Star Trek Actor Returning For Picard Season 2, But With A Catch

This Star Trek actor isn't returning in the way we thought for Picard season 2.

By Charlene Badasie | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

Patrick Stewart

Star Trek: The Next Generation star Brent Spiner will appear in the second season of Star Trek: Picard. But the actor says he will be playing a brand new character and not the iconic android Data. Spiner portrayed Data in the first season of the show, but the role originated opposite Patrick Stewart in The Next Generation.

In The Next Generation, Data was discovered by Starfleet after being the sole survivor of an attack on Omicron Theta. The android went on to star in every episode and assume the role of lieutenant commander. Brent Spiner went on to reprise the role in four movies, five video games, and two additional Star Trek television series. Interestingly, Spiner also played Dr. Noonian Soong, the original creator of Data. And he would later portray his son, Dr. Altan Inigo Soong, in the debut season of Picard.

When Spiner’s return was announced for Star Trek: Picard’s second season, fans were excited to see Data again. But in an interview with Inverse to promote his latest book Fan Fiction, the actor confirmed that Data will remain dead. However, he did offer fans a glimpse into what the next chapter of his life in the show might bring.

I can tell you I’m not Data. I know they haven’t revealed much about me being in the show. I can tell you I’m a member of the Soong family. And, that I’m not playing a character I’ve ever played before.

Brent Spiner
star trek

Brent Spiner is not the only veteran Star Trek actor to make an appearance in the new season of Picard. John de Lancie will be appearing as Q, the trickster entity who got the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D out of and into some sticky situations.

The second season of Star Trek: Picard will see Jean-Luc go up against an old adversary, the Borg Queen. According to Deadline, Annie Wersching will play the iconic character who will be featured in a recurring role on the Paramount Plus series. It’s still unclear how the Borg Queen will fit into the show. But it will probably involve some sort of time travel, especially since the upcoming season follows Jean-Luc Picard and his companions as they attempt to save the future after time is broken.

Star Trek: Picard was created by Akiva Goldsman, Michael Chabon, Kirsten Beyer, and Alex Kurtzman in 2020. It is the eighth Star Trek series and was launched as part of Kurtzman’s expanded Star Trek UniverseThe story focuses on a retired Jean-Luc Picard who has been deeply affected by the death of Data in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis and the destruction of the planet Romulus in 2009’s Star Trek. Patrick Stewart executive produces the series and stars as iconic Starfleet Captain Picard, reprising his role from the series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Evan Evagora, Michelle Hurd, Santiago Cabrera, Harry Treadaway, Jeri Ryan, Orla Brady, and Brent Spiner also star.

Produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment, Star Trek: Picard is executive produced by Alex Kurtzman, Akiva Goldsman, Terry Matalas, Stewart, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Doug Aarniokoski, and Dylan Massin. Aaron Baiers and Kirsten Beyer serve as co-executive producers, while Goldsman and Matalas serve as co-showrunners for season two. Star Trek: Picard season two will premiere in February 2022.