Summary
- James T. Kirk is hailed as TV’s most iconic character by Paul Wesley at STLV.
- Wesley didn’t do a Shatner impersonation for his role as Lt. James T. Kirk.
- A very specific side of Kirk will be seen in Strange New Worlds season 3, Paul Wesley hints.
Paul Wesley calls James T. Kirk “the most iconic character in the history of television” and hints at what’s next for Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. Wesley became only the second actor to play James T. Kirk on television, following in the footsteps of Kirk’s originator, William Shatner. Wesley received Shatner’s blessing after Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast him as Lt. James T. Kirk, who is the younger version of the future Captain of the USS Enterprise portrayed by Shatner in Star Trek: The Original Series.
Chris Pine played an alternate timeline Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies.
Screen Rant was at STLV: Trek to Vegas for Paul Wesley’s panel discussing his career as the star of The Vampire Diaries and his portrayal of James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Wesley described his approach to playing Kirk by not doing a William Shatner impression, and Paul teased that audiences will see “a very specific side” of Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. Check out Paul Wesley at STLV below:
Paul Wesley also played two alternate reality versions of Captain James T. Kirk before formally introducing Lt. James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”.
How Paul Wesley’s Kirk Fits Into Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Kirk keeps finding reasons to visit the Starship Enterprise
Paul Wesley’s Lieutenant James T. Kirk was newly promoted to First Officer of the USS Farragut in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, but Kirk found plenty of reasons to visit the Starship Enterprise commanded by Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). After Kirk was contacted by Lt. La’an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), he beamed aboard the Enterprise to learn how to be a First Officer from Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) AKA Number One.
Paul Wesley has confirmed Lt. James T. Kirk will be dropping by his future starship even more in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.
Kirk’s reunion with his brother, Lt. Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte), who serves on the Enterprise, was tense, but James met Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), who introduced him to Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck), setting the stage for Star Trek: The Original Series in the future. Meanwhile, James shares a mutual attraction to La’an, although neither can act as Kirk has a pregnant girlfriend, Carol Marcus. But with so many ties to the Enterprise, Paul Wesley has confirmed Lt. James T. Kirk will be dropping by his future starship even more in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.
