[SPOILERS] This week’s episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy (“Ko’Zeine“) featured a visit to the Khionian system, home of Darem Reymi (George Hawkins). TrekMovie had a chance to speak with Hawkins about what the episode revealed about Darem and the Khionians, and what’s coming next for the cadet.
How much of a conversation did you have with the showrunners at the beginning about who are the Khionians? Or are you learning as you get the scripts along the way?
I had some lovely conversations at the start of prep for season one… Episode 7was really helpful for me to figure out who the Khionians were, and not necessarily just about the Khionians in general, but who Darem is in association to the Khionians. And he’s a very specific kionian, a very specific person, because he comes from a very unique family, a very unique upbringing, and he has a very unique responsibility. So it’s a mixed bag. I can’t really necessarily represent Khionians in general, because he has a very unique Khionians upbringing. So my job was just to stay true to who Darem is and who Darem wants to be and the effect that he has on the Academy, or what he wants from the Academy. Yeah, he’s a unique guy, for sure.
So we visit your home world – well almost, we visit the moon [George laughs] So everyone is in human form. Is there a cultural or story reason behind this?
There was a beautiful expression that Alex [Kurtzman] gave me. Being in his Khionians form is like exhaling. So to be in his skin is to breathe. And this wedding does not feel like a place where Darem can breathe. I think this is a pinnacle point of something that Darem had actually been running away from his whole life. He says at the start of the episode, “I thought I had more time.” I thought I could go and explore an adventure for a few years and then come back to my responsibilities. For me, how I made sense of it was Darem can’t breathe here. This is not a free place for Darem to be.
L-R: Jaelynn Thora Brooks as Kaira and George Hawkins as Darem in season 1, episode 7, of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy streaming on Paramount+. Photo Credit: John Medland/Paramount+
Ah, so it’s not something like how the fish people only look like fish people in the water?
I’m not too sure. I think the way, the way that I play is Darem, when he feels comfortable, and comfortable to express himself through his skin like that. So you see in episode 1with Genesis, where Darem asks her to turn around. He doesn’t want her to see him transforming. It’s like it was awkward, like he was naked. It’s not necessarily like a free currency of transforming when he wants to. It’s actually sort of like an embarrassing thing for him. Especially in front of someone who’s never met a Khionian and has no idea what this is. And I sort of love that unique take on a transforming character. Actually, they’re sort of embarrassed by this skin, of this thing that they own, of that’s a part of them. And I think that weaves so nicely into Darem’s story.
It’s a big deal in Star Trek with the first characters introducing new alien races, and often the writers and actors will draw on something, like Klingons being like Samurai Vikings. So have you or the writers talked about inspirations for the Khionians?
What’s really fascinating is, for Episode 7, obviously, there’s an aquatic sort of reference and symbolism reference in the Khionian people. But I sort of got like a Pacific Islander response and influence over these people, especially the Lhyene, the battle breathing. I felt this tropical – I have Kiwi blood I felt this tropical, this, yeah, I have Kiwi blood in me, so I couldn’t help put down like a Māori response. I don’t know if that’s true or not. I don’t know if I remember [co-showrunner] Noga [Landau] was telling me that when she was doing a bit of work for Episode 7, her children were watching Moana in the in the other room, and I can imagine that had some sort of influence on her storytelling. But it’s such a fascinating thing as an actor, you get to use your work as an excuse to explore yourself. You get to use it as an excuse to have fun and be curious about yourself. And I think that a big part of that. It was a perfect excuse to explore my Maori, sort of kiwi heritage.
From 2016 animated movie Moana (Disney)
I actually sensed a bit of the Haka with your performance in the debate episode when you cried out.
Oh yeah, yeah.
So once again in this episode Darem is referred to as an “a—hole.” Were you or maybe the producers ever concerned about taking this too far and is it a challenge to balance that aspect with also trying to make the character likable?
It’s not necessarily a challenge or a problem. I think it’s another opportunity to find some sort of nuance in a character. He has this public mask that he places on himself when he’s performing. He’s a performer. He’s almost like a class clown. And as soon as I read that, I just didn’t believe him. The first time I read the script, I see his public acts of masculinity and bravado, and I just didn’t believe him. So I wanted to find a place of honesty. If someone’s acting so big and so loudly that I feel like they’re trying to muffle out another noise. And I think that other noise in Darem’s life is fear. I think he’s a very scared human being – person, Khionan. So the sort of lesson that I that I took from that was, when you’re running towards something, you’re normally running equally away from something at the same time.
George Hawkins as Darem and Sandro Rosta as Caleb in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 1, season 1, streaming on Paramount+, 2025. Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer/Paramount+.
So you are shooting season 2 now, close to the end, right?
We’ve got a week left of filming.
So, should fans expect to learn more about Khionians and your culture in the rest of season 1 and into season 2?
For sure, yeah, yes. And I think the more you get to know about Darem, the more you get to know about Khionians. It’s a perfect opportunity, right? This is such a good opportunity to introduce a new culture and new character. The more you get to know Darem, the more you get to know Khionians, because he is one.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 06: George Hawkins attends the world premiere of Starfleet Academy at American Museum of Natural History on January 06, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Paramount+)
More for SFA 107
Look for a second interview with Bella Shepard (Genesis Lythe) talking about this episode soon. For a deeper dive, you can check out our recap/review. And tomorrow check out the new episode of the All Access Star Trek podcast, which will include audio from our interviews and analysis from Laurie and Tony. And there is more to come.
Keep up with news about the Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com.