Sonequa Martin-Green, star of The Walking Dead, has reportedly landed the lead role on Star Trek: Discovery.
According to sources, the actress will continue as a series regular on the AMC zombie drama while tackling the lead role on CBS relaunch of the science-fiction television franchise.
The casting of Martin-Green brings to a close a lengthy search for a lead on Discovery, which has struggled with delays since being given a green light by CBS last year.
Original show-runner Bryan Fuller previously indicated that he wanted to cast a woman of colour in the lead role, citing inspiration from Mae Jamison, the first African-American female astronaut and Nichelle Nichols, the lone African American and female cast member on the original Star Trek series.
Fuller confirmed in August that the lead character would be a woman and that she would not hold the rank of captain, as Star Trek leads traditionally have.
Fuller exited the show-runner role in October after CBS was forced to push back the series premiere from February to May and was replaced by fellow executive producers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts.
Reuters