With Star Trek Into Darkness conquering the cinema and Syfy’s time-jumping cop show Continuum gearing up for Season 2, star Rachel Nichols, the overlapping concentric circle between the two, spoke exclusively to SciFiNow about working with JJ Abrams on both Alias and the first Star Trek movie.
“I met JJ years ago when I was auditioning or testing for Lost and I didn’t get it and I tested for Mission Impossible and I didn’t get that and then I tested for Alias and I got that,” said Nichols.
“He’s just incredible and he’s so loyal and brilliant and took the time to write me a handwritten note welcoming me to Alias.”
In Star Trek Nichols plays the green-skinned Orion female Gaila. She is about to get up close and personal with Chris Pine’s James T Kirk at Starfleet Academy when they are interrupted by Zoe Saldana’s Uhura. Despite the ordeal of being covered in green make-up, Nichols has only good things to say about that experience.
“Chris Pine is lovely and Zoe Saldana, obviously, and Zachary Quinto, all those guys,” said Nichols.
“JJ always surrounds himself with good people and I’ve always believed that attitude on set trickles down from the top. JJ is kind and loyal and warm and welcoming and all of his sets are like that so shooting Star Trek was one of those jobs where although the technical parts of it were kind of sticky – five or six hours of hair and make-up with the full body was like, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got to be up at 3.45 in the morning’ – it’s funny and jokey and there’s always laughter and there’s always a thank you. JJ will thank people.
“Everybody just loves him and I really like it when people of that kind of nature see the success that he has.”
Continuum Season 2 airs from 23 May 2013 on Syfy. Pick up Continuum Season 1 on DVD now for £17 from Amazon.co.uk.
