Star Trek is something of a cult classic now, with so many fans the world over, and Trekkie conventions that pull in the masses. Have you ever wondered what some of your favorite Star Trek characters and cast members were up to these days though?
Deanna Troi – Marina Sirtis
This British-American actress was born in London, and is very well known for her part in Star Trek: The Next Generation, in which she plays Deanna Troi, a half-human, half-Betazoid who was also the counsellor on the ship, the USS Enterprise-D.
Not just appearing in the TV show, Marina also starred in all four of the films that followed on, and has also appeared in Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, and also Star Trek continues.
She’s been in a few films over the years – The Grudge 3 in 2009, and also 2004’s Crash.
Hoshi Sato – Linda Park
Hoshi Sato was a communications officer in Star Trek: Enterprise, first appearing in 2001 and hanging around until 2005, and she was played by Linda Park, a Korean-American actress. Not just famous for her role in the sci-fi classic, you may also have spotted Linda in a number of other roles over the years. She appeared in Jurassic Park III in 2001, before her ‘Trekkie’ days, and she went on to star in Crash since, as well as appearing in NCIS, House, The Mentalist, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Commander T’Pol – Jolene Blalock
When she was aged just 17, Jolene Blalock left home to become a model for the Asia and European market. After finding the modeling world difficult despite becoming a huge hit for guy’s mags, she made the leap into an acting career, with small roles in TV shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Veronica’s Closet, and Love Boat: The Next Wave. It wasn’t until 2001 that she was offered the part of Commander T’Pol, a revolution she still says “delighted her” to this day.
Jadzia Dax – Terry Farrell
Before Terry Farrell got the part of Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, she almost lost out to Martha Hackett, who also auditioned for the role. At just 16 years old, a young Terry Farrell headed to New York to become a model, and within just a couple of days of getting there, had been signed by the women’s mag, Mademoiselle. It was during her almost two years of modelling that she studied acting, and in 1993, she was offered the part of Jadzia. She since went on to star in Becker.
Ensign Ro Laren – Michelle Forbes
She’s well known in the US and the UK for her parts in hit TV shows, but Michelle Forbes, real name Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo, is most remembered her playing the part of Ensign Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation. She has had various TV roles over the years, including in Prison Break, 24, Durham County, and more recently, True Blood, and you’ll also spot her in another sci-fi hit – Battlestar Galatica. Not bad for the little girl who actually wanted to become a ballet dancer.
William T. Riker – Jonathan Frakes
He will be best remembered for his role as William T. Riker, but it wasn’t a role that he found easy to come by. He went to auditions over six weeks to bag himself the part, and in total it took seven auditions for the producers to be won over by him. According to reports, he pipped Jeffrey Combs, Erich Anderson, and William O. Armstrong to the post. Since then, Jonathan has gone on to host 45 episodes of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction?, and has also popped up on Roswell, Futurama, and CriminalMinds.
Jonathan Archer – Scott Bakula
He’s well known for his sci-fi roles, particularly Captain Jonathan Archer on Star Trek: Enterprise, and also for Quantum Leap, in which he plays Sam Beckett. He actually won a Golden Globe for his performance in the latter. Since his sci-fi days, Scott seems to have found great success in the world of TV, currently starring in NCIS: New Orleans as Dwayne Pride, a role he’s been in since 2014. You may also remember that he popped up in Desperate Housewives for a spell too? He played Trip Weston.
Hikaru Sulu – George Takei
In the original series of Star Trek, Hikaru Sulu was the helmsmen of the USS Enterprise, and he was played by the American actor, author, activist and director, George Takei. He’s clearly a big fan of the sci-fi stuff, popping up in Star Trek: Voyager too, and appearing in all six of the feature films as Hikaru. TV has been good to him over the years, and as well as appearing in Futurama (as himself), he was also in Hawaii Five-0, The Big Bang Theory, Will & Grace, and many more.
Captain James T. Kirk – William Shatner
William Shatner has done a lot in his life. The 85-year-old actor (correct at the time of writing), has managed to fit in over seventy years of film and TV work, and one of his most famous roles was as Captain James T. Kirk, first appearing in the pilot episode of the original Star Trek TV series in 1966. TV has definitely been a good career choice for this actor and author, and he’s since gone on to star and appear in a number of shows, including winning Emmy Awards for his part in Boston Legal and The Practice.
Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy – DeForest Kelley
You’ll probably remember DeForest Kelley from the Star Trek original TV series, and then the movies that followed on from that. He was Dr. Leonard McCoy, or just “Bones”, on the USS Enterprise, a typecast he found very difficult to shake once his stint on the show ended. He ended up receiving so much money from appearing at Trekkie conventions that he eventually gave up the acting life, and stomach cancer caused his death in 1999. His final appearance was in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991.
Vulcan Valeris – Kim Cattrall
Do you remember this famous face? Yes, that’s no other than Sex and the City actress, Kim Cattrall – the famous Samantha Jones, a friend you probably wouldn’t introduce to your mom. She played the part of Vulcan Valeris. Speaking of Vulcans, did you know that there was a place in Alberta, Canada called Vulcan, and it’s in Vulcan County? The place has now taken on a definitively Trekkie feels these days, with various statues and monuments erected in the namesake’s honor.
Lt. Commander Data – Brent Spiner
He’s tried his hand at a few things before Brent Spiner’s 15 year stint with the Star Trek franchise started, first playing Lieutenant Commander Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was a stage actor for a while, and took part in a few TV movies and pilots, but it was the Trekkie scene that really kick-started his career. His most recent appearance was in the 2016 movie, Independence Day: Resurgence, but you may also remember spotting him in quite a few other movies – Dude, Where’s My Car?, The Aviator, and also Independence Day.
Tasha Yar – Denise Crosby
It started with Star Trek: The Next Generation, when Denise Crosby got the part for Lieutenant Tasha Yar, a position she held for 31 episodes. She then went on to play Dr. Jenna Yar in Star Trek: New Voyages, although more recently, you may have spotted her in another cult classic. It was 2014, the TV show was The Walking Dead, and she played Mary for three episodes. You may also remember seeing her in a recent episode of Scandal.
Wesley Crusher – Wil Wheaton
He plays a fictional version of himself in The Big Bang Theory, which is actually a little creepy when you think about it, but that’s not the biggest thing that Will Wheaton is known for. In fact, it’s playing Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Since his Trekkie days, you’ll have seen him in a whole bunch of stuff, including The Wil Wheaton Project, Family Guy, Criminal Minds, Numb3rs, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and that’s before you look at movies like Sharknado 2: The Second One. (Yes, that’s actually what it’s called!)
Dr. Beverly Crusher – Gates McFadden
She played Wesley Crusher’s mother in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Gates McFadden also had appearances in four of the movies that followed on from the hit show. Have you heard of Cheryl McFadden though? That’s her alter ego – the choreographer version of herself. She’s not just an actor, but a choreographer too, and she uses the name change to differentiate between the two. As well as sparse TV and movie appearances, Gates can also be seen in a number of commercials for computer company, Microsoft.
Lieutenant Worf – Michael Dorn
There are two “starships” in Michael Dorn’s life. Well, actually there were a few, but aside from the ones in the Star Trek franchise, there is also his Lockhead T-33 trainer jet, which he’s fully trained to fly. Lieutenant Worf, Michael’s character in the show, was the first main Klingon character, and the actor can also boast to being in more episodes within the Star Trek franchise than other actor on the cast list. He’s been in five of the films (count them!), and over 270 TV episodes.
Guinan – Whoopi Goldberg
Ghost actor, Whoopi Goldberg, had a regular part on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and then went on to start in two of the movies also, but that’s probably not the first thing that springs to mind when you think of this award-winning Hollywood great. Sister Act, for example, grossed over $200 million, and then she lent her voice to Walt Disney’s The Lion King. In fact, when you take a look back through her filmography, you may be surprised by what you see on it.
B’Elanna Torres – Roxann Dawson
During the eighties and nineties, Roxann Dawson was a small-time actress, taking on minor roles, usually in lesser-known TV shows, and working on the stage. Her big break came in 1994 when she was offered the part of B’Elanna Torres on Star Trek: Voyager, a half-Klingon and half-human engineer. She actually branched into directing whilst working on the show, and it wasn’t long before we saw her debut. She even lent her voice to one character in the show she was directing, which means she’s had more than her fair share of roles within the Trekkie franchise.
Geordi La Forge – LeVar Burton
He’s a well respected TV director as well as an actor, but it’s Star Trek: The Next Generation you’ll probably remember him from, playing the part of Geordi La Forge. From a directing perspective, LeVar has directed more of Star Trek TV shows than any of the other “regular” members of the cast, and that’s saying something because quite a few of them branched into directing and/or producing. These days, as well as a very successful acting career, LeVar can be seen fundraising for AIDS Research Alliance, an organization he’s on the board of.
