Captain Pike Trekkies see a very different Captain Pike in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” from the one they saw in the original 1966 “Star Trek” pilot “The Cage.” The latter Pike was played by Jeffrey Hunter as an angry, emotional man who quickly lost his temper and was able to solve problems only through sheer force of angry will. Pike was played by Bruce Greenwood in the 2009 “Star Trek” film, one of his scenes was so “uncomfortable” that we were surprised he agreed to return in the sequel. The new Pike, as played by Anson Mount, is a light-hearted, friendly man, eager to engage in witty diplomacy and welcome any and all members of his staff into his quarters for breakfast. Hunter Pike seems like he would be an intimidating boss. Mount Pike is the boss you always wish you had whenever you start a new job.
In fact, if there is any character in “Star Trek” history who most resembles Pike, it might actually be Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” as he Also developed a command style on social basis. enthusiasm and light-hearted banter; Riker was a man who liked to play poker with the senior staff of the Enterprise. Pike could be Captain Archer’s (Scott Bakula) Boy Scout, Captain Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) authoritarian, Captain Sisko’s no-nonsense war-obsessed ultraboss (Avery Brooks), Captain Picard’s hardened diplomat (Patrick Stewart), or Captain Kirk (William Shatner). A courageous person.
In However, a 2023 interview with CinemaBlendMount admitted that he took some subtle acting cues from Shatner when it came time to play Captain Pike. Although Captain Kirk (played by Paul Wesley) is a recurring character in “Strange New Worlds”, a small snippet of Shatner’s performance was leaked to Pike as well. Remarkably, Mount noticed that Shatner always kept one hand in the frame when sitting in his captain’s chair. It allows him to be far more expressive, Mount said.
Anson Mount picked up a subtle hand gesture from William Shatner
Mount was asked by CinemaBlend interviewer, Mick Joest, if he had picked up any notable physical tics, similar to the acclaimed Ricker Maneuver or Picard Maneuver, so named by Trekkies (the former involves swinging one’s leg over a chair to sit up, While the latter is the adjustment of one’s uniform while standing. Mount didn’t think about things like that, but because of his observations of Shatner he paid attention to his physical performance. Mount said the following:
“I saw Shatner have this thing he used to do, which is really very smart. When he would sit in the command chair, and his elbows would be on the armrest like this, right? Which is very smart because that’s what when you When you’re concentrating and haven’t made a decision yet, your hand can subtly tell you what’s going on inside.”
The hand, as one can see in the photo above, allows Mount another emotional outlet. His face may be calm, but his hands may be shaking with nervousness. We’ll know he means business when he grips his armrest, or is relieved when he touches his forehead. Actors always have to think about small gestures like this. It may be a small thing, but it adds up to a lot. It seems that Shatner did this instinctively, giving himself the freedom to direct. This is no small thing for an actor.
Mount will play Captain Pike in the third season of “Strange New Worlds,” when it debuts on Paramount+ in 2025. After hearing his confession, it’s entirely likely that Trekkies will be paying closer attention to his hands.
