star trek next generation guest cast

32 Famous Guest Stars We Loved On Star Trek: The Next Generation

All of these stars were great.

On a list of the best sci-fi shows , Star Trek: The Next Generation remains the gold standard. With 180 episodes, it was inevitable the series would bring in an outside famous face or two, especially with Patrick Stewart leading the ship. 

Before we dive in, I think readers will note the omission of one famous star everyone knows is in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Whoopi Goldberg . Her Guinan was a recurring character for several seasons, so she's been left off the list. With that out of the way, let's run down the list of the famous guest stars we loved in TNG . 

Stephen Hawking

When you have a holodeck, you can do a lot of things. For example, Data used it in "Descent" to see what would happen if Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking played poker together. The synth found it "most illuminating," though I still question what he learned from doing it. 

Penny Johnson Jerald

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and The Orville fans know Penny Johnson Jerald well through her roles on those shows, but less may know she was also on The Next Generation . Those who watch "Homeward" will spot her if they look at the wife of Worf's human brother, Nikolai. 

Kirsten Dunst

Before she was a well-known actress starring as Mary Jane in Spider-Man , Kirsten Dunst was in Star Trek: The Next Generation when she was still a child. Her Hedril helped Deanna understand the pain her mother felt over the death of her sister Kestra, who died tragically as a kid in "Dark Page." 

Leonard Nimoy

Leonard Nimoy actually rejected a chance to become a producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation , instead opting to appear as Spock in a handful of episodes. This was possible, partially, because Vulcans have long lifespans, but I can't also help but credit Nimoy's love for the character as a factor for reprising him as well. 

James Worthy

Athletes in Star Trek ? It happens from time to time, and three-time NBA Champion James Worthy actually played a Klingon in "Gambit, Part II," and at six foot nine inches, he made for a particularly imposing figure. Those who go back to see his performance will note he's not hard to spot. 

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Teri Hatcher

Well-loved actress Teri Hatcher has a role as B.G. Robinson in "The Outrageous Okona," but only barely. So many of her scenes were cut from the episode that she requested her name be removed from the credits. Fortunately, she went on to be so famous people know who she is just by the brief scene alone. 

James Cromwell

Star Trek fans love James Cromwell for his iconic role as Zefram Cochrane in First Contact , but he also played a couple of roles throughout The Next Generation . He was in heavy prosthetics playing Jaglom Shrek in "Birthright Part I and II," and was Nayrock in "The Hunted." Hey, when a great actor wants to work on your series, let him play whoever he wants. 

Ken Jenkins

Actor Ken Jenkins was around Hollywood before he appeared in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Evolution" as Paul Stubbs, though more people might recognize him now rewatching. That's thanks in part to his character Dr. Bob Kelso on the comedy Scrubs , which was in network primetime for nearly a decade in the 2000s. 

Joe Piscopo

One of the most influential Saturday Night Live stars of all time , comedian Joe Piscopo, made an appearance in Season 2 during "The Outrageous Okona." This might not be a surprise to anyone who hasn't seen the episode, but he plays a stand-up comedian. Who would've guessed? 

Ashley Judd

I think out of every famous guest star from Star Trek: The Next Generation , Ashley Judd might be the easiest to spot. As Robin Lefler, she appeared in "Darmok" and "The Game," and even shared a kiss with Wil Wheaton's Wesley Crusher. There was a solid romance angle there, but sadly, she only had two episodes. 

Jonathan Del Arco

Jonathan Del Arco has been around Hollywood a lot in his career, but Star Trek fans may know him a little better than general audiences thanks to his playing Hugh the Borg. Hugh was the first Borg character to humanize the species in the franchise, and the character went on to play a notable role in the Picard spinoff decades later. 

Stephen Root

Iconic actor Stephen Root made for a great Klingon in the two-parter "Unification." As K'Vada, he made sure he made Picard and Data's time on his ship as uncomfortable as possible. He only honored his deal to help them infiltrate Romulus, which is totally on brand for the Klingon species. 

Michelle Phillips

Michelle Phillips initially rose to fame from her singing in The Mamas And The Papas but eventually transitioned into a successful acting career. As such, she ended up being one of the first major stars on Star Trek: The Next Generation , appearing in the Season 1 episode "We'll Always Have Paris" as Jenice Manheim. 

DeForest Kelley

Leonard Nimoy wasn't the only actor from the original Star Trek to appear in TNG , as DeForest Kelley also reprised his role as McCoy, though, he was an admiral at this point. Catch him in "Encounter At Farpoint," giving Data a hard time. 

Pamela Adlon

You may know Pamela Adlon from a lot of things. I, personally, like to note her voice work as Bobby Hill in the animated series King of the Hill , but she was on The Next Generation long before that. Find her in "Who Watches The Watchers" in which she's part of an alien species convinced that Picard is some immortal being with mystical powers. 

Paul Sorvino

Rest in peace to the late Paul Sorvino , known for Goodfellas , Law & Order , and of course, Star Trek: The Next Generation . Sorvino played Nikolai Rozhenko, the foster brother of Worf. Though he and his brother had their disagreements, Worf always made time for his brother, and there was a great respect between the two in their strengths. 

Matt Frewer

Actor Matt Frewer might not be a face readers immediately recognize, and they may not remember his role as Berlinghoff Rasmussen in "A Matter Of Time" immediately either. That said, if I were to talk about the bizarre character and series Max Headroom , would that ring any bells? That's Frewer's claim to fame, playing the eerie character who even was mentioned as an easter egg in the TNG episode "Conspiracy." 

Patti Yasutake

It wouldn't feel right not to highlight Patti Yasutake following her recent passing. Many  Star Trek  fans loved her recurring character, Nurse Ogawa, and her more recent work on  Beef. While she was only in a handful of episodes, most Trekkies can remember her backing up Beverly Crusher, no matter the emergency. 

Thomas Kopache

Thomas Kopache holds the distinct honor of holding a role across all Rick Berman-era Star Trek shows and played not one, but two roles on The Next Generation . Check him out as a train engineer in "Emergence," and a Romulan scientist in "The Next Phase." 

Musician John Tesh, who NBA fans can thank for his famous song "Roundball Rock ," was also in Star Trek . He played one of the Klingons created by the holodeck in "The Icarus Factor." Not a huge role by any means, but such a random appearance that I can't help but be tickled by. 

Kevin Peter Hall

Kevin Peter Hall, who had done character acting as the predator in Predator , was actually in contention for two of the starring roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation . While he ultimately lost out on the roles of Data and Geordi, he did end up appearing in the series via the episode "The Price" as the Caledonian Leyor. 

