Zoë Steiner & Sandro Rosta On Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’s Intense Episode 6

Be warned, this contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 6 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, titled “Come, Let’s Away.” Zoë Steiner and Sandro Rosta have elevated the series with this new episode. Written by Kenneth Lin & Kiley Rossetter and directed by Larry Teng, the sixth episode significantly increases the tension as the villain, Nus Braka (played by Paul Giamatti), delivers a devastating blow to Captain Nahla Ake (Holly Hunter) and Starfleet Academy.

In the final moments of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy episode 6, Tarima Sadal (Zoë Steiner) falls into a coma after using her powerful Betazoid psychic abilities to rescue Caleb Mir (Sandro Rosta) and other cadets. Sadly, a classmate, Series Acclimation Mil, known as SAM (Kerrice Brooks), died in the incident, and another cadet, Nus Braka, escaped with stolen, highly sensitive weapons, intending to use them against Starfleet.

John Orquiola from ScreenRant recently spoke with Zoë Steiner and Sandro Rosta about the developing romance between their characters, Caleb and Tarima. They also discussed Jonathan Frakes’ thoughts on the new takes on Riker and Troi in Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and how episode 6 is setting up a more intense second half of the season.

Tarima & Caleb Have Great On-Screen Chemistry In Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

Zoë Steiner, who plays Tarima Sadal, first appeared in the second episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, and her character immediately had a connection with Caleb Mir, played by Sandro Rosta. Their relationship became physical in the sixth episode of the series, highlighting the strong chemistry between Steiner and Rosta. Both actors discuss what they admire in each other’s performance.

I think Sandro is fantastic. He’s a really gifted actor – so engaged and generous on set. It makes my job much easier, as I’m always working to reach his level. Because of that, I think our on-screen connection feels very natural.

Sandro Rosta believes Zoe doesn’t fully recognize her own talent. He thinks she’s exceptionally well-suited for her work and finds her to be a stronger actor than himself, which he appreciates. He describes their working relationship as one built on mutual respect and a shared vision for delivering great work to the audience – a truly excellent collaboration.

But There’s One Awkward Thing About Caleb & Tarima’s Love Scenes

The beginning of episode 6 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy features intimate scenes between Tarima and Caleb, but it’s a bit strange where they take place: in the room Caleb shares with Tarima’s brother, Ocam. Ocam had a difficult childhood, constantly moving and never owning a bed, so he even assists Caleb with making the bed.

Sandro Rosta jokingly responded to a fan’s idea about a connection between Ocam and his family, saying it would be a fun story to explore. He then clarified that Ocam definitely didn’t help with household chores, explaining that Ocam is a very busy and somewhat playful person who’s always involved in various activities, likely spending his time with the Andorians or other groups.

Jonathan Frakes Said Caleb Is A Lucky Man For Dating A Betazoid

I’m so excited for the next episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy – it’s being directed by Jonathan Frakes! As a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation, I always loved his portrayal of Riker and his relationship with Deanna Troi. Apparently, while working with Zoë Steiner and Sandro Rosta, he just couldn’t help but share some behind-the-scenes insights – what he calls his ‘lore’! He even playfully told Sandro that his character, Caleb, was a very lucky man to be dating a Betazoid princess, just like Riker was with Deanna. It’s moments like that that remind you how much he cherishes that part of Star Trek history.

I definitely remember meeting Jonathan for the first time. I’m trying to recall exactly what he said, but it was something along the lines of being happy to meet me and looking forward to working together. He also immediately brought up that his character had a connection to a Betazoid, saying he really liked them.

Sandro Rosta shared that Jonathan Frakes said almost the same thing to him while they were filming episode 9. Frakes is very friendly and would often put his arm around people and share personal stories. He pointed out that Rosta was dating a Betazoid princess, just as Frakes had done, and told him he was a lucky man because he understood what that was like.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 6 Was A Game-Changer

Episode 6 of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, “Come, Let’s Away,” faced the challenge of following a particularly beloved episode that honored Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Despite this, the new episode delivered even more drama, action, and excitement, taking the series to a new height.

