At a time when many franchise films have final scenes and cutscenes that allude to larger concerns within their universe, showcase a dizzying network of connective tissue between films, or tease the next project coming down the release pipeline, Star Trek: Section 31 goes against the grain.
His surprise cameo at the end of the game isn't about franchise connections at all: it features a well-known actor who has never appeared in Star Trek before. Section 31 Star Michelle Yeoh shared that the film was about the personal, real-life connections she made in her Oscar-winning film Everything everywhere at once.
[Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for a guest appearance in Star Trek: Section 31.]
Section 31 gives viewers a hint of the cameo appearance in the opening scenes, when the artificial intelligence known as Control gives the film's central Section 31 team the mission via voiceover and graphics. But we don't see Control's holographic form until the final scenes of the film, when the victorious team celebrates. This is the time Section 31 reveals that Control's voice and digital personality comes from none other than the Halloween franchise and Crazy Friday Starring Jamie Lee Curtis.
Section 31“Alex Kurtzman” executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi were careful to remain tight-lipped about how Curtis' cameo came about, refusing to give anything away. But Yeoh gushed when we brought it up Everything everywhere at once Costar raising her hands in the shape of a heart. And she confirmed that she was involved in bringing in Curtis Section 31.
“Yeah! “Oh yeah, of course,” Yeoh said. “I was a little worried, you know, it's like 'Should I…?' And then someone said, 'Do it, because that's what she's going to expect of you.' And I thought, 'Okay!'”
“She doesn’t do anything she doesn’t believe in,” Yeoh said confidently. “First of all, I have complete confidence in it. And I also believe that she did it because she loved me. I believe that. [Laughs] […] And she did such an incredible job.”
It's a nice contrast to the last time we saw the artificial intelligence Control as the faceless, bodyless big bad of Season 2 Star Trek: Discovery (which is set after the events of Section 31). Who knew Control would be so likeable before his betrayal?