Star Trek Actor Shares Close Bond with Betazoid Character

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is keeping fans glued to their screens as it’s already halfway through its first season. One character that has captured the audience’s attention is Tarima Sadal, the daughter of Betazed’s current President. Recently, TrekNews.net chatted with Zoe Steiner, the talented actress behind this intriguing role, to learn more about her connection with Tarima, Betazoids, the excitement of meeting Marina Sirtis, and what it means to be a part of the legendary Star Trek universe.

In discussing her character, Steiner shared, “I felt so connected to Tarima. I feel very similar to her, you know? Like, since I was little, I was always told I was too sensitive, so it felt very right to play her. Literally, like it just, yeah, it felt right to play her. So, that felt grounded. But then yeah, of course, there was a bit of trepidation in like, following in the footsteps of someone like Marina Sirtis, Next Gen, like, Betazoid queen, big love.”

She also revealed, “I have not met Marina yet, but I am doing the Star Trek cruise, and she’ll be there, so I think that’s where I’ll first get to meet her, so I’m excited!”

It’s heartwarming to see how connected the new cast members are to their characters. As a Star Trek fan myself, I remember starting with The Original Series and instantly gravitating towards characters like Mr. Chekov, Mr. Sulu, and Mr. Spock. Each series has something special to offer, which is why the Star Trek franchise has lasted over sixty years!

Zoe Steiner’s admiration for Marina Sirtis mirrors the admiration Sirtis had for Nichelle Nichols, who portrayed Lieutenant Uhura in The Original Series. Nichols, in turn, inspired Whoopi Goldberg to pursue acting, and we saw her in The Next Generation as Guinan. It’s a chain of inspiration that has been carefully crafted over almost six decades and will surely continue to inspire future generations.

Don’t miss out on the action – Starfleet Academy is now available for streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes dropping every Thursday. And for more Star Trek excitement, be sure to check out the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and Twitter pages.