The cast of Star Trek: Discovery season 4 got even bigger as new faces joined the crew of the titular starship. Set in the 32nd century, Star Trek: Discovery explored the farthest point in the Star Trek timeline. The USS Discovery also had a new leader in Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), who finally assumed the post that she has waited a thousand years for, which was even more challenging than she imagined. Here's everything you need to know about Star Trek: Discovery's season 4's cast changes, including some important Star Trek: Discovery season 5 updates.
After Burnham solved the mystery of the Burn in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, the United Federation of Planets was resurgent and on the verge of uniting the galaxy once again. However, a new threat in the form of a massive gravimetric anomaly capable of destroying entire worlds threatened the Federation's efforts at peace and prosperity. When Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery launched to investigate the anomaly, they encountered a mystery that put the safety of the entire Federation at stake. In addition, Discovery's various crew members continued adjusting to living in the Federation of the 32nd century and many of them were faced with personal obstacles that could change their destinies in the distant future.
Star Trek: Discovery already boasts one of the largest and the most diverse cast of any Star Trek series. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, the entire crew of the USS Discovery returned with the exception of Michelle Yeoh's Emperor Phillipa Georgiou, who left the series in season 3. Moreover, Star Trek: Discovery also welcomed a major new character, Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal), a powerful personality who butted heads with Captain Burnham. Here are all of the returning characters and everyone else joined the cast of Star Trek: Discovery season 4.
Sonequa Martin-Green As Captain Michael Burnham
After Michael Burnham assumed the role of being Captain of Star Trek's USS Discovery, her leadership skills were truly put to the test. Michael had to juggle the demands of commanding her starship and once again trying to save the galaxy with the pressures placed on her by the new Federation President. Michael's relationship with Book (David Ajala) was another factor that made Burnham's captaincy a challenge. Sonequa Martin-Green also starred in The Walking Dead and Space Jam: A New Legacy.
Doug Jones As Captain Saru
Captain Saru left the USS Discovery to Michael Burnham in order to return to his homeworld of Kaminar with Su'Kal (Bill Irwin). In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Saru was torn between his responsibility to Kaminar and his desire to return to Starfleet and the upgraded USS Discovery. Doug Jones is best known for his roles in The Shape of Water and What We Do In The Shadows.
Anthony Rapp As Commander Paul Stamets
Lt. Paul Stamets pus himself in charge of investigating the gravimetric anomaly threatening the galaxy, but the mystery threatened to consume him. While Stamets had the support of his partner, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), and their new 'family, Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) and Gray (Ian Alexander), Paul also had to form a bond with Book, who shares the navigation of Discovery's spore drive. Anthony Rapp is best known for playing Mark Cohen in Rent.
Mary Wiseman As Lt. Sylvia Tilly
Ensign Sylvia Tilly stepped up to become the new First Officer of the USS Discovery, which earned her a promotion to Lieutenant. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Tilly, who is Michael's best friend, faced a new personal challenge that made her question her role in Starfleet and her duties aboard the Discovery. Mary Wiseman also appeared in Longmire and Baskets.
Wilson Cruz As Dr. Hugh Culber
Dr. Hugh Culber is the USS Discovery's Chief Medical Officer and also took on a dual role as the ship's Counselor, which placed him in charge of the troubled crew's emotional well-being in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. Notably, Culber also successfully found a way to give Gray's (Ian Alexander) consciousness a synthetic body. Wilson Cruz is best known for his roles in My So-Called Life and Rent.
David Ajala As Cleveland "Book" Booker
Although he isn't part of Starfleet, former courier Cleveland Booker (and his cat, Grudge) joined the crew of the USS Discovery. Along with being Michael Burnham's love interest, Book also shared control of the spore drive with Paul Stamets. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Book suffered an unimaginable loss that changes him forever. David Ajala is best known for his roles in Supergirl and Nightflyers.
Blu Del Barrio As Ensign Adira Tal
Adira joined the crew of Star Trek: Discovery in season 3 and they became the host of the Trill Tal symbiont, making them Adira Tal. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Adira stepped into the role of an Ensign and faced the pressures of living up to Starfleet's ideals while also hoping their love interest, Gray, was able to get a physical body. Del Barrio plays Star Trek's first non-binary character and Star Trek: Discovery is their first television role.
Ian Alexander As Gray Tal
A Trill, Gray is Adira's partner who was bonded to them through the Tal symbiont. Having existed only in Adira's mind, Gray was fortunate that the USS Discovery's Dr. Culber made good on his promise to manifest a physical body for Gray. Ian Alexander plays Star Trek's first transgender character and he also starred in The OA.
Oded Fehr As Admiral Charles Vance
The Commander-in-Chief of Starfleet, Admiral Charles Vance became a believer in Michael Burnham after she and the USS Discovery unlocked the mystery of the Burn and saved the Federation from Osyraa (Janet Kidder) and the Emerald Chain. Oded Fehr is best known for starring in The Mummy and Resident Evil movie franchises.
Chelah Horsdal as Federation President Laira Rillak
President Rillak has taken a special interest in Captain Burnham, but she also has very different ideas about what makes an effective leader. As the new President of the United Federation of Planets, Laira Rillak had an ambitious plan to continue to expand and restore the luster of the Federation. Chelah Horsdal is best known for her roles in The Man in the High Castle and Hell on Wheels.
