'Star Trek' actor Kenneth Mitchell dies at 49

Kenneth Mitchell, left, pictured, with Kenric Green, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mary Chieffo and Alex Kurtzman at the Governors Ball during night one of the Television Academy’s 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, died Saturday at 49. ((Richard Shotwell / Invision/ AP))

Canadian actor Kenneth Mitchell, known for his roles in “Star Trek: Discovery,” “Captain Marvel” and the TV series “Jericho,” died Saturday at age 49 after a 5 1/2-year battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), his family shared on X.

The actor disclosed his illness in a 2020 interview with People magazine.

“I think it, over time, became the theme of us accepting this with grace,” he told the publication. “Trying to see the beauty in it, in a way. I’ll never forget, one of my Star Trek costars told me, because they had dealt with some trying times with illnesses and stuff, and I remember them communicating to me, saying, ‘You have a choice. You can look at this in many different ways, but maybe try to look at this like a gift where you get to experience life in a way that most people don’t.'”

Mitchell played three roles in three seasons on “Star Trek: Discovery.” The last character, Aurelio, who used a hoverchair, was created to reflect the actor’s need for a wheelchair. He also voiced three characters in the first season of “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”

For two seasons, Mitchell played Eric Green opposite Skeet Ulrich in “Jericho,” a 2006 CBS drama about life in a small Kansas town following a nuclear attack, which was notably brought back for a second season by a fan campaign after being canceled by the network.

In a two-decade career, the actor played more than 50 roles, including TV appearances in “The Astronaut Wives Club” as Deke Slayton, “Ghost Whisperer,” “Switched at Birth” and “Frequency.” Film roles included “Miracle,” starring Kurt Russell, in which Mitchell played Ralph Cox, the last player cut from the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, and “Captain Marvel.” His most recent role was a 2022 episode of the FX series “The Old Man,” starring Jeff Bridges.

Mitchell was born in Toronto, Canada, on Nov. 25, 1974, and is survived by his wife Susan, their children Lilah and Kallum, his parents Diane and David, and his brother Sean.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.