The Walking Dead star Sonequa Martin-Green is boldly going to CBS All Access.
The actress, currently a series regular on the AMC zombie drama, has booked the starring role on Star Trek: Discovery, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. CBS All Access and producers CBS Television Studios declined comment.
Martin-Green — who will continue to portray fierce survivor Sasha on Walking Dead as a series regular — will play a lieutenant commander on Discovery. It’s also worth noting that Walking Dead has already wrapped production on its current seventh season and, should Martin-Green’s Sasha survive, wouldn’t return to production until summer 2017.
The CBS All Access show features the franchise’s Enterprise, now known as the U.S.S. Discovery. The drama will introduce new characters seeking new worlds and new civilizations while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.
Martin-Green was cast in The Walking Dead by former showrunner Glen Mazzara after initially auditioning for the role of Michonne that ultimately went to Danai Gurira. Producers created the role of Sasha specifically for her; the character does not exist in the comic book series on which the AMC drama is based. Sasha, as of Sunday’s season seven midseason finale, is still alive and serves as Maggie’s (Lauren Cohan) confidant at the newly introduced Hilltop community. The character has been a series regular for the past few seasons with Martin-Green appearing on the zombie drama alongside her husband, Kenric Green, who recurs as a member of the Alexandria community.
