Actor Anson Mount has played Captain Christopher Pike on Star Trek: Discovery and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The character is known for helming the USS Enterprise while rocking a voluminous head of hair, nicknamed “Pike’s peak.”
In a September 2025 interview with CBS News Los Angeles, Mount was complimented for his signature hair. He then referenced that his ‘do resembles Governor of California Gavin Newsom‘s gray locks.
“If you bump into Gavin Newsom, tell him to stop stealing my style,” said Mount in the CBS News Los Angeles interview.
Anson Mount Said He Didn’t Expect Fans’ Reaction to His Hair
In a January 2023 interview with HeyUGuys, alongside his Star Trek: Strange New Worlds castmate, Rebecca Romijn, Mount discussed fans’ reaction to Pike’s hair. According to Mount, he didn’t expect viewers to have an appreciation of his hairstyle and to make memes about its height.
“I love it. I think it’s hilarious when I see the memes about it,” said Mount in the interview.
He also credited the show’s hairstylists for coming up with Pike’s iconic look.
Anson Mount Spoke About Fans’ Positive Reaction to His Portrayal of Captain Christopher Pike
During a July 2025 interview on actor Michael Rosenbaum‘s podcast, Inside of You, Mount discussed Star Trek fans’ positive reaction to his portrayal of Pike.
“It’s without a doubt the strongest reaction I’ve had from anything I’ve ever done,” said the 52-year-old.
The Hell on Wheels star then said he was “worried” about introducing his version of the character during the second season of Star Trek: Discovery, which aired in 2019. He explained that he felt anxious about joining an already established cast, as he hadn’t “really been the new kid before on a show.” He clarified that the show’s cast and crew welcomed him with open arms.
He also said that Pike became a character “somewhat close to [his] skin” as he wasn’t all that fleshed out in Star Trek: The Original Series. The character, who was the USS Enterprise captain before James T. Kirk, was played by Jeffrey Hunter in the Season 1 episodes, “The Menagerie Part I & II,” which aired in 1966, per IMDb.