Twin Peaks actor Ray Wise plays a key role in "Who Watches The Watchers," as Arturis. Arturis accidentally stumbles upon a Starfleet duck blind observing a planet, and when he is injured in the process, the crew does what it can to treat him. Arturis then returns to his people, claiming he was rescued by their gods. 

Famke Janssen

Famke Janssen had a big role as Kamala in the episode "The Perfect Mate," and it ultimately led to a larger one alongside series star Patrick Stewart. The former Star Trek co-stars would reunite on the cast of X-Men , as Janssen would pay Jean Grey alongside his Professor X. Wild to see them work together years later at much different points in their careers!

Majel Barrett

The wife of Gene Roddenberry, and the Nurse Chapel in the original Star Trek , Majel Barrett was also in TNG . While she missed out on being a part of TOS when her character was cut from the pilot, she was given the fairly meaty role of Lwaxana Troi, the mother of Deanna Troi. Anytime she popped up in this series it was a good time, and a lot of that is a credit to Barrett's skills as an actress. 

Mick Fleetwood

You would think if Star Trek landed the founding member of the iconic rock band Fleetwood Mac, it would want to broadcast his face in full view for the world to see. That wasn't the case, and if you didn't know, Mick Fleetwood was playing a fish man in the episode "Manhunt." Hilarious in hindsight, though given how cool the fish mask was, I don't blame him for being ok with wearing it. 

Christopher McDonald

Christopher McDonald is on our short list of requests for Happy Gilmore 2 , and he's on this list because he appeared as a Starfleet Officer in the iconic episode "Yesterday's Enterprise." He served under Rachel Garrett, a character who has gained more relevance as of late thanks to her presence in Star Trek: Section 31 .

Mark Lenard

Bringing Leonard Nimoy to Star Trek: The Next Generation was an amazing coup for the show, but to bring Mark Lenard to reprise his role as Sarek, Spock's father, was an underrated win. I don't think there's two men who did a better service for laying the framework for playing a Vulcan than those two, and the complicated father/son dynamic made for compelling television all throughout TNG . 

Terry O’Quinn

By the time he played a Rear Admiral in "The Pegasus," Terry O'Quinn was a well-established actor in Hollywood. That said, readers may most know him for the role he played of John Locke in Lost . His character, Erik Pressman in  TNG,  was far less sympathetic than John, but O'Quinn was fantastic in both roles. 

Kelsey Grammer

Dr. Frasier Crane himself, Kelsey Grammer, was a part of the Star Trek family for a short while. He was Morgan Bateson in "Cause and Effect." I'm always a little sad we didn't see more with the Captain of the USS Bozeman , and hope that if we get another TNG -era series, Grammer might reprise his role for a small adventure with other characters from the show. 

Bebe Neuwirth

If Star Trek manages to find out you're a Trekkie, chances are you'll be invited to be on a show. That exact thing happened to Bebe Neuwirth, who took time out of her schedule ahead of a Cheers rehearsal to be in "First Contact." It's a brief scene but memorable as she propositions Riker for sex, with the logic that it was always a dream to sleep with an alien. 

Diedrich Bader

Diedrich Bader had a background role in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Emissary," but his face is hard to miss. This is especially true if you're a fan of The Drew Carey Show , which admittedly has fewer fans now since the series hasn't found a home on streaming. I'll continue to cross my fingers that will happen, though, and enjoy this episode all the same. 

James Doohan

Star Trek actor James Doohan appeared in the episode "Relics," when Captain Montgomery Scott was found trapped in suspension in a ship's pattern buffer for 75 years. Fortunately, we've learned that being stuck in a transporter buffer is a relatively painless process, if not disorienting, to be gone for a period of time and not know it. This is, perhaps, one of my favorite TNG episodes of all time, and totally worth watching again for those who haven't seen it in a while.

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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Ashley judd in star trek: tng explained.

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10 Star Trek Guest Star Actors You Forgot About

34 years later, star trek's most disappointing tng character exit still hurts, tng introduced picard's clone 12 years before star trek: nemesis.

Before her fame as a movie star, Ashley Judd appeared in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation as Ensign Robin Lefler. Following the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D, TNG introduced a new Star Trek crew who eventually became as popular as their Star Trek: The Original Series predecessors. Throughout TNG's seven seasons, some surprising faces popped up on the show before going on to have major Hollywood careers. In her first significant acting role, Ashely Judd appeared in TNG season 5 before going on to enjoy an impressive Hollywood film career.

The daughter of country music singer Naomi Judd, Ashley Judd landed her first film role in 1992's Kuffs, just a year after her TNG appearance. She went on to star in Ruby in Paradise in 1993 and also appeared in 1995's Smoke and 1996's A Time to Kill . Judd then starred in Kiss the Girls (1997) and Double Jeopardy (1999), and later earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in De-Lovely (2004). More recently, Judd portrayed Natalie in 2014's Divergent and its sequels , starred in 2014's Big Stone Gap, and popped up in 2017's Twin Peaks revival. Judd continues to act and she is also a humanitarian and political activist.

Ashley Judd Played Ensign Robin Lefler On Star Trek: TNG

Judd appeared in 2 episodes in tng season 5.

Ashley Judd's Ensign Robin Lefler first appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 2, "Darmok," assisting Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) in Engineering. After this brief appearance, Lefler played a much more significant role a few episodes later in TNG season 5, episode 6, "The Game." When Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) visits the Enterprise on a break from Starfleet Academy, he and Robin form a connection. As the two embark on a brief romance, they discover that the Enterprise crew members are being influenced by an incredibly addictive game.

Many recognizable faces have popped up in Star Trek over the years, and here are 10 you may have forgotten about.

Wes and Robin work together to free the crew from the game's influence, but Robin ends up succumbing. Still, Wesley has learned enough to foil the Ktarians' plot and he frees everyone from the game's control. Not only did Ensign Lefler play a significant role in "The Game," she also got more development than many guest stars. Robin's parents were plasma specialists, and she spent much of her childhood traveling from starbase to starbase. This set Lefler up to be a recurring Star Trek: The Next Generation character , but Ashley Judd never made another appearance.

Why Ashley Judd Didn’t Become A Regular Star Trek: TNG Cast Member

Ashley judd went on to have a successful film career.

Despite being set up as a potential recurring character, Ashley Judd's Ensign Lefler only appeared in two Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes, and her role in "Darmok" was very minor. Star Trek: The Next Generation rarely introduced minor characters who went on to become regulars, with most guest stars only appearing in one episode. TNG was Judd's first major acting role and her career took off soon after. Judd appeared in over thirty episodes of Sisters beginning in 1991 before she prioritized her film career and starred in numerous popular and award-winning films throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

In 2002, there were rumors that Ashley Judd was going to reprise the role of Robin Lefler in Star Trek: Nemesis as Wesley Crusher's wife, but these rumors proved to be unfounded.

