For nearly 60 years, the Star Trek franchise has been pushing the boundaries of television, and its latest series, Starfleet Academy, is proving that the mission is far from over. Actor Karim Diané recently made franchise history by stepping into the boots of Jay-Den Kraag, Star Trek‘s very first openly out gay Klingon.
But making history doesn’t always come easily. In an Instagram post following the release of last week’s episode, Diané opened up about the heavy emotional weight of taking on the groundbreaking role, admitting that he was initially “scared” to step into Jay-Den’s world.
Diané was quick to clarify that his hesitation had nothing to do with the character himself. Instead, it was the reality of the internet and the inevitable backlash that gave him pause.
“I won’t pretend that I wasn’t scared to take on this role. Part of me still is,” Diané shared with his followers. “I knew there would be people who would blur the line between who I play on screen and who I am in real life, and that much of that response would be rooted in homophobia, racism, bigotry. I knew that by stepping into this role, a lot of that heat would come directly to me.”
Despite his completely valid fears, Diané recognized that Jay-Den Kraag is a character who perfectly aligns with the foundational ethos of Star Trek.
Reflecting on creator Gene Roddenberry’s original vision from the 1960s, Diané shared that the show was never meant to simply preserve the familiar. Instead, it was built to imagine a future where diversity is celebrated, not just tolerated. For Diané, the franchise’s famous guiding principle of “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations” isn’t just a catchy phrase, he believes Roddenberry truly meant it, and Jay-Den is a direct reflection of that legacy.
So, was facing the heat worth it? For Diané, the answer is a resounding yes.
Since the show’s premiere, the actor says his inbox has been flooded with messages from LGBTQ+ fans around the globe who finally feel seen, inspired, and validated by Jay-Den. According to Diané, those messages of hope “outweigh every bit of negativity. Every single time.”
Stream Star Trek’s Starfleet on Paramount+.
Fans can catch Diané making history as Jay-Den Kraag in episode 7 of Starfleet Academy, which is streaming now exclusively on Paramount+.
