Source: AB+DM Studio / Marie Claire
Stacey Abrams appeared in the Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 finale, which debuted yesterday (Mar. 17). Abrams is set to enter the Georgia governor’s race once again, and it looks like she is getting a political head start in the sci-fi drama series as the President of United Earth in the 32nd century.
Abrams’ surprise cameo appearance occurred in the intense “Coming Home” finale.
“Nothing to discuss,” Abrams says to Federation President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) right near the end of the episode. “United Earth is ready right now to rejoin the Federation, and nothing could make me happier than to say those words.”
The episode written by Michelle Paradise and directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi can be found on Paramount+. Abrams appearance came as a delightful shock to viewers and cast members.
According to Deadline, “this was a pivotal Trekverse season that found the Federation partially rebuilt, it almost seems inevitable and the polar opposite of the infamous Kobayashi Maru.”
The scenario left the Discovery stars starstruck and enthralled.
“I’m still floored when I think about Stacey gracing us with her presence in our Season 4 finale,” Martin-Green told Deadline of Abrams joining Discovery. “We spent so much of our time fanning out and pretending to be cool in her midst,” the Walking Dead alum reveals of herself and cast mates Horsdal, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, David Ajala, Blu del Barrio and Ian Alexander. “She’s a legend in the making and a civil hero, and she was an absolute delight to work with,” Martin-Green continued.
“She wowed us with her charm, humility, and generosity, and she whipped out some acting chops too!” said Martin-Green, who lends a groundbreaking performance as the first Black female Star Trek Captain. “It was an honor for me as a Black woman to stand with her in the story. It’s an experience I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
Executive producer and showrunner Paradise shares that Abrams appearance as Earth’s President was part of a well thought out strategy for Discovery.
“We knew rebuilding the Federation was always going to be a two-season arc. When we started Season 3, the Federation was in disarray; in episode 303 we learn that Earth was no longer in the Federation, so we knew at that point that Earth returning would symbolize the Federation coming back together again,” Paradise shared. “So, coming into Season 4, we knew that would happen with Earth at the end of the season… and as we got about halfway into breaking the season, we realized we’d need someone to bring that moment to life, an Earth President to say those words – that Earth wanted to rejoin – and honestly, there’s no one better for that than Stacey.”
She goes on to explain why Abrams was the perfect fit as a political pioneer and fan of the show.
“We knew that she was a fan of the show and of Trek in general, and for us, there was no one better to be that President,” Paradise added. “Alex and I reached out to her, and she was kind enough to get on a Zoom with us. We pitched her the very basics of that part of the season – just that Earth would rejoin (she didn’t want spoilers, so we shared just enough to give her context) – and then talked to her about who this character is and what she represents. We asked if she’d be interested and she was kind enough to say yes. It was just an amazing thing. She did such an incredible job, it was a privilege for all of us to get to work with her, and we’re so grateful she joined us for that.”
Abrams joined the production in Toronto late alst summer for a couple of days to prepare and film her scenes.
The Georgia governor candidate and skilled actress graced the TV screen before. She produced the All In: The Fight for Democracy and voiced herself on the two-episode election themed animated black-ish in October 2020. Abrams received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance last year for the sitcom role, which she initially signed on to do as a “vote getter.”
Back in December 2020, Abrams also hosted a virtual fundraiser for Senate candidates the Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.
Paramount+’s Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for its fifth season and it is expected to return to the streaming platform in early 2023. Abrams hasn’t been confirmed to return as the United Earth President, but hopefully by that time, she will be the first African American woman to lead the state of Georgia.
