Why Brent Spiner Returned as Data for ‘Star Trek: Picard’: “I’ve Learned My Lesson, Never Say Never.  (2024)

After his character Data died in Star Trek: Nemesis, Brent Spiner was done with Star Trek. Then Star Trek: Picard came around on Paramount+, and he once again reprised the character in a series of semi-mystical dream sequences via the title character, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Over the course of the past two seasons, Spiner has played a variety of other, related characters including Dr. Altan Inigo Soong, and Adam Soong, two inventors instrumental in Data’s creation. Data, however, was officially, finally done.

But as revealed in the last two episodes of Picard, and spoilers past this point, Data is back… And he’s not alone. Thanks to some science-esque stuff from the first Soong, Data is in a new android body that will age at a normal, human rate, along with his evil opposite, Lore. So why did Spiner come back to the role he said he was finished with?

“I’ve learned my lesson, never say never,” Spiner told Decider. “I didn’t want to miss out on having fun with my friends. I mean, I couldn’t imagine all of them being there and me not.”

At the moment, Spiner might be having fun with his friends, but the former crew of the Enterprise is not having a lot of fun with Lore. While most of the crew is dealing with an attack from the villainous Vadic (Amanda Plummer), Lore uses the opportunity to take control of the ship and make things a little easier for the changeling attackers. This leads to an emotionally charged scene of Geordi LaForge (Levar Burton) begging his old friend Data to come back and help them — which he does, though warns he’s only managed to hold back Lore for a short time.

Obviously, more is to come with Data/Lore as the season starts to wrap up its final run. But in the meantime, we talked to Spiner about coming back to the role, playing opposite Burton and Stewart, and whether he’s ever going to come back to the theater.

Decider: After Data’s appearance in Star Trek: Picard season one, I believe you said you were done with the character. So what convinced you to come back for this season?

Brent Spiner: Did I say that?

You did, on TV Guide when you were talking about saying goodbye to Data once again. I mean, I know you came back for season two as a different character.

Right. I thought I’d said I was done before season one.

Hm, ok.

It doesn’t matter. You know, the point is, I’ve learned my lesson, never say never.

Well, was there something specific about this take? And obviously, it’s not strictly just Data. It’s also Lore, it’s also B-4, it’s also something new. Was that the thing that convinced you to jump into this iconic role once again?

Well, partially. And the other part was just that I didn’t want to miss out on having fun with my friends. I mean, I couldn’t imagine all of them being there and me not. And so [showrunner] Terry [Matalas] came up with some interesting stuff and we tweaked it a little bit and here I am.

You’ve had a different take every single season so far playing aspects of this world, even if not specifically the character. But in this iteration, what was it like playing both Data and Lore in the same body?

Well, what was it like? It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever done before. I mean, it was like a challenge, you know? But then basically all acting is a challenge, or you can look at it as an opportunity. And I think this was both. It was just another way for this character’s journey to continue, and to continue on to the goal that was originally set by Gene Roddenberry in the beginning that – at the very end of the day – Data would be as close to human as possible, and still not [get there]. At this point in time, I’m not sure what the end of the day is, but that’s where we’ve gotten so far.

There’s a great scene in this episode where you switch back and forth between Data and Lore, almost fighting in your own body. What’s it like playing those scenes where you suddenly have to switch between characters very quickly?

Yeah, I don’t know how to describe what it’s like, but it’s like swimming in a rainbow with thousands of babies because I don’t really know what it’s like. It’s like what it is. It’s like, as I’ve said, it’s a challenge and one just hopes they’re able to accomplish it.

Just to clarify this is basically all of the different androids – this is B-4, this is Lore and Data – in a new body, correct? Is this the same sort of body that ages in real-time, like Picard?

I believe that’s what it is. I think that’s what Doctor Soong said. He created the… body, that Picard is in, and yeah. I think that’s the reason, I believe, he created it, so that Data would, or Data/Lore/B-4/himself would age, and age along with the rest of the crew.

