When you see Sonequa Martin-Green leading a starship in Star Trek: Discovery or holding her own against a horde of walkers in The Walking Dead, you see a woman of immense steel. She’s got this presence. It’s a mix of raw vulnerability and unshakable authority. But most fans don’t realize that the foundation of that strength was forged back in Russellville, Alabama, by two people who shaped her entire worldview.
Sonequa Martin-Green parents, Charles Winston Martin and Vera Lynn Martin-Moore, weren't Hollywood royalty. They were regular people who dealt with the kind of heavy life stuff that most of us pray we never have to face. Honestly, their story is as cinematic as any script Sonequa has ever read—though it ends with a level of tragedy that still feels hard to process.
Who Were Sonequa Martin-Green’s Parents?
Sonequa was born Sonequa Chaunté Martin in March 1985. Growing up in a small town like Russellville, her world was anchored by her mother and father, even after they eventually divorced.
Charles Winston Martin, her father, was born in 1943. He was a man of his generation—sturdy, a presence in her life even as the family structure shifted. Her mother, Vera Lynn Martin-Moore (formerly Freeman), was born in 1950 and eventually remarried.
Sonequa wasn't an only child, either. She grew up with one full sister, NaKisha, and three older paternal half-sisters. You can imagine the house was full. It was a Southern upbringing, through and through.
The Career That Almost Wasn't
Interestingly, Sonequa didn't always want to be an actress. Her parents watched her obsess over human behavior. She actually wanted to be a psychologist.
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It makes sense, right?
If you look at how she plays Michael Burnham or Sasha Williams, she’s always digging into the why of the character. She told reporters once that she was in a 10th-grade rehearsal when it just clicked. The epiphany hit her: acting and psychology are basically the same thing. You're just exploring why people do what they do, but with better lighting. Her parents supported that pivot, watching her graduate from the University of Alabama in 2007 with a theater degree.
The 2021 Tragedy: A Loss Beyond Words
If you follow Sonequa on social media, you might remember April 2021. It was a month that redefined her life in the most painful way possible.
In a span of just 24 hours, Sonequa lost both of her parents.
It’s the kind of thing that sounds like a cruel plot twist. Her father, Charles, passed away first after a "brief but aggressive" battle with cancer. He was 78. Then, the very next day, her mother Vera died of a heart attack.
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A Mother's Resilience
Vera Lynn was a fighter. Before the heart attack took her, she had survived cancer three separate times. Think about that. Three times.
Sonequa has often spoken about how her mother’s grace during those treatments inspired her own work with organizations like Stand Up To Cancer. She saw her mother endure the physical toll of the disease without losing her spirit.
- Charles Winston Martin: Died April 9, 2021 (Cancer)
- Vera Lynn Martin-Moore: Died April 10, 2021 (Heart Attack)
The symmetry of their deaths—dying just one day apart—is something Sonequa has described as both devastating and strangely poetic. In her own words, she felt they were "joined at the hip" even in the end.
How Her Parents Influenced Her "Star Trek" Journey
Losing both parents while starring in a major franchise is a heavy lift. When Sonequa returned to the set of Star Trek: Discovery, she carried that grief with her. But she didn't just bury it. She used it.
The character of Michael Burnham is defined by loss—the loss of her biological parents, the loss of her mentor Georgiou. Sonequa has been open about how her real-life mourning informed the "gut-wrenching" scenes in the later seasons of the show.
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She's basically a living testament to the resilience her mother showed during those three cancer battles.
Family Ties and the Next Generation
Today, Sonequa is a parent herself. She and her husband, Kenric Green (who actually played Scott on The Walking Dead), have a son named Kenric Justin Green II and a daughter named Saraiyah Chaunté.
She often reflects on the "legacy of love" her parents left behind. Despite the divorce, despite the health battles, there was a core of strength there. She carries her mother's middle name, and she passed her own middle name, Chaunté, down to her daughter.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Supporters
Understanding the story of Sonequa Martin-Green's parents gives you a much deeper appreciation for her performances. If you're looking to support the causes that were close to her family’s heart, here is how you can actually make an impact:
- Support Cancer Research: Sonequa is a vocal ambassador for Stand Up To Cancer. Following her mother's three-time survival and her father's passing, this is her primary philanthropic focus.
- Advocate for Heart Health: Given that her mother passed away from a heart attack, supporting the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign is a direct way to honor that legacy.
- Binge with Context: Go back and watch The Walking Dead Season 5 or the later seasons of Discovery. Knowing she was often filming through personal family health crises—and eventually her own pregnancy—changes the way you see those high-stakes scenes.
Sonequa’s story isn't just about a girl from Alabama making it big. It’s about a daughter who watched her parents fight, saw them leave this world together, and decided to keep their strength alive through her art. It's heavy, yeah. But it's also incredibly beautiful.