Summary

• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy boasts a stellar cast, including Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti, along with rising star cadets.
• Lt. Sylvia Tilly's mentorship program will play a key role in the show, navigating relationships, rivalries, and an imminent threat.
• With co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau at the helm, the series promises an exciting glimpse into life at Starfleet Academy.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is shaping up to have a stellar cast. Set in the 32nd century era of Star Trek: Discovery, Starfleet Academy will follow a group of Starfleet cadets as they pursue their dreams and navigate life as young adults. At the end of Discovery season 2, the USS Discovery traveled to the 32nd century, where they found a crumbling United Federation of Planets devastated by the Burn. As Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and her crew helped rebuild Starfleet and the Federation, Starfleet Academy opened its doors for the first time in over 100 years.

When the 32nd century Starfleet Academy reopened in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) became an instructor and eventually proposed a mentorship program that will play a role in the show. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be the first Trek show to focus on life at the Academy and the first geared toward a young adult audience. But with Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti in Starfleet Academy's cast, along with several newcomers and familiar Star Trek legacy characters, Starfleet Academy will have something for everyone. Check out Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's official logline below:

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy introduces viewers to a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, first loves and a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.

12 Holly Hunter

Portraying the as-yet-unnamed Chancellor of Starfleet Academy

Academy Award winner Holly Hunter headlines Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as a yet-unnamed Captain and the Academy's Chancellor. Hunter has shined in films and television shows since the 1980s. After starring in Joel and Ethan Coen's Raising Arizona alongside Nicolas Cage in 1987, Hunter became a true Hollywood star. That same year, Hunter also starred as Jane Craig in Broadcast News, which earned her an Oscar win for Best Actress.

Holly Hunter went on to maintain a steady career in film, appearing in movies such as The Firm; O Brother, Where Art Thou?; Thirteen; Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and The Big Sick. She also voiced Helen Parr (aka Elastagirl) in Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles and Incredibles 2. In television, Hunter starred as Grace Hanadarko in TNT's Saving Grace, and had recurring roles on Succession and Mr. Mayor.

Tawny Newsome, who voices Lt. Beckett Mariner on Star Trek: Lower Decks, is a writer on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, bringing her Trek knowledge and comedy chops to the new show.

11 Paul Giamatti

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed villain

Lifelong Star Trek fan Paul Giamatti s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in a recurring role as the series' main villain. Since 1990, Paul Giamatti has portrayed a wide array of characters, appearing consistently in popular films and television shows. Giamatti had ing roles in classic films such as The Truman Show, Saving Private Ryan, Planet of the Apes (2001), and Big Fat Liar. Giamatti then went on to star in Sideways, Cinderella Man (for which he earned an Academy Award nomination), The Illusionist, and Lady in the Water.

Paul Giamatti won an Emmy Award for his portrayal of John Adams in the 2008 HBO mini-series of the same name. He also starred in Fred Claus and Barney's Version, and appeared in 12 Years a Slave, Saving Mr. Banks, and Straight Outta Compton. More recently, Giamatti starred in the Showtime series Billions and was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in 2023's The Holdovers.

10 Kerrice Brooks

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed Starfleet cadet.

When it comes to the Starfleet cadets who will be at the center of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, the show's creators have chosen to cast up-and-coming stars who are at the beginnings of their careers. Kerrice Brooks' appeared in Netflix's The Prom and one episode of On My Block.

Brooks appears as Ro in the film My Old Ass, which stars Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza, and as Melissa in the comedy Feeling Randy. She is also an accomplished dancer and has been in music videos for Kelly Rowland and Billie Eilish. Brooks also appeared in Rhianna's Savage X Fenty Show for Amazon Prime Video.

9 Bella Shepard

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed Starfleet cadet.

Bella Shepard appeared as an unnamed young girl in an episode of Netflix's Grace and Frankie, and as a young Aleida Diaz in an episode of Orange is the New Black. She starred in the television series On the Ropes, A Girl Named Jo, and Two Sides. Shepard has appeared in episodes of Amazon's The Wilds and Paramount+'s iCarly.

