TV Interview!
Interview with actors Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, David Ajala, Wilson Cruz, Mary Wiseman, and Blu del Barrio; and executive producers Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise of “Star Trek: Discovery” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 3/10/24
This was so much fun! I’m a huge Trekkie (since the 60s!), so it was great to speak to these actors on this press roundtable. I’m sad that the show is ending, but it’s an exciting last season. You don’t want to miss it. FINAL SEASON STREAMING APRIL 4!
One note: One of the interviewers is edited out because she kept asking spoiler questions. I might put her back in after the season is over, if I have time.
Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham)
Doug Jones (Saru) and David Ajala (Cleveland âBookâ Booker)
Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), and Blu del Barrio (Adira)
Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise (co-showrunners/EPs)
MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer
The fifth and final season of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY finds Captain Burnham and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery uncovering a mystery that will send them on an epic adventure across the galaxy to find an ancient power whose very existence has been deliberately hidden for centuries. But there are others on the hunt as well ⊠dangerous foes who are desperate to claim the prize for themselves and will stop at nothing to get it.
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY season five stars Sonequa Martin-Green as Captain Michael Burnham, Doug Jones as Saru, Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets, Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly, Wilson Cruz as Dr. Hugh Culber, David Ajala as Cleveland âBookâ Booker, Blu del Barrio as Adira, and Callum Keith Rennie as Rayner. Season five also features recurring guest starsâ Elias Toufexis as Lâak and Eve Harlow as Moll.
The series is produced by CBS Studios in association with Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment. Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth serve as executive producers. Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise serve as co-showrunners.
STAR TREK: DISCOVERY seasons one through four are currently streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons two and three are also available on the Pluto TV âStar Trekâ channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. In Canada, it airs on Bell Mediaâs CTV Sci-Fi Channel. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
AVAILABILITY: |
Premieres April 2024 on Paramount+ in the U.S. and international territories. |
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FORMAT: |
Action/Sci-Fi (Filmed in HD) |
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STARRING: |
Sonequa Martin-Green |
(Captain Michael Burnham) |
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Doug Jones | (Saru) |
Anthony Rapp | (Paul Stamets) | |
Mary Wiseman | (Sylvia Tilly) | |
Wilson Cruz | (Dr. Hugh Culber) | |
David Ajala | (Cleveland âBookâ Booker) | |
Blu del Barrio
Callum Keith Rennie |
(Adira)
(Rayner) |
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RECURRING GUEST STARS: | Elias Toufexis
Eve Harlow
Tig Notaro
David Cronenberg |
(Lâak)
(Moll)
(Cmdr. Jett Reno)
(Kovich) |
PRODUCED BY: |
CBS Studios, Secret Hideout and Roddenberry Entertainment |
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EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: CO- SHOWRUNNERS: |
Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise, Heather Kadin, Aaron Baiers, Olatunde Osunsanmi, Frank Siracusa, John Weber, Rod Roddenberry and Trevor Roth
Alex Kurtzman and Michelle Paradise |
Sonequa Martin-Green
Sonequa Martin-Green is a versatile actress who continues to evolve her impressive body of work with ground-breaking, complex roles and memorable performances across television, film and the stage.
Martin-Green will next be seen in Warner Brothersâ âSpace Jam: A New Legacy,â starring alongside LeBron James and Don Cheadle. The film is a sequel to the 1996 film âSpace Jam,â the highest-grossing basketball movie of all time.
Most recently, she starred in âThe Outside Story,â a Brooklyn-based indie comedy-drama led by Brian Tyree Henry. âBillionsâ actor Asia Kate Dillon, Sunita Mani (âGlowâ), Olivia Edward (âBetter Thingsâ) and Michael Cyril Creighton (âSpotlightâ) also co-starred in the film, the directorial debut of writer/director Casimir Nozkowski. She also appeared in Netflixâs 2019 holiday film, âHoliday Rush.â
Martin-Green is widely known for her turn on AMCâs critically acclaimed, award-winning series âThe Walking Dead,â where she captivated audiences in the role of the fierce and loyal Sasha Williams across five seasons. Additionally, she has taken many guest and recurring roles in fan-favorite television series. Most recently, she played prankster Rhonda on FOXâs âNew Girl,â anti-magic Tamara on ABCâs âOnce Upon a Timeâand aspiring paralegal Courtney Wells on CBSâ Emmy and Golden Globe-winning drama âThe Good Wife.â She has also been featured in the CBS cop drama âNYC 22,â Lifetimeâs âArmy Wivesâ and the CWâs âGossip Girl.â
Previously, Martin-Green received rave reviews for her starring role in Emily Abtâs Sundance hit âToe To Toe,â in which she played Tosha Spinner, a highly driven inner-city high school teenager. She was also featured in Victoria Mahoneyâs film âYelling to the Skyâalongside Gabourey Sidibe and Zoe Kravitz.
On stage, she is best known for her critically acclaimed performances in Des McAnuffâs âFetch Clay Make Man,â where she starred as Muhammad Aliâs first wife, Sonji Clay. She also starred in off-Broadwayâs âOutside Peopleâ at New York Cityâs Vineyard Theatre.
Martin-Green currently resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
Doug Jones
While famous for working under prosthetics in iconic feature film roles, Doug Jones is also a versatile character actor who has performed as himself in guest star roles on shows like âArrow,â âThe Flash,â âTeen Wolf,â âZ-Nation,â âThe Neighbors,â âCriminal Minds,â âC.S.I.â and NBCâs horror anthology âFear Itself.â A veteran of over 100 commercials, Doug was Mac Tonight, the moon-headed piano player in the long-running 1990s McDonaldâs campaign. He also starred as the lead villain in âHush,â an Emmy-winning episode of âBuffy the Vampire Slayer,â long considered a fan favorite. Doug was also a semi-regular guest judge on the hit SyFy Net reality series âFace Off.â
In 2005 he played the title role of Pan (as well as the nightmare character known as The Pale Man) in Guillermo del Toroâs Oscar-winning Spanish language fantasy/horror feature âPanâs Labyrinth.â But it was his sensitive and elegant performance as Abe Sapien in del Toroâs 2004 box office hit âHellboyâ that brought Dougâs unique work to a wider audience. He went on to voice that same character for the Emmy-nominated Cartoon Network animations âHellboy: Sword of Stormsâ and âHellboy: Blood and Iron.â In 2007 Dougâs title role performance in âFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surferâ was hailed by fans and critics alike. 2008 saw Doug reprise his starring role (as well as two other characters) in âHellboy II: The Golden Army,â once more under the direction of del Toro. He also starred in âGainsbourg,â a stylized biopic of the famous French poet/singer/composer Serge Gainsbourg, in which he plays Gainsbourgâs dark alter ego. The film has won three Cesar Awards. Doug has also had prominent creature roles in âCrimson Peak,â âThe Watch,â âThe Bye Bye Man,â âLegion,â âHocus Pocusâ and many others.
Jones was a series regular on three seasons of TNTâs Spielberg-produced sci-fi series âFalling Skiesâ and recurred on Guillermo del Toroâs FX series âThe Strain.â Upcoming, Jones will star opposite Sally Hawkins in del Toroâs âThe Shape of Water.â
David Ajala
David Ajala most recently recurred on the CWâs âSupergirlâ as iconic DC character Manchester Black, and starred in Syfyâs TV adaptation of George R.R. Martinâs 1980 novella Nightflyers. Past film credits include âThe Fast & The Furious,â âJupiter Ascending,â and âStarred Upâ; past television credits include ABCâs âBlack Boxâ opposite Kelly Reilly and USAâs âFalling Water.â
Ajala also appeared in the indie film âKill Command.â Additional notable credits include âOne Day,â starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, âThe Dark Knight,â starring Christian Bale and âPayback Season.â
Appearing in a wide range of television roles, Ajala was a rapper in the television series âTrexx and Flipside,â in addition to major guest roles in award-winning shows such as âLaw & Order: UK,â âDeath in Paradise,â âSilent Witnessâ and the wildly popular âDr. Who.â
Ajala began his career performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Courtyard Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon. Heâs performed in productions of âThe Witness,â âHamletâ and âA Midsummer Nightâs Dream,â among others at The National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and The Almeida Theatre.
