Rainn Wilson is boarding "Star Trek: Discovery" to play the iconic character, Harry Mudd.
According to reports, Wilson has been tapped to guest-star in the upcoming sci-fi drama for a multi-episode arc. Harcourt Fenton Mudd, also known as Harry Mudd, is a charismatic intergalactic con man who was first introduced in the original "Star Trek" series. Best known for his repeated run-ins with the Enterprise crew, Harry acted as a comic foil to Captain Kirk (William Shatner), and he will do the same to Captain Lorca (Jason Isaac) in the 2017 revival.
Harry's signature look involves a handlebar mustache, but whether the actor keeps the facial hair or not remains to be seen. It is worth noting that he is the only non-crew character to appear in multiple episodes on the original show. At some point in the series, Harry talked his way into becoming the leader of a planet inhabited by androids. Since he appeared on "Star Trek," his backstory has been further deepened in novels and comics.
Wilson's acting credits include roles in "The Office," "Six Feet Under," and "Backstrom." He also did a number of film projects such as "The Rocker" and the indie movie "Super." His next project is the upcoming animated feature film "Smurfs: The Lost Village" in which he will provide the voice of Gargamel.
The 51-year-old writer/comedian joins the list of recently announced cast members that include Sonequa Martin-Green, James Frain, Anthony Rapp, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Isaacs, Terry Serpico, Maulik Pancholy, and Sam Vartholomeos.
Originally slated for a January 2017 release, "Star Trek: Discovery" has been delayed again and is now pushed to premiere either in late summer or early fall. The streaming service was instead launched with the help of another series titled "The Good Fight," a spin-off for the original legal drama "The Good Wife."
"Star Trek: Discovery" is scheduled to premiere later this year on CBS. After that, all episodes will be made exclusively available on CBS' on-demand streaming platform, CBS All Access.
