Paul Giamatti has joined Holly Hunter in the upcoming Star Trek series coming to Paramount+ Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Giamatti will play the villain in the first season of the series, who is described as “a man with an ominous past connected to one of our cadets.” He will make a great addition to the cast and an awesome Star Trek villain!
Co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau said in a joint statement: “Sometimes you’re lucky enough to discover that one of the greatest actors alive is also a huge Star Trek fan, and meeting Paul was one of those miraculous moments for us.
“The sheer delight with which he dove in on Starfleet Academy is only surpassed by the gratitude we feel about him joining our incredible cast.”
The series will follow the adventures of a new class of Starfleet cadets as they come of age in one of the most legendary places in the galaxy.
The story will introduce us to “a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism. Under the watchful and demanding eyes of their instructors, they will 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.”
Hunter will play the captain and chancellor of the Academy, presiding over both the faculty and a new class of Starfleet cadets as they learn to navigate the galaxy in the 32nd century.
Kurtzman and Landau previously said in a statement: “Admission is now open to Starfleet Academy! Explore the galaxy! Captain your destiny!
“For the first time in over a century, our campus will be re-opened to admit individuals a minimum of 16 Earth years (or species equivalent) who dream of exceeding their physical, mental and spiritual limits, who value friendship, camaraderie, honor and devotion to a cause greater than themselves.
“The coursework will be rigorous, the instructors among the brightest lights in their respective fields, and those accepted will live and study side-by-side with the most diverse population of students ever admitted.
“Today we encourage all who share our dreams, goals and values to join a new generation of visionary cadets as they take their first steps toward creating a bright future for us all. Apply today! Ex Astris, Scientia!”
Starfleet Academy will begin shooting in Toronto later this summer, and it will shoot on the largest contiguous set ever constructed for a Star Trek series, “a central academic atrium that will span two stories and include an amphitheater, classrooms, a mess hall, and a idyllic walkway lined with trees.”
The series premiere episode was written by Gaia Violo. CBS Studios produces in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
Source: Deadline