Oded Fehr returns as a lighter and more optimistic Admiral Charles Vance, reflecting the tone of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Fehr originated Admiral Vance in Star Trek: Discovery seasons 3 to 5. Set in the late 32nd century, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a direct spinoff of Discovery, picking up four years later in 3195.
With the United Federation of Planets rebuilding and returning to its roots of galactic exploration after The Burn, Admiral Vance named Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) as Starfleet Academy’s new Chancellor. Vance tasked Ake with overseeing a new class of cadets who will fix the “broken world” they inherited.
ScreenRant was delighted to interview Fehr about joining his second Star Trek series as Admiral Vance, and working with Academy Award winner Holly Hunter and Starfleet Academy’s young cast. Fehr also discussed his love and appreciation for The Mummy and his hopes to reprise the role of Ardeth Bay in The Mummy 4.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Is A College Show About Youthful Optimism
Although Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is Oded Fehr’s second Star Trek series, he feels that “in many ways, it’s the same” as Star Trek: Discovery. “Because it is Star Trek,” Fehr assures fans. “And I think the Star Trek world of filming, where Star Trek itself is the star, where we have so much behind us that we pay homage to or have respect for. That’s the same, and it’s wonderful. It’s a wonderful place to work. It’s a very inclusive, loving place to work. “
When asked about how Star Trek: Starfleet Academy‘s set is different from Star Trek: Discovery‘s, Oded said the newer show reflects the college setting of Starfleet Academy’s cadets:
Oded Fehr: The difference with this show, I think, is it’s like being in college. If you go visit a college, there’s a lot of lightness, and optimism and joy of life and joy of learning and new experiences. It’s less of the mundane, the day-to-day. We’re all kind of just bogged down with work and with whatever are our worries. It’s more the future is open, and we can make a difference, and we can experience new things. And I think that reflects in the show.
I think that reflects even with Admiral Vance, with his little bit lightness on the show, a little bit more ability to smile, make fun, be lighter.
Working With Academy Award Winner Holly Hunter Is A Dream
Oded Fehr worked opposite Sonequa Martin-Green on Star Trek: Discovery. Comparing the talented and charismatic Martin-Green to Academy Award winner Holly Hunter, Fehr says, “They’re both wonderful partners,” before delving into Hunter’s acting method on set:
Oded Fehr: What’s amazing about Holly is that Holly is an old-school professional actor. Not that Sonequa was ever unprofessional or unprepared, but the amount of work that Holly puts into every scene, starting by just getting off book way before the read through, being able to be 100% free to explore. And every moment counts for her. I feel like she never lets up. There’s not a scene that’s not important. Do you know what I mean? There’s not a scene that’s ‘I just need to deliver these lines.’ She is in the moment as the character at all times through the scene, from the moment they say ‘Action!’ to the moment they say ‘Cut.’ And as an actor, it’s a wonderful gift. I don’t think we get that a lot in this modern way of filming. where you have very, very minimal rehearsals, if at all, at times on Star Trek. We rehearse Starfleet Academy, and, really, it’s a gem as an actor to get to do that.
Listen, I worked with Sean Penn. I worked with a couple of Oscar winners before, and it’s wonderful. It might feel intimidating, but the truth about it is I’ve been around long enough that I know my limitations, and I know who I am. And I know that I can be a good enough acting partner. Maybe not to their level, but at least I can hold my own. And I’m excited to work with people who have achieved a lot. It’s fun. You get to learn so much, and you get to enjoy yourself. The one thing you’ve got to be very careful of is not to get into that thing of, ‘Oh my god, they’re amazing.’ And, ‘Oh god, it’s my line.’ You know, you forget your lines. You’ve got to stay as the character. That’s the challenge, really.
Oded Fehr Loved Mentoring Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Younger Actors
Oded Fehr can now consider himself a veteran Star Trek actor, although he is quick to remind that, “The Doctor’s there, and he’s the true veteran,” referring to Robert Picardo reprising his iconic role from Star Trek: Voyager. As for whether Fehr mentored the younger actors joining Star Trek, he pointed to the supportive nature of everyone on set:
Oded Fehr: I guess, in the first couple of episodes, there was a lot of like, ‘Oh, how do you get used to the uniform?’ And ‘how do you get used to this?’ And so on. But everybody took to it like a fish to water, and it’s been really wonderful.
There’s no competition on Star Trek. There’s a lot of giving, a lot of supporting of each other, a lot of helping of each other. It’s a very technical show many times and to kind of work with it seamlessly, we all support each other, we all help each other. We all look out for each other. I guess they looked at me a little bit as somebody who’s already existing, coming from a different show. But it all blended beautifully together.
Reflections On The Mummy, Its Latest Remake & Upcoming Sequel
Oded Fehr loves The Mummy and what his role as Ardeth Bay in the 1999 summer blockbuster did for his career: “The Mummy is such a big part of my life, obviously. It made me into a working actor. It was practically my first job coming out of drama school. It changed everything for me. And I owe that movie so much, and I think it held up really, really well.”
ScreenRant: Alex Kurtzman [executive producer and director of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy] directed the Tom Cruise Mummy movie. Do you ever tease him about it? “You should have come to me. I know a little something about The Mummy.”
Oded Fehr: I’m not a teaser type of guy… But, you know, for whatever reason, the Tom Cruise one didn’t seem to… people don’t seem to like it as much as the original Mummy. And I’m not a teaser kind of guy. Because, my God, if I tease Alex Kurtzman? He could pick out quite a few gems in my career that I should or should not have done.
It’s a tough business, and we try and do the best we can. But there’s so many different elements that go into every project, and sometimes it’s a miss that everybody watches, and sometimes it’s a hit that nobody gets to see. So you never know, right?
Oded Fehr Hasn’t Been Asked To Return In The Mummy 4
ScreenRant: I do want to ask you about the new Mummy, which I’m so excited about. The Mummy 4. I’m so excited the band is getting back together. Can you talk a little bit about it? How has Ardeth Bay changed since the original?
Oded Fehr: I gotta tell you, man, I’m so excited that you’re excited. I have no idea. I haven’t been contacted. I don’t know anything about it. I know that the internet has been saying it as though it exists, and it’s a done deal, but I haven’t heard anything about it. So I’m hoping it happens. I’m hoping I get to be in it. But there’s nothing I can tell you about it.
ScreenRant: If it does happen, I cannot imagine you wouldn’t be in it. You are a very important piece of that puzzle.
Oded Fehr: I agree. I hope so. I hope that happens. I can tell you that I love The Mummy. It’s made me into a working actor. I love the actors on it. I’ve gotten to see a few of them in the last couple of years, and I hope it happens, but I have not been contacted.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streams Thursdays on Paramount+.
- Release Date
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January 15, 2026
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau
- Directors
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Alex Kurtzman
- Writers
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Gaia Violo, Gene Roddenberry
