I’m on the set of the “Star Trek” TV movie “Section 31,” seated in an opulent nightclub with a view of a brilliant, swirling nebula, watching Yeoh rehearse with director Olatunde Osunsanmi and her castmates. Originally, the project was announced as a TV series centered on Philippa Georgiou, the semi-reformed tyrant Yeoh originated on “Discovery.” But between COVID delays and the phenomenon of “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” there wasn’t room in the veteran actress’s schedule to fit a season of television. Yeoh was undaunted.

“We’d never let go of her,” she says of her character. “I was just blown away by all the different things I could do with her. Honestly, it was like, ‘Let’s just get it done, because I believe in this.’”

A few minutes later, dozens of extras in all manner of outlandish eveningwear file into the club, several of them made up as classic “Star Trek” aliens that fans might be surprised to see in this kind of swanky establishment. But I’m far more distracted by a different discovery: Georgiou is standing with a young Rachel Garrett (Kacey Rohl), a character first introduced on “Next Generation” as the older fearless captain of the USS Enterprise-C.

I liked Yeoh as Phillipa Georgiou, but I loved her as Emperor Georgiou. Phillipa was this cool, calm, experienced Starfleet captain we’d expect while the Emperor was a total wild card.

While I haven’t seen every movie she’s done, the ones I recall always had her playing a good guy. It was refreshing to see her play a villainous (then semi-villainous) character and watch Yeoh grow her into something of an anti-hero.

Definitely looking forward to the S31 movie when it comes out. It’s slated for a streaming release, right?

I thought here Emperor Georgiou with golden armour and red gem decorated sword was weirdly reminiscent of 40k, but c’mon that’s practically Alpha Legion there with the hydra tattoo and cybernetics.