She-Hulk Lead Tatiana Maslany Joins Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Cast
From the courtroom to the classroom, Starfleet Academy is renewed for a second season.
They did promise "surprises" at this year's New York Comic Con. And surprises, there were more of than during a diagnostic of Sherlock Holmes Program 3A! The Lower Deckers had barely left the stage when moderator CBS presenter/correspondent Vladimir Duthiers announced an 'impromptu' Star Trek: Starfleet Academy panel. Cue a few "colourful metaphors" at TrekCulture towers!
Robert Picardo strode on stage for a house call, then Alex Kurtzman — director and co-showrunner on the series — and cadets called in live from Toronto. One doctor, one attorney at law. Kurtzman revealed that Tatiana Maslany, She-Hulk herself, would be joining the Academy cast.
The Emmy award-winning Maslany (for Orphan Black) adds her name to a set — that much talked about 'contiguous' one of the Academy's "central academic atrium" — already bursting at the seams with talent the likes of Oscar-winner Holly Hunter and Oscar-nominee Paul Giamatti. Announced at San Diego Comic Con in July, Tig Notaro will be reprising her role of Jett Reno alongside Picardo as a series regular. Oded Fehr (Dadmiral Vance) and Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly) will also return as guest stars. British comedian and actress Gina Yashere rounds off the impressive list.
Invited to introduce themselves on the livestream like they really were at school, the actors playing the cadets gave their own names, but not those of their characters: Karim Diané, George Hawkins, Kerrice Brooks, Sandro Rosta, Bella Shepard, and Zoë Steiner in that order. They'll have to do more than presentations in the series itself, as they face a "new enemy [in the form of Giamatti] that threatens both the Academy and the Federation," according to the official description.
From law to lecturing (perhaps), no detail was given either as to just who and/or what Maslany will be playing in Starfleet Academy. At this point, an Orion would be typecasting! We do know, via StarTrek.com, that Malsany will have a recurring special guest star spot in season one. Jameela Jamil, Maslany's She-Hulk: Attorney At Law co-star, was also the voice of Asencia in Star Trek: Prodigy, so there's a possible crossover for you, if the Doctor Who/Star Trek 'Intergalactic Friendship' fizzles out!
Speaking of doctors (and Prodigy) once more, panel host Duthiers asked Picardo if he ever thought he'd be reprising his role "in a brand new series," perhaps forgetting somewhat that the EMH and author had appeared recently in animated form. Without missing a beat, Picardo replied, "Please state the nature of the sentimental emergency".
The "Star Trek legend" then added that it was now around "600 years" since Star Trek: Voyager, "so I'm now about 900 years old". "I don't look bad for 900," Picardo joked. Okay, so he's a doctor, not a mathematician! Both those numbers can't be correct, after all. "Since Voyager" might still be a clue, nonetheless, that Picardo is playing the original, and not (just) the museum copy.
Finally, with the hulk, high-wattage hologram, and other megastars, it's a wonder Paramount has any more green to throw at the series. As Kurtzman announced over the comm, however, Starfleet Academy has been renewed for a second season before the first has even finished production! The freshmen will likely arrive sometime in 2026, but it's reassuring to know that we'll all get to progress to (at least) the sophomore year.