Anthony Rapp: Favorite Scenes, Science-y Things, And Stamets & Culber In ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 3

Anthony Rapp at PaleyFest for Star Trek: Discovery

TrekMovie caught up with Anthony Rapp on the red carpet right before the PaleyFest Star Trek: Discovery panel to ask him some burning questions about Stamets and Culber, the spore drive, and where things stand in season three.

Are Stamets and Culber back together, or still working things out?

Back together. I don’t think it would take much to convince Stamets! (laughs) I think Stamets is ready. But yes, Culber… yeah, granted Stamets is not in 100% mental awareness in that moment when Culber says, at the end of season two, “I’m home. You’re home.” But yes. We’re together.

Wilson Cruz as Dr. Hugh Culber

Culber tells Stamets he IS his home in the season finale of Star Trek: Discovery season two after telling him he’s going to put him in a coma

Are you the Chief Engineer now?

Not officially as far as I know, no. I’m Spore Drive Guy.

I’m spore drive, mycologist, all around science-y smart person. But not the Chief Engineer. No!

Do you WANT to be the Chief Engineer?

No. I think that Stamets likes being in charge of his specific projects. I don’t think he wants that much responsibility. You know? Or accountability, from a hierarchical organizational standpoint. He would never want to be in command in that sense—would want to be in command of a project, but not of a department, if that makes sense.

Is the mycelial network and the spore drive still a thing this season?

Yeah. I think there was a slight misconception among some fans last year with the jahSepp storyline that the jumping was causing them problems. It wasn’t the jumping, it was Culber’s presence in the mycelial network that was causing the real problem, so once that got resolved then the jumping was no longer an issue.

Stamets doing science-y things with spores

Is there a favorite Stamets moment or scene from the first two seasons for you?

Oh my goodness, um… I really liked the dancing scene with Burnham in episode 7 of season 1 [“Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad”], that’s a really lovely scene. There’s a scene that I just got to do this year with Tilly that is one of my favorite moments that I’ve ever gotten to do. I’ve gotten to do a lot of work with Mary Wiseman, she’s just an incredible actress, but just the nature of the story of what happens between us in this scene was really special.

You know, being aware of the toothbrushing scene and what an important moment that is, and then the first real kiss that we had, those are also just meaningful on a whole kind of global level of recognizing the significance of representation that they provided.

Stamets and Burnham dancing in Star Trek: Discovery

The dancing scene from season one’s “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad”

Are we going to get any grumpy Stamets this season?

Yes, of course.

I really miss grumpy Stamets.

Thank you, yes! Grumpy Stamets happens when there’s something to be grumpy about. And there’s a couple of things to be grumpy about this year. (laughs)


More from PaleyFest

We’ll have more Discovery interviews from the red carpet at PaleyFest throughout the week.

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Grumpy Stamets needs to be carefully used. Otherwise the character becomes a one note jerk like he was for the first part of season one.

“..those are also just meaningful on a whole kind of global level of recognizing the significance of representation that they provided.”

Important comment me thinks. I know some folks are tired of the diversity angle in some entertainment and roll their eyes at people pointing out it’s importance in Star Trek. We forget, or are totally unaware of, the impact in other societies around the globe where things are much more dire for marginalized segments of the population.

The only people that are tired of diversity and representation are straight, white or male people who don’t know what it’s like to be unrealistically exclude from TV and film.

To people of privilige, equality feels like tyranny.

Sounds like neither of you have learned anything from Star Trek at all.

Privilege in this context doesn’t mean that someone’s life doesn’t have problems. It just means that someone’s life doesn’t have problems because they’re part of these specific oppressed populations.

This explains it pretty well:

https://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/

I’m neither white nor male, so spare me the lesson. The fact that you think you need to “educate others” is the very essence of toxic masculinity. I see you doing this a lot. Maybe time to check your own behavior before lecturing others in these comment sections.

Sounds like you don’t understand Star Trek nor have watched an episode…Palizia.

I think they should promote Burnham to first officer, make Stamets science officer, and make Reno chief engineer.

Love grumpy Stamets!