Warning: Potential SPOILERS for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Season 1Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti confirmed that Nus Braka could return in a future season of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. Giamatti portrays the villainous Nustopher Braka, a hybrid Klingon/Tellarite space pirate, who is the adversary of Starfleet Academy’s Chancellor, Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter).

As Nus Braka, Paul Giamatti was central to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy‘s premiere, and the Klingarite returned with a vengeance in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6, “Come, Let’s Away.” Braka outwitted Captain Ake and Starfleet Academy, handing them a devastating defeat while stealing top-secret weapons to threaten the entire United Federation of Planets.

Paul Giamatti was a guest on The D-Con Chamber, hosted by Star Trek: Enterprise‘s Connor Trinneer and Dominic Keating. After a fascinating discussion about Giamatti’s acclaimed acting career, talk turned to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and Paul assures everyone that he would “love to” return as Nus Braka. Read Giamatti’s quotes below:

Paul Giamatti: There’s a possibility I could be returning, but I don’t know.

Dominic Keating: Would you like to?

Paul Giamatti: I’d love to.

Connor Trinneer and Dominic Keating discussed Star Trek conventions and the Star Trek Cruise. Paul Giamatti agreed that, from his experiences already, the greater community of Star Trek actors, creatives, and also fans feels like a big family, which makes Paul want to return to Star Trek: Starfleet Academy as Nus Braka :

Paul Giamatti: It’s one of those things that makes me hope, if they wanted me back, I could go do it because I just enjoyed doing it with everybody. I like being on set. It was like, pleasant.

Dominic Keating asked Paul Giamatti again about going back to do more episodes for “this season,” meaning Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2, which is currently in production, and Paul verifies that Nus Braka doesn’t die in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1:

Paul Giamatti: This season, no. I was not around. If it goes another one, perhaps I will be back around if it goes another season.

Dominic Keating: Is the storyline open that Nus would be the thorn in the side?

Paul Giamatti: He could be, or whatever. He could be… He’s still alive, so something could be done with him.

Watch Paul Giamatti’s full interview on The D-Con Chamber below:

During the press tour and promotion for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Paul Giamatti was continually referred to as playing ‘season 1’s recurring villain.’ Giamatti confirms that, barring a surprise, he does not reprise Nus Braka in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 2, which is nearing the end of filming.

However, Paul Giamatti seems eager to return if Paramount+ orders Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 3, which isn’t a given as Starfleet Academy’s streaming numbers reportedly aren’t as stellar as hoped. With an 88% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a hit with critics, but suffered review bombing by the show’s online detractors, which helps account for its 43% audience score.

Regardless, Paul Giamatti’s performance as Nus Braka has garnered universal praise. Inspired by his favorite villains from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, like Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo), as well as Khan (Ricardo Montalban), Giamatti chews the scenery as Nus Braka. Paul’s uncommon intensity as the Klingarite ignites the screen, especially when Braka faces off with Holly Hunter’s Captain Ake.

Whatever Nus Braka’s fate is in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1, it’s good news that the hybrid space pirate isn’t killed off so that he can potentially return. Given that Statfleet Academy is a school, seeking an alternate means to neutralize Nus Braka rather than simply killing the space pirate is a proper lesson in mercy for Starfleet Academy’s cadets to learn, which also seems fitting for Captain Ake.

Release Date

January 15, 2026

Network

Paramount+

Showrunner

Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau

Directors

Douglas Aarniokoski

Writers

Alex Taub, Tawny Newsome, Kirsten Beyer, Jane Maggs, Kiley Rossetter

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