The Star Trek series is starting a new story. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy takes viewers back to the 32nd century. This is the same time period shown in Discovery. The show is set at a school for new Starfleet officers. It follows a diverse group of cadets aboard the USS Athena.
They learn important skills like leadership, teamwork, and field operations there. The mood of the series is both exciting and tense. This is because the students come from many different worlds and hold many different personal goals.
The cast blends rising actors with familiar veterans, and this mix draws early attention to the Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cast. Fans want clear details on who plays each role as the show moves toward its release on January 15, 2026, and a second season is already in place.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cast and character guide

The core cadet group
Karim Diané plays Jay-Den Kraag. He trains as a Klingon cadet who values duty and steadiness. Kerrice Brooks appears as S.A.M. She learns how to live among other students as she searches for her own identity. George Hawkins plays Darem Reymi. He studies with focus and tries to build trust in his team.
Bella Shepard appears as Genesis Lythe. She manages strict lessons and growing pressure as the missions grow harder. Sandro Rosta plays Caleb Mir. He offers calm energy and clear habits during group tasks. Zoë Steiner acts as Tarima Sadal. She is a Betazoid cadet who listens carefully and reads feelings with care.
These six students form the heart of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and each one shows how young officers react when training moves from study to action.
Command, mentors, and familiar faces
Holly Hunter takes the role of Chancellor Nahla Ake. She sets the rules that each student must follow. Her presence adds strong direction to the school. The series also brings back noted figures from earlier shows. Robert Picardo returns as The Doctor from Voyager, and he offers medical guidance to the cadets.
Tig Notaro appears once again as Jett Reno from Discovery. She gives the students clear help during technical tasks. Oded Fehr plays Admiral Vance. He links the Academy to wider plans from Starfleet Command and shows how the cadets fit into larger events.
These mentors add strength to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and their work keeps the tone close to long-standing Starfleet ideas.
The antagonist and early tension
Paul Giamatti joins the story as Nus Braka. He is part Klingon and part Tellarite and brings threats that reach both the ship and the training grounds. His plans force the students to act under pressure. They also learn how quick choices can shape the safety of the entire group. His presence sets clear stakes and raises the pace of the season.
Conflict appears both inside the school and beyond the ship, so the cadets must balance study with real risk.
What the cast adds to the story

The Star Trek: Starfleet Academy cast blends rising actors with long-time veterans. This mix supports the theme of learning from the past while building new paths. The USS Athena acts as a mobile campus, so lessons and missions take place in close quarters. The students face tests that demand teamwork, and those moments show how each actor fits the tone of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
The show returns to Starfleet ideals of duty, peace, and shared purpose. It uses character work to make those ideas clear.
Why this matters to fans
Fans see a new side of the 32nd century through this series. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy adds new depth to the timeline and shows how young officers prepare for real duty under steady pressure. The story also ties into earlier shows through veterans who guide the students.
The blend of character struggle, action, and close training gives the cast clear roles that match long-held Starfleet values. The series builds a firm base for future stories and gives viewers a close look at daily life inside Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.