Michelle Yeoh cast as captain on Discovery

Yeoh in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny

Actress Michelle Yeoh has been reported as the first known cast member of Star Trek:Discovery. According to Deadline, she will play Captain Han Bo of the starship Shenzhou, which will apparently "play a big role in Discovery‘s first season".

Yoeh has an extensive filmography, probably best known for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and its recent sequel. She has also appeared in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, and a few TV roles, including Marco Polo.

The casting has not been officially announced yet, but several leading trade press sites have reported the news, citing insider sources, after ComingSoon.net originally broke the story.

According to Variety, the lead role, a female first officer, remains uncast:

...casting has been underway, CBS has been looking for a younger, African-American or Latina actress. The network is not seeking a huge star and would prefer a fresh face for the part.

The casting process for the lead role has spanned more than three months at this point and the show is having difficulty settling on a star.

Between Yeoh, and the intended Number One, it looks like a promising start to a diverse and representative cast, here's hoping that continues as the rest of the cast shapes up.

Star Trek: Discovery is due to start in May next year, it will be distributed almost everywhere in the world on Netflix, except for the US where is will be available on CBS All Access, and Canada where it will be on Bell Media channels and services. To keep track of all the latest details from the new show, visit my Star Trek: Discovery guide page.