Webinar: A Spotlight Conversation with the Cast and Executive Producer of “Star Trek: Discovery” by Gold Derby

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About This Webinar

“Star Trek: Discovery” tells the story of the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery landing in an unknown future far from the home they once knew. Now living in a time filled with uncertainty, the U.S.S. Discovery crew, along with the help of some new friends, must work together to restore hope to the Federation.

Presenters

Anthony Rapp

Lieutenant Commander Paul Stamets

Anthony Rapp has been acting and singing professionally since he was 9 years old. With an extensive list of achievements, Rapp is best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in Jonathan Larson’s Tony Award-winning rock opera “Rent,” for which he shared an OBIE Award with the rest of the cast. He later reprised the role in Chris Columbus’ film version. Rapp also starred in the Broadway production and national tour of “If/Then” from the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators of “Next to Normal.” He made his Broadway debut in “Precious Sons” with Judith Ivey and Ed Harris, for which he received an Outer Critics Circle award and a Drama Desk nomination. He will next be seen appearing in HBO Max’s docudrama “Equal,” about the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in America.

Rapp was also recently seen as a recurring guest star on CBS’ hit spin-off series THE GOOD FIGHT and on Netflix’s hit show “13 Reasons Why.” Additional TV credits include: Cinemax’s “The Knick,” “Psych” and “The X-Files.”

Rapp recently starred in three independent features: “Do You Take This Man” opposite Alyson Hannigan, “Opening Night” with fellow Broadway favorite Cheyenne Jackson, and the LGBT thriller “BWOY,” which he also produced. Additional film credits include: “A Beautiful Mind, Six Degrees of Separation” and the iconic “Dazed and Confused.”

A writer as well, Anthony penned Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent (Simon & Schuster) about his struggle to balance the demands of life in the theater with his responsibility to his family during his mother’s battle with cancer. He adapted the book into a one-man show entitled “Without You,” which he has performed on stages both nationally and internationally

Mary Wiseman

Ensign Sylvia Tilly

After graduating from Juilliard, Mary Wiseman quickly went on to star opposite Keira Knightley in the Broadway production of “Therese Raquin.”

She was recently seen in Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” opposite Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson.

Other television credits include the Netflix series “Longmire” and “The Characters” as well as Hulu’s “Difficult People.” She also appeared opposite Zach Galifianakis in the first two seasons of the FX series “Baskets.”

Other theater credits include starring in the world premiere of “Romance Novels for Dummies” at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Prior to that, she starred in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s production of “Off the Main Road” opposite Kyra Sedgwick, in the off-Broadway, Obie Award-winning production of “An Octoroon,” in which her performance was described as “delicious” and “comically inspired” and the off-Broadway production of “The Skin of Our Teeth” at the Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn.

Wilson Cruz

Dr. Hugh Culber

Triple threat, award-winning actor, activist, “actorvist” and humanitarian are just a few terms used to describe Wilson Cruz. He appeared on the Netflix series “Thirteen Reasons Why” and in Hulu’s breakthrough GLAAD Award-winning original animated kids’ series “The Bravest Knight.” He is also the executive producer of the critically lauded docuseries called “Visible: Out On Television” airing on Apple TV+.

In 1994 Cruz won the hearts of audiences across the world and forever changed the LBGT landscape playing the first openly gay teenager on network television in his award-winning performance as Rickie Vasquez on the hit ABC series “My So Called Life”. His seminal and critically acclaimed performance celebrated its 25th anniversary in August 2019. “My So Called Life” was honored with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding TV Drama, and Cruz received the Emery S. Hetrick Award from the Hetrick-Martin Institute for Outstanding Contributions to LGBTQ Youth for his contribution. Cruz is also known for starring as Angel in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical “Rent” in its West Coast premiere which earned him both the Ovation and Drama Logue awards before his reprisal of the role on Broadway.

Always a trailblazer, Cruz is recognized for playing one of TVʼs first transgender characters in an Emmy-nominated episode of “Ally McBeal” and gave a heart-rendering performance as part of a gay couple fighting for marriage equality on “Greyʼs Anatomy.” Other TV credits include: “Red Band Society” starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, “Party of Five” (ALMA Award for Outstanding Emerging Actor), “Rick and Steve,” “The Happiest Gay Couple in the World,” “Shameless,” “The West Wing,” “Noahʼs Arc,” “Pushing Daisies” and more. Film credits include memorable roles in “Heʼs Just Not That into You,” “Nixon, Party Monster,” “Johns,” “All Over Me” and “After Louie,” with Alan Cumming. During the pandemic, he created a series called “What’s Up with Wilson Cruz” as a way to stay connected to fans and participated in numerous benefits to raise money for charity.

As an “actorvist,” Cruz has received the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award from the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center, the Liberty Award from Lambda Legal, the Visibilidad Award from GLAAD, the Fusion Achievement Award from Outfest, the Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Entertainment and Advocacy from the California Latino Legislative Caucus, the Harvey Milk Equality Award, the Lincoln Aston Public Service Award, Aston-Brooks Award and the Advocate Award from AdColor. He served as the director of entertainment industry partnerships and national spokesperson for GLAAD, currently serves on the board of GLSEN and devotes considerable time supporting other LBGTQ organizations as well. Wilson is a first generation American of Puerto Rican descent.

Blu del Barrio

Adira

Blu del Barrio is a non-binary actor who uses they/them pronouns. Del Barrio was in their final year of studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) when they auditioned for and booked the role of Adira. Blu has been acting in theater and short films since the age of 7, and they’re incredibly excited to make their television acting debut in season three of STAR TREK: DISCOVERY.

Michelle Paradise

Co-Showrunner & Executive Producer

Michelle Paradise was a co-executive producer on “The Originals” for The CW, and was a part of the team for “The Originals” for the entirety of its five-season run. Michelle also wrote for the series “Rogue” on the Audience network and The CW’s “Hart of Dixie.” She previously created, wrote and starred in the MTV/Logo series “Exes & Ohs.”

Paradise holds B.A. degrees in English and French, a master’s degree in comparative literature, and she’s a proud graduate of the Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop.

Tom O'Neil

Gold Derby Editor, President and Founder, Co-Host

Rob Licuria

Co-Host