Martin Quinn Interview - "The Scottish Hello"

This is Martin Quinn and you're listening to open peak Nate the podcast that gives her oh she's got capped at

this thing on Hulu Hulu Welcome to open fight died the strange new worlds podcast where your personal logs are the prime directive. I'm your host John T bolds. here tonight with a fantastic energizing guest and wonderful callers in the wings ready to boost the signal to your ears. Joining me tonight are my co hosts first up the man who's engineering skills come not from MIT but from XLR and USB, Jesse Bailey.

Hey, if I can plug and play I'm happy to go that way. And I just rely on you to do all of the hard stuff John.

And the man who never has to pad the numbers he just gets the job done in Miracle Worker style. Hosts of green shirt newbies Trek The Next Generation. Cameron,

just call me cam the Redeemer.

I'm humble like that. And our guest tonight brings a fresh face to a beloved role and within three seconds of screen time won the hearts of strange new worlds fans everywhere. He's got the skills he's got the voice he's well he's this generations Montgomery Scott. Welcome Martin Quinn to the open pike night stage. Hi there.

Thanks for having me. How's it good? Good. It's

great to have you talking to Scotty go better. Yeah,

yeah. Well, you're seeing I've got the voice. I mean, I don't know I think I think Jim's doing was gone for whether or not he was achieving it. He was going for an Aberdonian kind of sound. And then and then there's another place in Scotland Linlithgow seems to claim them for some reason. And those are different sounds from me entirely. So I know that no one else about it, but I've just stuck to it. I've got a paisley accent. It's just to say the colors go we're basically a Glasgow accent. But yeah, but a Glasgow accent. So yeah, I don't know if it's quite what people had in mind before. But maybe you guys don't hear the difference? I don't know, do you?

I think I, for me, at least it just offers such an authenticity to the character. I mean, you know, like when you watch doing or Simon Pegg do it. There's this like, thing in the back of your head going that's that's not quite 100%

What I'm that's what I should understand, like 200 years in the future.

Yeah. Oh, no. You mean Yeah. It could have developed into that by when? I think Simon pick his I think his partner might be Scottish. I think they got married and govern, which is an area in Glasgow. And I would say he when he did. Alan Partridge is stuff. I think he was on Steve Coogan's knowing me knowing you. And he was doing a Scottish accent. And when he was when he was kind of talking just at this kind of relaxed level. I wasn't offended by by Scottish accent but then I think with Scott A, and I've only seen the first GG blooms movie. And when it played Scotty I feel like you know, you're having to do a lot of shooting. And I think I think that's when it goes up. Yeah, Carla dead Captain like it goes up. I mean, no one else in the world cares. But yeah, yeah.

I mean, he's talked about how he kind of tried to straddle doing a more authentic one and paying homage to the James 211. Okay,

yeah, that's just a great excuse.

Yeah, to get

on the toilet.

Let's go back.

Oh, no, no, I was just gonna say I worry about slagging off anyone's accent it's not like I'm very good at accents. You know, I mean, we're filming in Canada No, and I wasn't there to get it was briefly and I had to do a Canadian accent and it was terrible. So you know, James do hit and I've just equally disrespected has natural stones as well, so I can't really see anything.

Turnabout is fair play. That's fair. Yeah, yeah, we'll

put a pin in that because we've got a caller question along those lines. But for now, let's let's go back a little bit to before your time was scouted to when you were a wee lad, if I may. How did you get into acting? How did you get that bug,

and there was a local youth theatre. My Auntie's husband had done some work with with them. PSU theater, the code. And the I think I joined them when I was six years old. So they didn't Paisley my hometown. They were kind of for a long time. One of the base things in the town, and, and when I was about six years old, I started going to weekly classes, and they would do some kind of summer shows. And I remember when I was about 10, I did a show. They had these things comedy fests and that played a gangster in it, but I Also, again during a terrible New York accent, and then I was I think I was to come on and introduce the show and and kind of sign off on the show and I improvised a little bit because you know, like, kids are always forgetting their lines. But anyway, I remember the the, the real adrenaline rush that ago and and I was only 10 years old, I really crashed after the Shore was quite low after it but that kind of buzz in them that I got from improvising a or having to improvise on stage. I got really into it. I think that was a bit of a turning point. And that was a round in that I started packing. And I started taking acting classes or drama classes over football or as you would call it soccer. And you know, I think that was when it kind of started I started taking it a bit more seriously. But yeah, so it was it pays you theta and and then there was this woman she was quite intense I don't agree with them a lot of a lot of what she was teaching but she would for the kids that she thought were more good enough to maybe take acting a bit more seriously she she created this thing called the theater school. And so then you would you would be selected to go to the theater school. And you know, there was a bit of a kind of cold thing amongst all like that made that drive or that kind of compare what would you see a kind of competition with you, your peers drove you to get better act and you know, a man who is getting more social standing at this teacher thought that you were good enough to get into theater school or, or if she gave you praise, all of a sudden, among your like other drama, class peers, you had a bit of social status. So I think I got kind of hooked and sucked into the the, to your theater and then nasty or school, I got sucked into act and around around 10. And then I think I dropped out about 14 Because you just couldn't do your exam. That's when Ben was crazy man. She was like, she was like, really wanting you to put all of your skill studies aside and focus purely on this and it was quite dangerous at night. So instead, I dropped out at about 14. But yeah, I picked it up again, when I was about 16 and Scottish theatre and stuff. And, and Scottish Youth Theatre managed to they would they would give you a opportunities for work. So some castings would come in piece that that a little bit I ended up on let me show which is a Scottish comedian when I was about 14. And that was great because it kind of tore my school powers. That meant all of a sudden acting was cool, because I had a small part and a TV show. And then yeah, which kind of upped the ante a little bit. But I didn't like work consistently at all. But anyway, when I was 16, I started doing bets with Scottish youth theatre and they offered me bits of work there, they would do like CAD shows and stuff. And then the got various castings through and when I was about 18, and I was working for them after I'd left school, I got a casting through that I was successful with that was a National Theatre of Scotland play called late the eighth one and the director was John Tiffany and it was a he's like He did Harry Potter and the Cursed Child after that. So he was quite a big deal. And, and it was his last show than the National Theatre of Scotland. So I got the lead. And so that was kind of from there. It was a was when I started really managing to, to professionally do acting, you know, I mean, what I've done bits of work with scar tissue Theatre on some of their CAD shows. I mean, I was getting paid like 140 pounds a week, and it was very sporadic. And I was not not reward great experience. But you know, I mean, not not A, not an OS. So yeah, that was that was a big change when I was 18. I managed to get that. So yeah,

theater pays and experience a lot in the first few years. That's your primary source of payment. As a fan of let the right one and I've got I've got to ask about like that experience. What was that like, adapting it for the stage? I've never seen the stage play.