Naomi Widlman – Scarlett Pomers
This actress has been pretty quiet since the early 2000’s, although she did have a few battles of her own to deal with after playing the part of Naomi Wildman on Star Trek: Voyager from 1998 to 2001. She actually made her acting debut in one of Michael Jackson’s music videos – the 1992 hit, “Heal the World”. There was a few TV shows and some commercials in her child-acting years, but her first major role was a Trekkie, and it was the one that saw her catapulted to fame.
Kira Nerys – Nana Visitor
It wasn’t until the 80’s that Nana Visitor started to call herself that. Before then, she’d had a number of minor roles, but had chosen to work under her real name – Nana Tucker. She’d had her fair share of minor TV roles following on from the name change, but it wasn’t until 1993 that she first appeared in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She started out as a Major, and got promoted to Colonel, and once the TV show was over, she moved on to Dark Angel, a slightly different kind of show.
Miles O’Brien – Colm Meaney
There have been a number of recent movie hits starting Miles O’Brien actor, Colm Meaney. Law Abiding Citizen, for example, with Gerard Butler, and Get him to the Greek, also starring Russell Brand, which was utterly hilarious. It’s funny to see how far he’s come since his Star Trek: The Next Generation days, but we can’t forget that he also popped up in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He’s the only “ethnically Irish” Star Trek character, and he was actually born in Ireland in the TV show.
Q – John de Lancie
Another Star Trek character that has share it’s fair share of series and movies, John de Lancie played Q, not just in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but also in Deep Space Nine, and Voyager. He’s had fame in movies as well as in TV, Crank and Crank 2 being two great films we recommend you watch. He was also in The Hand that Rocks the Cradle, Bad Influence, and Evolver. He’s also branched into writing, co-authoring the Star Trek novel, I. Q.
Pavel Chekov – Walter Koenig
He’s mainly classed as an actor, but Walter Koenig has had a career that has spanned over fifty years, and even branched into screenwriting too, penning the InAlienable script in 2008. Most people would better remember him as Pavel Chekov from the original Star Trek series, or maybe even his role in Babylon 5 – Alfred Bester. It was actually a professor who encouraged Walter to take up acting during his time at UCLA, where he was actually studying psychology.
Molly O’Brien – Hana Hatae
She’s 28 years old now, but Hana Hatae was a child actress when we first saw her appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and also Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before her reported return to Star Trek: Renegades, the fan series, she took time out from being an actress and Trek-star to not only teach herself the violin, but also become a photography assistant. Some people just prefer life on the other side the camera sometimes.
Opaka Sulan – Camille Saviola
Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Rachel has to argue with the woman in the laundromat so that she didn’t steal her machine. No suds, no save, and all that? Well, the woman who played that beast in the laundromat was Camille Saviola, also made popular among the Trekkie community by playing Kai Opaka in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. You might have spotted her in Nip/Tuck a few years ago, as well as Entourage, and there was also ER and Judging Amy too. She’s been busy!
Chakotay – Robert Beltran
Robert Beltran played First Officer, Chakotay, onboard the USS Voyager in Star Trek: Voyager, and stayed around for seven series too. The first Native American in all of the TV shows and movies, he was brought into the cast to bring a touch of diversity into the mix. Since then, he’s had a number of roles, including in the following – Big Love, CSI: Miami, Murder, She Wrote, Eating Raoul, and more. In fact, it was the latter that shot him to fame in the first place.
Tom Paris – Robert Duncan McNeill
Seven years after breaking into the TV scene, Robert Duncan McNeill appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Tom Paris in 1992, after starring in over 170 episodes of Star Trek: Voyager beginning in 1995. He’s been in his fair share of TV shows over the years, definitely a more successful career choice than his film one, and he even popped up in Quantum Leap, Murder, She Wrote, All My Children, and more.
Emergency Medical Hologram – Robert Picardo
Not only was The Doctor, also known as EMH or Emergency Medical Hologram, in Star Trek: Voyager, but he also had his own little spot within the Las Vegas Hilton for a while, in the amusement exhibition. Robert Picardo was the man who got he pleasure of playing him, an actor with some serious work under his belt. There was a recent episode of Lucifer, as well as the pilot of Star Trek: Renegades in 2015. Other ties include Body of Proof, Supernatural, Chuck, and CSI: NY.
Harry Kim – Garrett Wang
Playing the part of Ensign Harry Kim, Garrett Wang really couldn’t make his mind up when he was at school, constantly changing majors, and not really knowing what he wanted to do with his life …much like most of us to be fair. He threw Political Science in there, as well as Biology, and even Economics. Since his Trekkie days, he’s become somewhat of a fan-interviewer, regularly appearing at conventions to interview the biggest and best stars who turn up there.
Beta 5 Computer – Barbara Babcock
In 1967-68, Barbara Babcock appeared in six episodes of the original Star Trek series, and as well as offering her voice for the Beta 5 Computer, she also had a couple of other characters. Since then, her most successful work seems to be on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and she was nominated for awards over the 100 episodes she appeared in. Her more recent work includes Judging Amy, Frasier, and Chicago Hope.
Commodore José Mendez – Malachi Throne
Before lung cancer cut his life short at 84 years old, Malachi Throne had done some serious acting jobs in his career, many of them sci-fi themed. He appeared in a more than just one of the Star Wars TV shows, including the original series, and Star Trek: The Next Generation too. In the 1966 ABC Batman series, he played “False Face”, the villain, and he’s had a number of other Batman roles too. His TV career was definitely more prominent than his film career, but he did have minor success with that also.
Chief Humboldt – George Sawaya
George Sawaya died aged 80 in 2003, but he had a long and interesting life, one that saw him playing the part of stuntman. Not just that, he was also an actor, and although many of his roles were actually uncredited to him, he’s appeared in hundreds of movies and TV shows along the way. He’s another of the occasional cast members who had a couple of different roles. Not just playing Chief Humboldt, he also played a Klingon.
Ann Mulhall – Diana Muldaur
It was in 1965 that Diana Muldaur’s TV career started to pick up, and she bagged herself a role on the CBS soap, The Secret Storm, in which she played Ann Wicker. She then went on to appear in a number of other shows, such as Hawaii 5-0, Run for Your Life, and The Invaders. It was the episode titled “Return to Tomorrow” that Ann Mulhall, the science officer, first appeared, and then she even played another character in another episode before her main character role was reserved for her.
Dr. Simon van Gelder / Captain Ron Tracey – Morgan Woodward
Morgan Woodward played a couple of different characters during his life, both of which popped up in the original Star Trek, the first of which was in 1966. He plays Dr. Simon van Gelder in this early episode, and it wasn’t until the second season that Captain Ron Tracey came into the mix, the USS Exeter Commander. One of his more famous roles was probably in the TV show Dallas. He had a regular part on that show – Punk or Marvin Anderson. He’s also been in a whole host of other shows, including The Waltons, The Incredible Hulk, Murder, She Wrote, The X-Files, CHiPs, and so many more.
Koloth – William Campbell
In 1967, we saw William Campbell playing the part of Trelane in the original series of Star Trek. In the same year, a different episode, he plays Koloth, in an episode called “The Trouble with Tribbles”. He resurrected the latter part in a 1994 episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and there have also been a string of other TV appearances. Quincy, M.D., Ironside, and Cannonball are all hits under his belt, and that’s before you start dealing into his filmography.
Lt. Rahda – Naomi Pollack
In season three of the original series of Star Trek, you’ll see Naomi Pollack playing two different parts. In one episode, she plays an Indian woman, and she took on the role of Lieutenant Rahda later on in the series. After having little success in TV, appearing in a TV show called Korg: 70,000 B.C., She co-founded the award-winning A Traveling Jewish Theatre. Her showbiz TV and movie lifestyle seems to have taken a backseat.
Craig Huxley – Peter
He had many job roles over his career – writer, actor, film composer, music producer, and even film producer, but he started it all off as a child actor. He actually played two parts in Star Trek, the first of which was Peter Kirk, the nephew of Captain James T. Kirk, and the second of which was an orphan who went by the name of Tommy the following year. From then his life took a more musical turn, and he actually became William Shatner’s musical director, and even went on to work with Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Michael Jackson.
Ian Wolfe – Mr. Atoz
Just two years before he died, Ian Wolfe retired from acting in 1990, but before that, with a career that started in the thirties, he’d appeared in over 400 pieces for both TV and film. In the 1930s, he was very much a theatre actor, and he even turned his hand to writing and poetry too, self-publishing two books of his poetry works. How we had the time with all those appearances going on, we don’t know, but he lived a long and healthy life, dying at 95 years old.
