Posted in: Paramount+, Star Trek, streaming, TV | Tagged: Michael Burnham, nichelle nichols, paramount, Sonequa Martin-Green, star trek: discovery

Star Trek: Discovery: Sonequa Martin-Green on Finishing Show's Journey

Sonequa Martin-Green reflects on her Star Trek journey - from watching Nichelle Nichols in TOS to joining Discovery to wrapping the series.

Sonequa Martin-Green has been living the dream as an actress starring in the franchise she grew up watching, catching episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series in syndication to becoming the first African American actress to lead a Star Trek series on Discovery. From a disgraced former first officer-turned-mutineer to regaining her Starfleet commission and rank to the captain's chair, Michael Burnham led the U.S.S. Discovery into the 32nd century saving the galaxy several times as a relic of the 23rd century. The actress broke down her journey as the series begins its fifth and final season on Paramount+.

Sonequa Martin-Green on Her Five-Season Journey as Michael Burnham on Star Trek: Discovery

When it came to Martin-Green's first exposure to the franchise, "I can remember seeing it on the television when I was a kid. I can remember watching my parents watch it. I never sat down to watch it, but I knew what it was," she told Variety. "I knew that's 'Star Trek,' that's Nichelle Nichols. I didn't even know as a child if I knew her real name, but I knew here's this beautiful Black woman. This is Uhura. I remember LeVar Burton. It's interesting — I have flashes of a few people, but the two of them are the most prevalent in my memory."

Martin-Green knew going in that there would be the added pressure of Discovery being the first Star Trek series in 12 years, as well as the personal pressure that comes from wanting to succeed as the show's lead. "It was present when we were all establishing this culture of family on the set. I knew that that was exceedingly important, invaluable even, and everyone agreed with me. So I was mindful of that as we were going along," she said. "But also, it affected me in my work between action and cut, honestly. I felt so much pressure. Most of it I had put on myself. It needed to be perfect, and it needed to be right, and I needed to do it justice, and I needed to, I needed to, I needed to. It was very much, and I must, I must, I must. You can't stay in the place that I was in because it is stagnating, and it does stifle your creativity. Thankfully, it was able to pass through me. It took time, longer than I thought it would take, but it did eventually get to where I finally could be authentic without that pressure."

The actress also battled insecurity trying to carry the torch like predecessors in past leads like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's Avery Brooks and Voyager's Kate Mulgrew. "Oh, yeah. George Takei, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew. "That's exactly why. We knew that ['Star Trek'] was an heirloom, and to me, it was heavy at first. At the time, I was still dealing with a great deal of internalized racism as well, so there was the imposter syndrome. There was the idea that I needed to prove that I deserved to be there, that I needed to make those who came before me proud, that I needed to prove my worth to them because of what had already been accomplished because I knew that I was there largely because of them," Martin-Green said. "Of course, I knew that God had placed me there as well. I was always very clear about that, but I knew that they had paved the path that I was walking on. It was very much that I needed to be perfect because of who came before me and what they accomplished."

For more, including interacting with first-time Star Trek fans who found their way to the franchise because of Discovery, getting crossover fans from The Walking Dead, her Star Trek cruise experience, confronting critics, Starfleet Academy, Section 31, and more, you can check out the interview here. Star Trek: Discovery streams on Thursdays on Paramount+.

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