Sonequa Martin-Green bids farewell to historic role on "Star Trek: Discovery"

As "Star Trek: Discovery" ventures into its fifth and final season, Sonequa Martin-Green is preparing to say goodbye to her groundbreaking role as Captain Michael Burnham, the first Black female captain in the franchise's storied history.

Martin-Green recalls the weight of realizing she was making television history. 

"It was overwhelming at the time. And I it was heavy, but God really blessed me with it, and I learned so much from it. I learned so much about who I am as a Black woman. And I learned that I don't have to fight for my value or my worth, because I definitely felt that way," she said.

When she first started in the role in 2017, Martin-Green said she still had a lot of internalized racism she had to navigate. But just like the show, Martin-Green said she has always been about pushing forward with hope. 

"At the time, I thought, 'This is all about hope.' Hope is at the center of this franchise. It's our responsibility to keep that moving forward. People can think what they want to think but they need a chance to grow," she said.

In addition to her on-screen achievements, Martin-Green has also made significant strides behind the camera, ascending from lead actor to executive producer. Her dual role has allowed her to shape the series' direction.

Martin-Green said that the final season of "Star Trek: Discovery" will go "bigger than we had ever done before." Despite not knowing it would be their last season, the team, led by showrunners Michelle Paradise and Alex Kurtzman, fought for and received the opportunity reshoot the series' finale.

As "Discovery" comes to a close, Martin-Green hints at the possibility of continuing the story through a feature film.

"We love these characters. We love the people. We love the story," she said. 

Analisa Novak

Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy-award-winning "CBS Mornings." Based in Chicago, she specializes in covering live events and exclusive interviews for the show. Beyond her media work, Analisa is a United States Army veteran and holds a master's degree in strategic communication from Quinnipiac University.

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