'So much of my life suddenly made sense'
Jin Maley, who plays a key supporting role in Star Trek Picard, talks about coming out as nonbinary. Plus, GOP presidential hopefuls descend upon Iowa. And: The Celebrity Blue Checkmarks controversy!
Good evening, Mountain and Pacific Time Zone readers! This edition of Bedtime Stories is being published with the West Coast in mind, as will tomorrow’s edition, on this next to last Sunday of April, 2023.
William Shakespeare was born on this day in 1564, preceding me by 400 years. It seemed apropos to highlight his birth as this newsletter focuses mainly on a classically trained performer on stage and screen who appeared this season in Star Trek Picard: nonbinary actor Jin Maley. But first:
Here Now the News
EVACUATION FROM SUDAN: As the country is torn apart by warring factions, Americans, Britons and the French flee. —The New York Times
REPUBLICANS CONVERGE ON IOWA: Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Asa Hutchinson, Tim Scott and others hoping to win the GOP nomination to run for the White House next year offered a variety of views on abortion, with not one of them speaking in favor of reproductive rights, just arguing before the evangelical crowd on their different approaches to deny them. —ABC News
BED BATH AND BANKRUPTCY: NBC News
ANOTHER TV EXECUTIVE SHOWN THE DOOR FOR “INAPPROPRIATE RELATIONS:” NBC Universal honcho Jeff Shell is out, reports the BBC.
TWITTER CONTROVERSY #2,903,529: Many celebrities don’t want the free blue checkmarks Twitter is attaching to their profiles, because it makes them look as though they’re among the people who are willing to pay $8/month for the privilege. —AV Club
THESE CELEBRITIES GOT BLUE CHECKMARKS. BUT THEY’RE DEAD! —Washington Post
ATLANTA BIGOTS COMBINE ANTI-SEMITISM WITH TRANSPHOBIA: WSB
WELCOME TO MY WORLD, NEW YORK TIMES: Was anyone surprised by Saturday’s headline — Many States Are Trying to Restrict Gender Treatments for Adults, Too — given that this story has been developing and also been reported by LGBTQ+ news media for months?!? Sheesh. #HireTrans, NYT!
Star Trek Corner
Last week, in addition to viewing the finale of Star Trek Picard Season 3 in advance of its release, getting invited to attend one of the free IMAX screenings (Thank you, Hannah Simpson!), I scored some big gets for y’all!
I was lucky enough to have conversations with showunner and executive producer Terry Matalas, who wrote and directed the final episode, as well as actor Jin Maley who played one of the young officers aboard the U.S.S. Titan, and to interview Liz Kloczkowski, the assistant art director who was in charge of rebuilding the Bridge of the Enterprise D last seen on TV and in movies decades ago.
Tomorrow’s edition will include the video chat between Matalas and my BFF and fellow fan Melody Maia Monet and me. Our video also includes a review of the finale. And I’ll bring you my interview with Kloczkowski on Tuesday!
But first: Jin Maley told me they had never before revealed their coming out story to a member of the news media, and I am honored to share that with you here. Maley, who is nonbinary, played Ensign Kova Rin Esmar on the Titan and played a pivotal role once the Borg took over the crew. We laughed, a lot, and they also told some moving stories from behind the scenes. Enjoy!
HOW TO VIEW THE ENTIRE SEASON OF STAR TREK PICARD AND PAST STAR TREK EPISODES: Click here to subscribe to Paramount+
That’s all for now. Check back tomorrow for my conversation with my BFF Melody Maia Monet and our friend, Star Trek Picard executive producer, showrunner and finale writer/director Terry Matalas, plus news of the day.
Until then… Good night and good luck!
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Dawn, that was, I think, the most lovely, gentle, round and full interviews I’ve ever watched. You gleefully violate all the rules of interviewing by inserting yourself so fully into the exchange, and with the folks you seem to most often interview, that creates a space of respect that allows them to present their authentic self. Thank you❣️