David Cronenberg As Dr. Kovich
The mysterious Dr. Kovich is a resource of knowledge about the Federation. In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Kovich took on a new role helping to oversee Starfleet Academy. David Cronenberg is the award-winning director of The Fly, A History of Violence, and Eastern Promises.
Tig Notaro As Commander Jett Reno
Lt. Jett Reno continued to apply her genius to the USS Discovery's Engineering section. The acerbic Reno also resumed her crucial task of wittily poking fun at her by-the-book Starfleet crewmates. Tig Notaro is a comedian and actor who has appeared in Army of the Dead and Lucy in the Sky.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 4's Returning Cast
Emily Coutts as Lt. Commander Keyla Detmer: Detmer is the USS Discovery's hotshot pilot. Emily Coutts also appeared in Glowbies and Clarice.
Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Commander Joann Owoswkun: Owosekun is the USS Discovery's Operations officer. Oyin Oladejo has also starred in Endings and Six Guns for Hire.
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Commander Gen Rhys: Rhys is the USS Discovery's Tactical officer. Patrick Kwok-Choon is best known for his roles in Wynonna Earp and Diggstown.
Ronnie Rowe as Lt. Commander Ronald A. Bryce: Bryce is the USS Discovery's Communications officer. Ronnie Rowe has also appeared in Diggstown and Pretty Hard Cases.
Sara Mitich as Lt. Commander Eva Nilsson: Nilsson is the USS Discovery's spore drive operations officer. Sara Mitich's other roles include Private Eyes and The Expanse.
Tara Rosling as President T'Rina: The President of Ni'Var (formerly Vulcan), T'Rina hopes to negotiate her homeworld rejoining the Federation. Tara Rosling has appeared in The Handmaid's Tale and The Expanse.
Sonja Sohn as Gabrielle Burnham: Gabrielle is Michael Burnham's mother who joined the Qowat Milat sect of Romulan warrior nuns introduced in Star Trek: Picard. Sonja Sohn is best known for starring in The Wire and Marvel's Luke Cage.
Annabelle Wallis as the voice of Zora: The USS Discovery's advanced computer is a sentient AI named Zora. Actor Annabelle Wallis has onscreen roles in The Tudors, Peaky Blinders, and The Mummy.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 4's New Cast And Characters
Shawn Doyle as Ruon Tarka: The mad scientist Ruon Tarka joins the USS Discovery's crew and helps to determine the origins of the DMA. Shawn Doyle was also in Frequency, Ashgrove, and The Comedy Rule.
Osric Chau as Oros: When Tarka was imprisoned, he befriended another scientist named Oros. Osric Chau also had roles in The Flash, Nancy Drew, and the Shudder horror movie Superhost.
Rothaford Gray as Tareckx: Cleveland "Book" Booker's father is named Tareckx. Rothaford Gray has also appeared in Max Payne, Exit Wounds, and Death to Smoochy.
Ache Hernandez as Kyheem: Book's brother is named Kyheem. Ache Hernandez was also in Private Eyes, Jett, and Bad Blood.
Luca Doulgeris as Leto: In Star Trek: Discovery season 4, Book returned to his home planet to witness and participate in his nephew Leto's coming-of-age ceremony. Prior to making his Star Trek debut, Luca Doulgeris also appeared in 8-Bit Christmas.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 4’s Cast Changes: Why Sylvia Tilly Left The Ship
As a new Starfleet Lieutenant and First Officer of the USS Discovery, Sylvia Tilly faced new challenges that allowed her to discover her true strengths, but also ultimately led to her leaving the ship in Star Trek: Discovery season 4, episode 4 "All Is Possible." Although it's true that Sylvia Tilly's exit from Star Trek: Discovery greatly alters the show's dynamic, it also allowed Tilly to find her true calling. In the said episode, Tilly saves several uncooperative cadets from dying during a shuttle crash, which led Kovich to offer Tilly a role in Starfleet Academy as an instructor for new recruits. As Tilly came to terms with the fact that this was the change of direction that she was looking for, she said her goodbyes to Burnham before warping away.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Updates: Here’s Everything We Know
Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has been officially greenlit, which means that Sonequa Martin-Green, Anthony Rapp, Wilson Cruz, David Ajala, Doug Jones, and Blu del Barrio will all be reprising their roles on the Starfleet ship and elsewhere in the series. As for the plot of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, the details are still vague. That said, Burnham's promise to "get to work" at exploring the frontier in the ending of Star Trek: Discovery season 4 indicates that the series could return to the beloved sci-fi franchise's roots: actually exploring the 32nd-century galaxy. Although the studio hasn't released many Star Trek: Discovery season 5 updates yet, it would be safe to also assume the return of characters like Ian Alexander's Gray Tal, Tara Rosling's President T'Rina, and Oded Fehr's Admiral Charles Vance, as well as Chelah Horsdal's President Rillak. The next season could even overrun Star Trek: Discovery's season 4 changes with the possible return of Mary Wiseman's Lieutenant and Starfleet Academy instructor Sylvia Tilly.
Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on Paramount+.