Ensign Robin Lefler had been set up as a romantic interest for Wesley, but Wil Wheaton was no longer a series regular , which would have complicated that storyline. A number of different factors likely contributed to Judd's character not becoming a series regular, but Robin Lefler has popped up in some Star Trek tie-in fiction. Star Trek: The Next Generation had also just introduced Michelle Forbes' Ensign Ro and adding another new character to the mix may have been one change too many.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation: The 10 Best Guest Stars in the Series, Ranked

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During its run, Star Trek: The Next Generation had many notable guest stars. Some were already well-known figures beforehand, while others would get their big break later in their careers. Some were the main focus of their stories, while others only appeared for short, yet memorable, scenes. Whether it was their performance or the character they played, these guest roles often left an impression on fans.

A few of these guest stars were also long-time fans of the series who ended up being a part of the franchise they loved. Many of the actors from the original series also made various appearances throughout the series. Quite often, they would reprise their original roles and usually help give their characters one more story for the fans at home.

10 John de Lancie (Q)

John de Lancie 's Q appeared in around eight episodes, arguably making him more of a recurring character, but he left an impression nonetheless. Q belongs to the Q Continuum, powerful reality warpers who treat existence as their playground. Notably, Q appears in the pilot, claiming to pass judgment on humanity, and ultimately claiming to pass the sentence in the finale. Q, at first glance, behaves like a trickster god. In fact, supplementary material suggests he was the inspiration for quite a few of the trickster gods in antiquity. However, rather than being completely chaotic for its own sake, Q wants to keep the Federation humble.

In particular, Q has something of a competitive rivalry with Jean-Luc Picard , which is once compared to a master and his pet. Interestingly, the Q Continuum isn't too fond of Q's actions, once even punishing him by temporarily rendering him mortal.

9 Ashley Judd (Robin Lefler)

Actress Ashley Judd played Robin Lefler in the episodes "Darmok" and "The Game." Lefler serves as a Starfleet officer and engineer. Growing up as the lonely daughter of traveling plasma specialists, Lefler once joked her only friend was a tricorder. While serving as a mission specialist, Lefler briefly became romantically attached to Wesley Crusher. The two notably uncovered a Ktarian plot to overtake the Enterprise with a mysterious yet addictive game. During their investigation, Lefler would fall victim to the game herself, but she managed to analyze enough of the game to help Wesley stop it once and for all.

Lefler was also remembered for "Robin's Laws," a series of over one hundred sayings she used as personal advice. During their final scenes together, Lefler gives Wesley a hardbound copy of these laws, with him suggesting a new one: "A couple of light years can't keep good friends apart."

8 Stephen Root (Captain K'Vada)

Actor Stephen Root played Captain K'Vada in the episodes "Unification I" and "Unification II." A Klingon and an officer, K'Vada was under orders to give transport Picard and Data to the planet Romulus. K'Vada was no exception to the Klingon dislike of humans and tried to make the trip an unpleasant one, from the sleeping quarters to the food. K'Vada also took his orders to the letter, promising no help to Picard and Data once they stepped foot on the planet. Despite this, Picard acts polite and unfazed to K'Vada's face.

Data eventually manages to get Captain K'Vada's help in accessing the Romulan Central Information Net, using Klingon computers, in exchange for sharing any found information. Root is unrecognizable in the part, often surprising viewers when learning he played the character.

RELATED: Star Trek: Geordi La Forge's 10 Best Quotes, Ranked

7 David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Timicin)

Actor David Ogden Stiers played Dr. Timicin in the episode "Half a Life." Timicin was an alien whose world's sun is dying out, with Timicin himself believing he can save it. When the Enterprise is tasked with assisting Timicin, Lwaxana Troi also gets involved with the mission. In particular, Lwaxana takes an interest in Timicin, which he appears to somewhat reciprocate, but refuses to act on.

Unfortunately, when the experiment backfires, it comes to light that Timicin won't have time to try again. The people of his planet are euthanized after a ritual known as the Resolution upon turning 60, and Timicin has come of age. Timicin is spurred to seek asylum to at least continue his research, while the planet's fate looms in the background.

6 Kirsten Dunst (Hedril)

A young Kirsten Dunst appeared in the series as Hedril in the episode "Dark Page." Hedril was a member of the Cairn species, who were telepathic to the point of not having a concept of spoken language. Hedril reminded Lwaxana Troi, who served as an interpreter between the Federation and the Cairn, of her late daughter, Kestra. In particular, Hendril falling into a pond of water while playing reminded Lwaxana of Kestra's accidental death by drowning during a picnic. The painful memories of her child's death, which she blamed herself for, eventually drove Lwaxana into a coma.

When Deanna Troi entered her mother's mind to help, a manifestation of Hedril also appeared, representing her sister Kestra. In this state, Hedril appeared with Betazoid eyes and did not recognize her name. Prior to the incident, Kestra's existence had been kept secret from Deanna, who was born shortly before her sister's death. Deanna ultimately helps Lwaxana make peace with Kestra's death.

5 Bebe Neuwirth (Lanel)

Actress Bebe Neuwirth of Cheers and Fraiser fame appeared as the Malcorian nurse Lanel in the episode "First Contact." Unlike other Malcorians, Lanel liked the idea of aliens from other worlds, even living among them and possibly starting a relationship with one. When William T. Riker was exposed as an alien, Lanel offered to help him escape, though she propositioned him beforehand. Riker offered to call the next time he visited her star system.

Neuwirth only appeared in one scene, but the comic relief role left an impression on viewers. Neuwirth had been interviewed over the part for The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine , where she believed that she got the part when the crew learned she was a fan of the franchise, even dubbing herself a "Trekkie."

4 Stephen Hawking (Himself)

In the opening scene of “Descent – Part I,” Data creates holodeck versions of Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking , curious to see what a poker game between the three great intellects would be like. During the game, Hawking complains about having to hear Newton's "apple story" and ultimately beats Einstein in the game, complete with a smirk on his face.

The real life Stephen Hawking plays his own hologram, making it one of the rare times in the series where a guest star played themselves, barring archive footage. Allegedly, the noted scientist, a long-time fan of the franchise, asked Leonard Nimoy to visit the set during a screening of A Brief History of Time , a documentary based on Hawking's book of the same name. Hawking agreed to appear on the series during his subsequent visit. According to the DVD extras, Brent Spiner recounted a story where he later met up with Hawking, who jokingly asked for the money he won in this episode.

