Look out for "the sickest Klingon" at Starfleet Academy.
Jay-Den Kraag is the only Klingon among the core-five cadets signed up for the upcoming class of Starfleet Academy, and he looks truly amazing in the full makeup. Karim Diane portrays the youngster determined to become the next Dr. McCoy or Dr. Beverly Crusher as his focus in the upcoming series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is on the sciences. Diane revealed a bit about his charismatic character while appearing on stage during this year’s Star Trek universe panel at the New York Comic Con — and he rightfully declared Kraag to be “the sickest Klingon.” Diane said (via TrekMovie.com):
“Yeah, everybody together has helped create the sickest Klingon. I just… I love this character so much, and I think you guys are really going to fall in love with him. He’s really different, but he’s really cool.”
Some fans will undoubtedly recognize Diane without his makeup as Kris Greene from the Peacock original drama, One of Us Is Lying. However, after the four or five hours he spends in the make-up chair in preparation to portray Kraag, no one would be able to pick the young actor out of a lineup. Diane talked about the process of becoming Kraag during the same panel at NYCC by saying:
“I had no idea what to expect, but I quickly realized that it is a bit of a challenge. [Laughs] It’s a lot going on. You’re getting all this stuff glued to your face, and the wig, the hair, the makeup, the suit… But I have a world of people who have come and help to help make this experience seamless. The prosthetics team…In the beginning, it took about five hours every single day to get ready, and I had over 100 applications of the makeup, but they’ve cut that time in half, which is really helpful.”
Whether Kraag will become as popular as the beloved Federation Klingon Commander Worf, who was portrayed beautifully by Star Trek alum Michael Dorn, remains to be seen. However, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine staple is squarely in Diane’s corner, and he even spoke with the young actor about his highly anticipated role. Diane also told those at NYCC:
“I also got the chance to chat with Michael Dorn, which is really awesome… before I went into the makeup for the first time. So it was really dope to be able to talk to the Klingon and then go and become a Klingon for the first time. I also talked to Doug Jones on the phone halfway through the season, because I was just like, ‘Man, this is hard, I need help.’ And he gave so much great advice about being a prosthetics actor, how to really, you know, successfully get through the day, and how to how to manage everything. So, I take his words with me into work every single day.”
Are you excited to watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy? Are you like this Trekkie, who thinks Diane’s Klingon Kraag has the potential to become on of the show’s most talked-about characters? Share your thoughts and comments with us on the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
And be sure to check out the official trailer for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy and look for the new show to drop on Jan. 15, 2026.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!