As "Star Trek: Discovery" embarks on its fifth and final season, Sonequa Martin-Green is gearing up to bid farewell to her groundbreaking role as Captain Michael Burnham, the first Black female captain in the franchise's long history.
Martin-Green reflects on the significance of realizing she was making television history.
"It was overwhelming at the time. And it was heavy, but God really blessed me with it, and I learned so much from it. I learned so much about who I am as a Black woman. And I learned that I don't have to fight for my value or my worth, because I definitely felt that way," she said.
When she initially stepped into the role in 2017, Martin-Green admitted she still had to navigate a lot of internalized racism. However, similar to the essence of the show, Martin-Green emphasized that she has always been focused on moving forward with hope.
"At the time, I thought, 'This is all about hope.' Hope is at the core of this franchise. It's our duty to uphold that and keep it progressing. People can have their own opinions, but they deserve an opportunity to evolve," she expressed.
Not only has Martin-Green achieved success on screen, but she has also excelled behind the scenes, moving from lead actor to executive producer. This dual role has given her the opportunity to influence the direction of the series.
Martin-Green has revealed that the final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" will surpass anything done before. Despite not anticipating it to be the last season, the team, under the guidance of showrunners Michelle Paradise and Alex Kurtzman, advocated for and secured the chance to reshoot the series finale.
As "Discovery" nears its conclusion, Martin-Green teases the potential of continuing the story through a feature film.
"We have a deep affection for these characters, the cast, and the narrative," she expressed.
