Streaming: Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh in new “Star Trek” spin-off

A lot has happened for Michelle Yeoh since she first appeared as Captain Philippa Georgiou in the series “Star Trek: Discovery” a good seven years ago. The now 62-year-old was already a star before. But the Oscar win for “Everything Everywhere All At Once” (2022) has made the Malaysian-born actress even more popular in Hollywood. She was just seen in the hit musical “Wicked” in the cinema. From January 24th she will return to home screens as anti-hero Philippa Georgiou in the spin-off film “Star Trek: Section 31” on Paramount+.

The fascination of “Star Trek” and the appeal of evil

“Star Trek will always be a part of me,” Yeoh told the German Press Agency in London. “I never really said goodbye to Star Trek and always had in mind that I would play the role of Philippa Georgiou again. I wanted to continue telling her story and find out what else could happen to her. And to Section 31.”

In the series “Star Trek: Discovery” Yeoh played a dual role – as the sympathetic Federation captain Georgiou, who meets a tragic fate, and as her evil alter ego from the mirror universe, the tyrannical Empress Georgiou. Evil tempts Yeoh. “I loved this character so much and the thought of what we could do with her and what new horizons we could explore with her.”

A liberating role for Michelle Yeoh

After Empress Georgiou ends up in the so-called Prime Universe in “Star Trek: Discovery,” her moral values ​​change at least a little. The unscrupulous former ruler becomes an ally of the Federation and eventually joins the secret service Section 31. However, you can’t really trust her because of her dark past.

“With Philippa Georgiou I get to do all the things I always wanted to do but can’t do in real life,” Yeoh said with a laugh. “It’s liberating, but you also have to be careful that the character doesn’t turn into a caricature. Because Philippa Georgiou carries a lot of baggage with her. And she lives a pretty lonely life.”

Lots of action and a few Easter eggs

In “Star Trek: Section 31,” Georgiou goes on a mission with a team of unlikely characters to secure a mysterious secret weapon that could cause great destruction. Georgiou is surprisingly confronted with her own past. The action-packed film from director Olatunde Osunsanmi feels like a longer series and has more in common with a Jason Statham film than with the original “Star Trek”. But there are references and hidden surprises for fans, so-called Easter eggs – keyword: Rachel Garrett.

For Yeoh, who previously caused a sensation with breakneck stunts in Jackie Chan’s “Police Story 3 – Supercop” and stood up to James Bond in “Tomorrow Never Dies,” the fight scenes were particularly appealing. “Philippa Georgiou is like a walking weapon. Everything about her can be used – her nails, her collar, everything,” she said. “She has so many hidden weapons you never know where the next one will come from.”

“Star Trek: Section 31” as the start of a film series?

“Star Trek: Section 31” was originally intended to be a series and run parallel to “Star Trek: Discovery” before the project was turned into a film. According to Michelle Yeoh, it won’t be Philippa Georgiou’s last appearance. The Oscar winner hopes for more films. “When you do something special, you always hope that it will last. And that means you’ve made something that the rest of the world would like to see.”