Star Trek’s First Live-Action Comedy: Tawny Newsome Provides Update

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Tawny Newsome, a writer and co-producer on Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, recently shared news about the upcoming live-action Star Trek comedy series. Before this role, Newsome voiced the character of Ensign/Lieutenant Beckett Mariner alongside Jack Quaid for five seasons of Star Trek: Lower Decks. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will begin streaming on Paramount+ on January 15th.

Tawny Newsome and Justin Simien revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that they’re creating a new Star Trek comedy series – a first for live-action in the franchise. While the initial idea of the show – about characters who are outsiders to the Federation working on a resort planet – has changed a bit, it will be set in the 25th century, after the events of Star Trek: Picard, and Tawny Newsome will star as a new character.

At the New York City premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Tawny Newsome updated TrekMovie‘s Laurie Ulster on her upcoming Star Trek comedy series. She’s happy with how the scripts are coming along and how well she’s been working with CBS Studios and Paramount+. Newsome has submitted the scripts and is now waiting for someone to give the green light. Here’s what she had to say:

People kept telling me, “We’re done writing!” and everyone was really happy with it. We submitted it, and then the holidays happened. Things are a little uncertain for the business right now – it’s hard to say what will happen next.

Justin and I are really proud of the scripts we’ve created. We’re excited and just waiting to hear if they’ll be picked up. We’re optimistic, but if it doesn’t work out, I’m happy to move on to other projects. We genuinely love the work we’ve done.

I have to say, working with the studio was an amazing experience. It’s so rare to get notes from a studio and actually feel good about them – sometimes even think, ‘Wow, that’s a brilliant idea!’ We were thrilled to be able to use their suggestions. They really helped us refine the project while still letting our own voice shine through, and I couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.

Now, it’s just up to whatever creature is in the sky that controls all this.”

Tawny Newsome is now a prominent figure in the world of Star Trek on Paramount+, both as an actress and creator. While working on the show Star Trek: Lower Decks, she also hosted The Pod Directive, the official Star Trek podcast, alongside comedian Paul F. Tompkins.

Jack Quaid and Tawny Newsome did something special for Star Trek – they played their animated characters in live-action. This happened in a highly praised crossover episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks, directed by Jonathan Frakes.

Check out photos from Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s red carpet premiere below:

Tawny Newsome, a member of the creative team for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, received high praise from executive producer and co-showrunner Alex Kurtzman, who called her a “stone-cold killer” – meaning she was incredibly effective at her job. As a lifelong Star Trek fan, especially of Deep Space Nine, Newsome took it upon herself to make sure the show stayed true to established Star Trek history and details.

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Tawny Newsome is working on a live-action comedy, one of several potential Star Trek shows currently being considered by Paramount Skydance. Other projects in development include a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds spinoff with Paul Wesley playing Captain Kirk, a potential return for Scott Bakula in a new series, Star Trek: United (from Michael Sussman), and Star Trek: Legacy, a spinoff of Star Trek: Picard that fans have been wanting for a long time.

Fans of Tawny Newsome, Justin Simien, and Star Trek are eager to find out what happens with the upcoming live-action Star Trek comedy. Before that arrives, Tawny’s humor and love for Star Trek will be showcased in episode 5 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which she co-wrote with Kirsten Beyer.

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2026-01-08 02:48