“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” Fills Out Its Cast

Star Trek is one of the most beloved franchises in the history of the entertainment industry. Recently, the film arm of the property has been floundering, with Paramount unable to settle on a direction after the disappointing returns of 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. However, the small screen versions are as strong as ever, with the next series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, recently filling out its cast.

The show will follow Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) during his command of the U.S.S. Enterprise and his corresponding five-year mission, which also includes Rebecca Romijn as his first officer, and Ethan Peck as the iconic science officer, Spock. The trio first appeared in the Star Trek universe during the second season of Discovery, with Pike actually taking command of the titular vessel.

And while fans were excited to learn that the actors would be returning for more space faring adventures, the Enterprise needs a crew and Paramount just announced five talents joining the project as series regulars. The new additions are Nigerian-American actor and TV veteran Babs Olusanmokun (Black Mirror), Australian actress/model Jess Bush (Playing for Keeps), British actress Christina Chong (Halo: Nightfall), Colombian-American actor/writer Melissa Navia (Billions) and the incomparable Broadway star Celia Rose Gooding.

What their roles are, specifically, are still under wraps, but it’s likely that more information will be coming out sooner than later. One of the biggest questions is whether the original screen captain, James T. Kirk, will ever appear in the series, given that Pike is that characters mentor, but there hasn’t been any word on that front.

Akiva Goldsman wrote the series premiere for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which he’s also directing, based on as story he came up with alongside the franchise leader, Alex Kurtzman, as well as Jenny Lumet. All three of them are set to executive produce, while Goldsman and Henry Alonso Myers will act as co-showrunners. There is still no set date for the series, though it is expected to be sometime in early 2022.