Holly Hunter “Loved” William Shatner’s Defense Of Divisive Star Trek Series

Published Aug 10, 2026, 8:27 PM EDT John Orquiola is a New & Classic TV Editor, Senior Writer, and Interviewer with a special focus on Star Trek. John has over 5,000 published articles at SR, and he has interviewed the biggest names in Star Trek on the red carpet and VIP events, among other beloved shows, movies, and franchises. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Academy Award winner Holly Hunter praises William Shatner's defense of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and hints at what's in store for season 2 of her divisive Star Trek series. Paramount+ canceled Star Trek: Starfleet Academy just days after season 1's finale premiered. With its diverse cast that included a queer couple and Star Trek's first gay Klingon, Starfleet Academy was a lightning rod for online hate and "woke" accusations even before season 1 premiered in January. However, Starfleet Academy season 2 wrapped filming in February and is expected to stream on Paramount+ in 2027. Credit: INFphoto.com Speaking to Ian Spelling at TV Insider, Holly Hunter addressed Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's cancellation and the "tremendous amount of negativity regarding the show being too 'woke' for the taste of so many people." The Oscar winner is grateful to William Shatner for speaking out in favor of Starfleet Academy, and for pointing out that Star Trek has always been "woke." Read Hunter's quote below: Holly Hunter: It’s meant a tremendous amount to me that people have been so vocal with loving the show, and I also think the critics were vocal in loving the show. The reception from so many was really positive. I think there was a tremendous amount of negativity regarding the show being too “woke” for the taste of so many people, and William Shatner addressed that with such grace and articulateness when he did an interview and said, “Hey, the definition of Star Trek is woke.” He talked about Southern states banning the Original Series when [it] had a Black woman and a white man kissing, and then the first season [of our series] got canceled. He said, “Have we traveled no distance in our 60 years?” He expressed real sadness and distress at the cancellation, and I loved that because he’s the man. He’s the maestro. Soon after Star Trek: Starfleet Academy was canceled in March, William Shatner took to X and shared his "sorrow" that Paramount+ prematurely ended the young adult-centered series. Shatner equated the reaction to Starfleet Academy to the cycle of negativity that greets nearly every new iteration of Star Trek, starting with Star Trek: The Next Generation. As Holly Hunter referenced, Mr. Shatner also said that today, the episode of Star Trek: The Original Series where Captain Kirk, a white man, kissed Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), a black woman, would be called "woke DEI crap" if they had today's vernacular 58 years ago. Bill also reminded how "many southern stations pulled the episode and condemned the show" in 1968. In the 21st century, things haven't significantly changed. Another factor that contributed to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's demise is the new leadership at Paramount Skydance, which reportedly plans to relaunch Star Trek, starting with new theatrical movies before moving Paramount+'s TV franchise in a different direction. Tragically, Starfleet Academy was planned as a four-year show to reflect the college experience, and will end halfway. Holly Hunter also hinted at what's to come for her character, Captain Nahla Ake, and the rest of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy in season 2. See her quote below: Holly Hunter: Season 2 asks large questions, which I think Star Trek is particularly good at. Trek is always seeking solutions of peace and solutions of fairness, and I think Season 2 really does that incredibly well and deals with the complexity of that. It’s also tremendously fun because we get to do a lot of things that you can only do in science fiction. It’s like, “What if….” It happens in the second season a lot, particularly for me. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy co-showrunner Noga Landau revealed that members of Nahla's long-lived Lanthanite family will appear in season 2, and that the story ends in a cliffhanger, which is frustrating without a resolution in season 3. At San Diego Comic-Con, it was announced that a troubled new cadet named Keats, played by British actor Ruaridh Aldington, will join Starfleet Academy season 2. Oscar winner Holly Hunter was a casting coup as the series lead of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, as was Emmy winner Paul Giamatti, although his villain, Nus Braka, won't be back in season 2. Regardless of the online negativity, Hunter is rightfully proud of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and the message of hope, diversity, co-existence, cooperation, and acceptance the series espouses. Stardate 47988.1 · Crew Assessment The Final FrontierTrivia Challenge 🚀ShipsEnterprise! ⭐CrewMake it so ☠EnemiesResistance is… ⚡TechWarp speed! 📖LoreLive long… ENGAGE → 01 The USS Enterprise is the most iconic starship in science fiction. What is the registry number of Captain Kirk’s original Enterprise from The Original Series? ANCC-1701-D BNX-01 CNCC-1701 DNCC-74656 ✓ Correct! NCC-1701 is the registry of Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise. The “-D” suffix belongs to Picard’s Galaxy-class ship, NX-01 is Archer’s Enterprise, and NCC-74656 is Voyager. ✗ Red alert! The answer is NCC-1701. Kirk’s original Constitution-class Enterprise carried this now-legendary registry. NCC-1701-D is Picard’s Enterprise from TNG, NX-01 is Captain Archer’s, and NCC-74656 belongs to Voyager. NEXT → 02 Kirk’s most trusted officer is a half-human, half-Vulcan science officer famous for his logic and iconic salute. Who is this legendary character? AData BSpock CTuvok DSarek ✓ Correct! Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, is the half-Vulcan science officer whose “Live long and prosper” salute became a cultural icon. His struggle between logic and emotion defines the heart of the Original Series. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Spock. Data is an android from TNG, Tuvok is Voyager’s Vulcan tactical officer, and Sarek is Spock’s Vulcan father. Only Spock is the half-human, half-Vulcan first officer of Kirk’s Enterprise. NEXT → 03 Starfleet’s most important regulation forbids interference with the natural development of alien civilizations. What is this guiding principle called? AThe Temporal Accord BGeneral Order One CThe Omega Directive DThe Prime Directive ✓ Correct! The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) is Starfleet’s most sacred law. It prohibits interfering with less-developed civilizations — though Kirk, Picard, and Janeway have all famously bent or broken it when lives were at stake. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Prime Directive. While “General Order One” is technically another name for it, the Prime Directive is the universally known term. The Omega Directive and Temporal Accord are separate, more specialized Starfleet protocols. NEXT → 04 “Resistance is futile.” This chilling declaration belongs to a cybernetic collective that assimilates entire civilizations into its hive mind. What is this fearsome species called? AThe Borg BThe Dominion CThe Romulans DSpecies 8472 ✓ Correct! The Borg are Star Trek’s most terrifying villains — a hive-mind collective that forcibly assimilates species and technology. Captain Picard was famously assimilated and transformed into Locutus in the landmark TNG episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Borg. The Dominion is the Gamma Quadrant empire from DS9, the Romulans are a rival empire, and Species 8472 is actually one of the few species that the Borg themselves fear. Only the Borg declare “Resistance is futile.” NEXT → 05 Captain Jean-Luc Picard commands the Enterprise-D in The Next Generation and later received his own series, Star Trek: Picard. Which acclaimed actor portrays him? AWilliam Shatner BAvery Brooks CPatrick Stewart DScott Bakula ✓ Correct! Sir Patrick Stewart brought gravitas, Shakespeare, and Earl Grey tea to the captain’s chair for seven seasons of TNG, four films, and three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. His “Make it so” is one of TV’s most iconic catchphrases. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Patrick Stewart. William Shatner plays Captain Kirk, Avery Brooks is Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine, and Scott Bakula captains the NX-01 Enterprise. Only Sir Patrick Stewart portrays the legendary Jean-Luc Picard. NEXT → 06 Starfleet vessels travel faster than light by bending space around them using a matter-antimatter reaction. What is this propulsion system called? ATranswarp Drive BWarp Drive CSlipstream Drive DSpore Drive ✓ Correct! Warp Drive is the standard faster-than-light propulsion in Star Trek, powered by dilithium-regulated matter-antimatter reactions. Zefram Cochrane invented it in 2063, which led to humanity’s first contact with the Vulcans. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Warp Drive. Transwarp is an advanced Borg technology, Slipstream is an experimental quantum drive, and the Spore Drive uses mycelial network navigation (from Discovery). Standard Starfleet vessels use Warp Drive. NEXT → 07 At Starfleet Academy, cadets face a notorious no-win scenario designed to test their character under impossible circumstances. James Kirk is the only cadet who ever beat it — by cheating. What is this test called? AThe Prometheus Trial BThe Omega Simulation CThe Corbomite Maneuver DThe Kobayashi Maru ✓ Correct! The Kobayashi Maru is an unwinnable rescue simulation that tests how cadets handle certain death. Kirk reprogrammed it so he could win — earning a commendation for original thinking. It was memorably featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. ✗ Red alert! The answer is the Kobayashi Maru. The Corbomite Maneuver is a TOS episode, not an Academy test. The Kobayashi Maru is the famous no-win scenario that Kirk defeated by reprogramming the simulation — because he doesn’t believe in the no-win scenario. NEXT → 08 In the widely regarded greatest Star Trek film, a genetically enhanced superhuman from Earth’s past seeks revenge against Captain Kirk. “KHAAAAN!” Who is this iconic villain? AKhan Noonien Singh BGeneral Chang CQ DGul Dukat ✓ Correct! Khan Noonien Singh, played by Ricardo Montalbán, is Star Trek’s greatest villain. First appearing in the TOS episode “Space Seed,” he returned in The Wrath of Khan (1982) for a devastating revenge plot that cost Spock his life. ✗ Red alert! The answer is Khan Noonien Singh. General Chang is a Klingon from Star Trek VI, Q is TNG’s omnipotent trickster, and Gul Dukat is DS9’s Cardassian antagonist. Only Khan inspired Kirk’s legendary scream across the cosmos. REVEAL MY SCORE → Mission Complete Your Starfleet Record / 8 Are you an Admiral — or still a cadet on deck-scrubbing duty? ↻ RE-ENGAGE Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 is streaming on Paramount+. Release Date 2026 - 2027-00-00 Network Paramount+ Showrunner Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau Directors Douglas Aarniokoski, Alex Kurtzman, Andi Armaganian, Larry Teng Writers Gaia Violo, Alex Taub, Jane Maggs, Tawny Newsome, Kirsten Beyer, Kiley Rossetter, Eric Anthony Glover Franchise(s) Star Trek Creator(s) Gaia Violo, Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau