During the franchise panel at San Diego Comic-Con, actor Karim Diane announced that British actor Ruaridh O'Connell has joined the project.
O'Connell will play Kits, a young alien with a mysterious past whom the cadets encounter during an away mission. After making the risky decision to bring him to the Academy, the heroes discover that Kits is wanted and his life is in mortal danger.
Along with the announcement, the creators released the first image of O'Connell as the new character:
The series "Starfleet Academy" is set in the XXXII century, after a major galactic crisis, when the United Federation of Planets reopens the legendary Academy and enrolls its first class of cadets in over a hundred years.
The plot follows the coming-of-age of cadets as they train aboard the U.S.S. Athena campus ship under the guidance of Chancellor Nahla Ake. The young people face personal dramas, rivalries, and first loves, while also confronting a threat that calls the very existence of the Federation into question.
Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau serve as showrunners for the series. The cast also includes Holly Hunter, Sandro Rost, Karim Diane, Kerris Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, Zoe Steiner, Tig Notaro, and Robert Picardo. The premiere date for the second season has not yet been announced.