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"Star Trek" Beams Up Its First Trans and Non-Binary Characters

The historic roles will be played by trans actors.

Star Trek: Discovery is boldly going where no Star Trek series has gone before.

The sci-fi franchise's first non-binary and first trans characters are being beamed up to the Discovery for the third season of the CBS All Access series.

Non-binary newcomer Blu del Barrio will play the non-binary character, Adira, and The OA breakout star Ian Alexander will portray Gray, a trans Trill character.

Star Trek has kept its casting under wraps, and not much is known about Adira and Gray, but del Barrio did speak with GLAAD's Nick Adams to shed some light on what fans can expect from Star Trek's first non-binary character:

Adira is a wonderfully complex character. Mainly because of this duality they have within them: they're astonishingly intelligent and yet they're still a kid. They experience their emotions at a heightened level, like most teenagers. That's what makes them so fun to play. I like to describe them as cerebrally brilliant and emotionally a puppy. Adira is an introvert, but they keep a few people close to the chest, which I definitely resonate with. I don't want to say too much and get in trouble, but all in all, Adira is a uniquely strange and beautiful character.

This isn't the first time Star Trek has made queer TV history. As NewNowNext reported in 2017, the CBS space drama introduced Anthony Rapp’s character, Lt. Stamets, as the first openly gay character in the franchise's television history. The series eventually showed a same-sex kiss between Stamets and his partner, Dr. Hugh Culber, played by fellow out actor Wilson Cruz.

The franchise has been known for pushing boundaries since it first aired in 1966. It even came under fire in the late ’60s for featuring an interracial kiss between the characters Kirk and Uhura.

The third season of Star Trek: Discovery premieres Thursday, October 15 on CBS All Access.

Main image: Actor Blu del Barrio.

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