped up with Picardo talking about his involvement with The Planetary Society and what we, the fans, can do to help. The Society is a non-profit organization that promotes space advocacy.
Warp Speed to the 32nd Century…
The insights of Robert Picardo make us even more excited for the upcoming Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series, which is set to debut in early 2026. Check out Navia’s and Picardo’s full Instagram Live video here.
A week prior, she also went live with Star Trek: Picard’s Todd Stashwick, talking about everything from acting life to world affairs. Hopefully, we will see more of these enlightening conversations soon!
And we still have a couple of episodes of Strange New Worlds Season 3 to look forward to! What more is in store for Navia and the rest of the Enterprise crew? You can find out as episodes release weekly on Paramount+.
More From Trek Central
📰 – Filming Starts for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4
🔥 – Christopher Pike – The Journey to Strange New Worlds Season 3
🔎️ – Star Trek Online Beams Down New Timeless Legacy Starship Bundle!
Join the Star Trek conversation via our social media platforms:
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TrekCentral
- Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/TrekCentral
- Instagram – https://instagram.com/TrekCentral
- BlueSky – https://bsky.app/profile/trekcentral.net
- Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheTrekCentral
- YouTube – https://youtube.com/TheTrekCentral
- Mastodon – https://mastodon.social/@[email protected]
- Discord – https://discord.gg/fF2heMbfW8
