Interview: Deidre Hall Talks ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ Being in a Space Soap Opera, and More!

Deidre Hall, who plays Dr. Eleanor Chivers on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 7 "Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass."

It’s not every day that soap opera royalty steps off the set and into your Star Trek. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 7 “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass” does yet another exploration in “Strange New Genres,” this time as a soap opera. Who better to invite as a guest on this episode than one of the longest-running soap opera characters in TV history—Deidre Hall.

Hall is best known as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives, a character she has played since 1976. In “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass,” Deidre Hall plays Dr. Eleanor Chivers, the ship’s counselor on the Enterprise.

At first blush, “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass” might look like a spoof of a soap opera. However, the comedy is disarming and plants the viewer firmly in an exploration of grief and loss. It is perhaps the most unexpected, emotionally poignant episode of the season thus far.

Fangirlish got the opportunity to chat with Deidre Hall about Star Trek, her role as Dr. Chivers, and more in this one-on-one interview. She is an absolute delight and is actually a big Star Trek fan herself. Plus, we had a discussion about professional protocol, like dressing for the job you want.

Be advised, there are SPOILERS AHEAD for Strange New Worlds Season 4 Episode 7 “Like Chronitons Through the Hourglass.” Consider yourself warned! Without further ado, watch our interview with Deidre Hall.

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MORE: Rebecca Romijn chats about singing in Klingon and more, along with Anson Mount and Carol Kane in this roundtable interview!

Thank you so much to Deidre Hall for her time and thoughtful answers. Thanks also to the folks at Paramount for inviting Fangirlish to this interview. If you enjoyed this interview, set your hailing frequencies to Fangirlish for our interview with Trelane himself, Rhys Darby!

What do you think of our interview with Deidre Hall? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.

MORE: Go watch our interview with Ethan Peck, Christina Chong, and Paul Wesley!

The next episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will premiere on September 10, 2026, on Paramount+.

The Nerdy Blogger

Ashley Thomas is The Nerdy Blogger. She holds a B. A. in English Literature from Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee (c/o 2007) and completed her M. A. in Literature and Language, concentrating in Imaginative Literature at Signum University in Summer 2017. Ashley blogs, reads, writes (for fun and for hire), and spends time with her husband, Ryan, and their two cat-monsters, Oliver and Nynaeve. She and Ryan reside in Charlotte, North Carolina with a large quantity of board games, comic books, and polyhedral dice. She would like to be Brienne of Tarth, Leslie Knope, and Sylvia Tilly when she grows up.