Yeah, I really liked the stage play. But we went very different. We got one really bad review and it first started and it was seen. I didn't match that the boy that was in there Swedish original. It was quite a damning review ever, ever. And it was quite leaked. I when I was auditioning for it, I did. I think I did watch the film, but I just couldn't really, I was just doing I was impersonating mo brother the whole time. That was her kind of approach the role. And okay, the play was I mean, it was great, the director and the movement that just even hug it, they knew that I hadn't done anything so they were really kind and very nurturing to me and kind of given me confidence and I don't know what that age I don't know. I felt like my imagination for a kind of a I don't know I kind of was talking about negatively but that really intense teacher at your theater. She she did help kind of expand my imagination. And and I feel like when I did that play when I was 18 my imagination was really vivid, I just remember being like, I don't know, if I've ever managed to be as vivid with my imagination since like, I was really like an it apart, I don't know, the rain was gray and, and I just had this kind of rough idea of how to play everything. And I could see everything so clearly. And I didn't have to have drama school training in order to like really get into that role. You know, I mean, then after that I did go to drama school because I was auditioning for other plays and legacy. I was auditioning for other work, and my imagination just wasn't being stimulated the same. And I wasn't able to like, I don't know, I wasn't able to kind of connect to the other roles as quickly and as easily. So whilst that play that play, then went on to London, and whilst we were in London, or addition to some drama schools down there, because I was like, Oh, my God, I am not managing to piece together a career, Jeremy and I couldn't get that second job. So I was like, I better go to go to drama school and a sci fi can figure out ways to work when maybe you're not initially kind of stimulated by a piece of work. Do you mean like, how do you? How do you still work in those circumstances? And so yeah,

well, I think our caller question is asking you about the next step in that career. Well, yeah,

here we go. Here's engineer Mark. Hi, it's

engineer mark here. Now that title is the real deal. And one of the inspirations for my lengthy career, there is Chief Engineer Scott of the enterprise in the original series. Now, Martin does a mighty big roll of Hill, from the one episode we have on it, I do think you're doing the beginnings of that story in a very grand manner. That is what being that kind of engineer really is. And I'm very much looking forward to seeing more of you telling that story. Now for a question. I see you have a career on the stage as well. Could you talk some on what you have found in moving from the stage to the screen? Any interesting stories along the way there? Thank you very much. Live long and prosper. Oh,

that was really nice. Is very keen there. M. Arthur, what is about sighs always with camera and an array. So I went to drama school kind of following on from what I said just before, and we had this teacher, Patsy Rodenburg. And she was she was a kind of renowned voice teacher at the time, I got money to go to drama school off of Alan recommened. And he was telling me go to Guild Hall. That was a drama school. And he was like, You need to go there. Because they've got this pro voice teacher, she's just left there. Actually, no. And she was very, she was interested, she came at it from different angles, and one of them was about being present. And you've talked a lot about being present. And there was loads of things you had these theories about. second circle, being second circle is real presence, when you're really connecting with someone or whatever you're doing. First Circle is your turn your own head. Third circle is like you're just chest out, you know, you're being too grand for the sake of others. Oh, everyone seeing you, you know, I mean, second circle is the sweet spot when you're really connecting. And so she drove that. And to his right now that is transferable from stage and screen, second circle, that's all that matters. You know, I mean, don't get too in your head, don't be too big and bravado, a second circuit just be present with what's in front of you. However, they know she would teach us about being on voice so that you know, you're not talking off voice, but you're really breathing properly and your own voice and you're able to fill the space that you're in. Well, I then became kind of and you know, other came to focus on this on voice thing. It became my kind of a new that I was warmed up and knew that I was ready to go off. I was really on voice, you know, I mean, and if I was nervous, I would go really on voice. And when I first graduated from drama school, and no, everyone else did this, this was my own mistake. But when I was auditioning for TV shows, when I was nervous, I would go back to my practice thing of being on voice and really load up a TV edition and the guy. I remember that I got kind of close to apart and BBC comedy and I was really upset about it actually. And because I kind of messed it up for a number of reasons, but in the can afford the row and I remember being so nervous. I was predicting loads and the guy was like, maybe if you could just talk like we're talking right now. That'd be clear. And I just wasn't able to do it. And I mean, I don't know we were at the time. I don't think we practiced enough on screen stuff at drama school. They tried to bring in as much as he could, but it was very much a classical training. So it was about filling the space and you know, and I thought oh, well, I'll be able to do this because you know, Patrick Stewart obviously he was he was like a massive 6 billion actor Surely, if you're a good enough actor, you will manage to adapt to him, but I made plenty of mistakes along the way like that. And I'm constantly watching. Well, I'm constantly asking for feedback from too big or too small, you know, and I'm not seeing that as a really strong Got to be small. I can be small. But the thing is you want to have, you want to make sure that what you're trying to get across is coming across. But also, there are like opportunities huge. She does huge performances on screen. Do you know I mean, like he's not, he's not been subtle, necessarily, but it's still sized with truth. And they talked about that in drama school a lot. But it says with trip that said, not gonna taste on the camera. So I think I'm slowly getting there. And with film during June and COVID, I was filming myself a lot during the Celie sketches on my phone. And that was, I think, that forced me to watch myself back as well and kind of get used to watch myself back, but kind of hone down the size that I was happy playing and pitching, but it's just different. And Every job is different. And every scene and I'm still always working at it. I'm always asking the director was that too much or too little? Is it coming up? You know, I mean, but yeah, it's all about tweaking. Great thing about filming as you go again, you know, I mean, and if it's too much, and yeah, you know, and, and, yes, we'll just go on for it and being told, okay, we've got that maybe maybe just a little bit more subtle this time. You know,

I was just jumping to Isaac's call, then.

