“I hope the legacy that the show leaves behind is the diversity we have.”
After performing on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and after roles in series and movies such as Black Box, Supergirl, and Fast & Furious 6, David Ajala joined the third season of Star Trek: Discovery as the roguish Cleveland Booker.
Now, with Star Trek: Discovery’s season five and series finale about to become available for streaming on Paramount+ on May 30th, I was fortunate enough to speak to David at MCM Comic Con London about his character’s evolution, the legacy he thinks Star Trek: Discovery will have and more:
Pleasure being here with you, David. To start things off, have you been a fan of Star Trek growing up? If so, what’s your favourite movie / series that is not Discovery?
David Ajala: One of my introductions to Star Trek was watching a movie called Boomerang which has a scene in which Eddie Murphy and Halle Berry are talking about Star Trek and that was so cool for me. Many years later, I had the opportunity to work with Sir Patrick Steward through the Royal Shakespeare Company and he kind of directed me into watching some of the shows. The reason I started watching Star Trek is because of the way he spoke about it with such fondness and love and I thought “this sounds like something to check out”.
So, I accidentally became a fan through other people, but since joining Discovery, I’ve become even more of a fan. Now, if I had to choose a show, I’d probably go with Star Trek: Lower Decks because there’s just so much fun and room to bend the rules.
So, you and Blu del Barrio joined Star Trek: Discovery on its third season. Was it hard being one of the new kids on the block?
David Ajala: Blu and I speak about this every now and then in just a fun, jovial way. You know, it’s always going to be a thing to slightly overcome when you’re the new kid on the block and you’re joining a show where the family is established, the mechanics of the show are established and your character comes in with a very different energy. But all of my worries, if I could call them that, were put aside swiftly when I met the crew and the cast as they’re such a wonderful bunch of people. So very special.
Now that the final season of Discovery is upon us, how do you think your character, Cleveland Booker, has changed since you first took the role?
David Ajala: When we first meet Cleveland Booker, we see a man who is the master of his fate and the captain of his own ship. It’s him and his ride or die, Grudge. He’s very used to doing things his way, not in a selfish way, but in a way that works for him because his main focus is to help endangered species. So, he’s doing things for the greater good.
Then he meets Michael Burnham and she is somewhat of an inconvenience because she literally bumps into him. But, somehow, he recognises in her a desire for connection. So, against his better judgment, he helps her out – what was meant to be a chance meeting ends up being a connection that would allow these two characters to remain in each other’s lives. I think they bring out the best in each other and that they have such a deep love and respect for each other. I feel like they will be in each other’s lives for a very long time. But…the course of true love never did run smooth…
You mentioned Grudge, so I have to ask: how was it like working with the two Maine Coons brothers, Leeu and Durban, who jointly portray your companion in the show?
David Ajala: No day was the same – I had to be on my toes every day. They say “don’t work with animals, don’t work with children”, but in Season 3 I worked with both in one episode. I think the innocence of children on set and the way they just figure things out brings a whole kind of energy and it’s the same with animals: they abide by their own clock and their own way of seeing things. It can be frustrating at times, but, equally, I think it presents a very healthy and fun challenge.
Moving on, the Discovery finale airs May 30th. Are you pleased with how it has shaped up?
David Ajala: I’m very proud of this season. I’m proud of how much ground these characters have covered and by how much story we’ve been able to tell. We kept the cornerstones that make Star Trek what it is but then we were also bold enough to expand and introduce new ideas right from the jump.
We do have elements that were clearly inspired by the Indiana Jones franchise and the whole treasure hunt…these are stories told since time immemorial and we’ve managed to incorporate them into Star Trek – I love it! I love this season for that element of adventure. I am sad to see it come to an end but I’m so very proud of what we’ve achieved.
Looking forward, what do you think will be the legacy of Star Trek: Discovery?
David Ajala: I hope the legacy that Star Trek: Discovery leaves behind is the diversity we have – not just aesthetically, but in the stories themselves also. I hope that everyone has felt seen because I think there is no greater encouragement or act of love than to be seen. So, I hope that those who felt unseen are now seen…at least somewhat. And, in terms of cinematic endeavours, I think that Discovery has done things that no other iteration of Star Trek has managed to do.
We were very bold to do that – and we got a lot of stick for it – but, sometimes, I think the best things are found on the other side of fear. You have to be bold. You have to be courageous. And, for that reason, I’ll always be very proud to have been part of this wonderful franchise and this show specifically.
Star Trek: Discovery is available on Paramount+. Series finale streaming on May 30th.
