Now this is a surprise! CBS has announced today that actor Rainn Wilson – best known as Dwight Schrute from NBC’s version of The Office – has been cast as 23rd Century con man Harry Mudd in Star Trek: Discovery.
Studio City, CA — Rainn Wilson is set to appear in STAR TREK: DISCOVERY as “Harry Mudd,” the charismatic conman and intergalactic criminal first introduced in the original Star Trek television series. The Emmy nominated actor’s credits include “The Office,” and the films “Super” and “Meg,” opposite Jason Statham, a pre-historic shark tale.
Star Trek, one of the most iconic and influential global television franchises, returns to television 50 years after it first premiered with STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. The series will feature a new ship, new characters and new missions, while embracing the same ideology and hope for the future that inspired a generation of dreamers and doers.
Swindler Harcourt Fenton Mudd appeared in two episodes of the Original Series, as well as one of the follow-up animated adventures as well, and was referenced in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness.
We’ve not yet received any hints as to how Mudd will be involved in the Discovery storyline, but with Wilson’s comedic chops, the performance is sure to be stellar!
Star Trek: Discovery premieres later this year on CBS All Access, Space, and Netflix.