The Star Trek universe is constantly expanding, and the upcoming Paramount+ series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is shaping up to be one star-studded affair. The Holdovers star Paul Giamatti joined the show’s first season in a recurring role, as a villain with an ominous past.
Co-showrunners and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau released a joint statement announcing Giamatti’s casting and said that meeting him was a truly miraculous moment.
“Sometimes you’re lucky enough to discover that one of the greatest actors alive is also a huge Star Trek fan… 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 duo said in a statement.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will follow a young group of cadets who come together to pursue a common dream of hope and optimism under the watchful eyes of their instructors, including the Starfleet Academy captain, played by Holly Hunter.
Giamatti joined the cast in a recurring role, and his character has been described as a man with an ominous past connected to one of the cadets. He’s fresh off receiving an Oscar nomination for his role in The Holdovers, and will next be seen in Downton Abbey 3.
