Shazad Latif Reveals How Star Trek: Discovery’s Wild Plot Twists Even Left Him Confused
Shazad Latif is no stranger to playing complex characters, but even he admits that his Star Trek: Discovery journey was a real mind-bender! The actor, known for his roles in Penny Dreadful and the upcoming Nautilus, opened up about the challenges of keeping up with his ever-twisting storylines in one of sci-fi’s biggest franchises.
- Shazad Latif shares how confusing his Star Trek: Discovery role could get
- The actor talks about connecting with characters who feel like outsiders
- Latif teases his new role in Nautilus, plus his excitement for more genres
“Wait, am I doing another version?” – The Many Faces of Shazad Latif
Fans of Star Trek: Discovery will remember Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler, but that’s just scratching the surface. Latif played Voq, a Klingon spy; Ash Tyler, the Starfleet security chief; and even Voq’s Mirror Universe counterpart. Sounds confusing? Even Latif thought so!
“It was a lot to get your head around,” he told Polygon over Zoom. “You’re like, ‘Wait, am I doing another version? Is he speaking Klingon? Is he speaking English? What’s going on?’” With roles involving sleeper agents, amnesia, and PTSD, it’s easy to see why he found the plot hard to track. Still, he called it “great to play a sleeper agent who gets amnesia and PTSD. There was so much in that first season to explore. I’ll never forget that whole journey in space that I had.”
Why Latif Connects with Outsiders
Latif often gravitates toward roles full of inner conflict. He’s played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Penny Dreadful, and will soon take on the role of an Indian Prince turned Captain Nemo in Nautilus (premiering June 29 on AMC and AMC Plus). He jokes, “Maybe it’s because I had a traumatic childhood,” but he also notes, “I’ve always sort of been on the peripherals in both worlds, but also very much involved in them. That feeling of being an outsider always lets me connect to these kinds of characters that have a dual feeling about them. They always seem to be fairly angry, [and] my dad was very angry, so I can tap into that.”
What’s Next for Shazad Latif?
With his sci-fi and fantasy resume already stacked, Latif is eager to keep exploring new genres. Next year, he’ll star alongside Margot Robbie in a fresh take on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. “I’m a big self-proclaimed movie nerd,” he admits. “I love everything. I love comedy. I love romantic comedy. I love dramas. I love family dramas. I love period pieces. I want to do it all. I want to do everything I can do.”
So, if you’re a fan of stories with twists, layered characters, and a little bit of confusion, keep your eyes on Shazad Latif – you never know what role he’ll surprise you with next!
