Stacey Abrams makes surprise appearance on Star Trek as president of Earth

Stacey Abrams just boldly went where no Georgia gubernatorial candidate has gone before.

Abrams, the Georgia politician who's running for governor of the state this year, had a surprise cameo in the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery, appearing as the president of United Earth.

A scene at the end of the season four finale, "Coming Home," introduces the United Earth president, and Abrams gets several lines, announcing that "United Earth is ready right now to rejoin the Federation, and nothing could make me happier than to say those words." She also has a discussion with Discovery's main character, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), about Earth rejoining the Federation, and this scene closes the episode.

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Abrams has professed her love for the Star Trek franchise in the past, and in a 2019 interview with The New York Times, she admitted she stayed up late binge-watching Discovery during her gubernatorial campaign. "I love Voyager and I love Discovery and of course I respect the original, but I revere The Next Generation," she told the Times. Abrams also discusses a favorite scene from The Next Generation in her book, Lead From the Outside.

According to Variety, Abrams spent "a few days" in Toronto for the cameo. Martin-Green told Deadline she's "still floored" about Abrams, a "civil hero," "gracing us with her presence" on the show, adding, "It was an honor for me as a Black woman to stand with her in the story."

Executive producer Michelle Paradise also told Deadline there was "no one better" for the role than Abrams.

"We knew that she was a fan of the show and of Trek in general, and for us, there was no one better to be that president," Paradise said. "...It was just an amazing thing. She did such an incredible job, it was a privilege for all of us to get to work with her, and we're so grateful she joined us for that."