'Star Trek: Discovery' Star Invokes Gene Roddenberry In Support Of #TakeTheKnee

The captain of the USS Discovery would be taking a knee in tonight's Star Trek: Discovery premiere if star Jason Isaacs had his way.

On Twitter, Isaacs said that, if he had the ability, he would take a knee on the bridge of the USS Discovery. Isaacs plays the captain of the Discovery, Gabriel Lorca, on Star Trek: Discovery, which premieres tonight.

In his Tweet, Isaacs notes that doing so would be keeping with the spirit of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry.

"In the spirit of Gene Roddenberry - If I could take one knee on the bridge I would," Isaacs wrote.

In the spirit of Gene Roddenberry - If I could take one knee on the bridge I would.#StarTrekDiscovery

— Jason Isaacs (@jasonsfolly) September 24, 2017

Isaacs' tweet is part of the debate that has erupted around players taking a knee during the national anthem before NFL football games. The debate was ignited by President Donald J. Trump calling for players who kneel to be fired by team owners of the NFL.

Dozens of NFL players knelt at the start of today's NFL games in a show of solidarity with players like Colin Kaepernick, who began kneeling during the national anthem as a show of support for the Black Lives Matter movement and now finds himself no longer employed by the NFL.

Fans began tweeting with the #TakeTheKnee hashtag in order to show their support, including Batman artist Francesco Francavilla and Spider-Man: Homecoming star Zendaya.

This tweet is in character for Isaacs, who has been openly critical of President Trump on social media in the past. He has also said that he hopes Star Trek: Discovery will help instigate change in the real world.

"The world is complicated and horrible," Isaacs said, "and I don't know how to explain to my children the insanity of the people who are in charge of it at the moment. I thought it was a good story to tell — and something I would be happy to watch — about presenting a vision of the world that's full of drama but also full of resolution and unity."

As for invoking the name of Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek did build his series based on his hopes for a more progressive and utopian future where mankind has moved past divisions based on race. Star Trek: The Original Series featured the first interracial kiss on television, between Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols).

Star Trek: Discovery premieres tonight on CBS All Access. You can make sure you're ready to watch Star Trek: Discovery by checking out our viewing guide, get to know the show's cast with our character guide, and familiarize yourself with the state of the Star Trek universe at the time Star Trek: Discovery takes place with our primer.

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