Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is now nearly halfway through its first season, and viewers have already met a variety of characters, including Tarima Sadal, the daughter of the current President of Betazed. TrekNews.net recently spoke with Zoe Steiner, who plays this intriguing character, and she talked about her connection to Tarirma, Betazoids, the upcoming excitement of meeting Marina Sirtis, and what it feels like to become part of Star Trek's enduring legacy.
When asked about her character, Steiner explained, "I felt so connected to Tarima [...] I feel very similar to her, you know? Like, since I was little, I was always told I was too sensitive, so it felt very right. Literally, like it just, yeah, it felt right to play her. So, that felt grounded. But then yeah, of course, there was a bit of trepidation in like, following in the footsteps of someone like Marina Sirtis, Next Gen, like, Betazoid queen, big love."
Steiner continued by saying:
"I have not met Marina yet, but I am doing the Star Trek cruise, and she'll be there, so I think that's where I'll first get to meet her, so I'm excited!"
As a Star Trek fan, it's so gratifying to know that the younger cast members are just as emotionally connected to characters as I am! I first started watching The Original Series when I was 18 years old, and Mr. Chekov and Mr. Sulu were my favorites, along with Mr. Spock, a touchstone character for any fan who felt different from or simply didn't fit in with peers. Each Star Trek series has something for everyone, which is why the franchise continues to endure after six decades!
Just as Zoe Steiner looks up to Marina Sirtis, the latter looked up to Nichelle Nichols, the pioneering actress who played Lieutenant Uhura on The Original Series. Nichols also inspired Whoopi Goldberg to pursue acting, and she, of course, appeared in The Next Generation as Guinan. It's a chain that's taken nearly 60 years to craft, and there's little doubt that it will continue to reach into the future.
Starfleet Academy is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. And for more Star Trek content, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.