One of the best characters on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is Tarima Sadal. Played by Zoe Steiner, the daughter of Betazoid’s president, the character made her debut in episode 2 and quickly became a key part of the new saga. Speaking to NewBeauty, the actress was asked about her Star Trek knowledge and how she prepared to join this iconic franchise. Steiner said:
“It’s a lot! I wasn’t a big Star Trek person before. For whatever reason, I hadn’t watched it previously. I think for a lot of us, Holly included—and for a lot of fans—it seems like they were introduced to it as kids. And, oftentimes, the story trickled down from their dad."
Steiner continued by saying:
"That wasn’t the case with me. I was definitely, of course, familiar with Star Trek itself. I had the image in my mind of Leonard Nimoy as Spock and the Vulcan salute. But, to be honest, not much more than that. Obviously, once I got cast, I really felt a duty to delve into it."
While many Star Trek actors were always fans, and felt it was a dream come true to be part of the franchise, an outsider getting a role is interesting. In her case, Steiner wasn’t overwhelmed by so much of the history and lore and it fits her role as Tarima, leaving her sheltered world to enter a bigger universe.
Tarima's relationship with Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) became an even bigger part of the season when the epic sixth episode, "Come, Let's Away," featured Tarima unleashing her full psychic powers upon a band of monstrous aliens known as the Furies. And after waking from her coma, Tarima discovered she'd been transferred from the War College to Starfleet Academy, which is where she continues to recover from her ordeal.
Before Tarima, the biggest Betazoid character in Trek lore was Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis). So, it's no surprise Steiner made studying Troi a priority when she was cast. The actress said during the same interview:
"For me, specifically, I was interested in seeing The Next Gen and seeing Deanna Troi, another Betazoid. Even then, Tarima is a different type of Betazoid. I definitely wanted to go back and watch it, but it didn’t necessarily inform my acting choices or anything really at all.”
This may have been a smart move by Steiner, as Tarima isn’t intended to be a Deanna clone but her own character. She’s a vibrant part of the series, with her charm, and the latest episodes give her more material as Tarima handles her brush with death. It’s proof that one doesn’t have to be a fan of the franchise to be a great Trek actor, as Steiner is ready to shine further on Starfleet Academy.
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