LOS ANGELES (AP) — Backlash from segments of the Star Trek fandom is continuing months after the release of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, which introduced what is believed to be the franchise’s first openly gay Klingon character.
Actor Karim Diané, 23, who portrays Klingon cadet Jay-Den Kraag, has been the focus of criticism and online harassment tied to the character. The series has also been subject to sustained “review bombing,” with coordinated negative audience ratings from some viewers and self-identified franchise fans.
Diané said the reaction reflects deeper issues beyond criticism of the show itself.
“It is rooted in racism, homophobia and sexism,” he told Xtra Magazine. “The majority of it really is hate for the sake of hate.”
While some critics have framed their objections around storytelling or fidelity to established Klingon lore, much of the backlash circulating on social media has focused on the character’s identity, drawing concern from observers about the tone and substance of the discourse within parts of the fandom.
The Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry, has long been associated with progressive themes and social commentary. The original 1960s series featured one of television’s first interracial kisses between Lt. Nyota Uhura and Capt. James T. Kirk, a moment widely cited as groundbreaking for its time.
Diané said he spoke with George Takei before the new series premiered. Takei told him that Roddenberry had considered including a gay character in the original series but ultimately decided against it amid concerns about network backlash following earlier controversies.
In the decades since, Star Trek has gradually expanded LGBTQ representation across its television and film projects. The addition of a gay Klingon marks a first for the depiction of the species, which has traditionally been portrayed through a rigid, honor-based cultural lens.
Despite the criticism, Diané said he remains focused on the broader significance of the role and the response from supportive viewers.
The series is currently streaming on Paramount+.
