Starfleet is starting to fill some key science posts.
Entertainment Weekly has word that the upcoming CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery has cast Doug Jones as Lieutenant Saru. According to the article, Lt. Saru will be "a Starfleet Science Officer and a new alien species to the Star Trek universe." It's not known if Lt. Saru serves aboard the Discovery or the Shenzhou.
Jones, 56, is an actor and former contortionist best known as Abe Sapien in the Hellboy movies, and as the Silver Surfer in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. In addition, Jones has appeared on episodes of The Flash and Arrow as Deathbolt, The Strain as The Master, Teen Wolf, Sons of Anarchy, Falling Skies, Criminal Minds, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Weird Al Show, and The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. His other film work includes Crimson Peak, Legion, Quarantine, Pan's Labyrinth, The Time Machine (2002), Men in Black II, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mystery Men, Tank Girl, and Batman Returns.
Meanwhile, Anthony Rapp has been cast as Lieutenant Stamets, the show's gay character who is an "astromycologist, fungus expert, and Starfleet Science Officer aboard the Starship Discovery."
Rapp, 45, is a stage and film actor best known as Mark Cohen in the Broadway and film production of Rent. His television appearances include episodes of The Knick, Psych: The Musical, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The X-Files, and The Lazarus Man. Rapp's other films include The Other Woman, A Beautiful Mind, Twister, Dazed and Confused, and Adventures in Babysitting.
Back in August, former showrunner Bryan Fuller remarked on featuring a gay character on Discovery, saying "Star Trek started with a wonderful expression of diversity in its cast. We're absolutely continuing that tradition. The thing that makes Star Trek such a lasting, vital part of pop culture is that it's us...and where we're going."
In addition, Michelle Yeoh's role on Star Trek: Discovery was confirmed, although as Captain Georgiou of the USS Shenzhou, and not Captain Han Bo as originally reported.
Star Trek: Discovery is currently scheduled to premiere on CBS in May 2017, with the next 12 episodes airing on CBS All Access.