Melissa Navia Instagram – Yayyy. Number one. Brian called it. He saw the scripts, heard the Zoom cast reads, listened to my stories after every day of filming, knew my castmates’ resumes better than I did, filled me in on franchise details I had no idea about, watched The Original Series, Deep Space Nine, and The Next Generation with me, had the movies prepped for me to watch when I was ready (but we never got the chance because f*ck holidays forever), and had no doubt that this would not only be the best new show when it debuted, but that it’d be the best Star Trek show ever. (His words, not mine.) And he did all this with such a nonchalant coolness that I don’t think it ever truly dawned on me just how much of a fan he was, an undercover Trekkie if you will, and how very proud he was of me and impressed by what we accomplished. He did all this while still doing all his own work, writing and recording music, cooking the best dinners, playing guitar and piano, working on his computers, helping me in every single one of my auditions, going for walks and drives with me and bike rides, surprising me with gifts that I didn’t ask for but that now I can’t go a day without.
Yesterday was five months. Five strange, overwhelming months. I didn’t cry because I didn’t have the time and because Brian wouldn’t have wanted it. I was on set all day, shooting Season 2 – a day that started early in the morning with me watching a scene from Frasier where Frasier gives his son a Bar Mitzvah blessing (unknowingly) in Klingon. You need to watch the full episode for context, but the scene is brilliant and heartwarming. So I started the day laughing, with Brian.
Please continue to speak his name, share his stories, listen to his music (@thesagespeaksnyc is only a start), and do things as he would’ve done, with an appreciation for life that was unparalleled. Plenty of Bickie celebrating to come this summer and fall, in NYC and Ballyshannon and wherever I go, so get ready. And please do not worry about me or be sad for me and especially not for Brian. It’s the last thing he’d ever want. It’s not us at all. I’ve got Brian watching over me more than ever and he’s got me looking out for him. #StrangeNewWorlds | Posted on 19/May/2022 09:29:17
