Bill Nighy is joining the Star Trek universe, with the acclaimed British actor confirmed for a guest role in the second season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
The casting was announced alongside first-look details for the show’s next season. Nighy will play Nyk, the estranged father of Holly Hunter’s Captain Nahla Ake, adding a major new family dynamic to the futuristic Paramount+ series.
Starfleet Academy adds two major guest stars
Nighy is not the only new name heading to the series. Rosemarie DeWitt will also appear as Laytha Sadal, the First Lady of Betazed and mother of Tarima, played by Zoe Steiner.
Starfleet Academy follows a new group of Starfleet cadets in the far future as they train under Captain Ake. The second season is expected to deepen the personal histories of its characters while continuing the franchise’s familiar mix of exploration, relationships and interstellar politics.
Nighy’s casting gives the series another highly recognizable performer. The actor’s career spans acclaimed dramas, comedies and major franchises, making his arrival a notable addition to the expanding Star Trek television universe.
When will Starfleet Academy Season 2 arrive?
The new season is scheduled for March 2027. It has also been described as the show’s second and final season, which raises the stakes for the new character relationships being introduced.
Radio Times reported the casting and release window on October 11, 2026, following new details revealed around New York Comic Con. With Nighy playing the estranged father of Hunter’s character, the family storyline could become one of the season’s most closely watched arcs.