Yeah. Hello, guys. And hello to Martin, thank you very much for another open pipe night invitation to the stage. I'm Isaac and I'm from unplanned trick, a little podcast from Tasmania in a little island off the south of Australia, which actually exists today. So anyone? Look, I've got a question for Martin. And thanks. Thanks again for coming on the show. My question is the episode that were you debuted in strange new worlds was only one episode after the musical episode. So my question for you is, do you have pipes? How good are you at singing and potentially? What's your favorite song? How does it go? Alright guys, thanks

very much.

Can't wait to hear this episode in the future. Live long and prosper. And

can I sing about that? I don't think I could say I don't think I could sing for us. But yes, I play a little bit of music. My big brother is quite musical he he's a very good guitarist and a great songs and he's a producer actually in Melbourne and Australia. An art center, Melbourne Art Center, but he is more musical than me. I think I've got a pleasant sounding voice I don't think I've done a wee bit of musical theater work. But I'm not like musical theater trained. I think they're like next level men my girlfriend's musical theater trained and they just have real enduring strength paper Do you know I mean, like I did a nude Wally which is a Scottish character. I did well in a musical a couple of years ago, and I just did not have the physical fenders to do it because it was a Christmas run. We were doing like 12 Shows a week and I was constantly worried about losing my voice. So I can I can sing are professing and more focused off the musical theory stuff. And I played with there's an actor and my year coach Samuel blank, and he's done various things. He's been in Black Mirror, he was a major in drama school and a play and sing with him a little bit. And there's another actor Stefan Kenneth, who plays bass for his a lot of the time. And because of acting, we don't always manage to get together but we've got a band called velcro love and we recorded before the pod actually 2018 or something that we recorded and we haven't managed to record anything since we've made up a couple of times and in written some stuff but we play focused stuff and I think my voice suits for key music but I don't know if I'm I don't know if I've got the paper

if I may answer Isaac's question I've I've listened to some of velcro low now yes Isaac Martin has the pipe sound sound SoundCloud is highly suggest a wouldn't go find is really good Martin over your

Vedic cane that it takes some of that down some of that is to I don't mean some of the recordings and then some of it is you know work in progress I think if it was my main my main thing I would be a bit more picky but I remember during lockdown just be like okay, I've got these recordings. A friend another friend of mine Bo vane is is kind of music name as he did a version of songs for me and I was like, You know what, I'll just chuck them up. And I was just trying to be about lace kind of maybe precious about it, you know, I mean throw things and but I was very keen to view the Covenant as they see. I was my favorite song. And I don't know but you know if I can if I was the moment I'm listening to as Adrian linker a quite a lot but I don't know probably the Beatles do prudence sorry. Be so boring and gather a Beatles answer. Bay and I really loved your prints. I think I'm a big Paul McCartney fan. And then he plays drums on that. So that's my favorite. Also, I just love Paul McCartney's back and vocals all the time he's there saves saves all The songs you know,

good choice.

You can play young Paul McCartney. Well, yeah.

Some people have said that some people have said that a before to me and I don't know if that's why I'm so obsessed with them just because of that.

They should internalize that. Well, as Isaac mentioned, you were just one episode away from being in the musical. What type of song do you think Scotty would have sang? Had he been around classical What would you have liked to have seen?

But maybe it would have been a focus song maybe it would have been exactly for my paper because of the because of the you know, the Scottish traditional kind of idea. And, you know, and I think maybe I hope I'm not speaking at a turn but I think Ansan please Paik please the banjo so do you not I mean, there could have we could have a bluegrass thing. Gordon at some point on on an episode. It would be very cool.

So does Melissa navio. They both do. Listen, Aria plays a banjo.

Oh, I didn't know. No. I don't think I've been on. And since I've seen him play, but I haven't seen Melissa play. Oh, that's very cool. That's very cool.

I suddenly need Star Trek bluegrass. Yeah, that's Wow.

World's band.

Do you think you still listen to bluegrass and the 300 years or whatever? Do you think they still tune in? Oh, man.

Thing about Star Trek. They

love stuff from the 20th century. So yeah, that's true. Yes. So if they if they've got noir then bluegrass survived and somebody

playing jazz trombone. Yeah.

All right. Let's hear from our next callers. XO

open PAC night. This is USS cinema. Captain Richardson, commanding officer. Thanks, once again for allowing us to come on your show to show our gratitude and appreciation to Martin Quinn. Martin, it's great to have this opportunity to talk with you and ask you questions and whatnot. I just find it fascinating that the character of Montgomery Scott is being played by Scotsman and that's just, it's just fascinating to me, and I'm tickled to pieces that this has finally happened. So this is your foray into American television. I hope that it doesn't beat you up too much. Because we do things different over these parts across the pond. I just got like one pressing question. My question is, who is Andrew Quinn? And how have they helped you in your endeavors in your acting career? I'm only asking about this Andrew Quinn because he wrote the biography or is credited with writing your biography on IMDb. So Inquiring minds want to know. That's the question I have for you. Please enjoy our time filming strange new worlds. I hope I get to see you again in many episodes in the third season, and and perhaps the fourth and fifth. Richardson out.

Detectives Oh, no,

no, thank you, though. Very kind words there. Thank you so much. And now it's about embarrassing. That's my brother who's a journalist. He writes for The Daily Record, which is a Scottish National Newspaper. He's the Westminster political correspondent. And gentle Westminster is like our parliament and London anyway, we've got to parliament's in Scotland, the Scottish Parliament. But Andrew, my little brother lives and works in London, and he reports for a Scottish newspaper. So embarrassingly enough when I was out of work, I think I probably wrote that IMDb biography and asked my little brother, would you put your name to it, so that it doesn't look like a biography? Yeah, he's caught me there. That's so embarrassing. But yeah, you know me try. Default, my own information. Make myself so more interesting than I actually am.

As an independent podcast, we can relate. Yeah, absolutely.

Absolutely. No. self promotion. If

nobody else is gonna do it. If we didn't have self promotion, we'd have no promotion. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

For sure, for sure. But I've been caught out now.

But we do have great callers. And actually, we got we got man another handful of calls for you. Let's hear from Grayson.