RELATED: Why It's Time for a Theatrical Star Trek Movie

3 Mark Lenard (Sarek)

Mark Lenard appeared in the original Star Trek series as Sarek, Spock's father. Notably, Lenard appeared as one of the first Romulan characters in the original series, even before being cast as Sarek. Lenard had made other appearances throughout the franchise, such as the animated series , as well as the Next Generation episodes, "Sarek" and "Unification I."

Sarek appears in his eponymous episode, where he boards the Enterprise as part of his latest diplomatic mission: a treaty with the Legarans. During a concert prepared for him, Sarek displays an unusual amount of emotion, amidst crew members also developing strange tempers. It soon comes to light that a disease is forcing Sarek's emotions to come out and influence the physical world. Picard becomes tasked with melding his mind with Sarek's to ensure the diplomatic meeting goes well. "Unification I" features the death of Sarek, who gives Picard the dying words, "Live long and prosper."

2 James Doohan (Scotty)

Actor James Doohan played Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the original series. Doohan reprised the role in the Next Generation episode, "Relics." The Enterprise uncovers a missing ship, the USS Jenolan, where Scott materializes, saying the ship crashed on the way to his retirement. Scott initially assumes Kirk has come to save him before realizing there's a new crew. After meeting the new crew, Scott is eager to help, but proves too unfamiliar with the new technology. Scott also gets to make a holodeck recreation of the original Enterprise and offers a toast, with Scott soon sharing a drink with Picard. Eventually, Scott even begins to bond with Lt. Commander La Forge.

By the end of the story, Scotty has reconfigured the Jenolan and is loaned an Enterprise shuttle, meaning he will depart for more adventures. Archive footage of Doohan later appeared in the episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations."

1 Leonard Nimoy (Spock)

Leonard Nimoy , who played Spock in the original Star Trek series, among other parts of the franchise, reprised the role in the “Unification” two-parter, where he was billed as a "Special Guest Star." In the story, an Ambassador has disappeared and is suspected of having defected. Soon, it comes to light that the Ambassador is none other than Spock. Picard travels to the planet Romulus to find Spock, encountering him by the end of the first half.

As his actions have spooked the Starfleet, Spock claims to be on a personal peace mission. It soon comes to light that Spock has been caught up in reunification efforts between the Vulcans and Romulans. However, treachery may be afoot, with reunification coming in the form of an invasion. By the end of the story, Spock decides to change Romulan society from the inside, in the hopes of one day paving the way for a proper reunification. As a parting gift, Picard shares Sarek's feelings from their mind-meld with Spock, allowing him to know his father's true feelings.

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Published Sep 26, 2012

TNG Cast Reflects On Most Memorable Guest Stars

Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in syndication the week of September 28, 1987. So, believe it or not, the 25th anniversary of the series that captured lightning in a bottle… again, is upon us. Events of all kinds have been occurring in the Star Trek universe, from the release of TNG Blu-rays to a handful of full-cast convention appearances. StarTrek.com thought it’d be revealing, informative and entertaining to reach out to as many full-time first-season TNG actors as we could corral and ask each of them to answer six questions. Today, in part three of our cast interview, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Wil Wheaton and Denise Crosby answer the following question: TNG welcomed a lot of great guest stars over the years. Who were you personally most excited to meet and/or share scenes with – and why?

Brent Spiner: Whoopi (Goldberg), although she was recurring. Saul Rubinek. I knew Saul already, but I loved working with him. I’d worked with Jean Simmons before. I didn’t really get to work with her in the episode, but it was just great having her around. I think, if you made a list of all of the actors who’ve been on Star Trek , in all of its incarnations, it’s a pretty impressive bunch of people, acting-wise. Every series had wonderful regular actors, and the guest stars were incredible. The films had really interesting people. It’s a pretty interesting batch of folks.

Denise Crosby: My favorite guest star was Christopher McDonald, who played Lt. Castillo in “ Yesterday’s Enterprise .” I have never laughed so hard in my life! We had a great connection right from the start...Chris and I would go on to play husband and wife in a film called Divorce: A Contemporary Western , and I turned around and did a guest appearance on his legal drama he did for CBS. Jonathan Frakes:

You probably know I'm going to say this, but to direct… I was honored to work with the talented and beautiful Jean Simmons. I just thought she was spectacular. Also, like everybody else , I’m a huge John de Lancie fan. I loved Michelle Forbes and Carolyn McCormick, who played Minuet. I have a soft spot for all these people in my heart. And the idea that Stephen Hawking was on the show, that Colin Powell came to visit, that Mae Jemison was on the show… that’s just nuts. Then there are the people who don’t admit they were on the show, like Ashley Judd and Teri Hatcher. Gates McFadden: My two biggest thrills were in the movies.  (We had) Malcolm McDowell, who’ s an awesome actor, and Tom Morello, who’s an unbelievable guitarist. In episodes, (we had) Stephen Hawking, who was brilliant and funny, Jean Simmons, who was very classy, and Madeleine Al bright, w ho was super-smart and funny (when she visited the set).Michael Dorn: I loved Jean Si mmons, Jo hn Anderson, and John Colicos. Along with being a joy to work with, you "saw" why they are stars.Marina Sirtis: If you look back, when they were really good guests stars on the show, someone didn’t work very much that week, and it was usually me. The only really spectacular guest star, or important Star Trek guest star that I got to work with was Jimmy Doohan. Of course, I knew him from the Star Trek conventions and the Star Trek functions we’d been to together, etc. He was such a delightful man, a sweetheart. It was lovely working with him. He still had it. He came prepared. He knew his lines, which can’t be said for some of the younger g uest stars w e had; no names. So tha t w as great, but I never got to work with Jean Simmons, which I would have loved to have done . I n ever got to work with Leonard Nimoy, which I would have loved to have done. De Kelley, again, never worked with him. Patrick and Brent got the good guest stars, and that’s understandable. The two most popular characters get good gigs. That’s the way it goes on TV.Visit StarTrek.comagain tomorrow, as the TNG cast discusses which TNG film they considered the best working experience. And click HERE and HERE to read part one and two of our cast interview.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation — 10 Great Guest Performances

We salute some of the finest guest stars of Star Trek: The Next Generation...

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This article originally appeared on Den of Geek UK .

Some episodes of television are elevated by the performance of the regular actors, and with a star of the caliber of Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: The Next Generation is not short of such episodes. Equally important, however, are the performances of guest actors brought in for a one-off appearance who elevate any scenes in which they take part and work with the regular actors to create something really memorable. This list celebrates some of those performances.

