This morning, Paramount Pictures sent out a renewed casting call for the role of Sub-Commander T'Pau in the next Star Trek series, suggesting that neither of the two candidates reportedly still remaining this weekend will end up as Trek's third green-blooded regular.

Though the character is still very recognisable as the same character described in the original Series V casting sheet, the new description of the T'Pau role is slightly different: "She is a beautiful, sensual Science Officer assigned to oversee humanity's progress on board Enterprise. She has great dignity, confidence and strength - she is never timid. Being a true Vulcan she considers humans primitive and irrational, but she develops a respect for Captain Archer and becomes one of his most loyal and trusted crew members."

The main differences in the description lie in the addition of the line about having "dignity, confidence and strength," while the description of being a "true Vulcan" is also new, highlighting the conflict between Vulcans and humans we will be seeing on the show. T'Pau is being described in the new casting call as the "female lead of the show," showing the importance Paramount is attaching to the role.

Over the weekend, it was reported that former 'Babylon 5' actress Marjorie Monaghan was up for the role, though just a few days later word came she no longer was under considering, leaving "just two ladies left." This new casting call in all probability means that all negotiations for the T'Pau role have ended. One of our sources added, however, that this is Hollywood, so it would also be possible that Paramount is in final negotiations with someone who is playing hardball with money demands, and sending out a new casting call is the studio's way of bringing the price down.

The casting call also confirmed that James Conway will be directing the Series V pilot. When the original casting sheet was sent out on the 2nd of March, the director was still listed as 'TBA'. Shooting is still scheduled to start on the 8th of May in Los Angeles.

With shooting now just over three weeks away, it is becoming more important for Paramount to have all the roles cast, though final casting for some of the characters on DS9 and Voyager wasn't completed until production was already well underway. The most famous example of this is of course the case of Voyager's "female lead," who was originally going to be played by Geneviève Bujold, only to be later replaced by Kate Mulgrew. The fact that the T'Pau character is the only Series V character for which Paramount has had to send out a renewed casting call so far does at least suggest that the search for the other series regulars is still progressing relatively smoothly.

For one other role, however, we hear that things are not going completely smoothly. According to some sources, Scott Bakula is still negotiating for the role of Captain Jackson Archer, negotiations that in that case have now been going on for close to a month (story). Paramount still wants the former 'Quantum Leap' actor in the role, but apparently Bakula has not yet accepted, for reasons as yet unknown.

Meanwhile, Star Trek fandom is still waiting for an official announcement on the next Star Trek series from the producers, whose hands are unfortunately tied until Paramount is able to negotiate a final deal with UPN. Until then, please remember to treat all Series V news from unofficial sources as you would any rumour.

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