Hi, Martin. It is so cool to get to talk to you. It must be so crazy to inhabit a role that holds such a prominent place in pop culture. I mean, even if somebody doesn't know Star Trek, they still know the phrase beat me up Scotty. Even if no one's ever actually said that in trek yet. Anyway, realizing that you're the first out Next we'll start to play Scott. He made me think of how in the past, we've had to deal with Americans doing foreign accents in the movies and TVs with varying degrees of success like Renee Zellweger and Bridget Jones diaries and Kevin Costner and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. And, of course in trek we had Walter canings Russian accent is Pavel Chekov and James doing the Scottish burger. But lately the tables have turned and we're seeing actors from the UK and Australia starring in movies and TV with American accents like Matthew Mick Faden, who still shocks me with his very posh British accent when I only knew him as the Mid Atlantic board Tom wams gams on succession. So Martin, I think it would be pure dead. Brilliant. If you would answer a couple of questions. One, do you do an American accent? And would you give us a taste? Also, can you tell us what it sounds like to you? When you hear someone doing a bad Scottish accent? Thanks a lot, guys. See you later.

Man our callers putting you on the spot

to perform, and again very nice word. So Chris, and thank you so much. Can I do an American accent? Well, yeah, Ariela I was saying to you guys, I was in Derrick Rose briefly and I had to do a Canadian accent which I know isn't an American accent. And and when I first heard the self tape, I think my agent sent it back and said I hadn't quite quite got it right. And I just went is nasally as I could, which is really bad. I think I was like Canadian, it really was not, it was not good. I think there was potential in there genuinely. And I think I should go to a vocal or you know, an accent quote, get it down properly. And especially you know, in order for me to work in a on Star Trek stringent mode, you have to become part of the Union. You know, we've got our union in the UK, which I was a part of, but you know, there was obviously No, I wasn't part of the American Union because I was never working in America. So in order to work on St. Newbridge I became part of sag and so I Yeah, we'd love to work more over here. Over here Well, I'm not even there at the moment I'm in the UK over there as far as they would have me that would be that'd be awesome but yeah mainly to work in it because as you watch that data goes episode my accent it's not very good. It's not very good at all. Is it's just nice.

Can you say beat me up Scotty and in your American axon

it'll be me up Scotty know you guys are similar in the sounds that we make in that you make like like a lot of Coronavirus stones that are similar to us. But you know, Irish people will see I don't know, beautiful, beautiful, you know, I mean they'll have the D and beautiful and you guys would have the DMU for so with as we would say beautiful we would go Oh, so you know but but yeah, the Belfast accent isn't very far away from the Glasgow accent so like there are stones that are obviously our sounds ended up morphing with your sounds do you not I mean at some point so I don't think I think I would love to work in it and get it a bit more believable so that I'm not bursting into sweat every time I'm doing it that'd be good yeah, I'll work on it is basically my answer. And what's a bad Scottish accent sound like to me yeah the think because because you guys know that we roll our our sometimes I think whenever whenever people are doing the Scottish accent they are all every are that they can find like the mark that certainly would see my name and you know straight away also they will see glass ghee instead and they'll go as I'm doing a Scottish accent. I'm from Glasgow and if you're from Glasgow, the slang on Glasgow would be glazed so you know straight away when the seagull is gay your lap guys, so yeah, it's over rolling up the hours and I think I think make it painful for us to listen to

but you know, that means it too many of us grew up watching Groundskeeper Willie on this

must be what it is. That Exactly. You know James Dolan is consistent in the sounds that he's making. Like I feel that you could tune in and you know what I mean? And you can get used to this groundskeeper well, it you know, I mean, they're consistent in what they're doing, even if it's not really in cannon with our voices do not.

Let's talk a little bit about trek in general. Did you have a relationship with Star Trek before you were cast in strange new worlds? Are you a Trekkie?

No I will wasn't I'm now getting really into it? No, of course, because I mean, it's great. And there's so much to it. And it's kind of never ending and it's, it's, it's really cool how the callbacks that are working and everything within strange new worlds. But I wasn't originally tricky. And it is connected to the accent thing. You know, if you see someone doing your own accent, and you don't quite buy it, then I felt nervous or discouraged. People love Star Trek. Well, I was more excited and assures a polar representation. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but Ewan McGregor BNN Star Wars was so cool, because it was a Scottish person from here. And like, I remember I was I was quite young, when episode one came out. I think I was like, five or so. So, you know, I wasn't aware of all the criticisms of episode one that I'm now aware of,

for because you love Jar Jar Binks is what you're telling us? Yeah,

basically, yes. Because Obi Wan will be was on Scotland was

someone from here, and like an American movie.

So you know, it shows the power of representation. And it really can either put your foot really fit. No, I'm under a tree unconverted promise approach.

We try to be mostly just performative with our rivalry with Star Wars here.

Well, yeah, I wasn't sure I can. Yeah, I said that once before. And I was like, I don't know if I should say anything about Star Wars. And then the day the people that were asking the question, were like, no, no, I love both. So it's fine. So I was just hoping that there wasn't any pay attention, mostly sidelines of you. Yeah.

Have you auditioned for a new Star Wars shows? No, I have

nothing. No, but there is another Scottish actor from from Peace. James McCarthy, who was an a&r and land. Yes. So he was he was on paste when I was in paste, but he was like, he was at MIT. I think I was like, 12. So he was the guy that we all looked up to. He was, he was Nm. Obviously, when he was young, he got into Rada or something like that. And then you know, I mean, and now he's shot off and done loads of cool things. And Brian ver nail was in Star Wars as well. And he was in Star Wars Episode Seven, I think. And I remember someone saying, and this shows how cynical Scottish people are. There's a Scottish comedian Lemmy. And he says, he hates the fact that there was a Scottish guy in Star Wars, this is a completely to come out. And it just felt like it wasn't. And a galaxy far, far away. All of a sudden, there was just someone down the road from was on TV just totally ruined it. I think he was joking. But I found that very funny. And I think that is a bit of that kind of self cynicism. And when we hear our voices aren't on screen a lot. And when they are, they're often cleaned up and we're hitting our T's and these really cleanly and so whenever we hear our own accent on TV, I think we cringe. I think we're like, ah, wah, that's what we sound like that sound bite us. And you know, and so we're our own worst enemy, you know.

