What Jay-Den Kraag From Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Looks Like In Real Life

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" has already spent a lot of time showing how much the "Star Trek" galaxy has changed by the 32nd century. Among the main Starfleet Academy cadets on the show is a Klingon named Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diané). Now, a Klingon in Starfleet is nothing new; "Star Trek: The Next Generation" did that way back with Worf (Michael Dorn). But what is shocking is why Jay-Den is there. He's a Klingon who is learning to become... a medic? Given the history of the Klingons, you'd think Jay-Den would be more likely to enroll at the neighboring War College.

The Klingons, one of the most enduring alien races on "Star Trek," are traditionally depicted as warriors. Klingon culture (as crafted with some input from Dorn himself while he was playing Worf) prioritizes battle, glory, and honor. The ultimate goal of every Klingon is Sto-vo-kor, an afterlife for the honored dead, à la the Vikings who dreamed that a death in battle would deliver them to Valhalla. Jay-Den may learn one day if Sto-vo-kor accepts doctors, or individuals who save others, rather than those who take lives as warriors do.

Since "Next Generation," Klingons have been depicted with prominent ridged brows and serrated nose bridges. The "Starfleet Academy" parent show "Star Trek: Discovery" amped up the Klingon makeup to disguise every bit of their actors' human likenesses, but its later seasons dialed that back, as has "Starfleet Academy." As Jay-Den, Diané's makeup quite resembles Dorn's as Worf. But what does this compelling young actor look like without that makeup?

Born in April 2002 in Washington D.C., Karim Diané first broke into show business with music. He built up an online fandom posting videos of himself singing in the shower, and that eventually propelled him onto reality singing competition show "The X Factor USA" for its 2013 season. There, he earned a thumbs up from judges Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland, and even the famously harsh Simon Cowell. Diané subsequently released a single and accompanying music video, "My Bae," in 2016.

Since then, Diané has appeared as an actor in a handful of television and short films, including "Instance," "Princess Row," and "Culture Shot." In 2017, he also played a recurring role in the second season of the Crackle-produced "StartUp," a crime drama centered around cryptocurrency starring Adam Brody, Edi Gathegi, and Ron Perlman.

Diané's most recent role before "Starfleet Academy" was in the 2021 Peacock murder mystery series "One of Us Is Lying." Adapted from a novel by Karen M. McManus, the series follows five high school students in detention — but when one of the dies of an allergic reaction, an investigation into possible foul play ensues. Diané played a supporting role as Kris Greene, boyfriend to lead character Cooper Clay (Chibuikem Uche).

"Starfleet Academy" has already promised a semester full of adventure in its first season. If there's any attempted murder on campus like in "One of Us Is Lying," Jay-Den might have a pop quiz for his medical skills on his hands.

"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" is streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes debuting on Thursdays.