‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Cast Member Says They Want to Return
Star Trek: Discovery is over. However, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy continues DISCO’s legacy. And that could mean at least one more return.
We know the final fate of the USS Discovery. It, along with its sentient A.I. Zora waits alone in deep space for a thousand years until she can meet a man named Craft. But that’s ages away. There’s a whole thousand years of unknown territory not only for ships named Discovery, but for this specific Discovery’s crew.
And there’s already one way in which the 32nd century lives on—Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The forthcoming series which features a brand new cast of young hopefuls seems to be set in that era. We know this because of a number of familiar faces already set to return.
Tig Notaro’s former Discovery engineer Jett Reno will be a series regular. And, in addition both Mary Wiseman and Oded Fehr return in recurring roles as Sylvia Tilly and Admiral Vance respectively.
But there’s nothing to say that those are the only DISCO era cast members who can return. There’s five whole seasons worth of characters with stories that can continue. And, in one specific case, there’s an actor who feels strongly enough that they want to return to say so.
The Doctor is Still Living, I Presume
There’s one doctor already part of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Robert Picardo reprises his role as the EMH Doctor from Star Trek: Voyager. However, there’s no reason another doctor can’t join in on the fun as well. And that is precisely but Dr. Hugh Culber actor Wilson Cruz advocated for in a recent interview with Mick Joest of CinemaBlend.
When asked, if he would like to return, Cruz was clear. “Yeah,” he says. “They know my phone number. They know all of my representatives, and they know that I would come back. So I’ll leave it at that, but I haven’t been asked.”
What’s really interesting is WHY Cruz thinks Culber has more story to tell. In Star Trek: Discovery‘s final season, Culber acts as host to the Trill symbiote Jinaal. And Cruz plays the remainder of the season with that experience in mind.
“There was still the awe, you know, the thing about Jinaal was that he was locked in that away for 800 years, and there was a joy of being alive again that [Culber] understood but never allowed himself to live it,” says Cruz. “And I feel like Jinaal gave him the ability to be like, ‘Yes, this existence is amazing and can be exciting and fun, and I need to embrace that part of it.'”
And for Cruz that translates into a lot more for Culber to both grow and offer to others in, say, a Starfleet Academy series.
Star Trek: Discovery Kinda Owes Wilson Cruz Forever
There is a kind of symmetry in the idea of Wilson Cruz carrying on as Hugh Culber in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and beyond. In fact, in a way, he deserves to be part of Trek for as long as he wants. He could and should be the next Worf or William Riker. And that’s because Culber died way back in Star Trek: Discovery season one leaving Culber kind of holding the bag.
Not to rehash old history too much (but indulge me), way back in 2016 TV shows across the board experienced a culling of queer characters. One of those characters happened to be Hugh Culber. And while most other actors were spared the repeated questions on the topic, Cruz found himself in a different position as a former national spokesperson for GLAAD.
Wilson Cruz didn’t kill Hugh Culber—the writers did. And yet for years after, Cruz fielded questions, functionally acting as a spokesperson for the series, for the writers, and for queer people everywhere. That is A LOT. Some might even say it’s pretty darn unfair. And yet Cruz handles all of it with grace. If anything, the experience is something we can see in Culber.
With that in mind, yes, Hugh Culber has more story to tell. As someone with lives plural under the belt, there’s arguably no one better to teach a new group of cadets. But, also, Cruz has more story to tell—especially in Star Trek. He is someone who gives enormously in his performances and who deserves more time in the starlight.
