Gates Mcfadden

OF STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION ON PARAMOUNT+

Q: Actors who attend fan conventions always talk about the level of knowledge they have about the show and the science behind it. Have you found that?

A: Yeah, and it’s exciting. It took me longer than anyone in my cast to get on board with the conventions and really understand the fandom . ... But at any rate, I so understand it now and embrace it because I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and said, “I became a surgeon because of you.”

You know, women and just the gay community, all sorts of people doing various things ... . And I now understand how significant having role models is in a culture. It really is important – good role models, OK? And so I’m extremely proud of being involved with this franchise.

Q: Plus it has to be very gratifying that you are inspiring young women to get into medicine, no?

A: Absolutely, and it’s not just young women. I mean, I can’t tell you how many men in their 30s and 40s who grew up sort of thinking that Dr. Crusher was kind of their mom and also they had a weird crush on Crusher. But we laugh about it. And to see what people are doing, they’re geologists, they’re teachers, they’re social workers, they’re people who work at Walmart but who really care about the future.

I mean, I have enormous respect for people who watch our show and are specific enough about the tenets of the “Star Trek” philosophy, which is really to make the world a better place and be tolerant and inclusive. So I find no matter whether someone’s unemployed or whether they’re a nurse or a scientist – whatever – our fans are people who really do care about the world and are involved politically and are aware of what’s going on sociologically speaking and culturally speaking. And I think that’s really important.