‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ Star Sandro Rosta Praises ‘The Next Generation’

Although tonight’s debut of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will feature a new generation of cadets learning the techniques and principles of the United Federation of Planets, the young cast of the Paramount+ series is well-versed in their predecessors. Star Sandro Rosta, who plays lead cadet Caleb Mir, made that clear when he and the rest of the new recruits sat down for a chat with Comicon.com editor-in-chief Erik Amaya and other members of the Television Critics Association.

Asked about which Star Trek shows appealed to them the most while prepping for their first term at Starfleet Academy, Rosta offered his thoughts on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Originally aired in the 1980s and ’90s, it has a long reach even two generations later.

“I do really enjoy just the feeling that you get when you’re looking at the Federation and Starfleet within its moment of glory,” Rosta said. “Our show is set in a time when that’s been broken down in a way that needs to be reclaimed, that needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. So, The Next Generation represents the golden era of what we would think of when we think of Starfleet.”

As Rosta mentioned, Academy is set in the 32nd century first featured on Star Trek: Discovery. In that era, an accident involving dilithium ruptured interstellar travel and the Federation shrank as a consequence. Also a result: the academy stopped holding classes 120 years before the show’s premiere episode. Rosta’s Caleb represents a possible return to form for both the Federation and its Starfleet, even if his character has doubts about both things.

“When we think of the Federation and the fact that we are starting from ground zero means that we need to rediscover how to get back to that place of having a society that follows rules in a way that is not restrictive but is inclusive in the sense that everyone has a place and everyone is able to do their best work,” Rosta continued. “That there’s always going to be a seat for you as you improve. There is a place for you in this world … That is something that I found to be the most impactful about Star Trek: it does carry, like, this home for anyone who wants to be a part of it. And it encourages us to be the best versions of ourselves. It encourages us to hold ourselves to a high standard.”

Getting back to the look and feel of TNG is something fans have discussed since Discovery and its feature film style premiered. But Rosta thinks the aesthetics of the show are less important than those themes of inclusion and betterment. “That conversation is something that is ongoing,” he said. “That is something that is important to be revised and the revision of that, I think, shaves away chaos. I think there’s a quote — I’m not going to remember the quote exactly — but there’s something about [how] we will be our best versions of ourselves when we stop having debates over who is not allowed to be in a place and who is allowed to be in a place. But more so, everyone is in the place and how can we best work together as one.”

“I think that is the core of what TNG ultimately provided,” the actor concluded. “[We have] a different aesthetic, but we are doing the same thing: finding how we can work together to become the best versions of ourselves with everything that we have.  You know, not excluding anything.”

The rest of the younger actors — which include Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, Bella Shepard, Zoe Steiner, and Karim Diane — agreed with Rosta about the values of TNG while admitting they also like the J.J. Abrams films, Star Trek: Voyager, and Original Series episode “The Trouble With Tribbles” with Brooks saying “All roads lead to Tribbles.”

While well-versed in their Trek lore, it remains to be seen if the younger cast will become full-fledged Starfleet officers. As it happens, tonight’s two-episode premiere will see the group assembling and navigating their first day of school. But Rosta definitely appears invested in the core principles. That’s a good place to start.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premiered today on Paramount+.