Wilson Cruz will play gay love interest in new Star Trek series

Wilson Cruz has signed up for the new Star Trek TV series, he’ll play the same-sex love interest of Anthony Rapp’s character.

The most recent Star-Trek film made history when it included a brief scene where Lieutenant Sulu was shown to be in a same sex relationship, but this is the first time a gay couple will be prominently featured in the Star Trek universe.

Rapp will play Lt Paul Stamets on the upcoming series Star Trek Discovery. At San Diego’s Comic-Con over the weekend Rapp announced that Cruz would also be part of the cast.

“Wilson Cruz will be playing my love interest, my partner ― my man love ― and we’re both officers on the ship,” he said during a panel discussion.

Cruz is best known for his breakout role as a gay teenager on the TV series My So Called Life which he starred in alongside Claire Danes. He’s since appeared in memorable roles on The West Wing  and is the film Party Monster. 

Star Trek Discovery will be the first Strar Trek series since Star Trek Enterprise went off the air in 2005. The series is set a decade before the original 1960’s Star Trek series.

Cast members announced for the show include Sonequa Martin-Green from The Walking Dead, Bond star Michelle Yeoh, Doug Jones from Falling Skies, Shazad Latif from Spooks, James Frain from The Tudors, and British actor Jason Isaacs.      

Rapp and Cruz have worked together before, both were members of the original cast of the Broadway musical Rent. Rapp can also be seen in the feature film Buoy which is screening at the 2017 Perth International Queer Film Festival.

OIP Staff