Michael Mack - Writer, Actor, Director - Boldly going where no (black) man has gone before: Star Trek, spirituality, creativity

As we cope with a pandemic and wrestle with national and global unrest following the murder to George Floyd, actor and writer Michael Mack and I sat down to search for a little light. As the first Black Romulan in Star Trek history, Michael is a trailblazer and he’s part of a show that’s a cultural touchstone for so many of us. A show that, from its inception, dealt with racial issues in America through the metaphor of SciFi.

Michael asserts that success isn’t about what you can get. You have to decide: what’s your contribution to the craft, and to the world. and then live with faith in that. In this peculiar and painful moment in American history, Michael starts by drawing parallels with now and the Civil Rights marches of 1968.

Conversation and Q&A has been edited for time and clarity.

We obviously talk a lot about Star Trek: The Next Generation

And Michael's episode: The Pegasus

His mentors Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, Ron D Moore

Working with LeVar Burton

And someday, taking over for James Earl Jones as Darth Vader.

On an early mentor's advice, he entered The Nicholl. He attributes part of his early success to doing well there.

And he recommends the documentary What We Left Behind regarding the African American experience in Star Trek.

We also touch on the seminal nuclear power movie: The China Syndrome