Paul Giamatti, known for his Oscar-nominated role in The Holdovers, is set to join the Star Trek universe in Paramount+’s upcoming series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Giamatti will play a recurring guest star as the central villain with a mysterious past connected to one of the show’s cadets. The highly anticipated series follows a group of young cadets striving to become Starfleet officers, navigating friendships, rivalries, and love, while facing a dangerous new enemy threatening the Academy and the Federation. Giamatti’s casting was met with excitement from co-showrunners Alex Kurtzman and Noga Landau, who praised the actor’s dedication to the project. He joins Holly Hunter, who stars as the captain and chancellor of Starfleet Academy. Production is set to begin later this summer on the CBS Studios-produced series, underscoring Giamatti’s ongoing collaboration with Paramount Global.