'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' Adds Karim Diané, Zoë Steiner In Main Roles

More cadets are boldly going to school. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy has expanded its core student cast from three to five, casting Karim Diané and Zoë Steiner for the upcoming Paramount+ series. They join Kerrice Brooks, Bella Shepard and George Hawkins as enrolled cadets.

The five of them don’t have any of their names revealed yet. According to the logline will “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.” Diané and Steiner’s characters will too be guided by the captain and chancellor played by Holly Hunter. It is unknown whether either of them will be the cadet who Paul Giamatti’s villain character will have the connection to, though it’s easy to believe it’s neither and instead one in the initial trio.

Diané’s career began with his singing, as a contestant on The X Factor. He most recently starred in the Peacock series One of Us Is Lying. Upcoming he will be seen in the film 1266 with Gabourey Sidibe. Steiner’s still a relative newcomer. Her television debut was in the 2022 Australian miniseries Significant Others, previously starring in several short films.

Production will begin in Toronto in the coming months. Alex Kurtzman, who has been a major producer of much of this streaming era of Star Trek, and Noga Landau serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. Gaia Violo executive produces with them and writes the premiere. Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Jenny Lumet, Rod Roddenberry, Trevor Roth, Frank Siracusa, and John Weber also executive produce. The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment.

Source: Variety