Christina Chong, who plays La’an Noonien Singh, famously owns an adorable dog named Runa.
Fans of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will recognize Runa for her scene-stealing role as Princess Runa in season 1, episode 8, “The Elysian Kingdom.” In a behind-the-scenes interview, Chong explained that she asked one of the show’s producers and directors, Chris Fisher, if her canine companion could appear in “The Elysian Kingdom,” as it was a fantasy episode where “anything goes.”
Chong also noted that she and Runa wore gorgeous matching dresses during the season 1 episode.
“The fantasy episode was my favorite episode of the entire show. Because who gets to play a fantasy princess, the childhood dream princess dress, which is sparkly and glittery and twirls, and gets to have her little dog in it, in her own little princess costume,” said Chong.