Star Trek: Starfleet Academy actresses open up about the incoming series and its young cadets

Star Trek is a promise of adventure, exploration, discovery, and the endless pursuit of knowledge among the stars. From the moment William Shatner’s voice first intoned the iconic “Space, the final frontier,” the franchise has invited audiences to imagine a universe where hope and curiosity propel us forward.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a planned new series that will continue to extend the Star Trek franchise. It will center on the cadets being prepared to become officers in the next generation of Starfleet.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will give fans old and new an opportunity to delve into a previously unseen aspect of the franchise: the sacred halls where friendships and rivalries develop, where the Federation's ideals are challenged by the unbridled uncertainties of youth, and where young minds are molded.

With a new installment in the franchise coming, questions arise. Is familiarity with Star Trek canon necessary to enjoy this show? In a universe that has been there for decades, where does this new, young energy fit in?

Actresses Kerrice Brooks and Bella Shepard, who are spearheading this new adventure, have spoken about what drives the show and why this Star Trek story chapter may be the most emotionally charged thus far.

What is Starfleet Academy? A guide for newcomers and longtime fans

Picture this. A galaxy in chaos, a Federation rebuilding after massive loss, and right at the center, a group of young cadets stepping into the unknown. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a new class of cadets entering Starfleet Academy, the elite training ground for the Federation’s future leaders.

Anyone can tag along, not just die-hard Trekkies. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows a fresh intake of cadets as they enroll in the prestigious academy that prepares the future leaders of the Federation. Anyone looking for a new beginning in a familiar universe will find it in this story.

If you’ve never watched Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, or Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, no stress. This show is set far enough ahead that it builds its own space, focusing on young characters facing fresh challenges.

The series carries the DNA of Star Trek: adventure, ethics, choices, and responsibility. It’s about asking big questions in a galaxy where no answer is easy. Whether you’re here for the cool tech, the alien cultures, or the drama between cadets juggling homework and galaxy-level crises, the series promises to deliver.

The cast: meet the new cadets

Say hello to the faces you’re about to root for. Leading the charge are Bella Shepard and Kerrice Brooks, two actresses ready to shake things up at Starfleet Academy.

Shepard, known for her sharp energy and screen presence, teams up with Brooks, whose charisma lights up every scene. Together, they bring a raw, electric vibe to the group of cadets stepping into the most intense experience of their lives.

In an interview with CinemaBlend, Shepard laughed as she teased what’s coming:

“It definitely throws you for a few loops.” Brooks added with a grin, “I say hormonal because we’re young and we’re figuring it out, as we are in real life. Definitely on the show, we’re figuring it out.”

These aren’t flawless future heroes but young adults with real emotions, navigating a world of pressure, ambition, and connection. Whether they’re training on holodecks, studying alien diplomacy, or just trying to survive each other’s personalities, this crew is messy, passionate, and completely relatable.

While Shepard and Brooks are the ones fans have been hearing from, they’re part of a bigger ensemble cast that includes fresh faces and rising talents. Together, they’re set to bring a new rhythm and energy to the Star Trek universe.

Is this really a YA series? The actresses weigh in

At first glance, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy might look like a typical young adult series. After all, it’s about teens and young adults figuring out their place in the universe. Nevertheless, the cast wants fans to know there’s a lot more going on under the surface.

Kerrice Brooks was clear:

“Yeah. To be honest, it doesn’t feel super YA. I don’t think things are like simplified or spoon-fed... But just like life brings you to a level, that’s what the show feels like it’s doing to the cadets. It feels like it is bringing us to a level instead of coming down to a YA, not that it’s a negative thing. But instead of coming to us, we’re like joining a Federation, so we’ve got to come up.”

Bella Shepard added with a laugh,

“We’re just young adults going through some real sh*t… oh sorry [laughs] real stuff.”

The series takes its characters and its viewers seriously. The stakes are high, choices matter, and consequences hit hard. There’s space for the development of romance, friendship, and rivalry, sure, but all set against the backdrop of a galaxy in flux, with the Federation rebuilding and every decision carrying weight across star systems.

The history of Starfleet Academy in Star Trek lore

Starfleet Academy is a key part of Star Trek. This institution shapes the Federation's brightest minds into explorers, diplomats, and sometimes fighters. It was introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series, although subsequent episodes gave it a lot more meat. Star Trek: The Next Generation followed cadet Wesley Crusher as he learned that intelligence wasn't enough to succeed in the academy.

Nog, the first Ferengi in Starfleet, was introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. His difficulties at the Academy were symbolic of larger cultural and personal conflicts. Even after all these years, Star Trek: Discovery demonstrated that the Federation's principles still required restoration, with Starfleet Academy rising again from the ashes.

Until now, the Academy has stayed in the background, a place characters left behind or remembered from a distance. Now it's coming into full focus. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy finally puts the spotlight on this world, letting us experience cadet life directly, with all its highs, failures, friendships, and conflicts.

What’s at stake: why this series matters for the franchise

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy shapes the whole Star Trek universe. This series may attract new viewers who may not have watched Star Trek: Voyager or Enterprise but are eager to connect with stories about identity, purpose, and survival in a larger world.

It also gives Star Trek more story possibilities. Instead of focusing on experienced captains and crews, the show explores the raw, uncontrolled energy of people discovering themselves. Responsibility, ethics, loyalty, and sacrifice seem new to young cadets who are still learning their meanings.

For longtime fans, the series offers renewal. It keeps the Federation’s ideals alive while showing how they’re tested in new ways. For newcomers, it’s a gateway into one of the richest sci-fi universes ever created, where every mission, every friendship, and every mistake matters.

Final thoughts: young adults facing the final frontier

At its core, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy follows young people stepping into a universe that demands everything from them: their heart, their mind, and their courage. It’s supposed to be messy, intense, and deeply human.

For anyone wondering whether to give it a try, that's it. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Star Trek or someone brand new to the Federation, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy comes with the promise of a journey filled with discovery, challenge, and growth. The final frontier isn’t only out among the stars. It lives inside each of these cadets, and maybe inside all of us.