Star Trek has been around for decades, and it takes a lot of people to fill a ship. As such, there's no shortage of actors who have joined its ranks over the years, but even in 2025, there are still some who haven't. With upcoming Trek shows on the horizon, I had to highlight some of the prominent names in sci-fi who I would love to see join Starfleet or some other role in this galaxy.
Whether it's joining a full-length series or just popping around for a one-off movie, these actors would be perfect for Star Trek. Frankly, some of them have done so much sci-fi in their careers that I'm shocked it hasn't happened already. All that being said, let's jump on my picks and go over where I'd best see them fitting into the franchise when it comes to roles.
Gillian Anderson
Had Bryan Fuller remained the showrunner of Star Trek: Discovery, this could've happened already. The creative revealed on the D-Con Chamber that Gillian Anderson was planned to play a Starfleet Captain, though her exact role in the series was not defined. It is ironic that the person paired with David Duchovny to play the paranormal skeptic in The X-Files could've been someone who regularly interacted with aliens in Star Trek.
I don't think there's any denying Anderson would be the perfect fit for a Starfleet Captain or some other high-ranking official in the organization. I would say she has "Janeway energy," so it's easier to see her in that captain role because someone has previously paved the way with a character I could've easily seen her playing as well. Will it ever happen? I want to believe.
Rosario Dawson
After playing Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars and nurse Claire Temple in Netflix's Marvel shows, it only seems fitting that Rosario Dawson jumps to Star Trek next. In fact, the actress said years ago she's a fan and would love to be a part of the franchise, initially proposing that she play a background character just to be included in the fun and complete a lifelong dream. Of course, she's a big deal in Hollywood, and I doubt the franchise would toss her in rather than offer her an actual role.
Dawson's father suggested she play a Q, and I'm 100% on board with that idea. I think linking her to Starfleet is just too obvious of an option, and we could use more Q characters in the franchise to inject additional chaos into the shows every so often.
Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk isn't just a sci-fi actor; I would say a vast majority of the work in his career has come from the genre. He was burned on the set of Rogue One and was on the cast of Firefly, one of the most iconic canceled sci- fi shows. Frankly, I'm shocked he's never done anything with Star Trek, and I think it's high time that change.
The best thing about Tudyk is that he's just as iconic as a voice actor as he is in live-action. That makes him a perfect fit for any species of the week that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds could use, corporeal or otherwise. For some reason, I see him playing a Medusan, but I can't explain why that sounds so perfect.
Elliot Page
Elliot Page hasn't been as active in Hollywood as in years past, but maybe it's because the right role hasn't come along. There's ample opportunity for the actor to make a comeback in the Star Trek franchise and an audience pre-dispositioned and ready to embrace the latest chapter in his life.
I also feel like Page just naturally has the look of someone suited to be a Vulcan or Romulan. Much like James Frain was the perfect fit for Sarek, I see Page taking on the role of a Vulcan leader or maybe a tough Romulan ready to take down the Federation with some brilliant scheme. In truth, I just want to see Page doing big things in Hollywood again, and I could think of no better fandom to welcome him into than the Star Trek universe.
John Boyega
There's a part of me that thinks John Boyega referring to his time in Star Wars as "franchise jail" means he won't readily do another sci-fi franchise again. Still, if there was a shortlist of actors in Hollywood, I would say are the best fit to bring back Star Trek movies, he'd be the star I'd want to prop up the franchise with.
As a franchise lead, he'd almost certainly have to be a Starfleet Captain. Sure, I'm all for the idea that anyone can be the lead of a Star Trek adventure, but he spent his time in Star Wars largely playing second banana to a larger story. It's high time we make John Boyega a leading man in sci-fi, and Trek would welcome him with open arms if he's willing to give it another try.
Domhnall Gleeson
I know I used the picture of him as Hux, but truthfully, I'd want more of the Domhnall Gleeson who appeared in Ex Machina for a Star Trek movie. Let's be honest, there's no shortage of Gleeson performances in movies that showcase his strengths as an actor, and they all make for a candidate that Starfleet would want among its highest ranks.
The problem is that Domhnall Gleeson is just so damn captivating as a villain. It would be a shame to have him in Star Trek and not play one of the most dastardly antagonists any of the quadrants have ever seen. I'm talking about something way worse than any of the most dangerous villains of The Next Generation, maybe even worse than Deep Space Nine's Dukat. He's capable of it, we just need someone over at Paramount to give him a shot and let him cook.
Katee Sackhoff
Katee Sackhoff has been a big name in the science fiction world for a while, really exploding onto the scene in Battlestar Galactica. Decades later, she's played Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian and talked about shifting over to Star Trek. Jonathan Frakes suggested she join Starfleet Academy, and I 100% sign off on that idea.
It may not be the best time to bring up Section 31 after critics were unkind in their reviews of the recent movie, but is there any person more suited for the morally gray faction? I could see Sackhoff steering the fandom back to being on board with Section 31, and if she can be paired up with Michelle Yeoh for a potential sequel to the movie, that's even better.
These are just a few names that I'd be thrilled to see involved with Star Trek as the franchise presses onward into the future. Those looking to keep tabs on everything on the way should pick up Paramount+ and catch up on some of the fantastic shows from the past few years.
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