We have been reporting on the Star Trek news from our coverage of New York Comic Con all week, and there is still more to come. But, there are a few new tidbits of Star Trek TV news to catch up on today before we finish up our interviews and more from NYCC. There is some more casting news for Discovery, a Klingon hair Q&A, and some Star Trek: The Next Generation vets talking about the new Picard show. So, let’s dive into another Star Trek TV bits.

Creature actor Javier Botet to play alien in Discovery

A bit of casting news was broken by Bloody Disgusting in an interview with actor Javier Botet, best known for his work playing creatures in horror movies, including 2018’s It and the titular villain in Slender Man. Botet confirmed he will be working on a role in Discovery:

It’s going to be a very cool role, so I can’t wait to see it. I’ve been working with my friend Doug Jones, another monster performer.

Botet said he was in one episode in a guest alien role for the second season, but would only tease the part saying:

It’s an old creature but I’m not going to tell you what creature.

“Old creature” could be interpreted in a number of ways. We know that we are meeting members of Saru’s family, so Botet could be playing an old alien like Saru’s father or grandfather. Or it could mean a known alien from the original Star Trek, maybe a Talosian, the telepathic aliens from the forbidden planet of Talos IV, who were teased at the NYCC panel by executive producer Alex Kurtzman. Or Botet could just be playing some old alien. One thing is for sure, Botet has a unique look and body, which is why, like Doug Jones, he is in constant demand to play all sorts of creatures and monsters.

Discovery will not be Botet’s first foray into Star Trek. Earlier this year he appeared on the Spanish comedy show Capítulo 0, in a Star Trek parody episode titled “Space Universe,” in which he also played an alien.

Team Klingon talks hair

One of the big revelations in the new Star Trek: Discovery season two NYCC trailer and discussed at the NYCC panel, was the new look for the Klingons, specifically that they now have hair. As was teased over the summer by makeup designer Glenn Hetrick, the season one baldness for the Klingons was by their choice. It is now explained that they shave their heads in time of war. As predicted by Hetrick, this change has evoked a lot of discussion.

It has also inspired some follow-up questions and thanks to the magic of social media, some of them are being answered. Some have noted that we have seen Klingons at war in the 24th century and they didn’t all shave their heads when going up against the Dominion. This concern was covered by L’Rell actress Mary Chieffo, who showed her knowledge of Klingon history, even tying Discovery to events during the TOS movie era.

The Dominion War takes place more than 100 years after the events of Discovery. Traditions change and are lost in time. Much of what T’Kuvma predicted about homogenization and assimilation of the Klingon race occurs after the explosion of Praxis & subsequent political shift. https://t.co/EOjgXpDh9A — Mary Chieffo (@marythechief) October 8, 2018

Another question has arisen related to how the designers had previously noted that the new design was born from envisioning the Klingons as apex predators with more sensory organs on their heads. Creature designer Neville Page fielded this question, pointing out that the hair doesn’t shut down these extra senses.

They do. Also, ears are sensory organs, and they work when hair covers them. So, it’s the same principle. No back pedaling going on. https://t.co/axCsxbkl33 — Neville Page (@NevillePage) October 8, 2018

One beep for yes, Mount

Our last bit for Star Trek: Discovery is another fun tweet from Captain Pike actor Anson Mount. In December he will be appearing at an event at Star Trek: The Original Series Set Tour. Today Mount had a little fun with how he promoted the appearance, saying he was looking forward “to being nailed into a rolling, black box, and wheeled around for others’ enjoyment,” joking about Pike’s wheelchair-bound fate.

I look forward to being nailed into a rolling, black box, and wheeled around for others’ enjoyment. https://t.co/xo8HdcR0GX — Anson Mount (@ansonmount) October 13, 2018

Picard Series: Berman thumbs up, McFadden no call

Switching to the other big Star Trek TV show that is being discussed, a couple of vets of Star Trek: The Next Generation have weighed in on the upcoming Jean-Luc Picard show in development for CBS All Access. First up, former Star Trek overlord and executive producer for TNG Rick Berman has again offered a thumbs up for the show today, taking to social media to praise how the series has “lots of first-class talent behind it.”

Picard series should be incredible. Lots of first-class talent behind it. — Rick Berman (@berman_rick) October 13, 2018

Last month Berman, who has never publicly discussed Star Trek: Discovery, spoke up in support of how the Picard show had Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon signed on as a writer and executive producer.

Also talking about the Picard show today was Next Generation actress Gates McFadden. Replying to a fan question about if she has received any phone calls regarding the Picard show, the Dr. Crusher actress joked about getting calls from telemarketers.

humm..had a couple calls. one asking me to renew a subscription and another from someone asking for my social security number. https://t.co/4YTs8JgqIi — Gates McFadden (@gates_mcfadden) October 13, 2018

Last month TrekMovie reported that McFadden, along with her co-stars Michael Dorn and Marina Sirtis, told a panel audience at Rose City Comic Con that none of them had been called about appearing in the upcoming show. Of course, with the writers’ room only up for a month, there is plenty of time for phone calls to be made and now that, as we reported, the Picard show will be an ongoing series, with multiple seasons planned, there is even more time for some of those TNG stars to be brought in.

Star Trek: Discovery is available exclusively in the USA on CBS All Access. It airs in Canada on Space and streams on CraveTV. It is available on Netflix everywhere else. The second season will debut on All Access and Space on Thursday, January 17th, 2019, and on Netflix January 18th.

The first season of Star Trek: Discovery will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 13th.

Keep up with all the Star Trek: Discovery news here at TrekMovie.