So speaking of auditioning, we have heard that the process for strange new worlds is incredibly secretive. Was there some point during that process that you realized you were auditioning to be Scotty? I

think I in the callback, which was all done remotely. I think my agents told me who it was, but and then they were had a pre meeting before the meeting. And they were saying, Okay, if you have guessed what it is don't lay on water, as you know, available. So I was to kind of play it, play it cool. But they were very, and I think rightfully so. They didn't want us to know about it, because he didn't want it to start affecting how we approach the character. You know, I mean, they were I think Henry Alonzo Myers has talked a lot about how these characters aren't who they are in the original series yet. So you know, I mean, they've got that journey to go. So there's no point reaching for that quite yet. And you want to bring yourself to the domain and not kind of handle that too much. So that has been quite fun. I think it probably would have gotten my head had known when putting in the self tape what it was that I was in addition for? Yeah, definitely. I mean, he's so iconic. Jim's doing Lincoln the way that he plays it and everything. You would start almost impersonating. Yeah, I don't think it was. Right. I don't think I would have given my best go. You know,

we have a caller from our writing from one of our previous guests and multiple caller. David Jones says, Hey, Martin, this is David Jones from under the cloak of war episode as a federation Special Ops soldier. My question is, how did you feel the first time putting on that ready uniform and getting to walk in the legendary footsteps of James Doohan and Simon Pegg. By the way, your performance was brilliant, and I can't wait to see more of you as Scotty. Ah,

that's fairly nice of him. And David Jones has David Bowie's actual name. He's got divergence.

Yes,

yes it is.

He aim. Yeah, it was very cool. I mean, I think I did I don't really like to conceal fees or pictures of myself but I think I did send something to my family that digs it felt mad. It's mainly the delta that makes you go like, Oh my god is real. And I think that was the moment that I was like, all right. Wow. And the thing is hidden makeup do such a good job on your on that show. And I am terrible at looking after myself. So the cleaned me up so much that I was really like, Oh, I feel great. Because of the way the I honestly never knew what to ask when going to the barber or the hairdresser. Until I did that job. And then after that job, I was 27 at the time, so it's quite embarrassing to only figure out what hairstyle you wanted. 27 I was showing that auto still

working on it.

Oh no, your hair is gray. We talked about you've got it down. We we go in I got four up from like the makeup chair of that job in order to then show you know how I want my hair to be forevermore Northwest second of a point a sideburns however everything bar that I get. So no, I felt I felt it was tricky about the suit. Is that there's no pockets? And is yeah, it means that you've I was painfully aware of that the first time I put it on I was like oh shit. And also I don't do I don't have very good posture. So I'm slouched quite a lot. And you know, there's something about the pads make you go oh no, I better straighten up a bit straighter. So I was a wee bit self conscious. I was like, what they're doing behind who am I going to stand? You know, you want to do? You don't feel like an iconic beggar? You know, I mean, you don't feel you look like James doing. But that's fine. That's the growth of the character, isn't it? He's not comfortable quite yet. And maybe it will be one day. And that's how I justify those feelings of insecurity. When I put on this. We did

a side by side after your episode dropped similar angles between you and doing and I gotta say, I disagree. Man, you are walking the walk down.

Thank you, mate. Thank you. It is very keen to view maybe it's more than a I don't know. I feel like whenever you look at yourself, you've got your own HD vision on you know when I'm also in drama school that was all I got criticized for was my terrible posture. So I'm afraid that's all I look for something about the kind of the big shoulders in the suits make you feel like you're we scrawny arms look ridiculous. It's like, you know, I mean, if they've padded out the shoulders, you should at least be hitting the gym. But I maybe one day, maybe maybe Scott, you will have a six pack one day. You know what I mean? Just not not this

just like a workout montage of Scotty down and engineering.

Exactly. Yeah. How

long did you have to keep the secret? And did you have any close calls as far as spilling the beans before that? That hegemony part one came out?

Yeah, I am. I think it was a year I had to wait roughly. And I yeah, I couldn't even I couldn't even see like the code name because I feel it that had already been linked. The people knew what that was. So instead, I had to come up with my own code name. I think it came up with my own TV show. I was telling me all this rubbish sci fi that I'm doing. It's us. It's a rom com. I said that was like a rom com set and space. I was making up this whole thing because people were like, Where were you? What were you doing in Toronto? Or just some rom com SendSpace called Justin and Jane. I don't know why I was working with a guy called Justin at the time. And I was like, I'll just quit Justin in June. And I'm not just a no, I'm not a big part. I'm heartland. I'm in the background. And then people would stop asking questions, because they weren't that interested in that. Whereas if you gave them any hint that it was Star Trek, and then straight away, they were like, what? So no, I couldn't I lied to quite a lot of people for the best part of a year. And which was pretty painful and didn't feel like oh, and then obviously it was the strike actually, when when it did come out. So I couldn't actually talk about it even then. So you know, I mean, I was I was really kind of, I couldn't use it on social media platforms to kind of, I don't know, boost any profile to get more work. You know, I mean, I couldn't talk about it and interviews in order to get more work or anything like that. So it was frustrating, but yeah, yeah. And then when the thing is, as soon as the strike ended, we were flown out and we're, you know, I mean, they're like right back to shore. It was kind of like, Yeah, didn't get any, any any time to maybe enjoy it here.

But when that episode aired, you must have been getting texts and calls and DMS from friends and family on social media like,

tell us Yeah, yeah. What

was the did you did you happen to discover any unknown Trekkies that that are in your friends group?

Yes. Quite a few kind of secret lovers of it that you kind of don't realize they're maybe not completely open or transparent about that until like I was in it. And then yeah, it was the people who texted me within a day. I was like, Oh, wow, you really are. On top of your strange new worlds. There was like a teacher from school got in touch, which was really nice. And they kind of came out of the woodwork some of the some of the Trek fans. But I was really nervous. I was kind of sick with nerves the night before. I don't think I slept because I was really worried about what the fans would think. And I was just thinking, Oh, God, if they hate me, they will recast me and they'll just get another guy and for the next season, and no, no notice a difference. It'll be like, you know, because they did that. And friends. I think, like, Ross's first way forever, they just recast her and I was like, that's gonna be I'm gonna be I'm gonna be Ross's first wife. Oh, my God be Ross's Well, I was, I was worried. And then it was your kid. My family, it can reassure me this. They seem to like what I was doing. I kind of always read my brother's opinions on these things. And my dad, my dad even said, Are you that good? Which doesn't always happen? He usually says not really my cup of tea Martin, or like, a lot of the time he says, You know, I think was late that night when he said that was an insult to his intelligence. So, you know, this guy, obviously. He's dead smart. But, but no, he even said well done. I mean, my mom always says well done. She's she's very supportive. And my dad does as well on his own in his own kind of, I don't know what you'd say subversive way. But he, he even said, well done. So I kind of come down a little bit. And fans were really nice. And some of them reaching out and saying nice things online, was really honestly made made quite a bit of difference. You shouldn't really look online just in case they're seen it, you know, the opposite. But it doesn't make a difference in Star Trek. What I realized as well was how lovely Star Trek fans are like that also, kind and like really entered the whole thing and supportive and, you know, I'm sure the do have the criticisms and reservations about stuff. But then also, I don't know, they seem really, really positive. And it was, it was really nice. Yeah,

