Transgender actor Ian Alexander, new Star Trek star, didn’t get the role he auditioned for

Note: If you haven’t yet watched Forget Me Not, the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery, warning: there are spoilers to come!

Sci-fi fans saw Ian Alexander grow up before their eyes as Buck Vu on The OA on Netflix. Now, at the age of 19, the transgender actor, the first American transsexual actor on television, has joined the cast of the CBS All Access sci-fi TV show, Star Trek: Discovery.

Alexander, who uses the pronouns him and them interchangeably, is introduced as an alien in the fourth episode of the third season, which airs Thursday. His first scene, a kind of flashback, establishes that he has a musical talent, and they have a close relationship with a new character introduced last week: Adira, played by newcomer Blu del Barrio.

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Watch del Barrios’ interview on YouTube.

Much of this week’s episode centers around the crews’ efforts to help Adira recall the repressed memories that may hold the key to their future, now that the USS Discovery has traveled nearly a thousand years to 32nd century.

We don’t tell you yes

Here’s a memory Alexander said he won’t soon forget: They auditioned for the role of Adira and didn’t get the part.

They were like, OK, so we’re not saying yes to Adira, but don’t worry. We still want to have you on the show, Alexander recalled, adding that the producers had another character in mind, who he said had changed form to be who he now plays: A Trill named Gray. Trills are bespoke humanoid beings, some of whom are surgically implanted with a long-lasting symbiote, who shares their decades of memories and experiences with their host.

Despite a tragic event involving Gray and Adira being revealed during this flashback, Alexander has said he will return in future episodes, apparently in a form reminiscent of how Dr Hugh Culber first returned. both on the show in season two, and possibly also related to how Tillys long-lost friend May Ahearn appeared that same season.

He is going to be the Adiras’ partner in crime, said Alexander, who said he immediately and readily accepted the role that was designed just for him. I was fully on board. I was like, yes! Yes, I would love to do that.

Go boldly where no actor has gone before

The casting of Alexander and del Barrio is another triumph for LGBTQ representation in the 54-year-old franchise. Never before none Star Trek the series or film featured a non-conforming, transgender or non-binary recurring character.

I think it’s so impactful and meaningful, Alexander said, because trans people exist everywhere. I mean, we have always existed and we have always existed everywhere. So of course they would exist in space if you could exist in, you know, different dimensions, different realms and stuff like that.

Discovery is also the first hiking in which LGBTQ roles are authentically played by members of the community. The cast of gay actors Anthony Rapp and Wilson Cruz paved the way for del Barrio and Alexander. The veterans have been regulars since the first episode, playing a gay couple aboard the USS Discovery, Engineer Paul Stamets and Dr Culber respectively.

It’s amazing, gushed Alexander. I am so happy that Blu and I were able to launch this trans portrayal in the Star Trek universe. And I can’t wait to see how that progresses, because, you know, if there are two or three of us, then there must be more trans people 900 years into the future of the Star Trek universe. So I think it opens so many doors. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for trans people so that I can finally see themselves on screen and tell our stories. Yeah, I’m very excited.

A beginner, not a Trekkie

Alexander confessed that he was definitely more of a newbie, as far as Star Trek fandom.

I did not see Star Trek: Discovery before I was on the show, but I had seen little glimpses in the Star Trek universe here and there of my parents, who are big fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, he said, speaking of the television series starring Patrick Stewart which aired in the 1980s for seven seasons, spawned four films and three spinoffs: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: lower decks.

They were such fans that it kind of touched me and influenced my childhood a bit, Alexander said.

Speaking of childhood, he said his gender identity has evolved in the five years since his release and is now different from the trans male character he plays.

I feel like my gender cannot be defined

Personally, as Ian Alexander, the person, the actor, I would say that I fully identify as non-binary. I don’t feel like a man or a woman, says Alexander. This is something that I have come to realize very, very recently, as in the last few months. I think it has always been confrontational, and I have wondered for a long time.

I had originally become a trans man, fully identified as a trans boy, when I was 14, they said. And then when I was 17, I was like, Well, I better not necessarily rush to find a tag; I mean, I’m still 17. So, let’s say, I’m trans male. And so I kind of slowly moved from being entirely male to more of the genderless realm.

Alexander said they always identified with his pronouns whenever he felt the shoe fit him. But these are the pronouns that are perfect. So he doesn’t feel bad. That’s how I explain it to people. I know it can be confusing!

They laughed when they recounted how some people couldn’t make up their minds and were puzzled by her alternative choice.

Pick one and stick with that one, Alexander told these people. You can totally go ahead and call me him. But personally, I feel like my gender cannot be defined. I really like being able to evolve and continue my path towards self-discovery.

Alexander mentioned that their character will also evolve and return next season, which began filming in Canada this month.

When will Adira and Gray be coming out?

This week, like last week, the show’s writers did not portray Adira or Gray as LGBTQ. Alexander said it was like real life.

Gray’s transness isn’t necessarily self-explanatory right away, but I would say the more time you spend with them the more you get to know this character, they said. There will be signs and there will be more explicit conversation in the future. And I think that’s wonderful, in my opinion, because it’s kind of the same when you meet a trans person, you wouldn’t be fair right off the bat like, Oh I’m trans, by the way , here is my whole transition story. So, you know, you could take some time to get to know someone before you dive into the history of her medical transition, whether or not she has a medical transition.

5 things to know about Ian Alexander

During our zoom call, Alexander discovered the phrase, Being transgender is the 6th most interesting thing about me. We asked them what are the other five? Here are five things to know about Alexander, according to himself:

1. I would say that I am a very creative mind. I’ve always had what some might call an overactive imagination, but I’d say it’s the perfect amount of assets.
2. I love to dream and fantasize and I think that makes me an amazing artist.
3. I am also very empathetic and kind and caring person. I think that’s one thing that I really like about me, is that I’m very nice and very kind. So while my aesthetic, I’m wearing spikes and all black right now, seems a little more intimidating, a little harder and edgy, my personality is very smooth and gentle. I would say I am a very sweet soul.
4. I love my fashion sense. I love that I really let go of my last little bits of personal judgment.
5. I wear and do whatever I want, whatever makes me happy. Because why not? I think even though it’s just to dress up and, you know, take pictures because I want to be cute, that’s great too.

Watch the full interview, in which Alexander answers questions from fans, below: