CBS All Access has announced two new additions to the cast of Star Trek: Discovery that makes franchise history as the series has added non-binary actor Blu del Barrio and trans actor Ian Alexander (The OA) who will play Star Trek‘s first non-binary and trans characters in the upcoming third season.
Del Barrio will play the non-binary Adira, “who is highly intelligent with a confidence and self-assurance well beyond their years. They will find a new home on the USS Discovery and form an unexpected bond with Lt. Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) and Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz).”
Alexander play the transgender character Gray, an “empathetic, warm and eager to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a Trill host, but he will have to adapt when his life takes an unexpected turn.”
Welcome Blu del Barrio and @ianaIexander to the #StarTrekFamily! They will be playing Adira, Star Trek's first non-binary character, and Gray, Star Trek's first transgender character in #StarTrekDiscovery Season 3. Learn more about Blu in this @glaad Q&A: https://t.co/gd54tVl8p0 pic.twitter.com/WroJ32n7Cp
— Star Trek on Paramount+ (@StarTrekOnPPlus) September 2, 2020
“Star Trek has always made a mission of giving visibility to underrepresented communities because it believes in showing people that a future without division on the basis of race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation is entirely within our reach,” said Discovery showrunner and executive producer Michelle Paradise. “We take pride in working closely with Blu del Barrio, Ian Alexander and Nick Adams at GLAAD to create the extraordinary characters of Adira and Gray, and bring their stories to life with empathy, understanding, empowerment and joy.”
This marks del Barrio’s onscreen debut after they starred in stage productions and short films. Alexander, meanwhile, recently starred in the hit video game The Last of Us Part II as the young transgender boy Lev.
Season three of Star Trek: Discovery premieres on October 15th on CBS All Access and features a cast that includes Sonequa Martin-Green (Commander Burnham), Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Mary Wiseman (Ensign Sylvia Tilly), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker) and Michelle Yeoh (Philippa Georgiou).
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