we found through our experience on this show. Most folks, if they're gonna go to the effort to share their love of Star Trek are going to keep positive because it seems I mean, the show itself, right is about remembering your humanity and things like Yeah, and it feels like that really filters down into the fandom. So yeah. All right. Well, let's move into some questions specifically about your episode from season two, hegemony. So I just got to ask, what's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about filming your first episode? I mean, you're standing in front of the crew of the Enterprise. Like, what was that feeling? Like? Oh,

it was so weird, because I've watched them all. I'd watched all the episodes before I came on the show. So then, when you would act and you're like, oh my god, am I acting just now? Or am I just like watching TV? Like that's what it felt like? Like I was. I was, I was really worried that I had a glazed look because I was just obviously just looking at Anson like, Oh my God, that's Captain Paik. That's not also because I started watching legacy I was really playing catch up with watching some of their original CDs and also watching Stranger worlds watching the relevant episodes of discovery. You know them hey, can Spock appeared. And so I was watching a lot of stuff and a dead nearly call Captain pate Captain Kirk a few times because I was just like, it just other I just, you know, it's got such a good ring to it, doesn't it? And he is such a like, I don't know what you guys think. But I just think he's such a captain. He's such a like, I think Paik is just, yeah, he just exudes that. Oh, you know, when you're acting with them. You're like, Oh, Captain Kirk. I mean, Paik sorry, you become a bumbling mess. Because, you know, he looks like he's got it all together. And

that leads very nicely into our callers question how you prepared? Yeah.

Hi, I'm Pat Knight. And hi, Martin Lewis. This is Melanie from Germany. But I want to tell you that you did a great job playing Scottie. I like your scenes with pillion, the way the two of you met on the Enterprise was terrific. I love the banter and the way I look chastised, it reminded me of the discussions I had and still have with my teenage daughter. I enjoyed it a lot. I also help her see much more Scott in the third season. So how does it feel to be the first risk Scotsman to play your our beloved Scottie? You do have some big shoes to fill. How did you prepare for the role? And we use your own accent for scoring. I can distinguish between accents, but I'm still curious. Please tell us more wide. Thanks for everything and live long and prosper. Again,

though very, very keen words. As we know a bit like really keen sans isn't everyone just seems so supportive? And how's it feel to be the first actual Scotsman to play Scott? Uh, yeah, no, we I'm really glad. You know, the last two were Scottish. I'm so glad. And equate league being different, you know, I guess like people asking, oh, you must be proud to be Scottish. And I mean, it's a weird thing, isn't it? Because like, you don't really think about being from where you're from like, and you know, being proud to be Scottish is like, you didn't do anything. You just weren't born somewhere. But I like being different as the key thanks. So I have Irish grandparents, and I just got Irish citizenship. And, you know, I used to spend my summers over in Ireland, and with my grandparents, and I loved being the Scottish guy amongst the Irish people. But then whenever I was home, I loved like in Glasgow, Paisley. Sorry, I should say, I loved being half Irish. And Paisley. Do you know what I mean? Like I like being a little bit different. There's loads of people with Irish grandparents. And so you know, I do love being the first Scotsman to play squash because it's a little bit different from the other ones. That's kind of my point. And interest learn off in the summers and Ireland, I did use my cousins, and the boys my age used to call me Scotty, when I was over there. It'd be Scott, a dude for the highlands and all that stuff. When I would play football with them, but in, in how did that prepare for it? And did I use my own accent? So yes, I, I used more accent. I think I definitely was hitting my t's a little bit more than I would normally hit my T's. However, and I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say about the next season at all. So I don't want to get into any problems born

out here to get anybody in trouble, like, Yeah, but it was just that I've noticed

that and it might be me trying to relax on set. But I am going more broad than I really should be this. I feel like I've been, I don't know, in an attempt to maybe meet the character or whatever. I've ended up talking a bit more broad than I usually would you know what I mean? And it's just like, I don't know, I feel like I'm maybe I'm maybe going too far with that. And I need to maybe pull it back with some teas. I'll be interested to hear feedback from the next season if people think that I am, if they can understand me at all, or if I've ruined that by being too native. If it's just too close to like, a real Scottish accent, you know. And we'll just we'll just see.

That would be funny if one of the characters on Star Trek that you just can't understand is a human from Earth. Universal traveler just can't figure him out. I

know. I know. But you know, let me and then Scottish comedian that I keep talking about. He talks about that and how he would make Scottish comedy for London producers. And he would say we need to make it maybe, you know, pare back the accent. And he's like that's crazy that Londoners are asking us to do that. They're not that far away. And yet we have Home and Away and neighbors on our TV. And no one's asking them to change their accent. Everyone's understand that's the other side of the world. And that Yeah, I do wonder if it will be too too broad to

Yeah, yeah, I don't know. We'll just see.

I hope people can understand. I'm sure

I have a lot of time. Yes. Yeah,

I'm I'm not worried about that even a little bit.

So well. Good. Thanks, guys. So

you took your first steps into this huge franchise and you immediately share a scene with an iconic actor and Carol Kane as commander in pelea. Did she have any advice on delivering sci fi jargon as an engineer character or is like whimsical dialogue something you're familiar with from your time on stage?

Boy, yeah, I don't know. I mean, she Yes, she does it so well. I feel and she you know, she's really does that size with the truth that was talking about earlier. So Well, like I just watch her and I'm just kind of like, No, I saw an interview with Colm meany. And he says whenever he's got really difficult engineering or not engineering, but science jargon, he turns his back to the camera so that you can just add it in EDR and I was like, oh my god, that is genius.

