As Star Trek: Discovery’s final season commences, the principal actors from the hit series must say goodbye to characters they have played for several years.
When Star Trek: Discovery premiered in 2017, it was met with its fair share of backlash. Trek die-hards criticized the show’s design, cast, and even the time period in which it was set.
Still, Discovery won over a good portion of fans, many of whom were just glad to have a new Star Trek series again, after the franchise’s extended absence from television. Now, the show has launched Season 5, set to be the show’s final voyage.
The Characters & Actors of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5
Sonequa Martin-Green - Michael Burnham
Sonequa Martin-Green plays Captain Michael Burnham, the adopted sister of Star Trek icon Mr. Spock. Burnham was given command of the series’ eponymous starship, the USS Discovery, at the end of the third season, after the cast wound up in the far-flung future of the 32nd Century.
Apart from her work on Discovery, which is undeniably her most well-known role, Martin-Green has also been a part of shows like The Walking Dead and The Good Wife.
Doug Jones - Saru
Veritable chameleon Doug Jones portrays Saru, Burnham’s first officer. Saru is a Kelpian, a species with a kind of biological early warning system that acts like a sixth sense. Saru has served as a fan-favorite since the series began, with many viewers calling for him to take on Discovery’s captain‘s chair.
Doug Jones has appeared in many major projects, but he is often completely unrecognizable, buried under prosthetics and makeup. He was Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies and the Amphibian Man in 2017’s The Shape of Water.
Anthony Rapp - Paul Stamets
Anthony Rapp plays the groundbreaking role of Commander Paul Stamets, a science officer and one of the two first openly gay Star Trek characters (The other being Stamets’ husband Dr. Hugh Culber).
Rapp has long been a fixture of stage and screen, having performed as a part of several high-profile Broadway shows, such as Rent, in which he was an original cast member.
Mary Wiseman - Sylvia Tilly
Sylvia Tilly, brought to life by Mary Wiseman, started the series as a quirky but very driven cadet on board Discovery. Later on in the series, after the crew’s one-way trip to the future, she took a teaching position at Starfleet Academy.
Mary Wiseman is most famous for her part as Tilly but she’s also appeared in Baskets and the Western show Longmire to name a few.
Wilson Cruz - Hugh Culber
Wilson Cruz plays Dr. Hugh Culber, one of the USS Discovery’s physicians. Earlier in the series, Culber was killed by another, out-of-control officer. But eventually, the good doctor was brought back to life through the use of the mycelial network.
Cruz cut his teeth on the classic 1990s teen drama My So-Called Life, playing Rickie. He’s additionally had roles on hits like Grey’s Anatomy, Monk, and The West Wing.
Blu del Barrio - Adira Tal
Adira Tal is portrayed by Blu del Barrio. The character’s backstory involved them becoming the host for a Trill symbiont called Tal, which they inherited from their romantic partner. Currently, Adira is a Starfleet ensign, having been granted commission in Season 3.
Blu del Barrio holds the significant distinction of being Star Trek’s first openly non-binary actor. They are also a graduate of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
Callum Keith Rennie - Rayner
Callum Keith Rennie’s Rayner is a new character for Season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery. Rayner is a Kellerun, which is a species first introduced in the 1994 episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “Armageddon Game”.
Rennie has a lengthy resume, starring in a vast array of Canadian shows and films. He has also acted in the Battlestar Galactica reboot as well as Showtime’s Californication.
David Ajala - Cleveland “Book” Booker
David Ajala plays Book, a man introduced to the crew upon their arrival in the year 3188. As a Kwejian, Book can empathically connect with plant and animal life, including his pet cat Grudge. He also has a close personal bond with Michael Burnham.
Alaja previously had roles in Nightflyers and CW’s Supergirl, where he played the villainous Manchester Black.
Eve Harlow - Moll
Moll, played by Eve Harlow, is a pirate who is seeking an ancient technology that has ties to the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Chase”.
Eve Harlow has acted in favorites such as NCIS: Los Angeles and The Rookie. She also played the recurring character Tess on Agents of SHIELD.
Elias Toufexis - L’ak
L’ak, a green-skinned alien of unknown descent, is played by Elias Toufexis. He serves as Moll’s literal partner in crime.
Toufexis has appeared in another popular sci-fi series The Expanse, as well as several other television series, like Shadowhunters and Criminal Minds.
Oded Fehr - Charles Vance
Oded Fehr plays Admiral Charles Vance, who was introduced to Star Trek: Discovery in Season 3. As commander in chief of Starfleet, Vance wields a considerable amount of influence within the spacefaring organization.
Fehr would be best recognized for his character of Ardeth Bay in 1999’s The Mummy and its 2001 sequel. He’s also guested on shows such as The Blacklist and How to Get Away With Murder.
Chelah Horsdal - Laira Rillak
Laira Rillak, in addition to serving as Federation president, is of multi-species descent, a hybrid of human, Cardassian, and Bajoran genetics. Typically, Starfleet and Federation top brass are portrayed as having lesser quality moral fiber, but Rillak has stood out as an exception.
Chelah Horsdal has appeared in a wide variety of movies and series including Arrow, Hell on Wheels, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Tara Rosling - T’Rina
T’Rina is a Vulcan woman who first showed up in Discovery in the seventh episode of the third season. Since then, she has become romantically linked with Saru. T’Rina is also president of Ni’Var, the planet formerly known as Vulcan.
In addition to her Star Trek role, Rosling has also cropped up in The Expanse and The Handmaid’s Tale.
David Cronenberg - Kovich
David Cronenberg portrays Dr. Kovich, a Federation agent and galactic historian. Kovich first appeared in Discovery’s third season and has gone on to become a well-liked recurring character.
As a veteran filmmaker, David Cronenberg is credited with bringing the genre of body horror into popular culture. His newest film, The Shroud, will hit theaters this year.
Tig Notaro - Jett Reno
Comedian Tig Notaro breathes life into Jett Reno, the fast-talking, wise-cracking Discovery engineer with a heart of gold. Reno has more than cemented herself as an audience favorite.
Alongside Notaro’s standup work, she’s had parts in Community, Bob’s Burgers, Suburgatory, and many more.
Star Trek: Discovery can be streamed exclusively on Paramount+. The next new episode premieres on Thursday, April 11.
