'Star Trek: Discovery' air date, news: 'The Walking Dead' star Sonequa Martin-Green cast as lead character

"The Walking Dead" star Sonequa Martin-Green has been cast to play the lead character in the hotly-anticipated sci-fi reboot, "Star Trek: Discovery," which will air next year.

Martin-Green will portray Lieutenant Commander Rainsford, a rank once held by fan-favorite characters Data and Jadzia Dax. For the first time in any "Star Trek" installment, the series won't focus on a captain. This could give the story a bigger opportunity to explore the conflicts and drama of working inside a complex bureaucracy. The African-American star is expected to appear in all 13 episodes of the program.

Best known for playing the fierce survivor Sasha on AMC's zombie drama, Martin-Green will continue to be in the said show as a series regular even after being booked on "Star Trek: Discovery." Also worth noting is that "The Walking Dead" has already finished production for its current season. Should Martin-Green's character Sasha survive, the series won't start filming until summer of next year.

The actress joins recently announced cast members Michelle Yeoh (Captain Georgiou), Anthony Rapp (Lieutenant Stamets), and Doug Jones (Lieutenant Saru). This week, Chris Obi, Shazad Latif, and Mary Chieffo were also tapped to join the show as Klingons.

"Star Trek: Discovery" centers on the franchise's Enterprise, now known as the U.S.S. Discovery. New characters will be introduced as they continue to seek new worlds and civilizations. While doing their mission, they will also explore the dramatic contemporary themes that have been the franchise's signature since its debut in 1966. Launching the series is part of CBS' efforts to compete with other streaming networks like Netflix and Amazon.

Aside from "The Walking Dead," Martin-Green's other TV acting stints include recurring roles in "New Girl," "Once Upon a Time," "The Good Wife," and "NYC 22." Her most recent feature films include "Shockwave Darkside," "Toe to Toe," and "On the Bridge."

The first season of "Star Trek: Discovery" spans 13 episodes, and it is scheduled to premiere in May 2017 on CBS All Access.