Created by Gaia Violo, Alex Kurtzman, and Noga Landau.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premiered on January 15, 2026.
Distributed worldwide by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy TV Series Review
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a fresh and exciting addition to the Star Trek universe.
The series follows young cadets as they train to become Starfleet officers in the 32nd century.
It focuses on friendship, discipline, identity, and big moral choices.
The characters feel young, curious, and imperfect, which makes them easy to relate to.
The show mixes classroom lessons, space missions, and personal struggles.
Visual effects are strong, and the futuristic setting feels hopeful rather than dark.
While longtime fans may notice a different tone, the series stays true to Star Trek’s core message of exploration, unity, and learning from mistakes.
CR Rating – 5.5/10.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Actors
Holly Hunter as Nahla Ake
DOB: March 20, 1958.
Bio: Academy Award-winning American actor (The Piano) with a distinguished career in film, television, and stage.
She is celebrated for portraying emotionally layered, authoritative women, blending empathy with steely resolve.
Role: Nahla Ake serves as both captain of the USS Athena and chancellor of Starfleet Academy.
A half-Lanthanite veteran, Ake must navigate command decisions while mentoring the next generation of cadets.
Episodes: 4 eps.
Interesting facts: Hunter has stated that she enjoyed exploring the dual role of captain and teacher, allowing her to portray both high-stakes command decisions and quieter, character-driven mentorship moments.
Notable Works: The Piano, Broadcast News, Saving Grace, Raising Arizona, The Incredibles.
Sandro Rosta as Caleb Mir
DOB: N/A.
Bio: British-Canadian actor and model who trained at professional drama schools.
He emerged in television with this breakout role, quickly gaining attention for his natural screen presence.
Role: Caleb Mir is a human orphan and cadet navigating the challenges of Starfleet Academy while searching for his missing mother.
Arriving as a disillusioned outsider, Caleb’s journey explores belonging, trust, and the ideals of Starfleet.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: Rosta reportedly landed the part while still new to professional sets and has spoken about doing chemistry reads (including with Holly Hunter) that sealed the casting.
Notable Works: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (breakout).
Karim Diané as Jay-Den Kraag
DOB: April 26, 1995.
Bio: An actor known for his dedication to physically and vocally demanding roles.
He has appeared in TV projects and is particularly recognized for his work adapting to heavy prosthetic and makeup requirements, bringing authenticity and depth to alien characters in the Star Trek universe.
Role: Jay-Den Kraag is a Klingon cadet training as an aspiring medical officer at Starfleet Academy.
His story explores identity, honor, and cultural expectations within a diverse, interstellar learning environment.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: Diané consulted with veteran performers who played prominent alien roles to make the Klingon portrayal feel authentic and sustainable across long shooting days.
Notable Works: One of Us Is Lying, Instance.
Kerrice Brooks as SAM (Series Acclimation Mil)
DOB: April 6, 2000.
Bio: A young actor with stage and screen experience, known for bringing authenticity and warmth to her roles.
She has quickly gained attention for her ability to inhabit unusual characters with nuance, making her ideal for SAM, the Kasqian cadet.
Role: SAM is the first Kasqian cadet, a holographic lifeform designed to resemble a young adult.
Brooks portrays SAM as a newly “born” mind in an adult body: curious, fresh, and unburdened by prior experience.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: Writers rewrote aspects of SAM after Brooks’ audition to embrace the softer, naive take she brought to the role.
Notable Works: My Old Ass, early TV/film work.
George Hawkins as Darem Reymi
DOB: N/A.
Bio: British actor with classical stage training at Mountview.
He has gained recognition for his work in indie films and TV ensembles, earning praise for his dedication and ability to bring layered, nuanced performances to youthful, ambitious characters.
Role: Darem Reymi is a Khionian cadet from a privileged background, training to be a Starfleet captain.
His upbringing shapes his ambition, entitlement, and the pressure he feels to succeed.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: Hawkins has spoken about how the Academy drama allowed him to explore contemporary themes of class and identity through a sci-fi lens.
Notable Works: Boiling Point, Tell Me Everything.
Bella Shepard as Genesis Lythe
DOB: December 17, 2001.
Bio: Bella Shepard is a young actor emerging in genre television.
Trained in both emotional performance and action sequences, she brings depth to roles that balance personal stakes with high-concept sci-fi drama.
Role: Genesis Lythe is a Dar-Sha cadet and the daughter of a Starfleet admiral.
Determined to earn her own achievements, she navigates the tension between family expectations and personal principles.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: The character was intentionally written to explore the tension between military legacy and individual agency, highlighting the Academy’s meritocratic ideals.
Notable Works: Wolf Pack, The Wilds.
Zoë Steiner as Tarima Sadal
DOB: February 13.
Bio: Australian actor who has progressed from ensemble TV work to international sci-fi projects.
She brings nuanced emotionality to her performances, particularly in roles requiring subtlety under pressure.
Role: Tarima Sadal, daughter of Betazed’s president, is a cadet navigating the weight of political expectation and her planet’s empathic cultural norms.
Steiner portrays Tarima with refined reserve, using understated gestures and expressions to convey inner conflict and responsibility while growing into her place among the cadets.
Episodes: 2 eps.
Interesting facts: Betazed’s inclusion (and Tarima’s heritage) allows the series to address politics and public scrutiny at an interpersonal level.