Watching for that, no, no, no.

I don't know. If she passed on particular advice. She definitely put me at ease law and set. What I think is great about her as just before takes she just like, is warm. and making sounds and it's just like, honestly, it just gets to your head. She's, well, let's go. You know, I mean, and like, totally ease and you know, I see that not to mock at all I see it as an like, that's what I needed, you know. And then because when I mean she's like she's done some amazing work and worked with some huge names you don't get any bigger than the names she's worked with. And they, it was nice seeing how she copes in those situations. And I was like, Okay, it's doable is manageable. It's not impossible. I remember. I remember when Melanie Stefano and Anson mount had the first day on set was a scene because we don't always film it and you know, when sequence was with them, and seeing them mess up, Elaine, and go, and just go back calmly, and just go again. Well, honestly, I was straight away. I was like, Oh, this is fine. This is fine. Like, this is okay. It's not. It's not you don't get it right. You This is gonna be okay. And it was great to watch them make mistakes. You know what I mean? Kara was so humble. That it makes you think, oh, okay, Ray. She's so humble. And you know, she seems so human. When she's talking to you about it. You're like, right, normal people can do it. Great. That's fine. You know, I mean, she's got all my issues. I'm not sure about this, and I'm not sure about that. And I'm not great. I'm not sure about everything I'm doing as well, bro in Okay, right? That's if you're worrying about it, then then and you're doing amazingly then Okay. being worried about it doesn't mean that you're doing it wrong. So you're not I mean, does that make sense? That makes

sense. Right? Yeah. That's fantastic. So that actually leads really well into our caller, Abby's question, who wants to know a little bit about those nasty Gorn?

Hey, this is Abby, summer from the first flight podcast. Martin, so nice to get to speak with you. As somebody who loves both puppetry and Star Trek, I was wondering if you could speak a little bit about working with the young Gorn and the puppetry that went into it and what that was like for both you and if you heard anything from the other people that you got to work with, with the puppets, and what they thought about it, because dang Goren puppets are beautiful. hope this finds all of you well.

How was working with it? Oh, yeah. So I re I'm trying to remember notice it was like two years ago, nearly when we shot that, well,

I want to rewatch the scene, you're definitely in a scene with Gordon puppets. But I don't know if you're in the same shot. So

I don't know if I'm, I shoot. Yeah, that's a very good point. I don't think I was in the same show as them, they definitely showed me it. And give me a kind of

an idea about it.

They've got an amazing team, they've got this great SFX team, special effects. And man, they're so good. They're like, I think they meant assured me. And then we had to just place in our main day where it was, it was going to be doing a lot of jumping. A lot of what I assume was post production jump. And you know, I mean, I don't know if it's CGI in it or whatever. So that felt crazy, because I was jumping away from like, I was just trying to be like, like, I don't know, have a reflex to something that isn't there at all. But a that's what acting is half the time, isn't it? And you'd be better asking. Well, it's not the baby gone. But did Ethan not have a scene with a bag daddy gone? And I am such an idiot. They asked me if I wanted to come on and see them. felner and zero space or whatever. And I think I had to leave to do another job really quickly. So I didn't jump. But they had like stone this guy Neil who does a stunt and he's amazing man. Then they had like a massive guy and a massive Gordon sir. And then I really wish I really feel like I missed an opportunity. I'm hoping that we come up against the golden at some point so that we can just can revisit all that.

Scotty versus the Gorn

got terrified, terrified.

Fantastic. All right. Well, we have our final caller of the evening, our good friend Newman,

Haldeman, Pike night it's Newman from the movies for days podcast. Evidently I'm really enamored with your guests because this is the third time I've started recording this I always talk too long. Martin Quinn, you are giving such an outstanding performance as the new Scotty I am so charmed I am so taken I cannot wait to see more of you. I would love it if we got to see a lot more with you. And Carol Kane, I know you're not allowed to tell me that. I thought it would be great to have this sort of older younger vibe. The two of you have such a fun chemistry in that one scene. Meanwhile, she says that you were one of her most brilliant students with the worst test scores. I can't remember who on what pod said that line made no sense. I disagree. That line is brilliant. If you're an educator, if you were a kid who is really smart, but didn't know how to confine themselves to the rules of assignments that I think you can get with that vibe. I also think there's something brilliant you're doing with this guy where he's like, almost a polite, slightly apologetic genius, instead of being like a condescending or snide genius that we sometimes get in these sorts of characters. So I'm just so excited to see more. And if you're allowed to tell us, are they planning to sever your finger on the show? That was my wife's question. Okay, love you guys really new in the space to be out?

I hadn't even thought of that. But yeah, that's a good point that we might see that happen.

And no, I don't also really chuffed he was saying, Sorry, I talked to him because I do exactly that. So it makes me feel better here than someone else had that had that plug in. I've done off the plan to sever my finger on the shirt. You know, I did bring it up, actually. And meeting with one of the producers so I mean, I wasn't giving it they don't give me any info either. That's the thing. I think they know that I would talk too much and that I would leave things so they keep me is in the dark as possible. I would love that hope it wouldn't be too and not to bring them up again. I hope it wouldn't be too Anakin Skywalker, you know, I mean, like Luke Skywalker, I hope it will be too. But maybe I shouldn't a finger. It's not full hand. It's not an arm. Yeah, maybe. I mean, I would love that.

But yeah, but you could give the same reaction and everybody's like, Oh, just a finger

episode of like, like Scotty doing these amazing things and fighting the gourd and dealing with like warp cores and people keep thinking he's getting injured, but he doesn't. And then at the very end, just like accidentally cuts it off cutting bread or something. And

oh, well, I know. That's what I'm wondering. Oh, so I'll probably just be catches it in a way or something like that. Like I don't even know.

Because, oh, by the way, no big deal. What hand

does it do you know what Jim's doing most on?

As it was his right hand was not sure. No.

It was and what what? World War Two, something like that? I don't know. Yeah. Cuz I know someone that had. My friend's dad had lost it. He was a policeman. And because of his ring finger, he was jumping over a fence that caught and I didn't know.

So I didn't know it was it was normally it was not he was the last of all storming the beaches.

Oh my god. How does that how does that even happen to get shorted? Oh my god, crazy.

Do some research.

