Kenneth Mitchell’s career was tragically cut short, but theStar Trek: Discoverystar embodied the saying, “there are no small parts, only small actors.” In February, fans of the CBS sci-fi series were left in shock when the Canadian actor passed away at 49, after a courageous battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Mitchell has appeared in over 50 films and TV shows, including a notable credit inCaptain Marvel(2019) as the superhero’s father. But the Toronto-born actor will be best remembered byStar Trek: Discoveryfans for bringing multiple characters to life across three of the show’s five seasons. More importantly, Mitchell broke barriers for actors with disabilities, and he leaves behind new avenues for diabled representation as his legacy.
Who Did Kenneth Mitchell Play inStar Trek: Discovery?
Kenneth Mitchell’s journey withStar Trek: Discoverystarted in 2017 with the show’s debut, and went on until the third season in 2021. The actor portrayed several noteworthy roles, including:
Kenneth Mitchell also voiced three characters in theanimated seriesStar Trek: Lower Decksin 2020. In season 1, episode 8, “Veritas,” he played Black Ops Officer 2, Romulan Guard 1, and Tweerk Captain. In 2021, the actor hinted that he wanted to return for season 4 ofStar Trek: Discovery, but his wish never materialized. By that time, his physical condition had worsened, and he could no longer speak without assistance. Despite this, Mitchell continued to connect with theStar Trekfandom to raise awareness about ALS and support others with the disease.
Kenneth Mitchell’s Impact on Disabled Actors & Characters
Kenneth Mitchell made a strong impression in thefirst season ofStar Trek: Discovery. At the time, it was a superb start to a promising run of recurring roles for him. Unfortunately, his ALS diagnosis came at the worst time, right after season 1. The actor managed his way through the second season and did not reveal his condition publicly until 2020. Eventually, Mitchell required the use of a wheelchair, which limited the actor’s ability. It meant that he could not perform at his best, and restricted the roles he could take. The industry is competitive, and often overlooks actors with disabilities.
But the toughest challenges always find a way to unite a team, and that’s exactly what happened behind the scenes. News of Mitchell’s condition turned the show’s crew into a true family, asthe writers ofStar Trek: Discoverycreated the character Aurellio to allow him to continue working despite his physical limitations. The team collaborated with him to design a custom-built hover-chair for the character, which also allowed the actor to move around and work freely. Mitchell said that the role was an extension of theStar Trekfranchise’s long-standing tradition of inclusivity, stating in an interview withtrekmovie.com:
There hasn’t been a lot of disabled characters onTrekfor obvious reasons, but we were able to creatively make it work. It was an honor to represent this character, and I think it elevated because even though Aurellio had disabilities, they wrote the part that focused on his abilities. I tried to remind myself every day that despite my many physical challenges, I still have worth and strength.
TheStar Trek: Discoveryteam took an initiative that did not just stop at celebrating Mitchell and his individual story of resilience. It’s a major push for better representation of disabled actors and characters on screen. Characters with disabilities have been observed throughout the history of movies and TV shows. But Kenneth Mitchell’s story is all about creating specific roles and character traits that align with the real-life disabilities of the actors that play them, and make the storytelling feel more organic.
