Star Trek Discovery has its lead

Sonequa Martin-Green in The Walking Dead

The cast of Star Trek: Discovery is forming rapidly. After recent casting announcements for several Starfleet and Klingon characters, CBS were apparently still searching for the lead; looking for a black of latina actress to fill the role. Entertainment Weekly now report that search has ended, with Sonequa Martin-Green set to star.

Martin-Green has already had significant roles in several other series, including The Walking Dead, Once Upon a Time, and The Good Wife.

CBS have yet to confirm the casting, but it is being widely reported by trade news sources, including Deadline, who also suggest her character's name will be Rainsford. As previously reported, the character will be Lieutenant Commander, who will also be referring to as Number One. Writer/producer Bryan Fuller has previously outlined the themes that will surround this character, and the series:

In order to understand something that’s completely alien from her, she has to understand herself. It’s so easy to look at someone different from ourselves and think how we would think in their shoes, but we cannot imagine how they’d think because we are not them. It’s part of the character’s journey in this first season.

Martin-Green will be joining the previously confirmed cast of Michelle Yeoh (Captain Georgiou of the Starship Shenzhou), Doug Jones (Lieutenant Saru, an alien Starfleet science officer), Anthony Rapp (Lieutenant Stamets, also a Starfleet science officer, on the Starship Discovery), Chris Obi (T’Kuvma, a Klingon leader), Shazad Latif (Kol, a Klingon commanding officer) and Mary Chieffo (L’Rell, the "battle deck commander" of a Klingon ship).

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.