Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gave Christina Chong one of her most demanding performances of the series in Season 4, Episode 9, “Once La’an a Time.” The episode sends Lieutenant La’an Noonien-Singh into the fairy-tale world of the Kingdom of Elysian, where Chong has to play both La’an and her alternate counterpart, Princess Thalia.
That unusual setup turned into a serious acting challenge. Chong revealed that the scenes requiring her to perform opposite herself, particularly a lengthy fight sequence, became some of the hardest work she has done as an actor.
The challenge was not simply about learning choreography. Chong had to switch between two characters with very different personalities, costumes and emotional states while performing both sides of the same scene. In an exclusive interview, she explained just how physically and mentally exhausting the sequence became.
“Once La’an a Time” also moves La’an’s personal story forward in several important ways. The episode gives her an unexpected connection to a new canine companion, revisits her complicated feelings about James T. Kirk, and leaves questions about the trauma she has carried throughout the series.
Christina Chong Says “Once La’an a Time” Was Her Hardest Star Trek Role
For Christina Chong, one of the biggest challenges of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 9 was the opportunity to play two versions of La’an at once.
La’an is typically controlled, guarded and deeply affected by the trauma she has experienced. Princess Thalia, by comparison, allows Chong to explore a much more expressive side of the character. That contrast made the episode interesting for viewers, but it also required Chong to make a significant adjustment as a performer.
The most difficult material came when La’an and Thalia had to physically confront one another.
Chong explained that she had to learn approximately 74 beats of fight choreography because she was responsible for both sides of the fight. That meant remembering not only her own movements but also the actions and timing of the character she would later appear to be fighting.
The production schedule made the sequence even more demanding. Chong filmed Thalia’s side first before switching costumes and returning to perform La’an’s side of the fight hours later.
She recalled reaching a point where the exhaustion became overwhelming and she briefly had to stop before continuing.
The experience ultimately became one of the most difficult acting challenges of her time on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Playing Princess Thalia Gave Christina Chong a Different Side of La’an
Although playing two characters sounds like the obvious difficulty of the episode, Chong’s comments suggest that the contrast between La’an and Thalia was just as important as the physical work.
Chong has described herself as very different from La’an, which makes the character’s restrained personality more difficult for her to portray. Princess Thalia gave her the chance to work with a more openly emotional character.
That difference helped make Thalia easier to play in some respects.
The irony is that the character became more difficult during the fight because Thalia’s anger pushed Chong into a much more intense performance. She had to move from one emotional state to another while maintaining the physical continuity of the scene.
That is part of what makes “Once La’an a Time” such an unusual episode for La’an. Rather than simply placing Christina Chong in a new costume, the story uses Thalia to expose another side of a character who has spent much of the series trying to keep her emotions under control.
Does “Once La’an a Time” Finally Give La’an Some Happiness?
La’an’s journey throughout Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been closely connected to grief, trauma and emotional isolation. Season 4 continues that storyline, but “Once La’an a Time” gives the character a chance to imagine a different kind of life.
By the end of the episode, La’an appears happier than she has been in much of the series.
That does not necessarily mean her trauma has disappeared.
When asked whether the episode represents the end of La’an’s emotional struggles, Chong remained deliberately cautious. Her answer suggests that viewers should not assume everything has been resolved simply because La’an reaches a happier place during the episode.
That distinction is important for the character. Strange New Worlds has gradually allowed La’an to open up without pretending that her past can simply be erased.
Her progress has been about learning to live with what happened to her rather than suddenly becoming a completely different person.
Runa Ewok Joins the USS Enterprise
One of the most unexpected developments in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is the arrival of Runa, La’an’s new canine companion.
The dog is played by Christina Chong’s real-life dog, Runa Ewok. In the Kingdom of Elysian, Runa belongs to Princess Thalia, but Thalia eventually gives her dog to La’an.
That means Runa becomes part of La’an’s life and, by extension, the crew aboard the USS Enterprise.
For Chong, the addition was particularly meaningful because the idea came from executive producers Akiva Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers. Chong said she was immediately excited when she learned that her dog could become part of the series.
The storyline also gives La’an something she has rarely had throughout Strange New Worlds: a companion who is not tied to Starfleet, Klingon politics, alternate realities or her family’s complicated history.
Runa is simply a dog who becomes part of her life.
That simplicity could make the character surprisingly valuable as the story moves toward the show’s final season.
Strange New Worlds Actually Filmed New Runa Scenes in 2026
The story behind Runa’s appearance is even more unusual because Star Trek: Strange New Worlds had already finished its main production before the additional scenes were filmed.
According to Chong, she returned to Toronto in February to shoot extra material involving Runa. A small group of cast and crew members returned specifically for the additional footage.
Chong explained that the production used a dedicated “dog day unit” to film the new material.
That detail offers an interesting glimpse into how much effort went into expanding Runa’s role. The series had already wrapped its main production, yet the creative team decided there was enough value in the character to bring people back and add more scenes.
The timing is especially notable because sets from Strange New Worlds were later dismantled, meaning there was a limited window in which additional Enterprise material could still be filmed.
For fans wondering whether Runa is simply a one-episode joke or a more meaningful addition to La’an’s story, the extra filming suggests the production had more plans for the character than her initial appearance might indicate.
Will Runa Get a Starfleet Uniform?
Christina Chong also joked about the possibility of Runa eventually receiving her own Starfleet uniform.
The dog does not wear one during her introduction, but Chong clearly enjoyed the idea of seeing Runa properly integrated into the Enterprise crew.