ScreenRant called this episode fantastic, especially enjoying the unexpected defeat of Starfleet Academy – it really raised the stakes! They were thrilled to see the characters face a serious challenge and were curious to know what it was like for the writers reading the script for the first time.

I’m really excited for people to see this episode! Like you mentioned, the stakes are incredibly high, and I think viewers will feel that. The show has a lot of depth – episode five was full of joy and nostalgia, but episode six is a completely different experience. I especially love how the script allows the cadets to consistently step up and handle these very realistic, and not simulated, challenges.

I agree with Zoë. We’re really looking forward to fans seeing how the show’s mood and the level of danger change. So far, Starfleet Academy has felt lighthearted and full of wonder, which is perfect for what the show does. But we also want to show the show’s ability to explore a wider range of emotions and stories, and we’re eager to see how viewers react to that shift.

Zoë Steiner And Sandro Rosta Loved Playing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 6’s Intense Scenes

In the sixth episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Caleb, Tarima, and the other cadets faced a life-threatening situation. Tarima bravely used her full Betazoid abilities to rescue Caleb and their friends, which actress Zoë Steiner described as “absolutely” enjoyable to portray. Steiner explained that playing a character with Tarima’s depth and development was a dream come true, allowing her to explore the character’s emotions and the discovery of her powers.

Sandro Rosta admits the premise – being held hostage by scary alien zombie-like creatures – was surprisingly appealing. He believes television production often moves too quickly, and sometimes you just have to trust your gut and take creative risks. He felt that this situation called for exactly that kind of instinctive approach, and he embraced it.

Rostra described understanding Caleb’s character, noting he’s someone who resists being controlled but is forced to cooperate due to the dangerous circumstances. She found it compelling to portray his internal conflict – the tension between his desire for independence and the need to survive, knowing his and others’ lives depended on it – and how that played out on screen.

Zoë Steiner’s Amazing Basketball Stunt Was Inspired By Sigourney Weaver In Alien: Resurrection

In the third episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Zoë Steiner amazed viewers by sinking a basketball over her head without looking. She was inspired to do this stunt by Sigourney Weaver, who performed a similar trick as Ellen Ripley in Alien: Resurrection. Steiner shared a video of her successful shot online, but she hasn’t yet heard from Weaver, jokingly saying, “I’m still waiting for that call!”

Zoë Steiner shared the story behind her stunt work, explaining that her athletic background proved useful when the script for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy included a basketball scene for her character, Tarima. She happily recalled playing basketball competitively as a child and was thrilled to be able to play again for the role. She noted that the production team could have chosen any sport, but she was delighted it was basketball.

You know, that shot really came about by accident. I was just mindlessly scrolling through TikTok one night and stumbled upon an old interview with Sigourney Weaver talking about a fantastic shot she did in Alien: Resurrection. It sparked something in me – I wondered if I could recreate something similar. I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about it for days! I just had to try. So, I called Romeo, and we found a basketball court nearby. We messed around with it for a while, and surprisingly, I managed to pull it off a few times! It proved it was possible, so I just kept practicing until I got it right.

I was really excited when they told us, just a couple of weeks before filming, that the ball would be 3D printed! It looked fantastic and totally matched the visual style we were going for. But honestly, it was a surprisingly difficult prop to work with. It barely bounced at all – you really had to give it a good hit just to get it moving. It definitely created a bit of a challenge, but we managed to pull it off on the day.

Someone on set told me right before filming started that there was a bet going around about whether I could pull off the scene, and even how many takes it would take. I initially thought they were kidding, but they were serious. It was a bit unsettling to hear that right before we began! Luckily, I nailed it on the first try, which I’m really proud of. I also think it was a fitting tribute to Sigourney Weaver.

Check out our other Star Trek: Starfleet Academy interviews:

Tawny Newsome and Cirroc Lofton
Kerrice Brooks
Noga Landau and Karim Diané
Oded Fehr

2026-02-13 05:42