For most actors, joining a massive media franchise and cult phenomenon can be a bit scary. But when Wilson Cruz signed on for Star Trek: Discovery, he had an inkling of what was in store. As a young actor, he starred in two of the 90s’ most enduring productions: as Ricky in ABC’s cult classic My So-Called Life, and on Broadway as Angel in the Tony-award winning musical Rent.

When SciFi Vision spoke with Cruz recently, we wondered: while both shows spawned enduring and rabid fandoms, did they prepare Cruz for Trek? He didn’t even have to think about the answer.

“Yes, actually! You know, the My So-Called Life fandom is unparalleled. The fact that we only had one season - by the way, thirty years this month - the fact that that one season of TV is still accessible tells you the strength of that fandom. The Rent heads are an animal of their own. So, I was prepared.”

But that doesn’t mean Cruz wasn’t challenged by the opportunity.

“That said,” he continued, “the Star Trek fandom seems to have an ownership over the franchise that's different, right? So, it was a challenge, and I mean that in a good way. It challenged me to live up to expectation, to fulfill that expectation of what Star Trek means for people. So, I was prepared. You know, I took the hits, and sometimes I hit back, and I took all the love in as well.”

We sat down with Cruz to celebrate Paramount+ and CBS Home Video’s new release of Star Trek: Discovery The Final Season on digital and Blu-Ray.  Our interview also touched on his character, Dr. Culber’s “incredibly satisfying” final season, and the “infinite diversity and infinite combinations” of the Star Trek universe.

Watch the entire video below and stay tuned to find out what Cruz has in his own Blu-ray collection.



***Transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.***

SCIFI VISION:  We last spoke at the beginning of season five, when [season five] was just about to air, and here we are, three months after it's all ended.

WILSON CRUZ:  How do we do?

SCIFI VISION:  I think you did great. I think you hit it out of the park. And I think Hugh, Dr. Culber in particular, had a really sort of complete story arc, which you've got to be satisfied with. You must have loved it, huh?

WILSON CRUZ:  I did love it. You know, I was challenged. I was challenged in every season, let me be honest with you. I mean, anytime you die and come back, that's pretty challenging to imagine and to replicate and to create. But this season was really satisfying in so many ways, because I interacted with so much of the crew in different ways. You know, that relationship with Book, for instance, was incredibly satisfying. My experience playing Jinaal, as an actor, [that] was incredibly satisfying, but nerve wracking and glad it worked out. So, yeah, I was incredibly satisfied with season five, as I was with all the seasons. I mean, I had a full arc in season two that I will always hold really dear.

SCIFI VISION:  I wanted to ask you about the experience of joining one of the biggest fandoms in the world with Star Trek. Your career, starting with My So-Called Life, which maybe is one of the cultiest of all cult shows ever. You did Rent, you did it on Broadway, it has its own huge following. Did any of that prepare you for what it was going to be like to join the Star Trek universe?

WILSON CRUZ:  Yes, actually. You know, the My So-Called Life fandom [laughs] is unparalleled. The fact that we only had one season - by the way, thirty years this month - the fact that that one season of TV is still accessible tells you the strength of that fandom. The Rent heads are an animal of their own. So, I was prepared. That said, the Star Trek fandom seems to have an ownership over the franchise that's different, right? So, it was a challenge, and I mean that in a good way. Like, it challenged me to live up to expectation, to fulfill that expectation of what Star Trek means for people. So, I was prepared. You know, I took the hits, and sometimes I hit back, and I took all the love in as well.

SCIFI VISION:  Your career has also, I think, been a career of representation, again, with some really high-profile points - My So-Called Life, Rent, Star Trek. Science fiction in general, but Star Trek has been one of the most representative shows, starting with TV's first interracial kiss back in the 60s on the original series, and Discovery might be the most of all. Can you talk a little bit about how that fits into your career and what that means to you as an actor and an advocate to have been a part of that?

WILSON CRUZ:  Yeah, I feel like Discovery really, in ways that other series couldn't, fulfilled its mandate. It's the mandate it gave itself, that Gene Roddenberry himself gave, which was infinite diversity and infinite combinations. So, it was a pretty natural fit for me, someone who has worked tirelessly to make our television screens and our movie screens look more like the world.

And the fact is, whether people like this or not, people of color and LGBTQ people are part of the world, and we have experiences that are and stories that are worth telling. And the value in seeing yourself and your lived experience mirrored back to you in a hopeful way is something that fits nicely into my goal as an actor. I want to be a part of projects that allow people to see themselves and challenge them to put the shoes on of someone different than them, to walk in the shoes of someone different than them.

I think Discovery really allowed that. I mean, we were the first gay couple, we had a chosen family that consisted of a non-binary and trans young person, so they could see that family is universal, if you will. So, it's really important to me that our screens look like the world, and there's a lot of work to do. You know, when you look at representation of Latinos, for instance, we are the fastest growing population in this country, and yet we only make up about 3% of the characters on TV. So, there's a lot of work to be done.

SCIFI VISION:  We're here today to celebrate the box set coming out, Discovery the entire series is coming out on Blu-ray, August 27, I think, in the United States. Is there a DVD, a show that you bought on DVD or Blu-ray? Do you have a box set in your house that you come back to, and what show or shows have you got in your library?

WILSON CRUZ:  Well, I feel like during the years of 2016 and 2020 I lived in my West Wing box set. I lived in that imaginary administration. I also was in that show! But you know, I have that box set. I also - this is going to key you into just how big of a homosexual I am - I have the box set of The Judy Garland Show that aired on CBS. Love so much! It's every episode of that short-lived series, and it's dynamic and still really satisfying and beautiful to watch. So, I'm very gay. [laughs]

SCIFI VISION:  That show was fantastic. I mean, how could you not love such a legendary performer and a legendary show? I'm looking right now at my box set of Lost right across the way.

WILSON CRUZ:  Oh, that's a good one. You know, and people have their My So-Called Life box sets that they guard with their lives, like you could never tear them away. So, I hear about that from people all the time.

SCIFI VISION:  Thank you. I'm so excited to snag a copy of it when it comes out at the end of the month. Thanks so much for making time and for being part of a fantastic show.

WILSON CRUZ:  My pleasure. Thank you.