It is a small detail, but it fits the playful side of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The series has regularly experimented with different genres and tones, and “Once La’an a Time” is one of the clearest examples of that approach.
Whether Runa eventually gets a miniature Starfleet uniform remains unanswered, but her presence gives La’an a new relationship that could continue into the show’s final season.
La’an and Kirk Finally Decide to Give Romance a Chance
Runa is not the only major development in La’an’s personal life.
By the end of “Once La’an a Time,” La’an and James T. Kirk decide to explore a romantic relationship.
Their history is complicated.
La’an previously developed feelings for an alternate-reality version of Kirk, who was ultimately killed. Her connection with the Prime Timeline Kirk has developed differently, with the two characters gradually acknowledging an attraction that has been present beneath the surface.
The Season 4 episode finally pushes that relationship forward.
Christina Chong was understandably careful when discussing what happens next. However, she expressed hope that La’an and Kirk work out because she believes La’an deserves some happiness.
That sentiment captures why the relationship matters beyond simply pairing two popular characters. La’an has spent much of Strange New Worlds dealing with loss and emotional distance. Kirk represents the possibility of allowing herself to experience something positive without constantly expecting it to disappear.
Kirk or Spock: Christina Chong Picks La’an’s Better Match
La’an’s romantic history also includes Spock.
During Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3, La’an and Spock became dance partners before their relationship developed into a romance. Their connection continued into Season 4, but La’an ultimately ended the relationship.
That leaves fans with an obvious question: Is Kirk or Spock the better romantic partner for La’an?
Christina Chong was asked to choose between the two.
Her answer favored Kirk.
The reason she gave was less about which character is more appealing and more about what La’an needs emotionally. Chong believes Kirk helps La’an open herself up and allows her to experience love on a more human level.
That distinction is important because La’an and Spock offered a very different dynamic. Their relationship was shaped by their shared emotional restraint and the unusual circumstances surrounding both characters.
Kirk, meanwhile, pushes La’an toward a more openly emotional relationship.
“Once La’an a Time” plays with that idea in an amusing way when Paul Wesley appears as Prince Dashing, a character who looks exactly like Kirk. The bizarre situation leads La’an to joke about wanting to have a word with Carl Jung.
For Chong, the sequence was as funny to film as it was strange for La’an to experience.
Could the USS Griffin Return in Season 5?
Another unresolved thread surrounding La’an is the USS Griffin.
The mysterious ship appeared earlier in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 and became connected to La’an after infecting her with a dark supernatural force. The experience added another layer to the character’s already complicated psychological journey.
Chong was asked whether the USS Griffin could play a role in Season 5.
Her response was cautious, essentially leaving the possibility open without confirming anything.
That makes the ship one of several story elements that could potentially carry forward into the show’s final season. At this point, however, the source interview does not establish that the USS Griffin will definitely return.
The more immediate focus remains La’an’s personal development and the consequences of everything she has experienced during Season 4.
What Happens to La’an in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5?
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 5 is set to be the show’s fifth and final season. The source interview notes that it is still to come in 2027.
That gives the writers a limited amount of time to resolve La’an’s story.
Her relationship with Kirk is now entering a new phase, while Runa has become part of her life aboard the Enterprise. At the same time, the series still has unresolved questions surrounding her trauma and the USS Griffin.
Those threads give the final season several directions to explore without requiring La’an’s story to become entirely romance-focused.
The biggest question may be whether La’an can finally move beyond simply surviving what has happened to her.
Season 4 has taken meaningful steps in that direction. The final season now has the opportunity to show what La’an looks like when she is no longer defined primarily by her past.
Christina Chong Isn’t Sure About New Music for Season 5
Christina Chong has another creative outlet outside Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: music.
The actor is also a recording artist and has released two EPs, including Twin Flames and Since 2021. Her music has become connected with her work on the series, with Since 2021 accompanying the show’s second and third seasons.
The project also features contributions from her Strange New Worlds co-stars. Ethan Peck appears on “Baby Blue Day,” while Mynor Luken co-wrote and performs on “Once of a Kind.”
So naturally, the question came up about whether Chong would release new music alongside Season 5.
Her answer was not a confirmation.
Chong explained that she already has songs available but wants to find the right team and the right way to present them. After the demanding production schedule of filming two seasons back-to-back, she also said she was taking some time to relax.
That means new Christina Chong music could happen, but there is no confirmed Season 5 music release based on this interview.
What Christina Chong’s Interview Reveals About La’an’s Final Chapter
Christina Chong’s comments about Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 reveal just how much “Once La’an a Time” was asking from both the character and the actor.
The episode gave Chong the unusual task of playing La’an and Princess Thalia, including a complicated fight in which she performed both sides. It also gave La’an several meaningful developments outside the action: a new dog, a renewed relationship with Kirk and a possible sense that she can finally allow herself to be happy.
But the story is not necessarily finished.
The future of the USS Griffin remains uncertain, La’an’s relationship with Kirk is only beginning, and Season 5 still has the job of bringing her larger character arc to a close.
For now, “Once La’an a Time” stands as an important episode for La’an because it lets Christina Chong explore a side of the character that the series has rarely seen. More importantly, it shows that after years of carrying trauma, La’an may finally be ready to build a life beyond it.
And with Strange New Worlds Season 5 serving as the final chapter, that could become one of the most important parts of La’an’s ending.
Stay updated with the latest trends on Fandomora — your go-to destination for breaking movie news, web series updates, anime releases, gaming trends, celebrity insights, and music updates. Explore reviews, OTT release dates, anime guides, gaming walkthroughs, and curated lists to discover the best in global entertainment.
About The Author
