Naveen Andrews on Voicing Khan and the Untold Story of Ceti Alpha V in ‘Star Trek: Khan’

(Photo credit to Meyers Mgmt)

Written by Colleen Bement, Editor

What really happened on Ceti Alpha V? A new podcast series, Star Trek: Khan, will answer one of the biggest lingering questions in Trek history. It also immerses us into the world Khan and his followers were thrown into, and it’s pretty powerful!

Brilliant actor Naveen Andrews brings Khan Noonien Singh to life and takes listeners deep into that harsh and desolate world. Known for his performances as Sayid in the hit series Lost and Jonas in Sense8, Andrews has built a career defined by intensity, versatility, and depth. Born in London to Indian parents from Kerala, he discovered his passion for acting at a young age and honed his craft at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama. From his breakout role in London Kills Me to memorable spot in The English Patient, and beyond, Andrews has captivated audiences worldwide. In our interview, Andrews chats Star Trek, Sense8, and creating this exciting new series coming out on Star Trek Day, September 8th.

 

Colleen Bement: Fans are super excited about the latest Trek series, Star Trek: Khan. It’s a storyline that has been begging to be told, and I, for one, am really looking forward to it. Let’s start out by chatting about your character, Khan Noonien Singh. How is one of Trek’s most evil villains portrayed in this new series? Will we have some sympathy for what happened to him and his people?

Naveen Andrews: I genuinely hope the audience feels sort of empathy for as he’s portrayed in this podcast. I genuinely hope that is the case, because where I went in terms of my research for Khan was straight to Ricardo Montalbán. The source and the template, really, for what we were trying to do. Particularly his episode in the 1960s Star Trek series. That’s what we drew from.

CB: What can you tell us about the production of this podcast series? What went into making it?

NA: A lot of hard work and writing, and in my opinion, writing at the highest quality. Also but what we had, really, was a certain kind of intimacy between the actor and the director, Kirsten. We couldn’t technically have more than one actor in the studio which obviously is a shame because personally I like to work with actors in order to create something. That was impossible, so we had to make due with our limitations, yet at the same time create a sort of intimacy between just the three of you and it’s possible to work within those confines and create something of value.

CB: The series delves into the events leading up to my favorite Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan. Will the audience gain new insights or understanding about Khan’s motivations for seeking revenge against Kirk?

NA: Absolutely. The audience will hopefully be able to join up all the dots in terms of what we’ve done. I’ve been asked this question before: is his wrath against Captain Kirk justified? The audience will be able to make their own decisions about that, but it’s certainly informed by what we’ve done.

CB: How does portraying Khan solely through voice acting in an audio drama differ from your previous experience portraying characters in film and television?

NA: For me, there’s always been a certain magic with radio. I looked to the example of Orson Wells reading H.G. Wells’ The World of the Worlds and the effect that had in the 1930s. There’s a certain magic that you get from the human voice reading a story because the audience has to do, it seems to me, 80% of the work, and that doesn’t exist in film and theater. Therefore, you have a medium that can do something that the other mediums can’t.

Q: I’d like to veer off a bit. You have played some absolutely amazing roles, from Sayid in Lost to Jonas in Sense8. Sense8 just might be one of my most favorite shows ever! What was your experience like creating that show and working with The Wachowskis?

NA: It would have been nice if they had been allowed to realize their vision and continue their series, but I think they had to do a final, like a third sort of condensed season to bring the show to an end. But in terms of its ideas and what it says about human empathy, ideas that are almost unfashionable now, but the idea that we are all one. We sink or swim according to that credo. We’re not just individuals. We depend on each other.

CB: I’ve been watching Star Trek since the original series reruns in the ’70s. Its legacy is like no other. Are you also a fan?

NA: I also, having been born in 1969, grew up watching Star Trek in the 1970s, and what was remarkable to me, even as a child of 7 or 8, was that this was a science fiction show that had a core of moral responsibility. Which is unique and exceptional. 

CB: Thank you for taking the time out to chat with Nerd Alert News and we’re looking forward to Star Trek: Khan.

More about the series and the trailer:

Before he became the Khan we know from “Wrath of Khan,” he was a leader, a visionary, and a survivor. This audio series will take listeners deep into the harsh and desolate world, exploring the challenges Khan and his people faced as they struggled to build a new civilization on a dying planet. Joining Andrews are Wrenn Schmidt (For All Mankind) as Lieutenant Marla McGivers, Sonya Cassidy (Reacher) as Dr. Rosalind Lear, with Star Trek veteran Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager) and the legendary George Takei (Star Trek) as Captain Sulu. The series was written by Kirsten Beyer and David Mack, and produced by CBS’ Eye Podcast Productions Inc., Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment. 

Watch the trailer here and put September 8th on your calendar for the series premiere.

 

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