More Picard Cast Members Announce Departure
When news was announced that the remaining cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation will be returning for the third and final season of Picard, it was met with praise from the greater Star Trek fan community. However, the question remained, how will the Next Generation crew integrate with the Picard crew? Within the last twenty-four hours, multiple Picard cast members have announced their departure from the series ahead of the anticipated third season, in addition to Alison Pill, Santiago Cabrera, and Evan Evagora.
Isa Briones
The latest to join the ranks is Isa Briones, who played multiple characters in the first two seasons, portraying the character of Soji in both seasons. This Friday, she announced on her Instagram that she’s finished with Picard, at least temporarily. She stated, “Farewell Soji, this orchid is for you.“
Wil Wheaton
The appearance of Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) as a Traveler in the Picard Season 2 finale did provide some viable options for Wil Wheaton and Isa Briones to appear in the future, as Wesley Crusher and Kore Soong respectively. However, Wheaton has now confirmed, in a blog post on his website, that he will not be appearing in Picard Season 3.
The post included Wheaton stating, “Wesley and Kore may blink out of existence and never come back on camera again. Or they might go literally anywhere through all of space and time, from Strange New Worlds to Discovery to Lower Decks (but not to Season 3 of Picard. Sorry, nerds.). I honestly don’t know what comes next for them in canon.“
Orla Brady
Could the character of Laris be omitted altogether from Season 3 also, or perhaps exit early during the forthcoming season?
It’s probable that Orla Brady‘s Laris will depart in Season 3 – if she even appears in it at all – in spite of the fact that the second season finale did hint strongly that her relationship with Picard was about to be given a second chance to make things right.
Last September, a few days into production on Season 3 (which started the day after Season 2 wrapped), Brady posted on Twitter about having wrapped her work on Season 2, adding, “It is time to take off my beloved pointy ears.”
It is currently unknown when Season 3 of Picard will air, although it is expected sometime in 2023.
Wes Huntington has been a Star Trek fan since he was born, thanks to his parents (both of whom are still very much alive and are big Trek fans themselves). He lives in the Minneapolis, Minnesota area, with his wife and cat. He is also a co-host of the Twin Cities Trekkies podcast, which launched in February 2021 and talks about all things Star Trek. You can find Twin Cities Trekkies via Facebook, Instagram, or anchor.fm/twincitiestrekkies.