Andrew Falzon: Hey there CUNY TV fans. I’m Andrew Falzon at our
CUNY TV studios in midtown Manhattan here with the one and
only Anthony Rapp, who you might know from the original cast of
Dazed and Confused, or Star Trek Discovery. We’ll be chatting
with him for upcoming episodes of Arts in the City and Book It
about his one man musical Without You at New World Stages.
You can check out Without You Musical.com for more
information. For Star Trek Discovery fans, we have some
disappointing news out of the Alpha Quadrant. Season five of
Discovery will be its final season. We asked Anthony all
about it. It’s the first interview with a cast member
from the show since the announcement was made. Recently,
Paramount Plus announced that the upcoming season of Star Trek
Discovery will be the final. I’m heartbroken. I’m sure you are
too. And just touching on social media again, what is the fan
reaction been like so far on social media?
Anthony Rapp: I mean, I’ve long ago blocked people who were
like, anti-Discovery because there were some of those people.
No, I mean, the the outpouring of support has been very, very,
very meaningful. And the sense, you know, I’ve never been a
regular on a television show. And I’ve heard this about other
people who’ve been on regular television shows is that when,
when you have a following, it’s like you’re in people’s homes,
like you become a part of the fabric of their lives over time.
And that’s what we really felt. And so I really feel that being
reflected back to us right now. It’s very meaningful.
Andrew Falzon: Sure. Well, it amazes me what they’ve done with
Discovery, because every episode doesn’t feel like a TV show.
It feels like part of a movie. It is so cinematic, it is so
well shot, the sets, the visual effects, all of it comes
together so seamlessly. When you guys wrapped the final season,
did you know that it would be the end? Or was there some
question in the air? Or did you think you were coming back?
Anthony Rapp: I thought we were coming back, there was certainly
no announcement and we are getting to we’re getting to
complete the story, we’re getting to get a proper ending
now, which was very gracious of the powers that be to allow us
that. So there will be, there will be a conclusion to it. But
it wasn’t anything that going in we knew was definitely gonna
happen. I’m gonna guess in anytime you’re on a TV show you
just never know for sure, 100% of the time, but it just seemed
like we were probably going to be there for a little longer.
Andrew Falzon: Sure, sure. Looking ahead to the fifth and
final season. And I’m not looking for spoilers because I
want to sit home and enjoy it on the on TV. But what can you tell
us about the fifth season.
Anthony Rapp: I can tell you that it’s an adventurous
season. And that was like that was a word that was expressed to
us before we ever saw any scripts that was like this
intentional opportunity to have us go on a bit more of an
adventure that you know, where there’s still some high stakes
and everything but a little more of a sense of like we’ve
sort of paid our dues of having like really dark and intense
things going on. That is a little, there’s a little more
sense of fun adventure, that’s part of the story. With,
you know, with all of our characters still continuing to
grow and interact and change and have that family dynamic and
everything like that, but just a little extra nod to the spirit
of like yeah, we’re out there in space. Let’s go like have some
fun a little bit.
Andrew Falzon: Sure. There were some things in the
series that were kind of unbelievable. And I think when
you guys did the multiverse arc and all of a sudden, you know,
nice people are suddenly turned evil and upside down. It was
very hard to buy Ensign Tilley/ Mary Wiseman.
Anthony Rapp: As Killey?
Andrew Falzon: Oh my God, yeah, it was so hard to believe.
Anthony Rapp: She had a blast doing it.
Andrew Falzon: Of course.
Every actors dream, I would imagine.
So looking ahead to the fifth season, we know it’s going to be
the final season. From what you know, from what you’ve shot
so far, I was disappointed. I thought there was so much more
for some of the character backstories to come out. Are you
happy with the character arcs where things leave off?
Anthony Rapp: es, I’m happy with it. And of course,
I’m always you know, this is again, my first time
to be a part of a ongoing series.
So one of the really wonderful things about it
is like I don’t know what’s coming next. When you do a film,
when you do a play, you know what happens in that story. In
this case, there were new things coming all the time. So I was
just really curious about what more they’re gonna throw at me
kind of thing. So I’ve missed that. And you know, we’ve
alluded to some of the things from our past you know, with
between Hugh and Paul, but it would have been nice to continue
to discover more of that you know, and to continue to see
how our little mini family evolves with Adira. But you
know, that’s that’s for fanfiction. That’s for,
you know, people’s little dreams and art, you know, fan art and
all that stuff. Like we get that reflected back to us in
wonderful ways too.
Andrew Falzon: sure. I’m sure you’ve had some conversations
with some of your cast mates. Is there anything that anyone’s
said about, you know, learning about this final season that’s
particularly poignant for you?
Anthony Rapp: Well, I mean, like, what Wilson posted online
about gratitude, like, we feel a tremendous amount of gratitude.
This has been a life changing experience. And it’s, yeah,
being a part of Star Trek in and of itself is life changing, but
to be a part of such an incredible group of people that
uplift, we uplift each other and we aspired to be and I think
have been an example of like, you can come together and do
good work with each other and take care of each other and have
it be a good experience. And that that can be met with
success is very gratifying. And it reminds me of what I went
through 25 plus years ago with Rent. Like, same kind of thing.
The good people came together, put our best hearts and minds
together, did our best work together, took care of each
other, and, you know, it was embraced by the community
at large.
Andrew Falzon: For more info on Anthony’s musical visit Without
You Musical.com. Be sure to like this video and subscribe.
For more great educational and informational content from
CUNY TV. I’m Andrew Falzon. Thanks for watching.