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Briones, 21, said the new plotline allows fans to see a more flawed side to the beloved Star Trek character.

“We already know the story of the person who saves the day and we know that doesn’t exist,” she said, seated beside Stewart.

“Now we are showing our heroes are people who have gone through bad things in their lives.”

Like the other spinoffs in the Star Trek franchise, Picard will also look to provide comment on modern-day issues.

“We don’t hammer it into people. We don’t pound them over the heads with modern references. But watching it you can feel as if some of it seems like it happened yesterday,” Stewart said.

Picard, which has already been renewed for a second season, will also see the return of other fan favourite characters, including Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine, Jonathan Frakes’ Will Riker, Marina Sirtis’ Deanna Troi and Brent Spiner’s Commander Data.

“I can’t be any happier,” Stewart said, smiling.

As the city was in the midst of a deep-freeze, Stewart and Briones spoke warmly about boldly going in a new direction, both with Star Trek and Jean-Luc Picard.

What stood out to me after watching the first few episodes is how much the world of Star Trek has changed. Picard is darker, especially when considered alongside the 1987 pilot for The Next Generation. Tell us about the place we find Jean-Luc in 18 years after we last saw him.

Stewart: I think we only have to look at our own world and imagine where we were in 2000 and where we are today and what circumstances in our world and on our planet have become transformed or dangerous.