Melissa Navia Reflects on Lt. Ortegas' Future and More

Melissa Navia as Lt. Erica Ortegas. Image: Paramount+.

March 22, 2023 – Last year, fans were treated to the highly anticipated ‘spin-off-sequel’ series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

For most of us “older” fans, it was a much-appreciated return to the classic form of Trek, i.e., an episodic format, rather than the new standard soap opera approach.

Right from the start, SNW hit it off with fans, to the point that it got a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Paramount+ realized that this new show would be a mighty part of the Trek franchise.  And we all have our favorite episode, and many runners-up.  It’s almost funny because in only 10 episodes, it’s planted itself deep into the hearts of legacy Trek fans.  From the gate, the cast were a perfect ensemble, and the cast clearly love what they do and each other.

As we await the announcement of when season 2 will be here, we’ve already been promised that Strange New Worlds will get even ‘stranger’ – like a cross over episode with its cartoon cousin, Lower Decks.

Our friends at Inverse caught up with break-out series star Melissa Navia to talk about her personal fandom and what’s ahead for Season 2 and beyond.

Melissa Navia plays the amazingly talented helmsman for the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. Which means that she’s controlled where the mighty Starship goes long before Sulu did.

She’s a huge fan of the franchise, and on her social media accounts she regularly shares fan art, shares her excitement for the spin-off comics, and she has already made it to several conventions.

And she clearly understands the fan base:

“I know how important it is to really rep a show that you feel so proud of and so honored to be a part of.  Star Trek really goes beyond what we do on set and on the screen. It becomes a world in and of itself. So for me, it's a joy to be a part of it.”

Season 1 of Strange New Worlds had several standalone episodes, focusing on each crewmember.  We’ve seen dedicated episodes for Number One, Hemmer, Dr. M’Benga, and as expected Pike and Spock.

But, what about Ortegas? Will our favorite new Starfleet pilot get her own episode in Strange New Worlds season 2?

“Yes, I can say that without getting into trouble. We did get that sneak peek for Season 2 [in 2022] of me, of Ortegas you know, potentially getting to be part of a landing party. But the fans have been asking for Ortegas and you know, you’ll see a lot of her throughout all 10 episodes. In Season 2 Ortegas is really coming into her own and taking steps that maybe she didn’t take in Season 1.”

Her final thoughts on the next season of SNW:

“In Season 2, anything is possible. I actually think Season 2 could be even better than Season 1. We were filming Season 2 while the world was experiencing Season 1. For us, that feedback really gave us a lot of confidence and electrified everything we were doing. It gave us the go-ahead to maybe push the envelope.”

She’s not the only one waiting for season 2 to air.  And we look forward to all the growth her character will get.

For more of this, as well as how the fan base helped her through the loss of her partner, visit our friends at Inverse.

By the way, if you’re not currently a Paramount+ subscriber, we’ve got a special deal for you. Click through the link below and, when signing up for the service, enter the promo code PICARD for 1 month free! Offer ends on 4/30/23.