AICN Exclusive: Discovery Lead is 'Number One' Who do we know in Hollywood who looks like Majel Barrett...?
Wow, huge news here! "Discovery’s” lead character, whom we learned earlier this month would be a female, human non-captain Starfleet officer, will be referred to in the series as “Number One,” showrunner Bryan Fuller told".
The setup for this show has got to be somewhat unique if the viewpoint of "Number One" is going to be different from what we've seen before. If it were someone like a section leader (Science Officer, for example), we would have a different dynamic since we could see them interact with the rest of the science section while carrying out the Captain's orders. However, using the term "Number One" implies that the female lead is the Executive Officer. Doesn't that then drag the show back into a viewpoint we've seen a lot? Post-TNG we got to know all the XO's pretty well, and saw struggles between them and their CO's. I don't see how that's new..........unless.......there's something in the premise of the show that really turns the CO/XO dynamic on its ear.
Just for laughs, and assuming it is Majel's character they're talking about, I did some digging on IMDB of current actresses the same age Majel was in The Cage (32). The ones that most match Majel's look: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Olivia Wilde (She looks the closest to Majel) Jaimie Alexander Taylor Cole Jena Malone (A dark horse pick, I'd say) Katy Perry (HAH! If Gene was around today...) Shannon Woodward Christy Carlson Romano
"Number One" is a position, not a person. Hardly likely to be the same character as the one in The Cage.
Give me an actress who's right for the role; it doesn't particularly matter if she resembles Majel Barrett. They can make her look the part if that's the role she's playing.
I'm won over by the eyes. I'm easily bought Thinking about it, I don't think I've actually seen her in anything since Xena.
I can see that. (Pun fully intended.) However, her performance didn't really captivate me. I wasn't compelled to watch her. For me, she lacked that "it" quality. As always, everyone's mileage may vary.
Fuller confirmed on the radio show that it was just a callback to Majel Barrett's character, they're not actually using her character in this show.
IIRC the show was originally meant to focus on the President's staff, but the casting of an actor of Martin Sheen's stature changed that.
Of course, one of the original actors sought was George C. Scott. Which would've really thrown a wrench in the works when he died the same day of the series premiere (September 22nd, 1999).