One of the key Starfleet Academy actors is sharing the pains he endure while wearing a complex costume and makeup. Anyone who signs up for a Star Trek show has to be prepared for some makeup. In the case of Karim Diane, the actor who plays cadet Jay-Den Kraag, he needed to undergo the complex process of looking like a Klingon.
Speaking to Syfy Wire, Diane discussed how costume designer Avery Plewes needed to create a special suit for him to handle the heat.
“I'm wearing a muscle suit, and then kind of like a Spanx situation," Diane explained. "And then, like, a suit on top of that. And then, the pants [...] I was telling Avery, ‘I'm so hot. Help.’ So, she installed a cooling system underneath my suit to regulate, like, my body temperature.”
It’s a reminder that despite all the advances in prosthetic makeup materials in the last few decades, it’s still an arduous and time-consuming process. Throw in working nearly 16-hour days on sets with hot lights, and it’s no wonder Diane needed any comfort he could get.
It’s not as brutal as the makeup worn by Gina Yashere as the Jem'Hadar-Klingon professor Lura Thok, but it still proves how challenging playing a Klingon can be. Thankfully, Diane will be getting some relief from that in season 2. Diane said in the same interview:
“And then season 2, she completely changed the material that my muscle suit is made out of, so it's more breathable. And I don't need that cooling system anymore. So, like, just really listening to us and adapting.”
This is a tradition in Star Trek, as proven by how Michael Dorn’s Worf makeup from The Next Generation season 1 looks much worse than he’d wear for the rest of the show’s run. He’s not alone, as Rene Auberjonois (Odo) and Ethan Phillips (Neelix) also saw shifts in how long it took to apply the makeup and make it work.
Like Dorn, Diane seems to be using that discomfort to fuel his performance, as of course a Klingon would have a rougher attitude than other species. It’s true that Jay-Den is different as he’s seeking a career in medicine rather than a soldier’s path. That ties to his backstory as the Klingons were nearly wiped out in The Burn and scattered across the galaxy.
The character is quickly becoming a fan favorite and forging bonds with Caleb (Sandro Rosta), and Darem (George Hawkins), as well as a flirtation with Kyle (Dale Whibley). It’s good to hear how Diane is becoming more comfortable in Jay-Den’s skin to build the character more for Trek fans.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is now streaming on Paramount+. And for more Star Trek content, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.