By Rachel Hulshult Published 11 minutes ago
Brent Spiner compares playing Data and Lore in Star Trek: Picard season 3, and updates how the androids now reflect his real-life personality.
Summary
- Brent Spiner relates more to Lore than Data, as Lore's emotional range gave the actor more to play with.
- In Star Trek: Picard season 3, Data achieves his dream of becoming almost human, evolving closer to Brent Spiner.
- Data's journey in TNG and Picard showcases his ultimate transformation into a nearly indistinguishable human android.
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Of his two most famous Star Trek: The Next Generation characters, Brent Spiner says he has more in common with Lore than with Data. After his introduction in TNG's series premiere, the android Lt. Commander Data quickly became one of the show's most beloved characters. For seven seasons, Data observed those around him, becoming more and more human as the show went on. Data's story arc was one of TNG's most successful, thanks in no small part to Brent Spiner's compelling performance. But Data wasn't the only character that Spiner portrayed on TNG.
In TNG season 1, episode 13, "Datalore," Data discovered that the cyberneticist who had created him, Dr. Noonian Soong (Brent Spiner), had also created another android named Lore. Although Lore claimed to be more perfect than Data, this was later revealed to be a lie, as Lore had all of the negative traits that Data lacked. Lore believed himself to be above the humans around him, and his emotions became increasingly unstable. Years after their initial encounter, Lore stole an emotion chip meant for Data, and later allied himself with a renegade Borg collective to seek revenge against the Federation.
In addition to Data and Lore, Brent Spiner has played several members of the Soong family, including Dr. Noonian Soong in TNG, as well as Dr. Altan Soong and Dr. Adam Soong in Star Trek: Picard .
Brent Spiner Says He's More Like Lore Than Data
Spiner didn't have any trouble channeling Data's evil twin.
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Data and Lore returned in Star Trek: Picard season 3, as both personalities battled for control of a newly upgraded synthetic body. On the red carpet at the 51st Annual Saturn Awards, TrekMovie spoke with Brent Spiner about Data and Lore. When asked about what elements of Lore he tried to incorporate into his performance of Data in Picard season 3, Spiner had the following to say:
Actually of the two characters &- Data and Lore &- I’m much more like Lore. I mean, Lore was easy to play because I am evil. So they said, 'Yeah, just let yourself go, be yourself.' So, okay!
Because of his instability, Lore exhibited more emotional range than Data, giving Brent Spiner more to play with as an actor. Spiner may cheekily refer to himself as evil, but it makes sense that Lore would be a more fun character to play. Lore only returns briefly in Picard season 3, but elements of his personality later get incorporated into the android that becomes known as Data. As Data and Lore both fight for control of the body known as Daystrom Android M-5-10, more and more of Data's personality begins to take over. The final version of Data that emerges contains elements not only of Data and Lore, but also of B-4, Data's daughter Lal (Hallie Todd), and Dr. Altan Soong (Brent Spiner).
Data Became More Like Brent Spiner In Star Trek: Picard Season 3
What's next for Data now that he is almost human?
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After his final upgrade in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Data has finally achieved his dream of becoming as close to human as he can be. Data can now experience organic emotions, and he has plenty to discuss in his daily sessions with Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). When asked about this new version of Data at the Saturn Awards, Brent Spiner said this:
He really is an evolution. I think what’s interesting about it is that for years and years and years, I was trying to become Data. And now in the latest iteration, Data has sort of become more like me.
Data reunited with his fellow USS Enterprise-D crew members in Star Trek: Picard season 3, including his best friend Commodore Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton). With his new upgrades, Data can finally express how much he cares for his friends. While Data exhibited many human qualities throughout his time on TNG, more than even he would admit, he was always undoubtedly an android. However, Data's Picard season 3 upgrade makes him nearly indistinguishable from a human, enhancing all of the human qualities that have always been a part of him. Data may have "died" twice since his time on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the character has also come full circle, finally achieving his life-long dream to be human.
Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.
Source: TrekMovie
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