This list is celebrating guest performers who came in for one, or at most two, guest performances as a specific character (though their character may have made more appearances in other branches of the franchise, and the actor may have appeared as other characters). This is why you shouldn’t expect to see characters like John de Lancie’s Q, Michelle Forbes’ Ensign Ro or Whoopi Goldberg’s Guinan on the list — although all were guest stars, they recurred on a fairly regular basis.

10. Suzie Plakson as K’Ehleyr in “ The Emissary”  and “ Reunion”

Many guest actors put in great guest performances as Klingons over the years. Suzie Plakson’s K’Ehleyr, however, stands out, partly as a particularly early example of a Next Generation Klingon, but primarily because she was Worf’s first serious love interest and the mother of his son, Alexander. As a half-Klingon, half-human, K’Ehleyr possesses much of the confidence, swagger and aggression of a Klingon, but with the diplomacy of a human. Most importantly (like Terry Farrell’s later Jadzia Dax) she can hold her own against Micheal Dorn’s Worf and offer him an equal partner.

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9. James Doohan as Montgomery Scott in “ Relics”

All of The Original Series cast who made guest appearances in The Next Generation were as watchable as ever, from Deforest Kelley’s cameo in the pilot episode to Leonard Nimoy’s troubled Spock in “Unification” (Parts 1 & 2). For today, however, we want to highlight James Doohan’s poignant turn as Scotty in season six’s “Relics.” Confronted with a world he doesn’t recognise and desperate to find a place for himself, all the audience can share in Scotty’s pain at his loss and nostalgia for a time that has passed. And we’d all kind of guessed about his methods for gaining a reputation as a “miracle worker.”

8. Bebe Neuwirth as Lanel in “ First Contact”

This entry is a little different from the rest on the list — Bebe Neuwirth (better known as Lilith on Cheers and Frasier ) plays a small and relatively insignificant role in this episode, in which Riker finds himself trapped in a pre-warp civilization. However, it is not just the big, emotional, showy guest roles that lift an episode. Comic relief is just as important, and while the demands that Neuwirth’s nerdy, excitable alien doctor makes of Riker are pretty horrifying if you stop to think about it, you won’t, because her deliciously hammy and over-the-top performance is too funny. Hilarious.

7. Saul Rubinek as Kivas Fajo in “ The Most Toys”

Another (later) Frasier alumnus (Kelsey Grammar himself also appeared in a small but memorable role in “Cause And Effect,” though without enough screentime for his performance to be more than a cameo), Saul Rubinek, coming in partway through shooting to replace another actor, puts his nervous comic energy to sinister use in this episode. Data contemplates committing murder when captured by Rubinek’s trader and kept among his collection of rare and curious “things,” and Rubinek himself makes Fajo just despicable enough that you’re almost willing our upstanding Starfleet hero to give in and do it. Without a strong guest performance, the tense climax of the episode could never have worked.

6. Jean Simmons as Admiral Norah Satie in “ The Drumhead”

“The Drumhead” isn’t a particularly good episode — it’s a fairly straightforward courtroom drama and McCarthy-inspired parable, the chief lesson from which is not to lie on application forms for the military. However, it is reasonably memorable for classic Hollywood actress Jean Simmons’ performance as Admiral Norah Satie. Satie starts out as a fairly standard hard-as-nails Starfleet admiral but, as with so many Starfleet admirals, it quickly turns out that she is batpoo crazy and must be stopped. It is Simmons’ poise and confidence that allows us to believe that Satie might ever have been a respected admiral in the first place, and her slow reveal of Satie’s issues is what allows the story to unfold in the way that it does.

5. Elizabeth Dennehy as Lt Cmdr Shelby in  The Best Of Both Worlds”  (Parts 1 & 2)

It takes a lot to hold your own against both Patrick Stewart and the Borg, but Dennehy pulls it off with aplomb. Her Shelby strikes just the right balance between being incredibly annoying, as she pushes at Riker and make no secret of her desire for his job, but someone who is also a capable officer and suitable second for Riker when the Enterprise is suddenly and dramatically deprived of Captain Picard. It is a great shame that it was never possible for the character to return – we can only hope that Shelby got her promotion in the wake of Wolf 359.

4. David Ogden Stiers as Timicin in “

Episodes focusing on Majel Barrett’s Lwaxana Troi veered wildly between broad and dubiously successful comic farce and a couple of truly poignant episodes about a middle-aged widow with a grown daughter looking for companionship. Stiers gives a quiet and quietly moving performance as Timicin in one of the latter type, a man clearly torn in several different directions, with both his love for Lwaxana and his desire to help his people warring with his sense of duty towards his people’s customs. His final fate is truly affecting and it is impossible not to feel for both him and Lwaxana as he makes a heart-breaking decision.

3. Jonathan Del Arco as Third of Five/Hugh in “I, Borg” and “Descent” (Part 2)

Jonathan Del Arco’s highly popular Hugh was the inspiration behind Star Trek Voyager ‘ s Seven of Nine, but there is an essential difference between his and Jeri Ryan’s (equally good) performance. The trick to Del Arco’s performance is the wide-eyed, childlike innocence with which he plays Hugh. At this point in the series, we’ve seen Captain Picard liberated from the Collective, but he was Borg for only a short period of time; this was the first exploration of a drone liberated from the Collective after years of identifying as Borg.

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It’s Del Arco’s sweet, open innocence that makes Hugh such a likeable character and that truly sells the concept of a man who has been with the Borg so long, he has forgotten what individuality is like, but who can be convinced through kindness and openness. While it would be easy for such a performance choice to become very similar to Geordi’s other great mechanical friend, Data, Del Arco gives Hugh just enough individuality to avoid that, while still striking the required Pinocchio-esque tone.

2. David Warner as Gul Madred in “Chain Of Command” (Parts 1 & 2)

Patrick Stewart puts in many great performances across the course of The Next Generation (another is listed below) but “Chain Of Command” is one of his finest hours, as Picard is tortured for days by a Cardassian expert in the field. Such a performance requires an equally great actor to play opposite him, and David Warner is the perfect choice for Gul Madred, the torturer who brings his small daughter into the torture chamber and who is incapable of letting go even after Picard’s return to Starfleet has been agreed. His chilling, calm, measured performance perfectly matches Stewart’s slowly crumbling Picard to create one of Star Trek ’s most memorable confrontations.

1. Mark Lenard as Sarek in “Sarek” and “Unification” (Part 1)

After Deforest Kelley’s cameo in the pilot, Mark Lenard was the first actor from the original series to return for a more substantial guest appearance in season three’s “Sarek.” With Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry’s health declining, the Vulcan’s breakdown allows the series to tell a story about ageing and dementia through the heightened fiction in which the display of any emotion is a sign of a seriously troubled mind.