Celeste Yarnall – Yeoman Martha Landon
In 1967, we saw Celeste Yarnall play Yeoman Martha Landon in Star Trek: The Original Series, and in 2006 she can also be seen in Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. Now 72 years old, she seems to have retired from acting almost entirely, and hasn’t really been seen in anything since the nineties. She was once chased by Elvis Presley however, in the 1968 movie, Live A Little, Love A Little. That’s not a bad claim to fame, right? We certainly don’t think so.
Gillian Taylor – Catherine Hicks
It was in the film, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home that we met Dr. Gillian Taylor, played by Catherine Hicks. You might have remembered her from the 1982-1983 series Tucker’s Witch, and also the movies, Marilyn:The Untold Story, and RedwoodCurtain. Following on from her Trekkie days, Catherine appeared as Annie Camden in 7th Heaven for 239 episodes, as well as having brief appearances in other, lesser-known TV shows.
Anne Ramsay – Ensign Clancy
Her first ever TV role was in A Year in the Life in 1978, but Anne Ramsay has become pretty well known for contribution to not only TV shows, but movies too. Her most recent TV shows include greats such as Hart of Dixie, Dexter, GhostWhisperer, and House, and movies include Off the Ledge, Wild About Harry, and Planet of the Apes. One of her biggest roles was in the TV show, The Secret Life of the American Teenager.
Diana Muldaur – Doctor Pulaski
We saw Diana Muldaur playing Doctor Katharine Pulaski in Star Trek: The Next Generation, but she’s pretty well known for a number of TV roles. She was in Born Free, as well as L.A. Law, and she was nominated for a number of Emmy awards for those roles. As well as having great success with both TV and film, Diana also took up a keen interest in dog breeding, and also judged them. Her breed was the Airedale Terrier. They’re super cute.
Richard Herd – L’Kor
He’s a very well known name in the world of science fiction, and Richard Herd Jr. actually had a wide range of sci-fi themed roles across his career. You’ll have seen him regularly in seaQuest DSV, playing the part of Admiral William Noyce, and he then played the Admiral in Star Trek: Voyager. There was also Quantum Leap, V and V: The Final Battle too. He was always destined for great things, especially when you consider that his first ever film role was alongside Hollywood greats, such as Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda, and Jack Lemmon.
Mark Lenard – Sarek
This American actor died in 1996, but Mark Lenard managed to fit a pretty impressive array of TV appearances and movie roles in his 72 years. He played the father of Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy, and he first popped up in the original Star Trek TV series. However, he didn’t play Sarek in that very first episode, instead playing a Romulan. There was also a Klingon captain in the 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture too. Aside from the Trekkie stuff, Mark starred alongside Clint Eastwood in the 1968 movie, Hang ‘Em High, and had a number of other TV roles.
Alexander Enberg -Taurik
Alexander, or just Alex, Enburg is a film producer and occasional actor, and he’s appeared in not just one series in the Star Trek franchise, but two. In Star Trek: Voyager, he was Vorik, and in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he played the part of Taurik. You may also have spotted him in Star Trek: Voyager – Elite Force, and Star Trek: Elite Force III too. In case you were wondering why his name was familiar, he’s the son of Dick Enburg, the sportscaster.
Kathryn Janeway – Kate Mulgrew
Kate’s career started in the mid seventies, and it’s so far spanned over forty years, and one of her most memorable performances was as Kathryn Janeway, Captain, in Star Trek: Voyager. Not just appearing in a string of TV shows, she’s noted for theatre and film hits too, and you’ll have probably spotted her recently in Orange Is the New Black. You may also have spotted her in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and also in an episode of Murder, She Wrote too.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard – Sir Patrick Stewart
British-born Sir Patrick Stewart is such a big hit in the world of British TV, the Queen of England knighted him for his “services to drama” in 2010. So now you need to say the “Sir” in front of his name, and add ‘OBE’ to the end too. He’s had a long and flourishing career, first starting out in theater before becoming the “Best Dramatic TV Actor of the 1980s” by TV Guide. He’s also appeared in some of the best films of our generation, including the X-Men series of movies, Ted 2, Gnomeo & Juliet, and ChickenLittle!
