Evan Evagora: Getting To Know Elnor
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Later this week, the new Star Trek: Picard episode, Absolute Candor, will air, and viewers will meet the Romulan character Elnor for the first time.
Elnor, played by Evan Evagora, was interviewed by TrekCore, where he filled them in about Elnor. He also admitted that he was no stranger to science fiction. “I was fortunate enough to have my mum who’s a very, very, very big sci-fi nerd,” said Evagora. “She actually came to the premiere with me — she lost her mind when she found out [I was doing Star Trek], and then lost her mind again when she found out I was working with Jeri Ryan!
“I grew up watching the Original Series movies, and some of Next Generation. My oldest memory of Star Trek is actually The Search for Spock, but my favorite episode, only just because I watched it the other day – and because I finally got to meet [Jonathan Del Arco] – I’d say is I, Borg, just to see where Hugh’s come from; otherwise, Tapestry.”
So just who is Elnor, the sword-wielding Romulan? “My character kind of went against everything I knew about Romulan culture,” said Evagora. “I kind of found myself having to be…not re-educated, but I had to learn a lot more. I can’t say too much without revealing too much about my character, but [Elnor] is an expert in hand to hand combat, raised as the only male in an all-female sect of warrior nuns known as the Qowat Milat [pronounced Koh-wat Mih-laht] on the remote colony planet Vashti.
“He’s pretty good with a sword; he’s got long hair. The production team was very collaborative as well; especially when it came to the design of that weapon, because it needed to be usable — but it also needed to look cool, and they were very open to my opinion on it, which was very nice.”
One thing that was very easy for Evagora to visualize was what it was like growing up in an all-female society. “In terms of creating an understanding of my character, I’ve got like five sisters and my mother — I’m the youngest as well — so I know exactly what it’s like living with a household of women,” he said. “It’s very much a matriarchy in my household.”
Evagora went on to explain his relationship with Jean-Luc Picard. “I would say I’m very loyal and dedicated to Picard,” he said. “I’d say he’s even kind of like a father figure, almost. I knew him — we encountered each other — when I was younger, and [the Star Trek: Picard story] picks up after not having seen each other for a while; it picks up on that relationship, and the history there, as well.”
Star Trek: Picard airs on Thursdays on CBS All Access.
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