Such a story could never work without a great performance from the actor playing Sarek, and Mark Lenard absolutely delivers, the appearance of tears during a concert telling us so much about Sarek and what’s happening to him. A perfect first substantial callback to the original series.

Juliette Harrisson | @ClassicalJG

Juliette Harrisson is a writer and historian, and a lifelong Trekkie whose childhood heroes were JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. She runs a YouTube channel called…

10 Star Trek Next Generation Guest Appearances That Changed TNG

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Though the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation became as iconic and legendary as any in the universe, the guest stars changed the show for the better. Longtime fans wanted to take part in the new show set in Gene Roddenberry's universe. Legacy actors helped to make The Next Generation feel connected more completely to The Original Series .

While there are too many wonderful guest appearances to list in a single sitting, Star Trek: The Next Generation was changed for the better by some of them. These stars created fun behind-the-scenes legends, gave depth to the characters or, perhaps most importantly, gave closure to longtime stories. Below are some of the most influential guest stars on The Next Generation that elevated the series in unexpected ways.

10 Legendary Rockstar Mick Fleetwood Played a Fish-Man

Appeared in "manhunt", the star trek economy from latinum to federation credits, explained.

Of all the science fiction on Star Trek, perhaps the most confusing element of it's utopian future is the economy, from Federation credits to latinum.

Fleetwood Mac is one of the most significant rock groups of the 20th Century, both for their enduring music and notorious in-band drama. Mick Fleetwood was a hugely important part of the group, but he was also a massive Trekkie. When news hit that Gene Roddenberry was restarting Star Trek , he wanted to appear in it. Despite being famous and recognizable, almost no one knew he was in the show until the credits.

Mick Fleetwood appeared in a cameo role in the Season 2 episode "Manhunt," as an Antedian dignitary. New to the universe at the time, this species were essentially "fish-people." Fleetwood wore heavy prosthetic makeup on his full face and even had to shave his beard for the role. According to The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, Fleetwood remained friends with Gene Roddenberry, with eventual Star Trek: Deep Space Nine showrunner Ira Steven Behr saying he saw the rockstar walking around Roddenberry's Halloween party in a Starfleet uniform.

9 Michelle Phillips Played a Former Girlfriend of Jean-Luc Picard

Appeared in "we'll always have paris".

Michelle Phillips is another 20th Century music icon who co-wrote the legendary song "California Dreamin'" as part of The Mamas & The Papas. During the late 1980s she was frequently acting on television as a regular on Knots Landing . Michelle Phillips' guest appearance in Season 1 of Star Trek: TNG was one of the first signs Captain Jean-Luc Picard had a life before the show.

Phillips played Jenice Manheim, the wife of a scientist trying to access the multiverse. She first met Picard during his temporary assignment in Paris, France. When he was due to leave, he stood her up rather than say goodbye. This established Picard would always choose Starfleet over love. They both got some closure, before she returned to the planet with her husband to continue the experiments.

8 Kirsten Dunst Played an Emotional Role in TNG as a Child

Appeared in "dark page".

While not as massive as she is today, Kirsten Dunst was already a rising star when she took on a guest role for Star Trek: TNG's final season . She appeared in an episode with Majel Barrett Roddenberry's character, Lwaxana Troi, typically a comedic character. However, this was a deeply emotional episode with Dunst doing double duty as an alien child and her long-lost daughter.

Dunst's Hedril was a member of the Cairn species, who had no spoken language. The elder Troi served as an interpreter for the species. Later plagued by melancholy, Deanna Troi entered her mother's mind and encountered a psychic version of Dunst's character. It was revealed she was Kestra, Deanna's sister who died in an accident for which Lwaxana felt at fault. Later, in Picard , it's revealed Riker and Troi's surviving child is named Kestra after this sister.

7 David Warner Fulfilled Patrick Stewart's Childhood Dream

Appeared in "chain of command, part ii", star trek: tng's iconic 'there are four lights' episode almost didn't happen.

The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Chain of Command" is one of the series' best, but the sequence with the "four lights" was a late addition.

In Patrick Stewart's memoir Making It So , he writes about how watching David Warner perform onstage helped drive him into acting. Despite Warner's two Star Trek appearances on film, his guest spot on The Next Generation was personally important to Stewart. He wrote that Warner was the "greatest star of the British stage" and to share scenes with him was something Stewart placed "strictly within the realm of fantasy."

As Gul Madred in the two-part "Chain of Command," the two actors deliver a stunningly powerful story. Madred tortures Picard, promising him relief from pain if he says there are five lights shining in his face. "There are four lights," is an iconic line in The Next Generation . This episode changed the character of Captain Picard in a significant way, but not as much as it changed the actor who brought him to life.

6 Christopher McDonald's Star Trek Role Cast Him as a Hero

Appeared in "yesterday's enterprise".

Fans who recognize actor Christopher McDonald likely know him as a villain or antagonist, the role he most typically fills. However, in his guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lieutenant Richard Castillo, Christopher McDonald was a hero. Serving as the helm officer on the USS Enterprise-C , he was a dedicated officer and, as is typical for Starfleet flyboys, a suave flirt. He formed a quick but deep connection with the revived Tasha Yar, when the ship's appearance in the 24th Century changed the timeline.

The ship's captain, Rachel Garrett, was in sickbay, so Castillo took command, ordering repairs on the Enterprise-C. He also agreed with Captain Garrett that the ship should return to its own time because its destruction saves the future. When Garrett was killed by attacking Klingons, Castillo, and Yar, took command and helped make sure history would never forget the name "Enterprise."

5 Ronny Cox Was a Controversial Captain of the USS Enterprise

Appeared in "chain of command parts i and ii".

As the second guest star from "Chain of Command," Ronny Cox's Edward Jellico is one of the few Starfleet officers who can say they were the captain of the Enterprise . He takes command of the ship when Picard, Worf and Beverly Crusher are sent to Cardassia on a secret mission. His brusque command style rankled the senior officers.

Still, Jellico's effect was felt on the series long after he left it. Most importantly, he's the reason Deanna Troi started wearing a Starfleet uniform . This led to her seeking promotion and taking on more command responsibilities. It also showed why Captain Picard was the best choice to lead the Federation's flagship. Captain Jellico was not an inept leader, just very different from what fans are used to.

4 Mark Lenard Brought TOS Credibility to TNG as Sarek

Appeared in "sarek" and "unification, part i".