Kes – Jennifer Lien
Although she’ll be fondly remembered for playing Kes in Star Trek: Voyager, Jennifer Lien’s first job was in a commercial for bubblegum, and she had the job of two to do too – she played the part of twins. She appeared in American History X in 1998, following on from her Star Trek time, and she’s been super quiet in the world of showbiz since the early 2000’s, although seems to have recently gotten herself in to a few spots of bother with the boys in blue…
Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott – James Doohan
James Doohan wasn’t just responsible for playing the part of Scotty – Montgomery Scott – in Star Trek, the TV series and subsequent movies, he was also one of the biggest brainstorms behind some of the greatest features in the franchise. The Vulcan and Klingon languages were partly created by him, and on top of that, many kids have become involved with the field of technical and engineering subjects, due to his ‘Chief Engineer’ status on board the Starship Enterprise. He sadly passed away in July 2005 at the age of 85.
Neelix – Ethan Phillips
New York born actor and playwright, Ethan Phillips is well known for his part in Star Trek: Voyager where he played Neelix, a native from an alien land who ends up on the USS Voyager. Ethan actually started his acting career on the stage, and returned to it after his Trekkie stint. So much so, in fact, that he helped to found an LA lab for playwright development called First Stage. It’s been so successful, it’s been running for almost 25 years!
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok – Tim Russ
Most recently, you will have spotted Tim Russ in TV shows such as The Night Shift in 2015, and also Lab Rats in 2013. Movies have kept him busy too – InAlienable, for example, and Greyscale in 2014. Most of us will remember him as Lt. Commander Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager however. That or when he was in Samantha Who? Before he bagged himself the part of Tuvok, he’s actually worked quite extensively with the franchise, and has since gone on to co-write and direct various fan series.
Keiko O’Brien – Rosalind Chao
Rosalind Chao appeared in both Star Trek: Seep Space Nine, and Star Trek: The Next Generation too, playing the part of Keiko O’Brien. Believe it or not, and here’s a fun fact for you, this actress once spent a lot of time at Disneyland, working as an international tour guide. It was actually while she was working there that she met the British actor, Simon Templeman, and they later got married…at Disneyland! You see – he gets it. Why don’t more men?
Seska – Martha Hackett
Seska was a Bajoran crew member when she popped up in Star Trek: Voyager, and she was played by the wife of the independent moviemaker, Tim Disney- Martha Hackett. She appeared in a couple of the previous shows before finally getting her main part, and she actually originally auctioned for the role of Jadzia Dax in Deep Space Nine. She’s been pretty quiet since her Trekkie days, although has appeared in TV shows such as NCIS. She was also in the 1999 comedy, Never Been Kissed, also starring Drew Barrymore.
Eve McHuron – Karen Steele
“Mudd’s Women” was an episode of Star Trek screened in 1966, starring a pretty fabulous Karen Steele playing the part of Eve McHuron, a woman who was destined to find a settler from the planet of Ophiuchus III and marry him. Hawaiian-born Karen was actually a model and cover girl before she branched into the acting world, but that’s not how she earned her first ever bucks. Quite controversially, her first real income was earned on Barbara Hutton’s estate, spearing baby sharks.
Sylvia – Antoinette Bower
Over the years, Antoinette Bower has starred in a host of TV shows, most of which any TV actor would have been proud of. The Six Million Dollar Man, Murder, She Wrote, and Hogan’s Heroes are in the list, and she also popped up in Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1967 she appeared in an episode of Star Trek, a voodoo-queen who transforms herself into a cat and finally meets her demise. It must be pretty cool to be a Star Trek baddie, right?
Jannar – Ricky Worthy
Jannar – a representative of the Xindi race in the Xindi council – was portrayed in ‘Star Trek: Enterprise’ by Rick Worthy. Although the role was minor, the character of Jannar was often seen with Degra – a character who was a very important part of the Xindi Council. Since his performance in Star Trek, Worthy appeared in a variety of science fiction films, such as ‘X-Men Legends’ and ‘Collateral Damage’. In an interview for a documentary in 2012, Worthy was almost brought to tears when he spoke about the fact that him pursuing his acting career almost left him homeless.
Commander Shran – Jeffrey Combs
Although Combs played various characters throughout the Star Trek series, he is probably best known for his recurring role of Commander Shran on Star Trek: Enterprise. Shran was of the Androian species and was a highly intelligent officer within the Andorian Imperial Guard. After his appearance on the series, he went on to star in a number of films and television shows, most notably Night of the Living Dead 3D: Re-Animation.
