<P> Michael Burnham is a fictional character on Star Trek : Discovery portrayed by American actress Sonequa Martin - Green . She originally appears as the First Officer of the USS Shenzhou under Philippa Georgiou ( Michelle Yeoh ) until she commits mutiny and is stripped of rank . Burnham is later recruited by Gabriel Lorca ( Jason Isaacs ) on the USS Discovery as a science specialist after serving only six months of her life sentence , with Lorca viewing Burnham as an asset in the war against the Klingons . She serves as the series lead . The character is introduced as an anthropologist helping the Earth - based Starfleet understand and engage with new cultures in outer space . </P>
<P> Michael Burnham is a fictional character on Star Trek : Discovery portrayed by American actress Sonequa Martin - Green . She originally appears as the First Officer of the USS Shenzhou under Philippa Georgiou ( Michelle Yeoh ) until she commits mutiny and is stripped of rank . Burnham is later recruited by Gabriel Lorca ( Jason Isaacs ) on the USS Discovery as a science specialist after serving only six months of her life sentence , with Lorca viewing Burnham as an asset in the war against the Klingons . She serves as the series lead . The character is introduced as an anthropologist helping the Earth - based Starfleet understand and engage with new cultures in outer space . </P>
who plays michael burnham on star trek discovery
who plays michael burnham on star trek discovery
Sonequa Martin - Green
Sonequa Martin - Green