Paul Giamatti Joins 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy'

 

Sounds like a colorful supporting role has come along. Paul Giamatti, the twice Academy Award-nominated star of Big Fat Liar and Fred Claus is boldly joining Paramount+’s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy series.

Giamatti, whose most recent nomination came for his role in The Holdovers, will be a recurring guest star as the first season’s main villain. Said villain is described as a man with an ominous past with a connection to one of the show’s cadets. While the cadets haven’t been cast yet, Giamatti is the second-announced cast member after Holly Hunter, who stars as the Academy’s chancellor and captain. The series revolves around “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 will discover what it takes to become Starfleet officers as they navigate blossoming friendships, explosive rivalries, and first loves.” Giamatti’s character was first mentioned in the synopsis as “a new enemy that threatens both the Academy and the Federation itself.” Casting for the Starfleet Academy cadets and other characters are likely to come in the next couple of months as production begins later this summer.

This news comes as Giamatti’s second series casting in a week, having just signed on for a TV adaptation of the Eli Roth film Hostel, before a home network or streamer has been found. He is coming off of seven seasons starring on the Showtime series Billions, with his other highest-profile television role being his Emmy-winning turn as John Adams in HBO’s miniseries. While he hadn’t won the Oscar, his role in The Holdovers did earn him the Golden Globe win in the equivalent lead actor category in the first ceremony in the new CBS era for the controversially-regarded awards show.

Co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau have said “Sometimes you’re lucky enough to discover that one of the greatest actors alive is also a huge Star Trek fan, and meeting Paul was one of those miraculous moments for us. The sheer delight with which he dove in on Starfleet Academy is only surpassed by the gratitude we feel about him joining our incredible cast.” Kurtzman has been the franchise’s shepherd in the streaming-era television renaissance, as his Secret Hideout production company works with CBS Studios. alongside Roddenberry Entertainment’s Rod Roddenberry, the pilot’s writer Gaia Violo, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa and John Weber also executive produce.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter