How an Oscar winner and a newcomer became the fresh faces of ‘Star Trek’

by

To get the part of a defiant student in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy,” 26-year-old Sandro Rosta had to perform a chemistry test with Holly Hunter over Zoom.

He admits he was incredibly nervous, speaking over coffee at a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan right before Hunter was due to arrive. But he was doing his best to appear calm.

Rosta was new to acting for the screen, while Hunter was a celebrated actress known for films like “The Piano” and “Broadcast News.” Hunter was already cast as Nahla Ake, the head of the school where students prepare to travel the galaxy. Rosta was auditioning for the part of Caleb Mir, a troubled young man Nahla had chosen for her special program.

But for Rosta, Hunter reminded him of Helen Parr, the superhero mom from “The Incredibles.” He admits, “I’m a total geek, so I’ve watched ‘The Incredibles’ countless times—that’s what I kept thinking about.”

He didn’t need to be concerned about letting Mrs. Incredible down. When Hunter joined them, wearing a stylish black skirt, she clearly liked Rosta, greeting him with a warm smile as she spoke.

I instantly clicked with Sandro, honestly. It sounds strange to say, especially since we first met over Zoom – you don’t usually feel that connected through a platform like that. Zoom always feels a bit… distant to me. But when we started reading together, I really did feel a connection with him. It was surprisingly easy and natural.

Though vastly different in experience, both Rosta and Hunter were newcomers to the world of “Star Trek” when they joined the cast. Neither had much familiarity with Gene Roddenberry’s 60-year-old sci-fi series. However, together they bring a fresh perspective to the franchise, and the complex relationship between their characters is central to the show. This series blends teen drama with the excitement of space exploration and is a key part of the celebration of “Star Trek’s” 60th anniversary. The first two episodes premiere Thursday on Paramount+, with new episodes streaming weekly after that.

The new series “Starfleet Academy,” set 32nd century, begins by revealing Captain Nahla’s past. She was the officer who sent Caleb’s mother (Tatiana Maslany) to a rehabilitation camp after she unwittingly became involved in a crime – the murder of a Federation officer. Caleb’s mother was simply looking for food when she fell in with Nus Braka (played with chilling intensity by Paul Giamatti), a dangerous space pirate.

When Caleb was young, he ran away rather than go with the Federation authorities. Years later, Nahla, the newly appointed chancellor of Starfleet Academy, tracks him down. Caleb is a brilliant but rebellious tech expert, and Nahla offers him a deal: an education in exchange for his skills, and a possible way to reconnect with his mother. Caleb is hesitant at first, but Nahla isn’t like most authority figures.

When Hunter was initially asked to play a role in “Starfleet Academy,” she shared extensive ideas with co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau about the personality and behavior of her character – a 400-year-old alien with Lanthanite heritage.

She envisioned Nahla as something more adaptable and flowing, like water. She wanted the character to feel both cat-like and physically engaging.

Kurtzman, who currently oversees the “Star Trek” franchise, and Landau readily agreed. They understood that Hunter was the unpredictable element that made this series stand out from other “Star Trek” shows.

Kurtzman explains they were searching for an actor to play Nahla who could be a unique captain, but still convincingly embody the role’s power. They also wanted Nahla to have a bit of a playful personality, given her age – over 420 years – and her decision to abandon shoes during her long life aboard the starship.

Hunter was unexpectedly presented with a fascinating opportunity. She compares acting to gambling, feeling like a player at a roulette or craps table.

“You’re rolling the dice and you pick up the phone and your life can change,” she says.

Television

Alex Kurtzman, the creative force behind the current ‘Star Trek’ shows, is talking about the ending of ‘Discovery’ and giving a preview of what’s coming in the new series ‘Starfleet Academy’ and the ‘Section 31’ project.

She wasn’t very focused on the history of science fiction. She preferred reading authors like J.G. Ballard over watching shows like “Voyager,” though she did explore the “Voyager” universe a little bit, but didn’t become a huge fan.

She enjoys the simple act of being offered a role and immediately accepting it. She doesn’t dwell on who held the position previously or the potential consequences – she feels that’s not her concern.

Since Nahla and Caleb have such a strong connection, Landau explained they needed to find an actor who felt as genuine as Hunter for the role opposite her. They auditioned over 400 people before making a decision.

Landau recalls that whenever they watched someone portray Caleb, the team would exchange glances and wonder if the actor had any real fighting experience. This was because Caleb’s entire life had been a struggle for survival, filled with constant conflict.

After Rosta, a recent Oxford School of Drama graduate, finished auditioning, Kurtzman explained what they were looking for in an actor. Rosta hadn’t intended to, but his audition ended up reflecting a difficult argument from his high school days in Toronto. He had spent much of his childhood moving back and forth between Canada and the U.K.

Rosta was hired about two weeks before filming began on “Starfleet Academy,” and Landau and Kurtzman immediately knew they’d made the right choice after the first read-through of the script. Landau shows me photos of Rosta and Hunter connecting during their first face-to-face meeting – they seemed close and comfortable, even in a formal setting.

Rosta credits Hunter for making him feel at ease.

Rosta explained that he felt incredibly pressured, calling it a critical turning point. He said they were at a point where they had to either let the person go or move forward with their plan, while Hunter smiled encouragingly at him.

He was really concerned about collaborating with Hunter. During our talk, he pointedly told her, “You’ve essentially limited my world to just this small space we’re in right now.”

Rosta believes Hunter has a natural ability to avoid unnecessary drama, a quality Hunter herself doesn’t realize she possesses. This is apparent both in person and in how she portrays the character of Nahla. Hunter specifically wanted to show that Nahla, having experienced personal loss, wasn’t simply looking to adopt Caleb; their connection was much more complex and layered.

She explains that she didn’t want to become overly involved with him, or fall into a pattern where they relied on each other in an unhealthy way. She also didn’t want to support his potentially harmful behaviors, and she wanted him to be independent and responsible for himself.

Hunter also didn’t want to act like a mentor to Rosta and the other actors playing cadets. She saw them as colleagues, not people she was supervising.

I see all of you as my creative partners,” she explained. “We’re all in this together, like fellow performers. I don’t see my role as being someone who tells others what to do.”

Nahla isn’t straightforward either; she teaches lessons in a subtle and playful way. Hunter aimed for a gentle approach while filming, though she did encounter some rigid rules from the Federation – like the decision to not allow Nahla to have wine in her office. Usually, Hunter avoids projects that try to deliver a specific message. However, promoting empathy is central to “Star Trek,” and she was happy to embrace that aspect of the show.

She describes it as a path to progress, explaining that communication, teamwork, a sense of community, understanding, and truly listening to others are what help us connect with each other. She believes that’s fundamentally what actors strive for – to make that connection.

Rosta and Hunter have been developing “Starfleet Academy” for around two years. They’re currently in New York for the show’s premiere, which is fittingly taking place at the Cullman Hall of the Universe within the American Museum of Natural History. Soon, they’ll head back to Toronto to complete filming for the second season, which has already been greenlit. After being immersed in the show’s incredibly detailed sets for a while, they’re finally getting to see how audiences – including passionate Star Trek fans – are responding.

Rosta initially considered himself a bigger fan of “Star Wars,” but he now understands the strong bond people can form with a franchise. After he was cast as Caleb, his mother became a devoted fan of “The Next Generation” and even went with him to the premiere. He asked her to give him an honest opinion, and she absolutely loved it.

Hunter, meanwhile, is excited to meet her new public.

“It’d be fun to go to a convention,” she says. “Like, wow, what would that be like?”

Read More

2026-01-14 14:02