Do you see a throughline for these characters, other than the fact that they’re all played by Brent Spiner?

I think there is a through line, and that’s just the quest to understand what it means to be human.

We see Data helping, and Lore antagonizing Picard. Do you have a favorite mode, personally? Poking at Patrick Stewart or helping him?

Oh no, I far prefer poking him, he’s lots of fun to tease. Because he takes it well.

You spend most of your scenes in this episode, or a good fair chunk of the scenes, working opposite of LeVar Burton. What do you think it is about the Geordi-Data relationship that works on, and off-screen?

Well, on-screen it works because it is just that aspect of humanity that Data’s able to explore more fully, and that’s friendship. And he’s able to explore it and understand it more fully through his relationship with Geordi. Off-screen, I just vibe with the guy.

One of the scenes where you two are really vibing, or actually not quite vibing, is where Geordi is appealing to Data… It’s a heartbreaking scene to watch and an incredible performance from both of you. But you have, in my mind, almost the unenviable job of icing him out, so how did you approach that? When LeVar Burton, the actor, is giving you so much, seemingly giving him nothing back?

You know what? I try to do my best to illuminate the author’s intent. That’s what my job is as an actor. It wasn’t personal, you know? I wasn’t personally icing out LeVar. We were both involved in the scene and playing the scene and trying to illuminate the scene as best we could. But he was great in that scene, wasn’t he?

Yeah, fantastic. As a viewer, you see that Geordi is appealing to Data, Geordi is trying to find the Data deep inside Lore. But these are two android brains that have been partitioned off, so how did you play that? Did you play that as Lore with a little bit of Data below it? Is it just Lore? How did you approach it?

Well, I think there’s always a struggle going on to see which one is going to be able to control the situation, at any given moment. They don’t blend quite yet. They just kind of, each one is able to come to the floor for a certain amount of time until the other one can push through and make it to the front again, you know? It’s complicated, it really is.

Geordi, later in the episode, says Lore’s motivation is chaos. Do you agree with that? Or do you think it’s something deeper?

Well, I mean, psychologically it’s probably deeper. I mean, certainly, his MO is chaos. But I think a lot of it has to do with pain. And his own personal pain. And he is a tragic character, even though he is horrible. But that’s often the case with quote-unquote villains, is what made them villains is what also makes them sad.

You’re probably getting this one a lot lately, but there’s been talk following up on this about a potential Star Trek: Legacy spin-off. Is that something you’d be interested in? Or – I know you said never say never – but are you done with Data for the moment?

Well, that is what I said, but I can’t really say because I don’t have any control over that, you know? Not yet, anyway, because we don’t know what’s going to happen, or even be in anybody’s mind. I know Terry would like to do it, Terry Matalas. I think everyone would be game, but at the same time, it’s sort of a double-edged sword. Yes, who doesn’t want to play with their friends? And the other side of it is this season has been so well received, it wouldn’t be terrible – I don’t think – to go out with this goodwill. But, you know, again, it remains to be seen.

This is very much a side question, not apropos of the series, but you’ve had such a prolific career on Broadway, I was just curious if we were ever going to see you on stage again.

I really would like to go on stage again. I’m dying to do a play. Actually, LeVar and I were trying to put a play together, and we had it in motion. We were going to do it first in London, and then the playwright’s widow decided she didn’t want us doing the show and she wouldn’t give us the rights. That being said, yeah, I hope to be on stage again one day.

Forget about Star Trek: Legacy, I want to see that play happen, that’s the big thing.

Thank you.

What can you tease for Data as we head toward the inevitable conclusion of the season?

Well, I think we’ll find, there are still a lot of surprises. And I think most of all, the last few episodes are gonna be really satisfying. I don’t think anybody’s gonna feel cheated at the end of the day. And that’s, I hope, encouraging, because up until now the fan response has been so wonderful. I don’t think they’re gonna be leaving in the last few episodes. I think they’re gonna be right there with us.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Star Trek: Picard streams Thursdays on Paramount+.