Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Additional Casting Announcements

Yesterday marked the 55th anniversary of the premiere of the first episode of the original Star Trek series. And for the second year in a row, CBS/ Paramount celebrated by hosting a Star Trek day event. Last year’s event was entirely virtual due to the pandemic. This year’s event was a huge in-person fan event, with fans from Los Angeles and other parts of the country invited to watch in person, alongside the legendary actors from every Trek series since the original, including the 5 Trek shows currently in production. With the event and panels for each series hosted by ST: TNG’s Wil Wheaton and actress/ host Mica Burton (who also happens to be TNG star LeVar Burton’s  daughter as well)

It was during the panel for the upcoming Star Trek Strange New Worlds series, which saw series stars Anson Mount( Capt. Pike), Rebecca Romijn (Number 1), and Ethan Pike (Lt. Spock) that fans were treated to a surprise video announcement of previously unannounced characters who were appearing in the show including a couple of Legacy TOS character in the form of Cadet Nyota Uhura (played originally over the course of three seasons and six movies by Nichelle Nichols), Nurse Christine Chapel (played originally by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry over the course of three seasons and several movies), and  Dr. M’Benga ( played by Booker T. Bradshaw in two episodes of the original series)And several previously unknown characters. So let’s jump in. We will start with the three characters we were previously aware of.

Captain Christopher Pike, (Anson Mount)

Returning to the role, he first began playing in Season 2 of Star Trek Discovery, and then in several Star Trek Short Treks episodes after, Anson Mount beams back aboard the Enterprise as its Captain, who was first seen in the original unaired pilot episode for Star Trek, The Cage, then played by actor Jeffrey Hunter. Fans have been fascinated by Pike going back to the earliest days of star trek, a Heroic character who we first see on screen later on in the two-part episode The Menagerie, where we learned an event after his time serving as Captain of the Enterprise forces him to make a sacrifice that results in him becoming paralyzed and only able to communicate through a series of beeps.

Mr. Spock, (Ethan Peck)

Like his co-stars Anson Mount and Rebecca Romjin, Ethan (the son of Hollywood legend Gregory Peck.) also returns to the role he first played in season 2 of Star Trek Discovery, And several episodes of Short Treks, as the legendary Vulcan Science officer Mr. Spock. The role, of course, was first created by Leonard Nimoy 55 years ago, and whom Nimoy continued for three seasons, eight movies, and a special guest appearance of The Next Generation. Fans are eager to see how Spock develops in this previously unexplored period of his life pre TOS.

Number 1( Una Chin-Riley), (Rebecca Romijn)

Rounding out the returning Enterprise senior bridge crew returning from Season 2 of Star Trek Discovery, Is Rebecca Romijn (whose husband Jerry O’Connell  is also an actor currently in an ongoing role on a Star Trek series  playing Commander Jack Ransom on Star Trek Lower Decks)

Stepping back into the role of the Enterprise’s executive office, Una, first originated by Majel Barrett-Roddenberry in the Cage (alongside Jeffrey Hunter and Leonard Nimoy) Rebbecca, who herself is a big Star Trek fan, has captivated audiences with her appearances so far as Number 1, expanding a character that was only seen in the original unaired pilot.

Now we get to the new additions, including three legacy characters that have totally excited fans to see announced. First, let’s begin with the most well-known character.

Cadet Nyota Uhura, (Celia Rose Gooding)

Originally portrayed in all three seasons of star trek TOS, two seasons of Star Trek The Animated Series, and all six original movies by Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek Strange New Worlds sees Celia Rose Gooding taking over the role of Uhura. This time as a fresh out of the academy cadet, years before she becomes the Enterprise’s Chief Communications Officer, like the other two legendary character announcements, the addition of Uhura for Strange New World is a wonderful and unexpected surprise that opens up a world of possibilities.

Dr. M’Benga, Babs Olusanmokun

Babs steps into a role that was only previously seen in 2 episodes of the original series. Back in 1967 and 1968, the season 2 episode  “A Private Little War” and the Season 3 episode “That which survives” (portrayed by Booker T. Bradshaw).

When Dr. Leonard McCoy was away, it was Dr. M’Benga who would step in as the acting Chief Medical Officer. What is known about Dr. M’Benga, from his two appearances in TOS,  is that he was a specialist In treating Vulcan patients following his medical internship on Vulcan years earlier. A fact which put to use when he saved Spock’s life in A Private Little War.

The addition of this character is particularly exciting because, beyond those two episodes, we don’t really know much more. So it will be nice to see a character from the TOS expanded and given a chance to be more fully explored

Nurse Christine Chapel, (Jess Bush)

Rounding out the returning TOS characters is Enterprise Nurse Christine Chapel, Originally also played by Majel Barrett Roddenberry (like number 1), Jess Bush will be stepping into the Role. Chapel appeared throughout all three seasons of TOS before being promoted to Dr. for Star Trek the Motion Picture and Star Trek IV The Voyage Home. In the original series, Christine first joins Starfleet after her fiance Roger Korby disappears on the planet EXO III. She was also good friends with Lt. Uhura (which will probably be touched upon in SNW).

The following characters are new to Strange New worlds, marking their first appearances in the Star Trek universe

Erica Ortegas, (Melissa Navia)

Aside from being a member of the bridge crew, there is no information on this new character created for Strange New Worlds other than she is a Lieutenant.

Christina CHONG, (LA’AN Noonien-Singh)

Christina is taking on the newly created role of LA’AN Noonien-Singh, another character we have info about in terms of her back story. Some people online are trying to connect her to Khan Noonien-Singh, but I suspect she doesn’t hold any connection to the iconic Star Trek villain, and if she did, it would open a whole bag of continuity issues.  But we shall see, but my bet is she has no connection to Khan. It’s worth noting her name is Hyphenated, whereas Khan’s name is not. Also, implying she has a connection to Khan based on her name alone would be just as out there as implying someone with the last name of Douglas is related to Michael Douglas.

Hemmer, (Bruce Horak)

Hemmer is an all-new character created for Strange New Worlds, played by Bruce Horak.  Hemmer is an Aenar, an albino subspecies of The Andorians. We first are introduced to Aenar in Star Trek Enterprise, where we learned they were considered to be a myth in Andorian Society till the early 2100s. Even by the time of Star Trek Enterprise in the 2150s, the Aenar were still pretty secretive and kept to themselves but had diplomatic relationships and ties with the Andorian government. Because of the barren frigid underground environment in which the Aenar live, they are blind but use telepathy to “see.” Bruce Horak, who portrays Hemmer, is legally blind, having lost 90% of his vision to Bilateral Retinoblastoma as a child. His portrayal of Hemmer marks the first time a legally blind actor will be in a main role in a Trek series.