Kenneth Mitchell’s career was tragically cut short, but the Star Trek: Discovery star 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 in Captain Marvel (2019) as the superhero’s father. But the Toronto-born actor will be best remembered by Star Trek: Discovery fans 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 in Star Trek: Discovery?

Kenneth Mitchell’s journey with Star Trek: Discovery started in 2017 with the show’s debut, and went on until the third season in 2021. The actor portrayed several noteworthy roles, including:

Kol: Mitchell made his debut as Kol, the Klingon warrior from the House of Kor, whom he played in five episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, season 1. The actor had an unlikely start, as he had no idea he was auditioning to be a Klingon. But the role turned out to be a near-perfect fit, as he pulled off the demeanor of the villainous Klingon starship commander. Mitchell embraced the challenge head-on, as he went above and beyond to learn Klingon speech. Thanks to his dedication, he delivered a powerful, memorable performance as Kol.
Kol-Sha: After Kol's death in the first season, Mitchell expressed his wish to return to the show as a Changeling. However, he got his opportunity through a different Klingon role — this time as Kol-Sha, Kol’s father. Once again, the actor brought his menacing appearance to the show as the head of the House of Kor in season 2, episode 3.
Tenavik: Kenneth Mitchell’s connection with the Klingon world went even further when he portrayed Tenavik, the Time Keeper, in Star Trek: Discovery, season 2, episode 12, as well as an uncredited appearance in episode 14. Interestingly, Tenavik happens to be the same child kidnapped by Mitchell’s other character, Kol-Sha, in season 2, episode 3, “Point of Light.” Tenavik is the son of Voq and L'rell, and Mitchell's performance conveys the complex emotions of coming face-to-face with his complicated familial history. Despite being just a few months old, Tenavik lives as a fully grown adult in a monastery with Klingon monks guarding the sacred time crystals.
Aurellio: In the final and possibly most significant role of his career, Mitchell played the scientist Aurellio, a role specifically created for the actor after his ALS diagnosis and the resulting progression of his illness. The actor shed his heavy Klingon makeup to play a human scientist employed by the Emerald Chain in two episodes of season 3. The character moves around in a hover-chair due to paralysis from a genetic condition, which mirrors Mitchell’s own use of a wheelchair at the time due to his loss of mobility as a result of ALS. Aurellio works for the antagonist Osyraa, but after building a rapport with fellow scientist Paul Stamets, he ends up helping the Discovery crew.

Kenneth Mitchell also voiced three characters in the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks in 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 of Star 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 the Star Trek fandom 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 the first season of Star 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, as the writers of Star Trek: Discovery created 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 the Star Trek franchise’s long-standing tradition of inclusivity, stating in an interview with trekmovie.com:

There hasn’t been a lot of disabled characters on Trek for 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.

The Star Trek: Discovery team 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.

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