Jason Isaacs Says He's a Liverpool Fan in Any 'Star Trek' Alternate Dimension
If you’re wondering which contemporary sports will survive well into the 23rd century and beyond, Jason Isaacs of Star Trek: Discovery has an answer. Football definitely exists in the future.
On Thursday, speaking to Inverse on the phone about Star Trek: Discovery, the actor — and well-known supporter of Liverpool Football Club — said he believes football totally exists in the year 2256, when Discovery takes place.
Spoilers for Star Trek: Discovery Episode 12, “Vaulting Ambition,” are ahead.
“There’s definitely football [in the 23rd century] because it’s the most popular sport in the world by far,” Isaacs said confidently. “Hence its name is football, not soccer.”
Isaacs is right, too. Previous versions of Star Trek have referenced football before, though sometimes it’s been called by the American term “soccer.” In Deep Space Nine, Worf mentioned he was the captain of his soccer team when he was living in an all-human colony as a young orphan Klingon child. In Enterprise, Captain Archer and Lt. Reed talked about the World Cup, where they both called the sport “football.” Enterprise is set about 100 years before Discovery, while Deep Space Nine is set roughly 100 years after. So, if Isaacs is right, humans will mostly call the sport by its correct name in the 22nd and 23rd centuries, but maybe “soccer” makes a nomenclature comeback in the 24th century.
On Friday, Jurgen Klopp held a press conference about possible transfers on his Liverpool football lineup. He didn’t, however, mention anything about players from parallel dimensions.
Jason Isaacs in the most recent episode of 'Star Trek: Discovery', "Vaulting Ambition."
In the 12th episode of Star Trek: Discovery, which aired this past Sunday, Isaacs’s character — Gabriel Lorca — was revealed to have been duping the crew the entire time. He’s not really from the “Prime Universe,” but instead, originated in an alternate dimension called the “Mirror Universe.” So, in an alternate universe, is Isaacs a fan of a different football club? Or would he still support Liverpool?
“In an alternate universe, there will always be a Liverpool,” Isaacs said. “Because they’ll never walk alone.”
Star Trek: Discovery airs its 13th episode — “What’s Past is Prologue” — on CBS All Access at 8:30 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, January 28. Come back to Inverse on Sunday night for our coverage, including our full interview with Jason Isaacs.
Plus, check out this exclusive clip from “What’s Past is Prologue.”
