On Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Kerrice Brooks plays a new kind of hologram named SAM, an acronym for “Series Acclimation Mil.” Her character is the academy’s first “photonic” cadet, referring to beings or tech composed of particles of light and energy.
The queer Washington, D.C. native starred in two TV series in 2024, My Old Ass and Feeling Randy, and will share the screen with Matt Damon in an untitled film by the Daniels due out in 2027.
“I’ve always felt a deep spiritual connection to each of the characters that choose me,” Brooks says. ”It’s an honor to get to devote myself to their psyche, and learn about myself in the process.”
The 26-year-old says embracing depression was their biggest obstacle in 2026, something she said “stems from a lot of unaddressed experiences from my past.”
In May, Brooks and her Star Trek co-stars were honored with the Ensemble Award at the 3rd Annual Critics Choice Association Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television, which she cites as one of her proudest moments.
“Not everyone will get down with who you are. And that’s ok! That doesn’t mean you’re too much, just that you’re on the way to the right people,” she says. “The joy is in the pursuit. The journey. Feel it all, and eventually you do figure it out. And continue leading with love.” @lilkerriceb
