Holly Hunter on Finding Playfulness in a 400-Year-Traditional Starfleet Chancellor

Holly Hunter, known for her roles in films like “The Piano” and “Broadcast News,” is taking on a new challenge as Nahla Ake, the Chancellor of Starfleet Academy and captain of the USS Athena, in the new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Hunter says she felt an immediate connection to the character, a 422-year-old human/Lanthanite hybrid.

A Character Four Centuries in the Making

In an interview with People, Hunter described being “really drawn to the character as soon as I read her,” finding it “captivating to think about playing somebody who’s over 400 years old.” She reflected on how such a long lifespan would fundamentally alter one’s perspective. “Things shift in your mind,” Hunter explained. “I can only imagine that your point of view and the world would be radically different after that much time has passed. I indicate, things would fall away. Priorities would really announce themselves to you in a way that maybe they hadn’t when you were 30 or 40.”

The Importance of Play

Hunter believes a key priority for Nahla Ake is “play, to play, to actually have fun and to experience life viscerally and sensorially.” This emphasis on enjoyment resonates with the franchise’s history, recalling episodes like the Original Series’ “Shore Leave,” which explored the power of imagination and the importance of recreation for adults.

A Lifelong Trek Fan

The actress’s connection to the role extends beyond the script. Hunter noted the importance of playfulness and creativity, recalling her own childhood experiences. As a Gen X individual, she contrasted her parents’ work-focused lives with the opportunities for creative expression available today. For Hunter, Star Trek itself served as a gateway to imaginative activities, balancing work and play.

Nahla Ake: A Groundbreaking Character

Nahla Ake is a significant addition to the Star Trek universe, not only for her age and hybrid heritage (being half human and half Lanthanite) but also as the first Lanthanite main character in a Star Trek series. She was first introduced in “Kids These Days,” the pilot episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, after a career as a Starfleet captain and a difficult decision to uphold the law despite personal conflict. Fifteen years prior to taking the role of Chancellor, Ake sentenced a pirate and a mother who aided him, resulting in the mother’s son becoming a ward of the Federation.

New episodes of Starfleet Academy are released every Thursday through March 12.