Degra – Randy Oglesby
Degra was a part of the Xindi clan and a a representative in the Xindi Council; the character in the ‘Star Trek’ series was portrayed by Randy Oglesby. In the sci-fi series, Degra is married and has two children. However, in Feburary 2154 (based on the plot), Degra was killed in the Reptilian ship disaster. In real life Oglesby is best known for his recurring role in Star Trek, and played more than one role. Aside from that, Oglesby portrayed a guest role on ‘General Hospital’ in 2007.
Vulcan Ambassador Soval – Gary Graham
If you’re a true ‘Star Trek’ fan, you’ll know Soval – the Vulcan ambassador to Earth in the 22nd century. Although the actor who portrayed Soval – Gary Graham – is well-known for his role in the series, he is perhaps best known for his starring role in ‘Alien Nation’ as Detective Matthew Sikes. The series was followed by five television films, airing between 1994 and 1997. Some trekkies may not know this, but Graham currently stars in a new role – Ragnar – in “Star Trek: Of Gods and Men” and will continue to portray this role in “Star Trek: Renegades”.
Admiral Maxwell Forrest – Vaughn Armstrong
Vice Admiral Maxwell Forrest, portrayed by Vaughn Armstrong, was in important part of the Enterprise missions and was in close contact with Jonathan Archer. Unfortunately, Armstrong’s character was killed in a bombing of Earth’s embassy. As an actor, Armstrong is known for portraying many different characters in the franchise. By Armstrong’s interview in 2003, the actor revealed that he played eleven characters in ‘Star Trek’ already, and the plan was for him to play a twelfth character in the 2005 episode – “In a Mirror, Darkly”. Vaughn is now 66 years old.
Christine Chapel – Majel Barrett
Majel Barrett, also known as Majel Barrett-Roddenberry, is a producer as well as an actress, but you’ll probably remember her role as Christine Chapel in Star Trek, the original series. She actually appeared on the show twice. In Star Trek: The Next Generation, she appeared as Lwaxana Troi, and once more in Deep Space Nine. She went on to marry Star Trek creator, Gene Roddenberry, and has since been nicknamed the “First Lady” of the franchise.
Gowron – Robert O’Reilly
Robert O’Reilly, American actor and television star, appeared in the sci-fi franchise ‘Star Trek’ for over a decade, primarily as Chancellor Gowron in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”. For trekkies who don’t quite remember, Gowron was the leader of the Klingon Empire. Following his appearances on Star Trek, O’Reilly also appeared in over one hundred different films and television episodes, as well as Broadway performances and gigs at Carnegie Hall. The actor is now married to his wife Judy, with whom he has triplets (sons), born in 1997.
Vulcan Spock – Leonard Nimoy
Up until his final performance in 2013, Leonard Nimoy played Spock, the first officer and science officer who then ended up being promoted to commanding officer of the Enterprise. He was in the pilot of the show, has had numerous appearances in the follow-on TV shows, and he was also in eight of the movies too. With an asteroid named after him, he branched out into other areas of the arts, including music, photography, writing, and even directing.
Mr. Homn – Carel Struycken
The Dutch actor played the manservant, Mr. Homn in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In the series Mr. Homn accompanies Lwaxana Troi whenever she travels. Interestingly, Homn rarely speaks and is killed when the Jem’Hadar invade Betazed. Just like the character he played, Carel is extremely tall, 7ft to be exact and because of this he often plays giants or roles that make fun of his height! Later on this year Struycken will star in a Showtime revival of the show Twin Peaks.
Admiral Alynna Nechayev – Natalija Nogulich
Serious Star Trek fans will remember that Admiral Alynna Nechayev was extremely fond of Bularian canapés. Actress Natalija Nogulich starred in both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, playing the Starfleet admiral. The character is a fan favorite and often appears in fan fiction, as well as the Star Trek novels. The actress of Serbian descent has appeared in many other movies and TV shows, including Frasier and Home Improvement.
Transporter Technician Hubbell – April Grace
Maggie Hubbell, also known as Transporter Technical Hubbell, was the transporter chief aboard the USS Enterprise-D in the 2360s. The actress who played her, April Grace, moved to Saudi Arabia and then moved to England where she started her acting career. Since appearing on the show April has starred in many other films and television series, including The X-Files, as well as having a recurring role between 2003 and 2004 in Joan of Arcadia where she played Sergeant Toni Williams.
Epsilon Technician – Roger Aaron Brown
Roger Aaron Brown starred as Epsilon IX Technician in Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Although his role was a minor one, after appearing on Star Trek he then went on to have success in many other shows and films including playing John Henry in the 1995 film Tall Tale. He also made a guest appearance on T.J. Hooker with fellow Star Trek actor William Shatner. In the past couple of years it seems that Brown has slowed down in terms of acting.
