The third and final season of Star Trek: Picard will bring in all of Patrick Stewart's old pals from The Next Generation to help close out this chapter of the Star Trek universe. Previously, it was announced that the entire cast of The Next Generation would reunite for Picard. That of course includes LeVar Burton as Geordi LaForge, a fan favorite who hadn't yet appeared in the first two seasons of Picard.
In a new interview with Yahoo (via TrekMovie), Burton spoke about his return to the role of Geordi. The actor explained how he hadn't imagined he'd ever get to reprise that role after Nemesis was released in 2002, and while the cast tends to hold their own reunions consistently, it was a "gift" for everyone to actually suit back up in their Starfleet uniforms once again.
"We’re all done now and it was an absolute blast. It was so good to be together. I mean, we’re all very, very close anyway. We try to get together once a year for Christmas, but during COVID we weren’t able to do that, so being able to get together at the end of last year and the beginning of this year was really cool for us. And then to put on our space suits and play these characters again! We all thought the ship had sailed on a conscious goodbye. When me made our last movie, Nemesis in 2002, we expected there to be another one, and then things changed. So this was a great gift to us. This season of Picard is a love poem to Next Generation and we get to see these people that we grew to know and even love at this new point in their lives."
LeVar Burton Shared a Minor Spoiler About Geordi
A new detail about Geordi's return in Picard was also revealed by Burton. According to the actor, in Picard season 3, (SPOILER ALERT) Geordi will have two daughters. One of them will just so happen to be played by Burton's real-life daughter, 27-year-old Mica Burton.
"It was a lot of fun on so many levels. I also get to work with my kid: my daughter, Mica, plays one of Geordi’s two daughters. So the whole storyline really is about the next generation of The Next Generation in many respects."
Burton thought he had already said farewell to Geordi before getting the chance to revisit the role in Picard. With that now a reality, Burton feels that he has given Geordi a proper sendoff, though he also admits he wouldn't turn down the chance to play the role in the future if the opportunity happens to come along once again.
"If I never put a spacesuit on again, I’m good. I feel like I got to put a period at the end of this sentence and close the book. Now if the book opens again, far it be from me to say no! [Laughs] But with all things being equal, I can honestly say — hand on my heart — if I never play Geordi for another moment in my life, I’m good."