Nigerian-born actor Babs Olusanmokun performs Dr. Joseph M’Benga in Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds. Dr. M’Benga was first launched within the Star Trek: The Unique Sequence season 2 episode “A Non-public Little Conflict,” the place the character was performed by Booker Bradshaw. M’Benga would solely make yet one more look in TOS season 3’s “That Which Survives.” In Unusual New Worlds, Dr. M’Benga serves because the Chief Medical Officer on the USS Enterprise beneath the command of Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). Dr. M’Benga has an advanced historical past not solely as a superb healer but in addition as a highly-skilled fighter.

By the point of Star Trek: The Unique Sequence, Dr. M’Benga has stepped down as Chief Medical Officer and was changed by Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (DeForest Kelley), although M’Benga nonetheless serves as a normal doctor on the Enterprise. The one vital piece of knowledge realized about Dr. M’Benga in TOS was that he had intensive data of Vulcan physiology as a result of he accomplished his medical internship on the planet Vulcan. With not a lot to go on, Unusual New Worlds and Babs Olusanmokun have managed to reinvent the character in a captivating method.

Babs Olusanmokun & Dr. M’Benga In Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds Defined

Previous to his time because the Enterprise’s Chief Medical Officer, M’Benga served as a fight medic within the Klingon Conflict, which is the place he first met Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush). Sooner or later throughout his service, M’Benga was an operative within the Starfleet particular forces the place he earned the nickname “Ghost” and held the report for probably the most confirmed hand-to-hand kills. M’Benga was additionally stationed on the entrance traces at J’Gal, the place he reluctantly took up a weapon once more regardless of his determination to give attention to medication. M’Benga grew to become the CMO of the Enterprise within the late 2250s alongside Nurse Chapel. He has a daughter named Rukiya (Sage Arrindell), who suffered from an incurable sickness and finally joined an alien entity to turn out to be a being of pure consciousness.

Babs Olusanmokun has been performing since 2004 and has appeared as a visitor star on episodes of a number of well-liked tv exhibits, together with Veronica Mars, Regulation & Order: SVU, Regulation & Order: Prison Intent, Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and Gotham. He starred within the Historical past Channels 2016 reimagining of Roots as Omoro Kinte. Olusanmokun additionally appeared in Marvel’s The Defenders as Sowande and within the Black Mirror episode “Black Museum.” He performed Normal Azikiwe in Prime Video’s The Widow, and Damian within the miniseries Too Outdated to Die Younger. Olusanmokun appeared in Man Ritchie’s Wrath of Man and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune in 2021. Babs Olusanmokun has a third-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which the creators of Unusual New Worlds integrated into the character of Dr. M’Benga.

How Unusual New Worlds Modified Dr. M’Benga From Star Trek: TOS For The Higher

Since he solely appeared in two episodes of Star Trek: The Unique Sequence, not a lot was identified about Dr. M’Benga previous to Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds. Within the TOS episode “A Non-public Little Conflict,” Dr. M’Benga used his data of Vulcan physiology to assist Spock after he was shot with an old-school firearm. M’Benga doesn’t get a lot display screen time, however he proves to be a particularly competent physician, if a bit indifferent. M’Benga’s subsequent TOS look, in “That Which Survives,” is even briefer as he supervises the post-mortem of an Enterprise crewman who died mysteriously.

Babs Olusanmokun’s portrayal of M’Benga has introduced extra depth to the character and Unusual New Worlds has given him a captivating backstory. Olusanmokun performs Dr. M’Benga with a heat that the character lacked in TOS. Regardless of his violent background, M’Benga’s compassion and look after his sufferers is clear. Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds has not solely stuffed in Dr. M’Benga’s background, however Olusanmokun’s portrayal has additionally made him a extra compelling and likable character.