Harry Mudd – Roger C. Carmel
Believe it or not, Roger C. Carmel actually only appeared in three episodes of Star Trek – two in the original first series of it, and then again in Star Trek: The Animated Series. Other than the regular crew members, he’s one of only a handful of cast who have come back over different series as the same character. He had hundreds of roles, covering TV and film, with a career that covered three decades. He sadly died at just 54 years old in 1986, the case of death being congestive heart failure.
Nyota Uhura – Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana, who was born in the USA but raised in the Dominican Republic, played Nyota Uhura in the 2009 Star Trek film. Nichelle Nichols who played the character in the Star Trek series in the 60s advised Saldana on how to portray the role. Although it is reported that Zoe was anxious about taking the role, she was greatly encouraged and supported by her mother who was a massive Star Trek fan. After acting in the film, she then went on to star in James Cameron’s hit, Avatar.
Amanda Grayson – Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder played Spock’s human mother, Amanda Grayson, in the 2009 film Star Trek. The character dies when Vulcan is destroyed. Ryder is also well known for dating and becoming engaged to Jonny Depp in the early 90s, although the couple split up a few years later. Ryder also starred in the Oscar nominated film Black Swan alongside Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman. Today, Winona plays Joyce Byers in the Netflix original series Stranger Things.
Captain Nero – Eric Bana
Although Eric Bana was not a Star Trek fan growing up and had never seen any of the films, he was extremely excited when he read the script for the 2009 film and promptly accepted the role. Bana played the villain of the film, Captain Nero who destroyed Vulcan. In 2009, Eric also starred in film adaptation of The Time Traveler’s Wife alongside Rachel McAdams. In recent years Eric has been extremely busy starring in various TV shows and films. Later on in the year Bana will star in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed – Dominic Keating
Dominic Keating played Lieutenant Malcolm Reed on Star Trek: Enterprise and it was his first major role in a TV Show. He played the tactical officer and armory officer on the Enterprise Starship who was born in the future year 2117. Since his appearance on the TV series he starred in a number of other shows including Heroes, CSI:NY and Prison Break. The actor also enjoys doing voice work and even worked on Ricky Gervais’ film The Invention Of Lying.
Byron Morrow – Admiral Komack
Here’s a story for you – Byron Morrow, the actor behind Admiral Komack, actually started his acting career during active duty, performing in free times during tours during WWII. It was during the fifties that he first started popping up on the TV and on the silver screen, and during two episodes of the first and original series of Star Trek that we saw him become part of the Trekkie family. He also popped up in two episodes of Ironside, and I Dream of Jeannie too.
1st Cowboy – Paul Baxley
A track and quarterback star in his school years, Paul Baxley also served in WWII as a Marine Scout Sniper, and was not only given a letter of recommendation from the President at the time, but also received a bronze star, and a cheeky couple of purple hearts too. Not just appearing in Star Trek, Paul Baxley also became a stunt double for some of the biggest names in Hollywood – James Dean, for example, and Marlon Brando, who later went on to become his friend. Paul died in 2011.
Lieutenant Uhura – Nichelle Nichols
Her career started in 1959, and she’s appeared in more than a few things since then, but Nichelle Nichols will always be remembered for her character, Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series. She was a ground-breaking actor for her time, becoming the first black African-American to appear on TV in a role that wasn’t servant or slave-based, and she was personally praised for her work for the Civil Rights Movement by Martin Luther King, Jr.
Robin Lefler – Ashley Judd
While many of us will remember Ashley Judd from hit movies such as 1997’s Kiss the Girls, 1999’s Double Jeopardy, and 2002’s High Crimes, you can’t forget that this political activist and American actress once starred in Star Trek: The Next Generation, playing the part of Robin Lefler. She only popped up in two episodes, but she definitely made her mark, and you’ll have seen her more recently in The Divergent Series: Insurgent, and also Allegiant, 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Borg Seven of Nine – Jeri Ryan
She won two Saturn Awards for her part as Borg Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager, and she was nominated for a further award too. Jeri Ryan became a firm favorite in the world of Star Trek, and she went on to appear in over one hundred episodes, from 1997 to 2001. Since then, she’s had a string of TV appearances in various shows – Two and a Half Men, The O.C., and BostonPublic. Most recent shows include Bosch, Arrow, and NCIS.
