WARNING: Article contains SPOILERS for the latest episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Last week’s episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (“All Those Who Wander”) surprised many fans when Bruce Horak’s Hemmer sacrificed himself to save the crew. Our earlier update from the actor’s post-episode interviews indicated his time with the show was not over. We now have a bit more detail on Horak’s future with the show thanks to one of the producers.
Bruce Horak as Hemmer in episode 9
Horak to return in a new role
Strange New Worlds co-executive producer Davy Perez (who also wrote last week’s episode with Hemmer’s death) was a guest on the 7th Rule podcast, co-hosted by Ryan Husk and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko). When the idea of Hemmer’s return came up, Perez made it pretty clear the Aenar engineer really is dead:
That’s kind of hard… I guess flashbacks, there’s always flashbacks.
However, he expanded on what Horak has previously said about his Star Trek future:
The thing we’re allowed to say is that Bruce Horak… his relationship with Trek is not over. We really love him. And Star Trek has a long tradition of reusing actors. There are plenty of people that you fall in love with and you’re like, “Well, they were an alien, they could be another alien, they could be without the makeup because they were an alien.” So whatever it is in the future, we know his relationship with Star Trek is not over.
When Lofton mentioned perennial Star Trek guest star Jeffrey Combs, who played multiple roles (in different Trek series), Perez nodded in agreement over the comparison. So, it looks like Horak will be returning in a new role, presumably during the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which wrapped production just a few days ago. There is no indication yet on if this will be a one-off guest role or a recurring role.
“Nobody dies in Science Fiction.”
– Leonard Nimoy
PS: Prediction: he will play his brother.
Hammer or Hommer…
I’d love to see a joke a’ la Zathras in B5, where all of his nine brothers looked exactly the same (all played by Tim Choate) and all were called Zathras, the difference in pronunciation impossible to notice by our ears. They all shared speech patterns and personality as well, they were very close ;)
Hahahah Yeah, that works.
If Tim Choate had done TREK, he’d’ve had a career with them on the level of Jeff Coombs, I think, because if there is one thing Trek knows how to do (regardless of who is running things at the time), it is reusing a good resource, be it a set build, a VFX shot or a performer.
Yes, Zathras understand. No, Zathras not understand, but Zathras do. Zathras good at doings, not understandings. Zathras honored to meet you for many reasons.
I was just going to say somebody needed to ‘put the hemmer down.’ (CONVOY joke, for the generations too young to get the most popular use of the term.)
😆
His less intelligent brother Dimmer.
His much bigger brother, Hummer (a.k.a., Humvee.) But seriously, just bring Bruce Horak back as another Aenar.
Speaking of Jeffrey Combs he’s one actor I’d love to see come back in Trek. Maybe the Weyoun clone line has been revived in the 31st century? Or Liquidator Brunt can show up in Picard.
I still wish the cast him as Dr. Piper in SNW, though I would have missed Babs Olusanmokun’s terrific turn as Dr. M’Benga.
Combs has said that he would not be able to be in dsc or snw cause it is filmed in Toronto and there is a rule that only a certain Amount of non Canadian actors and actress can be hired for the shows made in Canada
they definitely can have him back again in lower decks and give him some roles in prodigy
I think we can make some room for Mr. Combs somehow. If it means we build a series around whatever character he ends up playing, so be it.
They should hire him as the one “token” American actor for the upcoming show with Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou. The rest of the cast can be Canadian, but get Combs back as Admiral Shran, heading Section 31, and giving Georgiou her assignments.
What’s funny is I just re-read the article here about him pushing to play the role of Boyce on SNW. Obviously it didn’t happen but if they made Boyce part of this show I still think it would’ve been great if he played him but M’Benga was definitely a better choice to have for a character.
A few months ago he directly addressed this and said he would not due to how the franchise is being run, or words to that effect.
He’ll be playing Herbert West…..
I’m still not happy about losing such a great and interesting character. Bruce is a great actor.
I am looking forward to seeing Bruce Horak bringing another character to our screens, but Hemmer will be missed.
What it sounds like to me is they basically fell in love with the actor and didn’t want to lose him after killing off Hemmer so they found some other role for him to play. That’s great for the actor but would’ve been better is just not killing off Hemmer at all!
That is easily the worst decision this show has made so far. And I still think it was done to bring Scotty in but I really really hope I’m wrong on that.
Agreed. Hemmer is my most favorite character since Odo. I’m really upset by that decision. And it’s 100% due to Scotty. I’m so bummed
Glad to hear they’re keeping Horak around; they ought not to have done away with Hemmer so quickly.
I’m a Doctor, not a Butcher.
#bringhemmerback !!!