I know. I know. A uh, yeah, I wonder I'm the only thing is I wonder if once they do it, and he probably turn up to like prosthetics every day for another hour. You know what I mean? And so that's, that's your only worry. But AI am game for anything to know me. And I'm also going to try and bring back the Scottie mustache at some point, you know, I mean, they're not gyms do him that young him that never had that. But I don't know my girlfriend likes me with a mustache. So I'll get that and talk

to Dan Shinoda about how to how to get the mustache onto the SAM curve.

Well, he looks so good. And Attash though. Do you know I mean, he's he's got to date us. Oh, yeah. I think he would look good no matter what facial hair you put in. And you know, I mean, it's done. He's one. God. He and

He saved that because they asked him to have one for the audition. And then for the pilot came back. They were like, Oh, you've still got it. And he was like, Yeah, I thought that's, you know, what the character had. So we're really happy that that stuck. We are definitely a pro facial hair podcast. Absolutely. So yeah,

I would love that.

I just have one last question for me. You did a really really stellar job as a lot of our as a lot of our callers have noticed balancing Scotties wit with focus determination and you know that humility, what's something that you feel that you are uniquely suited to bring to the character of Scotty

Oh, oh, god that's maybe the hardest question that I could uniquely Bray other than the authentic accent and

I don't know Do you know I don't know. I think the thing is

because he's not he becomes I think that an element of innocence and to the thing is I'm trying to make them as three dimensional as possible. And you know, a remember and being referred to as a doer feasts caught that was when I was first reading up about it. And so I do want to bring a camera Ratty. Grumpy say though it points. Do you know what I mean? Like, I think that's really important that there's a hawk would just stop that, you know what I mean? Like something like, but also there's an essence say to him, which is new to things, and he's overwhelmed. And there. I know, that sounds really vague, but I feel like I could bring those shades into at different points. I mean, God's sake, we're so three dimensional art by ourselves, you know, I mean, you don't think of yourself as it's just one shade. So I'm hoping I get to explore both that that kind of innocence, but also the grumpy side at different different ways. I hope those don't sound too contradictory, though. And when I'm seeing them, I just I would love to explore both of those. And then I think it could do them well, but also, it would, I think it would ruin them quite a bit.

And, yeah, I love it. Yeah,

we have complete faith in you. So

Oh, thank you, I really appreciate it. A suitcase, and they have the colors. And it's a it's really good of use because, you know, it does mean a lot you kind of like, you know, largely done a lot of theater, bits of TV work. But you know, it means a lot that the fans are pleased with these things. And because it gives you confidence to keep trying things out and just you know, amend and keep exploring, so no means a lot. Thank you so much to all the callers. Thank you. And

Martin Quinn opened bike night is an open mic night theme podcast. Did you prepare a joke for us to Oh, no.

That low? No, I didn't. But I have one in my back pocket that you won't understand. All right. Well, you won't understand that. It said a Scottish accent is my dad's favorite joke. And it is. Did you hear about the lonely prisoner? He was any sale? No, you wouldn't understand that at all. That's self and overaction. As sale you'll you drop the F on it. So did you hear about the lonely prisoner? It was any sales it was any sale but also C E LL. It's not quite as fun if you have to explain it. Any funny in the first place, but he's a very keen Thank you.

Well, then the other ask is we've tiptoed around Season Three a little bit, is there a single word you can give us to tease us about season three, that kind of context means nothing. But when we watch season three, we'll go ah, Martin, I

suppose my word would be. I'm so nervous in case I mess it up. But I'll then to see if that comes up. Just see if that comes up. Okay,

I like these words that you have to do like research on you're like, what is that? What's that mean?

Yeah.

Thank you so much, Martin. This has been a delight for us. This is going to be a great episode. We really appreciate your time.

No, no worries at all. Thank you so much. And you know, you can take any credit and and then and then thank you so much. Sorry, I ramble like mad. So I probably was making zero sales. But I appreciate the table. Now

that was a great chat. Thank you.

Thank you once again to Martin Quinn for spending time with open pike night and answering your callers questions. That was I gotta say thank you callers. Those are great questions. And we you through for loop a couple times. Good work.

Definitely one of our more physically animated guests. I you know, sometimes I wish we we did the whole video podcast thing, but I think having it be audio only really helps guests relax and get into their flow and rhythm. But man, Martin was having a ton of fun. And I think that will absolutely come across in the recording. Yeah. And and, and God isn't season three. Yeah. I mean, he has to be, at least in that first episode, but it sounds like we've got plenty to look forward to. I'm

hoping Newman's theory is right. I think it was Newman who? Who says that they're both in it. And that's kind of like a mentor mentee relationship for season three before.

Maybe he becomes chief engineer. And if you are listening to this thinking, I want to ask questions to Scotty I want to ask questions to the crew of the Enterprise. The easiest way for you to do that is to go to open pipe.com. You'll see a little tab at the bottom of your screen that says record now you can get your question in from that same website. You can sign up for our newsletter so that you know who's coming to our stage next. And you can follow us on social media at open pike. Basically any social media you can think of, if you know websites and newsletters aren't really your thing. If you haven't checked out open bike.com Go and check out our article section where we've been populating it more we had a new article released on first contact a a couple of weeks ago and we think it's pretty fun. I hope you do too, so be sure to check those out. Open bike night is more than just a podcast to support open bike, head over to Patreon and check us out because we have some fantastic supporters there. Special thanks to Mark, Pam,

Matt and Steve are 25 minutes set supporters and all of our wonderful patrons over there. You guys are great. You keep the lights on and we really appreciate it Cameron when you're not around the open mic night stage, where can folks find you?

I am checking out Star Trek The Next Generation and Dias nine over on green shirt and it'd be strikethrough tng check us out wherever you're listening to this podcast. Yeah, we're getting into season seven of next generation and season two of Deep Space Nine and I will be watching for I wouldn't call meanie delivers technobabble if he turns us back to the camera. Now, I don't know if you notice this, but it seems to be pronounced column meaning Oh, the accurate Well, I feel like I'd just be culturally appropriating if I tried to pronounce it Yeah, like Martin was I can not roll my car so I cannot do that over

my arm. Yeah. Well, thank you all for joining us. The open bike night crew has to go practice rolling are ours so be sure to clean up for yourself. Be sure to tip your sir. You can go anywhere you want, but you can't stay or Jesse's dying.