Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Celia Rose Gooding on Uhura and Kirk’s Relationship: “Kirk’s Reputation Definitely Precedes Him”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 will reveal what may be the first meeting of two of Star Trek’s most iconic characters. Celia Rose Gooding plays Nyota Uhura in at an earlier point in her Starfleet career than Uhura was at when the late Nichelle Nichols originated her in Star Trek: The Original Series. Star Trek: Strange Worlds Season 2 also brings back Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk, who is also not quite the captain fans know him to be yet. The shows Uhura and Kirk sharing smiles over a drink. Kirk has a reputation as a lady’s man and he and Uhura famously share a (telekinetically forced) kiss in an episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (often cited as the first interracial kiss on television in the United States). ComicBook.com spoke to Gooding during the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 junket and asked about the nature of Kirk of Uhura’s relationship when they meet this season.

“I can say that, without spoiling anything, I think Kirk’s reputation definitely precedes him, and that where we meet Uhura, I think if she were in a less tender place of post-mourning the loss of one of her closest friends, I think that their introduction would be a bit different,” Gooding says. “But because I know where they meet and how they meet and how it comes together, I would say that there are hints to anything being possible. And yeah, Kirk’s reputation definitely precedes him and Uhura is a little preoccupied with everything that has just happened to her to really hone in on what’s going on with this dude right now. That’s where her head’s at.”

When is the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 release date?

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds stars Anson Mount as Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley, Ethan Peck as Spock, Jess Bush as Christine Chapel, Christina Chong as La’An Noonien-Singh, Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura, Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas and Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M’Benga. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 also brings back special guest star Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk and adds Carol Kane in the recurring role of Pelia. CBS Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment produced Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2. Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers are co-showrunners.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 premieres on Paramount+ on Thursday, June 15th in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The second season will also be available to stream on Paramount+ in South Korea, with the premiere date to be announced at a later time. New episodes of the 10-episode season will then debut weekly on Thursdays. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 is already streaming. It is also available as home media on Blu-ray, DVD, and 4k UHD.