Picard Series Casts Santiago Cabrera And Michelle Hurd

We just learned who would reportedly surround Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) on his new CBS All Access series, and now two of those roles have already been revealed.  The show welcomes Santiago Cabrera and Michelle Hurd as series regulars.  It appears that the new Picard series will step outside of the sterile confines of a Federation starship and focus on a grittier side of the ‘Trek’-verse.

Cabrera will portray a character that was listed as “Lawrence” in the casting descriptions, but that may not end up being his name in the actual show.  Producers were seeking a “handsome” man of any ethnicity in his 30s.  “Lawrence” was described as having “a dodgy moral compass,” and will be the pilot of Picard’s ship.  “Being a capable (and enthusiastic) thief, his loyalties are questionable.”  Based on the description, he sounds vaguely like a Han Solo-type, teasing a more scrappy, rebellious tone than previous ‘Trek’ series.

Hurd will play the character listed as “Alana,” a “brilliant analyst” with a “great memory,” despite her dark past involving drug and alcohol abuse.  “Often times she gets irritated with her own vulnerability and is certain of herself, even when she’s wrong. A former intelligence officer, she sees conspiracies everywhere. Her professional and personal losses weigh heavily on her.”  Producers were seeking a woman in her mid-40s to mid-50s (Hurd is 53) of any ethnicity.

Hurd was a series regular on ‘Blindspot’ Season 2.  Before that, she starred on ‘Hawaii Five-O’, ‘Lethal Weapon’, ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’, ‘Daredevil’, ‘Devious Maids’, ‘The Glades’, ‘90210’, ‘Gossip Girl’, ‘ER’, and more.  She recently wrapped the comedy horror film ‘Bad Hair’, which also stars Vanessa Williams and Laverne Cox.

Cabrera starred for two seasons on CBS’ summer series ‘Salvation’.  Prior to that, he starred on ‘Big Little Lies’, ‘The Musketeers’, Merlin’, and ‘Heroes’.  He was also seen in the movies ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’, and Netflix’s ‘What Happened to Monday’.

Cabrera and Hurd are the first two cast members announced to be joining Stewart on the Picard series from CBS All Access.  The show’s title and additional plot details are being kept under wraps.  The show is expected to arrive in late 2019.

Source: Deadline