'Star Trek' continues its tradition of boldly going where it's never gone before by casting its first original conceived and announced gay character, alongside a new species of alien (because of course).
'Rent' star Anthony Rapp joins the series as Lt. Stamets, an "astromycologist", fungus expert, and Starfleet Science Officer aboard the Starship Discovery. Stamets is the new gay character that showrunner Bryan Fuller previously told reporters they were "absolutely" having on the show, following on from the revelations that the new film version of Lt. Sulu was gay in 'Star Trek Beyond', something that original Sulu actor and out gay man George Takei wasn't completely happy with.
Doug Jones, previously seen as a mythical beast in 'Hellboy', 'Pan's Labyrinth', and 'Buffy', will play Starfleet Science Officer Lt. Saru, the new alien species joining the Star Trek universe.
Rapp and Jones join the as previously reported Michelle Yeoh, who will play Captain Georgiou, the Starfleet Captain aboard the Starship Shenzhou in the series. More castings, including the show's female lead, are yet to be announced.
'Star Trek: Discovery' is set to launch in the US in May 2017.
Via EW
