The Star Trek universe expands with the upcoming series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, set to premiere on January 15, 2026, on Paramount+. The show follows cadets training aboard the USS Athena and studying on Earth in San Francisco, weaving the adventures of new recruits with longstanding Star Trek legacy characters. Among the standout cast members is Paul Giamatti, who embraces the challenge of portraying one of Star Trek’s most intricate villains.
Taking place in the year 3191, this series connects to previous Star Trek installments by featuring familiar faces such as Robert Picardo reprising his role as the Doctor from Voyager and characters from Discovery. Executive producers and showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau lead the creative vision, introducing an ensemble of diverse characters, including cadets from different species, to explore the future of Starfleet through intense training, off-ship missions, and academic study.
Introducing the Cadets and Their Unique Roles
The heart of Starfleet Academy lies in its young trainees, who embody the future of Starfleet with distinct backgrounds and motivations. Karim Diané portrays Jay-Den Kraag, a young Klingon whose desire to become a doctor sets him apart from the traditional warrior culture of his people. Diané describes him as follows:
“He is a young Klingon who comes to Starfleet Academy, and he’s very different from all the other Klingons,” Karim Diané
“He does not want to fight or go to battle. He’s at school to be a doctor.”
Sandro Rosta’s character Caleb Mir offers another entry point into this inaugural Earth class, representing the human cadet experiences in the post-120-years-since-The Burn era.
“He’s a human, and he’s the intro character to the school.”
Among the non-humanoids, Kerrice Brooks plays Sam, a photonic hologram identified as Series Acclimation Mil. Brooks characterizes her as:
“She’s a photonic and she’s a hologram, which is what photonic means,” Kerrice Brooks
“She’s a vibe; that’s what I describe her as. She be vibing.”
Adding fresh species to the Star Trek mythos, George Hawkins embodies Darem Reymi, a Khionian and the first of his kind introduced into the Star Trek universe. Hawkins explains his character’s drive:
“a Khionian, the first of his species in the Star Trek universe. And he’s obsessed with competition and beating everyone.”
Bella Shepard takes on Genesis Lythe, a Dar-Sha cadet with a captain as a parent, characterized by ambition and determination:
“She’s the daughter of a captain, and she’s at Starfleet Academy to achieve great things.”
Finally, Zoë Steiner portrays Tarima Sadal, a Betazoid empath known for wearing her emotions openly, which is central to her character’s personality:
“For those who aren’t familiar with Star Trek, the Betazoids are the empaths, so she really wears her heart on her sleeve.”
The Unique Approach Behind Starfleet Academy’s Storytelling
The creative team set out to differentiate Starfleet Academy from prior series by blending traditional Star Trek space adventures with the educational environment of cadets in training. Showrunner Alex Kurtzman describes this narrative challenge:
“People have been trying to develop Starfleet Academy for many decades, actually, well before any of us were involved in it. And it’s a tricky one, because you usually think of Star Trek as a show with a crew on a ship that goes out into space and does missions. The question becomes: how do you do that with students who are not yet qualified for that? Our solution to that was to figure out a way to make the ship a teaching hospital, so the cadets actually go out into space and learn on the job. They are put in real life danger, but obviously supervised by a lot of incredible instructors. That cracked it open, because then it became a Star Trek show where you could do a mission of the week, but they also come back to Earth and are on campus. So, we get to have the best of both worlds, like at the end of season 3 of Next Generation.” Alex Kurtzman
This innovative premise allows the show to balance action-packed space missions with interpersonal drama and character development on campus. Holly Hunter, who plays the dual role of Captain and Chancellor Nahla Ake, expresses enthusiasm about embodying leadership that bridges these two worlds:
“Really incredibly fun. The combination of being the Chancellor and the Captain is exactly what Alex was just talking about. What the school rides on is people who are not quite ready for the job training to be in the job, and sometimes being in real jeopardy. It’s a great landscape for incredible humor and humility. Just to be Captain and Chancellor at the same time is straddling the best of two amazing worlds.” Holly Hunter
Co-showrunner Noga Landau discusses how the new series pays homage to the vast Star Trek legacy while creating its own identity:
“Totally! I grew up a Star Trek fan, so this is a dream come true. I always wanted to go to Starfleet Academy, and now I get to. I think it we’ve honored everything that’s come before us – the 60 years of legacy that came before us – in so many different ways. One is with the people we’ve brought to join these amazing folks. We have Robert Picardo, who’s playing the Doctor, the same doctor from Voyager. We have multiple cast members joining us from Discovery. When you look at the wall of heroes in our atrium, our giant set, you’ll see us honoring so many of the people who came before us and showed us what heroism is, and who showed us what the values of Starfleet are. There are also mysteries. Watch out for Benjamin Sisko! We get to do some really cool stuff that hasn’t been done in a long time, that I think really honors the fans who’ve been waiting to see what happens. We definitely know who we are, and we know whose shoulders we are standing on today.” Noga Landau
Paul Giamatti Embraces the Role of a Star Trek Villain
Paul Giamatti, an Emmy Award-winning actor known for his nuanced antagonists, relishes the opportunity to take on the role of Nus Braka, a villain who disrupts the ideals of Starfleet. Giamatti shares his enthusiasm for joining the franchise:
“Really good! I’m a baddie. They came to me with a bad guy, and I was like, ‘Well, that’s the best: to be a Star Trek villain.’ Couldn’t be better. I’m half Klingon, half Tellarite. I was very excited to be half Tellarite because, as a kid, I liked them. They’re this kind of argumentative, obnoxious pig people. And I was like, ‘That’s me, man. I want to do that.’ It was great. I get to be an alien, I get to be a bad guy, and I get to come in and disrupt this world. He’s everything that Starfleet is not. He’s the opposite of all of it, and he wants to rip it apart. It’s great. It was a fun character to play.” Paul Giamatti
Nus Braka stands as a foil to Starfleet’s values, embodying conflict and challenge within the narrative. Giamatti’s portrayal promises a layered villain who is “very complicated,” enhancing the series’ dramatic tension.
