Brett Gray And Ella Purnell On Their Characters' Journeys Through Star Trek: Prodigy - Exclusive Interview

"Star Trek: Prodigy" has now boldly gone where no other "Star Trek" project has gone before — a children's animated project. The series has all the makings of another hit within the franchise. The story kicks off with a group of young aliens meeting one another on a far-off planet. Together, they stumble upon the USS Protostar, and while there are definitely some growing pains, they ultimately learn what it means to be part of a team, with each one fulfilling a specific function on the ship. 

To bring these rapscallions to life, the show has assembled a talented voice cast with some of the brightest young stars working today. This includes Brett Gray as Dal R'El, a teenage maverick who becomes the captain of the Protostar. There's also Ella Purnell as Gwyndala, who desperately wants to get away from her father's prison asteroid. 

Looper had the chance to sit down for an exclusive interview with both of these fine actors to talk about their roles in the show and what audiences can expect going into future episodes.

In the 1st season, we see your characters learn to become part of a team. What can you tease for audiences going into these new episodes now that the group has already formed?

Ella Purnell: I think, for Gwyn, by the time we finish the season, she is fully integrated in[to] the group, and that's been a big journey for her because, if you remember, the way she started was as literally being held hostage. She did not want to be part of the crew. Now she's appreciating it, and she is able to further explore her own identity and who she is in relation to others, in relation to the people that she's now got as her chosen family rather than where she came from, which is less unpleasant.

Brett Gray: I feel [the] same for Dal. He is also going to go through a journey of actually ... He's always been a part of the team and tried to spearhead it as much as he possibly could, but now he's going to get a real sense of where his role is [on] the team, and he's also going to find out who he is and where he comes from and what his origin is. So there will be another arc in place for him around not only becoming a leader but becoming an individual as well. Scary, big things, but fun.

Purnell: It's scary, hard things.

The second half of Season 1 sees you meeting some iconic "Star Trek" species, not to give anything away. Are there any alien races or characters you'd want to see incorporated into future episodes of "Star Trek: Prodigy"?

Gray: I want to see more Vau N'Akat. They look so dope, and I love that whole mysterious storyline that we don't know anything about anymore. Yeah, I would love to see more Vau N'Akat. Gwyn's so dope.

Purnell: Yeah, she is cool. Hopefully we will. I already got Janeway. That's all I really wanted, so I'm good.

With so many different "Star Trek" shows happening right now, which one would you want to see "Prodigy" cross over with the most?

Purnell: "Lower Decks."

Gray: "Lower Decks."

Purnell: It's so funny.

"Star Trek: Prodigy" Season 1, Part 2, premieres on Paramount+ on October 27, 2022.

This interview has been edited for clarity.