When Star Trek Picard premiered in 2020, one of its brightest revelations was Isa Briones. New to the franchise, Briones was a core part of the story who’s first season came in two parts; Dahj, who was swiftly killed off in the first episode revealing her synthetic origins as one half of a pair, giving us her second and most vital character, Soji.
Having been in the spotlight since she was three years old, Isa Briones is one part of a family of actors. Her parents – Megan Johnson and Jon Jon Briones – are both working actors, as is her brother Teo. Having been raised within the industry, Briones had a huge learning experience throughout her life and career before being cast in Picard. Coming fresh off a Broadway run of Hamilton, Briones was only twenty years old at the time she filmed her first scenes for the show but at such a young age was able to master the layered performance the demanding role required.
Throughout the first season she primarily portrayed the troubled Soji; a young woman unaware of her synthetic nature who becomes entangled with a Romulan spy and helps avert the end of all organic life in the galaxy. Aside from being Soji, Dahj and Sutra in the first season, her roles continued to evolve as she appeared as Kore in the second. As the first successful clone that began the Soong family legacy in artificial life, she played a small but vital role in the backstory of Picard and his links to the 24th century.
Her final scenes in Picard saw Kore rebel against her father and creator despite that meaning her own death, only to be saved by Wesley Crusher who was now a Traveller bringing her into the otherworldly watchers of the universe. When it came to season three, the budget and story demands meant that Briones time on Star Trek had come to an end. Despite the memorable role running it’s course, her career soared.
Moving into a teen horror role, Briones became one of the regular cast in Disney’s revival of Goosebumps alongside Justin Long and David Schwimmer. Joining as Margaret Stokes, she played well in the supernatural mystery paying to a much younger and different audience where she got to show off her diverse range.
As the daughter of an acting family however, theatre was her home. Following Picard she reaffirmed her stage presence with high profile productions including playing Eurydice in the Broadway production of Hadestown – a role that saw her working with her father Jon Jon who played the part of Hermes. Her acting skilled were further flexed with 2025’s production of All Nighter, though her time on screen has only grown to higher profiles since her time on Star Trek.
Expanding further into drama, she gained the role of Dr Trinity Santos in celebrated production The Pitt. Working alongside lead star and ER legend Noah Wylie among other huge talents, Briones leaned into a more grounded character driven role with ease, highlighting her refusal to be boxed into any genre with her talent and versatility.
While some struggle with early success and typecasting, Briones has diversified her stage and screen credits to showcase her range and talent, honed through years of theatre training and artistic curiosity. Still only in her mid 20’s, she’s shown herself to be an artist who values challenge, versatility, and continues to captivate audiences with performances marked by depth, intelligence, and emotional resonance.
If her post-Picard trajectory is any indication, Isa Briones is only beginning to show the full scope of what she can do. And her next chapter is nothing but blue skies…
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