Wilson Cruz
Triple threat, award-winning actor, activist, âactorvistâ and humanitarian are just a few terms used to describe Wilson Cruz. He appeared on the Netflix series âThirteen Reasons Whyâ and in Huluâs breakthrough GLAAD Award-winning original animated kidsâ series âThe Bravest Knight.â He is also the executive producer of the critically lauded docuseries called âVisible: Out On Televisionâ airing on Apple TV+.
In 1994 Cruz won the hearts of audiences across the world and forever changed the LBGT landscape playing the first openly gay teenager on network television in his award-winning performance as Rickie Vasquez on the hit ABC series âMy So Called Lifeâ. His seminal and critically acclaimed performance celebrated its 25th anniversary in August 2019. âMy So Called Lifeâ was honored with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Drama, and Cruz received the Emery S. Hetrick Award from the Hetrick-Martin Institute for Outstanding Contributions to LGBTQ Youth for his contribution. Cruz is also known for starring as Angel in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical âRentâ in its West Coast premiere which earned him both the Ovation and Drama Logue awards before his reprisal of the role on Broadway.
Always a trailblazer, Cruz is recognized for playing one of TVÊŒs first transgender characters in an Emmy-nominated episode of âAlly McBealâ and gave a heart-rendering performance as part of a gay couple fighting for marriage equality on âGreyÊŒs Anatomy.â Other TV credits include: âRed Band Societyâ starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, âParty of Fiveâ (ALMA Award for Outstanding Emerging Actor), âRick and Steve,â âThe Happiest Gay Couple in the World,â âShameless,â âThe West Wing,â âNoahÊŒs Arc,â âPushing Daisiesâ and more. Film credits include memorable roles in âHeÊŒs Just Not That into You,â âNixon, Party Monster,â âJohns,â âAll Over Meâ and âAfter Louie,â with Alan Cumming. During the pandemic, he created a series called âWhatâs Up with Wilson Cruzâ as a way to stay connected to fans and participated in numerous benefits to raise money for charity.
As an âactorvist,â Cruz has received the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award from the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, the Liberty Award from Lambda Legal, the Visibilidad Award from GLAAD, the Fusion Achievement Award from Outfest, the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Entertainment and Advocacy from the California Latino Legislative Caucus, the Harvey Milk Equality Award, the Lincoln Aston Public Service Award, Aston-Brooks Award and the Advocate Award from AdColor. He served as the director of entertainment industry partnerships and national spokesperson for GLAAD, currently serves on the board of GLSEN and devotes considerable time supporting other LBGTQ organizations as well. Wilson is a first generation American of Puerto Rican descent.
Mary Wiseman
After graduating from Juilliard, Mary Wiseman quickly went on to star opposite Keira Knightley in the Broadway production of âTherese Raquin.â
She was recently seen in Noah Baumbachâs âMarriage Storyâ opposite Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson.
Other television credits include the Netflix series âLongmireâ and âThe Charactersâ as well as Huluâs âDifficult People.â She also appeared opposite Zach Galifianakis in the first two seasons of the FX series âBaskets.â
Other theater credits include starring in the world premiere of âRomance Novels for Dummiesâ at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Prior to that, she starred in the Williamstown Theatre Festivalâs production of âOff the Main Roadâ opposite Kyra Sedgwick, in the off-Broadway, Obie Award-winning production of âAn Octoroon,â in which her performance was described as âdeliciousâ and âcomically inspiredâ and the off-Broadway production of âThe Skin of Our Teethâ at the Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn.
Blu del Barrio
Blu del Barrio is a non-binary actor who uses they/them pronouns. Del Barrio was in their final year of studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) when they auditioned for and booked the role of Adira. Blu has been acting in theater and short films since the age of 7, and theyâre incredibly excited to make their television acting debut in season three of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY.
Proofread and Edited by Brenda
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