In Wolf Pack, Shepard portrayed Blake Navarro, one of the main characters, alongside Sarah Michelle Geller's Kristin Ramsey. Shepard will also appear in the Netflix Christmas comedy, The Merry Gentlemen, starring Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray.

8 George Hawkins

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed Starfleet cadet.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will be George Hawkins' first major American television role. He has previously appeared in the 2021 film Boiling Point and 2023's Gassed Up, as well as multiple short films.

Hawkins portrayed Dylan in season 2 of the British teen drama Tell Me Everything, which explores mental health through the lens of British teens in today's society of technology and social media. Tell Me Everything has received mostly positive reviews, and has been compared to the Skins, which aired from 2007 to 2013.

7 Karim Diané

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed Starfleet cadet.

A talented singer who appeared as a contestant on The X Factor, Karim Diané's first television role was on StartUp, starring Adam Brody. Diané also appeared in the television series Solve and has had roles in several short films.

Most recently, Diané portrayed Kris Greene in Peacock's One Of Us Is Lying, based on the popular young adult book of the same name by Karen M. McManus. Diané is also set to star as Posh in the Hulu comedy series 1266, starring Gabourey Sidibe.

6 Zoë Steiner

Portraying an as-yet-unnamed Starfleet cadet.

In her first television role, Zoë Steiner portrayed Hanna in the British drama series Significant Others. She has also appeared in multiple short films and music videos. Although much about Star Trek's series remains unknown, the show is building an impressive cast and crew.

5 Sandro Rosta

Playing an as-yet unnamed Starfleet cadet

The sixth and final Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cast member playing a cadet is Sandro Rosta. A British Canadian actor and model, Rosta is an Oxford School of Drama graduate. Sandro starred as Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet,” Trofimov in “The Cherry Orchard” and Tom Musgrave in “The Watsons” at the Jermyn Street Theatre.

Rosta recently made his professional debut in “The Harmony Test” at Hampstead Theatre. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy marks Sandro Rosta's big break on a Paramount+ TV series and part of the Star Trek franchise.

4 Mary Wiseman

Reprising Lt. Sylvia Tilly from Star Trek: Discovery

The most widely expected Star Trek: Discovery cast member to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is Mary Wiseman, who is confirmed to reprise Lt. Sylvia Tilly. Starfleet Academy, as a spinoff, was built around Tilly, who chose to leave the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery season 4 to become an instructor at the newly reopened Starfleet Academy. Tilly also led a group of cadets on an ill-fated mission in Star Trek: Discovery season 4.

It will be fascinating to see Tilly teach at the Academy.

Lt. Sylvia Tilly ing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will follow through with the mentorship program she planned to institute at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. Starfleet Academy can also continue Tilly's budding romance with Lt. Jax (Gary Caldone), who may also return. It will be fascinating to see Tilly teach at the Academy and influence the cadets' young minds with her knowledge and enthusiasm.

3 Oded Fehr

Reprising iral Charles Vance from Star Trek: Discovery

Oded Fehr returns as iral Charles Vance in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which is a logical choice. The Commander in Chief of Starfleet, Vance is a rare Starfleet iral who isn't corrupt or power-mad. Rather, iral Vance proved himself to be a comionate and forward-thinking leader. No great fan of Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) at first, Vance came to appreciate and rely upon Burnham and the USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery's final 3 seasons.

iral Vance makes perfect sense to return in Starfleet Academy.

In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, iral Vance also came to respect and ire Lt. Sylvia Tilly. A dedicated family man, iral Vance makes perfect sense to return in Starfleet Academy as he would have a vested interest in the young cadets who will make up the future of Starfleet. It's also possible Vance and Holly Hunter's Starfleet Academy Chancellor could have an interesting working relationship, and perhaps, contrasting visions about how Starfleet Academy should be run.