Lydia Wilson (born 30 November 1984; age 40) is a British actress and singer who portrayed Kalara in Star Trek Beyond.
Wilson completed a foundation course at the Chelsea College of Art and Design and studied English at the University of Cambridge where she earned a first class degree. She also trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
Among her earlier roles are Never Let Me Go (2010), guest roles in episodes of Pete Versus Life (2010), Inspector Barnaby (2010), and Any Human Heart (2010, with Kim Cattrall), and a recurring role in South Riding (2011).
Further work includes guest roles in The Crimson Petal and the White (2011), Black Mirror (2011), Dirk Gently (2012), and Misfits (2013), The Making of a Lady (2012), the drama About Time (2013), and the short drama Hereafter (2013, with Anthony Stewart Head). Beside film and television, Wilson also appeared in stage plays such as "The Heretic", "Hysteria", and "King Charles III".
Wilson also portrayed Mimi Morton in the third, fourth, and fifth seasons of the crime series Ripper Street (2014-2016) and filmed the romance Love Is Thicker Than Water (2015).
Wilson is not a Trekkie, but she understood taking on the role how much the franchise meant to them. Calling them the "guardians" of the series, Wilson claimed she had a dream where Zachary Quinto reminded they were the reason they were making the film: "It was this sort of spirit quest, like an entry into Star Trek where Zach is my spirit guide explaining to me the sort of respect that he has and we all must have for the people who this belongs to. I haven't told him about it yet." [1]
Wilson spent four hours in make-up for her role in Beyond and spent most of her screentime with the late Anton Yelchin, whom she called "a beautiful, beautiful man." [2]