Notable Works: Significant Others, early TV roles.
Tig Notaro as Jett Reno
DOB: March 24, 1971.
Bio: American comedian and actor renowned for her deadpan delivery, understated humour, and ability to ground emotional scenes with wit.
She previously portrayed Jett Reno on Star Trek: Discovery and brings the same sharp, empathetic presence to Starfleet Academy.
Role: Jett Reno serves as a Starfleet Academy instructor, blending tough-love mentorship with offbeat humour.
She trains cadets in technical and tactical disciplines while illustrating the human stakes of preparing officers for a dangerous galaxy.
Episodes: 2 eps.
Interesting facts: Notaro’s return from Discovery delights fans who liked her particular blend of gruff mentorship and comic timing.
Notable Works: One Mississippi, Star Trek: Discovery (Jett Reno), stand-up specials.
Oded Fehr as Admiral Charles Vance
DOB: November 23, 1970.
Bio: Israeli-born actor known for portraying authoritative and morally complex figures in film and television, including The Mummy series and Sleeper Cell.
He reprises his role as Admiral Charles Vance from Star Trek: Discovery, bringing continuity and gravitas to the Starfleet universe.
Role: Admiral Charles Vance is a senior Starfleet officer whose strategic insight and political acumen influence both commanders and cadets.
He guides the Academy through post-crisis challenges, balancing institutional authority with the pressures of training a new generation of officers.
Episodes: 2 eps.
Interesting facts: Vance’s inclusion strengthens ties to the Discovery timeline and provides continuity within the Star Trek franchise.
Notable Works: The Mummy, Resident Evil series, Covert Affairs.
Gina Yashere as Lura Tho
DOB: April 6, 1974.
Bio: British comedian, writer, and actor who has made a successful transition into U.S. television, known for her sharp wit and high-energy performances.
She has worked across comedy and drama, bringing a no-nonsense presence and distinctive timing to every role.
Role: Lura Thok serves as the USS Athena’s first officer and cadet master, a part-Klingon, part-Jem’Hadar officer responsible for tactical training, discipline, and mentorship.
Her authority and mixed heritage create layered dynamics with cadets learning to navigate both command and cultural expectations.
Episodes: 3 eps.
Interesting facts: Yashere’s background in stand-up comedy enhances her delivery of sharp, memorable lines while adding comic and tactical depth to the cadet training sequences.
Notable Works: Bob Hearts Abishola (creator/actor), stand-up specials.
Brit Marling as the voice of the Athena computer
DOB: August 7, 1982.
Bio: American actor, writer, and producer known for thought-provoking, intelligent sci-fi and indie projects such as Another Earth and The OA.
Her work often blends philosophical depth with genre storytelling, making her a natural choice to lend character to a starship interface.
Role: Marling provides the voice of the USS Athena’s computer, an omnipresent, occasionally conversational interface that interacts with cadets and crew.
Her performance gives the ship a subtle personality, offering information, guidance, and occasional wry commentary that adds nuance to the Academy’s environment.
Episodes: 10 eps.
Interesting facts: Choosing a high-profile creative like Marling to voice the ship gives the computer an authorship-adjacent vibe (she’s also a writer/creator in her own right).
Notable Works: The OA, Another Earth, Sound of My Voice.
Robert Picardo as the Doctor
DOB: October 27, 1953.
Bio: Robert Picardo is an American actor best known to Star Trek fans as The Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager.
A veteran character actor, he has appeared across film, TV, and voice work.
Role: The Doctor serves as a 900-year-old holographic instructor at Starfleet Academy.
With centuries of memory and experience, he is both a living Starfleet archive and an ethical touchstone for cadets.
Episodes: 2 eps.
Interesting facts: Picardo said portraying a character who “remembers 36 generations of organics” was a mind-bending exercise and an opportunity to deepen the Doctor’s legacy.
Notable Works: Star Trek: Voyager, The Wonder Years, extensive TV and voice roles.
More Actors
• Paul Giamatti as Nus Braka (recurring villain).
• Tatiana Maslany as Anisha Mir (Caleb’s mother).
• Rebecca Quin (Becky Lynch) as Lt. Ya (guest bridge officer).
• Stephen Colbert as voice of the Academy’s Digital Dean
FAQ – Star Trek: Starfleet Academy TV Series
What is Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series about?
The series follows a new class of Starfleet cadets in the 32nd century as they train aboard the USS Athena, learning what it takes to become Starfleet officers in a restored Federation.
How many episodes are in Season 1?
Season 1 consists of 10 episodes released weekly from January through March 12, 2026.
Is Season 2 already confirmed?
Yes. Paramount+ has already greenlit a second season ahead of the Season 1 finale. More on Decider
Is there an antagonist in the series?
Yes. Paul Giamatti plays Nus Braka, a Klingon-Tellarite hybrid villain in Season 1.
Where can I watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy?
The series streams exclusively on Paramount+; the first episode has been temporarily made available for free on YouTube in some regions.
Conclusion
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy succeeds as a character-driven series that blends youthful energy with classic Star Trek values.
It offers a hopeful look at the future, focusing on growth, teamwork, and moral responsibility.
The show may feel lighter than older Star Trek series, but its heart is in the right place.
By exploring the struggles of young cadets finding their purpose, the series feels fresh while respecting the franchise’s legacy.