Actor Rainn Wilson is best known for his performance as Dwight Schrute in the long-running sitcom The Office. The series ran for nine seasons and turned Wilson into a household name. Such is Wilson’s synonymity with the role that it is easy to forget about some of the actor’s other performances.
As a result, some fans might forget that Wilson has also appeared in the Star Trek franchise. Wilson played one of the most beloved guest characters from the original series in one of the newer additions to the long-running sci-fi franchise. Here is who Wilson plays in Star Trek and what he had to say about it.
The Office star Rainn Wilson plays a beloved Star Trek character from the original series
Rainn Wilson gained recognition for his portrayal of Dwight Schrute in the NBC sitcom The Office. However, following his stint on the series, Wilson later played the role of Harry Mudd in the sci-fi series Star Trek: Discovery.
The character was first introduced in the original series with actor Roger C. Carmel playing the role in the first season of Star Trek: The Original Series. In the series, Mudd is a conman who encounters the Enterprise crew, with Wilson taking over the role for the 2017 series.
During an interview with IndieWire, Wilson discussed succeeding Carmel in the now-iconic role. Wilson had the following to say about his take on the beloved character from the original series:
I was a big fan of him originally, and he brought a wonderful sense of play and a larger-than-life drama and humor.
Wilson added that aside from the humor, the original performance also had a touch of a mean streak. As a result, the actor admitted to borrowing the balance between humor and Carmel’s mean touch to craft his own, more modern take on the character.
Rainn Wilson on his future in the franchise after Star Trek: Discovery
In the same interview, Wilson also discussed working on Star Trek: Discovery, the first installment in the franchise’s modern phase. As a result, Wilson felt that the character had to be updated and made him a little for insidious with his performance.
Meanwhile, Wilson shared his experience of working on the show, which was made with modern technology. The actor admitted to being blown away by the show’s production facility in Canada.
At the same time, he was asked what the future held for his character beyond the first season.
I haven’t been told. I mean, I would love to be back.
Wilson made the above statement, revealing he did not know what was in store for his character. However, he admitted to having a blast with the cast and was grateful for the fans’ positive reactions to his role.
Ultimately, Wilson only appeared in two episodes of the show’s first season. He later reprised the role in an episode of the animated Star Trek: Short Treks. However, Wilson did not return to Discovery, despite the series lasting five seasons, which might explain why most fans have forgotten about his role.
Star Trek: Discovery is currently streaming on Paramount+.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire