Whoopi Goldberg has returned to the role of Guinan for a reunion with the Star Trek: Picard season 3 cast on The View. Picard's season 3 premiere saw Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Captain Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) reunite at Guinan's Ten Forward bar in Los Angeles, although Guinan doesn't join her Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members in Picard season 3's first episode. Goldberg recently reprised Guinan in Star Trek: Picard season 2.
However, Whoopi Goldberg made up for this by appearing as Guinan behind the bar in a replica of the famous Enterprise lounge on her daytime talk show The View. From behind the Ten Forward bar, Whoopi interviewed actors Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, and Michael Dorn about what to expect from Star Trek: Picard season 3, and gave insights into her reasons for joining TNG back in 1988. You can watch the video below:
Whoopi Goldberg Paid Tribute To Uhura Actress Nichelle Nichols On The View
On The View, the TNG cast was asked about working with Whoopi Goldberg, who was a big movie star by the time she was cast as Guinan. Patrick Stewart reflected that he couldn't believe that an Oscar-nominated actor like Goldberg would sign on for a network TV show until she told him her reasons. Goldberg acknowledged the importance of Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) in showing her that Black women would make it into the future. As a sci-fi fan, this representation was important was hugely influential on the young Whoopi Goldberg.
Whoopi Goldberg is the perfect example of why Dr. Martin Luther King advised Nichelle Nichols against quitting Star Trek: The Original Series. He told her that "for the first time, we are being seen the world over as we should be seen." While Nichelle Nichols' storylines were lacking, her links to Star Trek allowed her to effect positive change in the real world.
Nichols worked with NASA to increase the diversity of their astronaut program, and some of those astronauts, like Dr. Mae Jemison went on to cameo in TNG. Jemison was also name-checked as one of the invited guests at the launch of the Europa mission in Picard season 2. The influence of Nichelle Nichols on the likes of Whoopi Goldberg is a moving example of the power of positive representation, something that Star Trek is still striving for in Star Trek: Picard season 3.
Source: The View
Star Trek: Picard Season 3 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.