Lessons Learned from Working with Industry Veterans
The young cast members speak highly of their experiences collaborating with Giamatti and Hunter, whose professionalism and dedication have left strong impressions. Karim Diané reflects on Holly Hunter’s influence:
“Holly is the sweetest, most down-to-earth human being. She’s an amazing listener. We’ve learned from Holly that when that camera is on, she not playing. We be playing sometimes, to be honest, and we have a lot of fun on set – but I think we’ve all learned balance from Holly. We have fun, but when we’re in a moment, we really lock in and really bring everything that we can. Holly is interested in everything, even down the most minute detail.” Karim Diané
Sandro Rosta recounts his memorable first encounter with Paul Giamatti, highlighting the veteran actor’s warmth on set:
“I can speak for my experiences with both Holly and Paul, because I had the pleasure of working with both of them. Holly just has a quality of generosity. This actually goes for both of you, but you have to have your own cup full to pour into another cup, and I really felt that when I was on set. There were times where I wasn’t sure how an interaction was going to go, or how a day was going to go, or anything like that. They just both made my energy smooth out, and they relaxed me. They made me feel like I belonged there and that I had a place amongst them. The first time I met Paul was the best time ever. I was sitting on the toilet! He knocked on my trailer door, and I had to say that. He’s like, ‘Ah, he’s on the can!’ So, I had to finish up. Then I came outside, and he gave me this big hug. It was just really great to have that energy from you, straight up, without working with you at all at that point.” Sandro Rosta
Giamatti reciprocates this praise, appreciating Rosta’s commitment especially during their physically demanding scenes:
“He and I had to have a crazy fight in this thing. I was like, ‘I’m an old man, and I have to have a fight?’ But it was the best thing in the world to do it with this guy. Because I was like, ‘Man, I’m gonna die doing this.’ He was there for me in such a great way.” Paul Giamatti
Newcomer George Hawkins also values the support from the seasoned performers, particularly Holly Hunter:
“I don’t have a lot of experiences with Paul, but he’s an absolute rock star. I came out of drama school very recently, and I’m very new to this industry, so there were fears about it. But the second time I met Holly, we sat down in the production office for a good two and a half hours, and I laid out all my anxieties. She was so generous and so honest about what this industry has to offer. I’m just so thankful for that honesty.” George Hawkins
Bella Shepard shares a lighter moment with Hunter, showcasing their camaraderie:
“I didn’t have a lot of time to work with Paul either. I’ve taken so much from them, though, outside of being at work and seeing them be real human beings who are kind. That alone is already such a gift. But I’ve had so much time to be able to get to know Holly as a person and a human being. Holly and I showed up to a rehearsal once wearing the same outfit, and our hair was the same, and we are the same size. So, we literally walked in looking like Thing One and Thing Two. I was able to connect with her as woman in this industry, feeling like I’ve got this really strong, confident woman here on set who’s also vulnerable and soft and kind. That alone, I will carry with me forever.” Bella Shepard
Kerrice Brooks focuses on the professionalism demonstrated by Hunter and Giamatti, particularly their stamina and bravery in demanding scenes:
“The first thing I want to hit on is stamina because the show is really pedal to the metal a lot of the time. You’re in space with these high stakes, and someone’s always crashing, so I think that you can get burnt out. Artistically and sometimes even attitude-wise, you’re like, ‘I’m just tired today. I don’t feel like it.’ But then when you see them come and do it, it’s like, ‘Oh my God. Let me fasten my belt, let me. Let me tie my shoes. Let me make sure my wig’s on properly. Let me get it together.’ But I will also say bravery, because they just go for it. Both of them really just go for it. Even if there is hesitation, because I think that’s very natural, you see both of them just go for it. From their voice to their body – to their toenails! They be clocked in. They be clocked in for real! Their stamina and bravery are the biggest things for me, and it’s amazing to witness. It’s an honor to witness in person.” Kerrice Brooks
Zoë Steiner reflects on her experience working alongside such renowned talent in her first major role outside Australia:
“It’s been such a privilege. This is my first big job – certainly my first job away from Australia – and for it to be with Paul Giamatti and Holly Hunter? I almost fell over when I heard that I got to be a part of this. Apart from what I could learn by observing Holly, in terms of the craft, it’s more about how both of them are just as people on set. I don’t really have anything to compare it to, but from what I hear, it’s not necessarily always going to be the case that such big stars are genuine, honest, generous people. That’s been so beautiful.” Zoë Steiner
What This Means for the Star Trek Franchise
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces a fresh and dynamic perspective to the Star Trek continuum, blending tradition with innovation by focusing on cadets learning the ropes in both simulated and real missions. The inclusion of Paul Giamatti as a complex villain injects a potent element of tension and unpredictability, challenging the ideals that Starfleet represents.
With strong leadership characters portrayed by Holly Hunter and a diverse, compelling cast of cadets, this series is positioned to attract both longtime fans and new audiences. The series promises to expand the lore of the Star Trek universe while exploring the personal and ethical growth of its young characters in an intense, high-stakes environment.
The show’s premiere on Paramount+ marks the first step in what could become a memorable chapter for Star Trek, with executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau guiding the narrative into uncharted territory while honoring the legacy of the previous sixty years.