In the early days of The Next Generation , producers -- and especially Gene Roddenberry -- wanted the series to establish itself as its own thing. Thus, any major connections to The Original Series were discouraged. Thus, when Mark Lenard returned as Sarek for an episode, producers had to strike a balancing act. Behr, in The Fifty-Year Mission , said there was an "insane" fight over whether or not they were allowed to even mention "Spock."

Still, bringing back Mark Lenard as Sarek for a guest starring role helped cement Star Trek: The Next Generation as truly part of The Original Series ' universe. This was the episode that established Vulcan longevity, and showed what could happen to a Vulcan late in life, specifically a kind of "senility" but related to emotion. By mind-melding with Sarek, Captain Picard became directly connected to the most important history of this universe.

3 DeForrest Kelly Helped Pass the Torch in TNG's Pilot Episode

Appeared in "encounter at farpoint", 10 star trek time travel stories that changed canon.

After 60 years, Star Trek's timeline has become complex. From Yesterday's Enterprise to Past Tense to Future's End, these stories changed the canon.

In the first TNG episode , "Encounter at Farpoint," the USS Enterprise-D is launched on its continuing mission to boldly go where no one had gone before. Except, in general, the crew of the original storied vessel already pioneered that journey. Despite Gene Roddenberry's insistence The Next Generation wouldn't rely on nostalgia for The Original Series , Leonard McCoy appeared in that first episode, and it was necessary.

The scene was almost an aside to the two stories at play in the episode. Data is seen giving a tour of the new Enterprise, to Kelly in extreme old age makeup. Bones is never identified by name, but his words of advice and gentle ribbing to Data about being like a Vulcan warmed fans' hearts. DeForrest Kelly's guest appearance was a clear signal to fans that despite all the differences in The Next Generation , it was still Star Trek .

2 Leonard Nimoy Added a Coda to Spock's Story on TNG

Appeared in "unification part i and ii".

Leonard Nimoy had a complicated relationship with his most iconic role. By the time Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was set to debut on the series' 25th anniversary, the actor came to terms with his legacy. The recent loss of Gene Roddenberry, with whom Nimoy feuded , compounded this. To celebrate his universe and promote the new film, he agreed to appear as Spock.

In the final scene of "Unification, Part I," Nimoy appeared on set with some of the cast of The Next Generation . The second part featured Spock, Picard and Data trying to prevent a Romulan attack on Federation space. Yet, what was truly special was it gave Spock his final mission. Spock would be an ambassador to the Romulans to preach the teachings of logic, ultimately leading to the unification of Vulcans and Romulans.

1 The Next Generation Saved Scotty From Certain Death

Appeared in "relics".

Despite the longevity of Vulcans, Klingons and Doctor McCoy, most of the human characters from The Original Series ' cast were expected to be dead by the time of The Next Generation . However, thanks to quick thinking and the sci-fi magic of transporters, Montgomery Scott was able to return to the 24th Century, played by James Doohan.

In "Relics," Scotty helps the USS Enterprise-D explore and escape a Dyson Sphere, while sharing his 23rd Century perspective on life in the 24th. The end of the episode sent Scotty off with a shuttle and no set destination. Even with the passing of Nimoy, Doohan, and Kelly, in The Next Generation era, their characters are still out there, fictionally immortal and having adventures forever.

All seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation are streaming on Paramount+.

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Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast and Character Guide: Who Plays Who on the Enterprise-D (and What They're Doing Now)

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'Rings of Power' Season 2, Episode 7 Changes Everything

10 tv shows that got worse with every season, 'demon slayer's 10 most powerful characters, ranked.

When Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987, it felt like a long shot to succeed. The beloved original Star Trek crew was still wildly popular in reruns and a thriving film series, but would fans accept a sequel series set a century after the initial show and featuring an entirely new cast? The answer turned out to be a resounding yes, and TNG , as it is affectionally known by fans, went on to birth an entire extended Trek universe that continues to thrive today.

Set in the 24th century, Star Trek: The Next Generation chronicles the adventures of the crew of the Enterprise-D starship as they -- like their predecessors before them -- explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no man has gone before. Here is your guide to the cast of the series, taking a look back at the characters they played on the sci-fi classic (and, in some cases, are still playing!) and offering a glimpse at what they've been up to recently.

RELATED: Star Trek Timeline Explained, Including Two Kirks, Two Different Prequels, and the Return of Picard

Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)

Every ship needs a captain, and the Enterprise-D’s is Jean-Luc Picard. Finding someone to follow in the footsteps of William Shatner ’s James T. Kirk was never going to be an easy task, and Gene Roddenberry , the creator of both the original series and TNG , was wise to land on an actor with a completely different energy about him. Stewart, a well-regarded British stage actor with a smattering of film and TV credits, made Picard the anti-Kirk – a stern tactician who is more interested in victory through diplomacy than throwing a punch. Thanks to Stewart’s commanding presence, Picard became a pop-culture icon, with the character anchoring seven seasons of TNG , four feature-film spinoffs, and a recent revival/spinoff series -- fittingly titled Star Trek: Picard -- that is currently streaming on Paramount+. (Season 2 debuts early next year.) In between playing Picard, Stewart headlined another franchise when he portrayed Charles Xavier -- Marvel’s Professor X -- across five X-Men films. Most recently, he played Merlin in 2019’s kid-based Excalibur tale The Kid Who Would Be King and stepped into the role of Bosley in the Charlie's Angels reboot released that same year.

Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes)

Whereas Picard is usually calm and collected, Commander William T. Riker, the ship's first officer, can be more of a hot-head. As played by the at first unbearded, but later very bearded Frakes, Riker is a crucial member of the Enterprise crew who can lead the away team or stay behind to captain the bridge in the event that Picard gets assimilated by the Borg or something. While on the show, Frakes began pivoting to a career behind the camera. He directed eight episodes of the series as well as two of the Next Generation cast's big-screen adventures – Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection . Elsewhere within the Trek universe, Frakes has helmed multiple episodes of Deep Space Nine , Voyager , Discovery , and Picard , and he has been an in-demand TV director for years, having called the shots for shows such as The Librarians , Burn Notice , and Leverage . He returned to the role of Riker for two episodes of Picard in 2020 and has also voiced the character in Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Data (Brent Spiner)

Designed to sort of be the “Spock character” on TNG , Lt. Commander Data is a highly advanced android who serves as the Enterprise’s second officer and spends most of the series trying to understand what it means to feel emotions and be human. The friendship that develops between him and Picard proves to be one of the series defining relationships, and Spiner briefly returned to the role for season one of Picard . Spiner continues to work regularly as a TV and voice actor. He recently appeared in six episodes of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels and, in 2016, reprised his Independence Day role of Dr. Brackish Okun in that film’s sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence .

Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton)

When The Next Generation launched, La Forge worked as the Enterprise’s helmsman, but in season two he shifted to the role of chief engineer, where he served for the remainder of the show’s run. Geordi is blind but is able to “see” using a distinct metallic visor that covers his eyes and feeds electromagnetic scans into his optic nerves. Geordi struggles with his disability at times but rarely lets it interfere with the job at hand. Outside of TNG , Burton is probably most known for hosting the PBS education series Reading Rainbow for 21 seasons. He's an accomplished TV director and also hosts Levar Burton Reads , a podcast where he narrates a different piece of short fiction in every episode. If it were up to Twitter, Burton would currently be the new host of Jeopardy! , but, sadly, his considerable fanbase will have to be content with the five episodes of the game show he guest hosted in 2021.

Worf (Michael Dorn)

Maybe no one stands out on the Enterprise-D bridge more than Lt. Commander Worf, a Klingon officer whose distinct forehead ridges defined the Klingon look from TNG forward. Worf is a character who often feels trapped between two worlds -- the Klingon culture he left behind and the Starfleet crew that became his family. He is named the ship’s chief security officer after the death of Tasha Yar and eventually became the first main character to jump to a spinoff show when Dorn joined the cast of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine following TNG ’s finale. More recently, Dorn has contributed voice work to shows such as Invincible , The Lion Guard , and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles .

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

Along with Worf, Troi is the other prominent alien in the show’s crew. Though she’s half human, her Betazoid half allows her the gift of empathic telepathy, which she often puts to good use as the ship’s counselor. Prior to being reunited as part of the Enterprise crew, Troi and Riker were a couple, and though the show often teases that the two may one day rekindle their relationship, they don’t formally get back together until the TNG cast had moved onto the big screen. Sirtis reprised the role of Deanna in Picard , where Troi and Riker continue to be happily married. She continues to act regularly in movies and on TV, having recently appeared in episodes of genre shows The Orville and Titans .

Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)

Dr. Crusher is the Enterprise’s chief medical officer in Season 1 of TNG , vanishes in Season 2 when she is suddenly transferred to Starfleet Medical, but then returns for good in Season 3 when she’s reinstated aboard the starship. The back-and-forth was the result of behind-the-scenes drama which resulted in McFadden being fired from -- and then rehired for -- the series. Crusher is responsible for patching up the crew, and she also serves as a potential love interest for Captain Picard. McFadden’s last on-screen credit was an episode of NCIS in 2017, although she’s also had a long career as a choreographer. (Fun fact: She was the director of choreography and puppet movement for Jim Henson ’s Labyrinth !)

Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton)

Almost certainly the most divisive member of the cast, Wesley is the son of Dr. Crusher and joins her on the Enterprise. At first, he is a nuisance to Picard (and sometimes the audience), but as time goes on Wesley becomes a valuable member of the Enterprise community and is eventually named a ship ensign. Wheaton left the series following Season 4, although he would continue to make guest appearances as Wesley down the road. He has gone on to have a diverse career as an actor, writer, and Internet personality. He notoriously played a fictionalized version of himself on The Big Bang Theory , where he recurred as Sheldon’s arch nemesis across 17 episodes. Wheaton is currently back in the Star Trek fold, hosting the Trek -based aftershow The Ready Room .

Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur)

Dr. Pulaski becomes chief medical officer during Dr. Crusher’s one-season absence, but the character departs the series when Crusher returns for Season 3. Muldaur recently appeared in Sidney Furie ’s docudrama Finding Hannah , her first on-screen acting appearance in nearly two decades.

Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby)

Yar is the Enterprise’s chief security officer during season one, but Crosby was unhappy working on the show, which led to Yar being killed near the end of that season. The character does reappear a few times thanks to some time-rift shenanigans, and Crosby eventually tackles a second role on the show when she guests in heavy makeup as Sela, Yar’s half-Romulan daughter. Crosby continues to act and recently had multi-episode runs on The Walking Dead , Ray Donovan , and Suits .

Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg)

Guinan is a warm and wizened bartender who’d serve you a drink in the Enterprise’s Ten-Forward lounge and maybe throw in some sage advice at no cost. A fan favorite, she’d appear in 28 episodes of the series, and Goldberg is slated to the role during season two of Picard . (Although we’ll see how they handle Whoopi’s aging as Guinan is an El-Aurian, an alien species that ages slowly and can live for multiple centuries.) Here on planet Earth, Goldberg has been a host on the daytime TV talk-show staple The View since 2007.

Q (John de Lancie)

Also returning for season two of Picard is de Lancie as the enigmatic Q, a godlike being who takes delight in toying with Jean-Luc on The Next Generation , often putting the human race itself on trial. Q appears in eight episodes of TNG , including the series premiere and finale. De Lancie has worked steadily as a TV and voice actor over the years, and in 2019 wrapped up his run voicing Discord on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic , a character that was loosely based on Q.

KEEP READING: Why James Cromwell's Zefram Cochrane Is One of the Best 'Star Trek' Performances

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Patrick Stewart

Jean-Luc Picard (26 Episodes)

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Data (26 Episodes)

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Tricia O'Neil

Capt. Rachel Garrett (1 Episode)

Charles Cooper

K'mpec (1 Episode)

Dr. Mary Warren (1 Episode)

Castulo Guerra

Seth Mendoza (1 Episode)

Hallie Todd

Lal (1 Episode)

Grainger Hines

Gosheven (1 Episode)

Richard Cox

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Stephen Lee

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Manua Apgar (1 Episode)

James Greene

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Juliana Donald

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Dr. Arridor (1 Episode)

Marc Buckland

Waiter (1 Episode)

Patrick Massett

Duras (1 Episode)

John Hancock

Admiral Haden (1 Episode)

Devinoni Ral (1 Episode)

James Sloyan

Admiral Alidar Jarok (1 Episode)

Joanna Miles

Perrin (1 Episode)

Carel Struycken

Mr. Homn (1 Episode)

Scott Thompson

Daimon Goss (1 Episode)

Kurn (1 Episode)

Mark Lenard

Sarek (1 Episode)

Mary McCusker

Nurse (1 Episode)

Randal Patrick

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Eileen Seeley

Ard'rian McKenzie (1 Episode)

Richard Allen

Kentor (1 Episode)

Mart McChesney

Sheliak (1 Episode)

John McLiam

Fento (1 Episode)

James McIntire

Hali (1 Episode)

Susan Powell

Lt. Marla Aster (1 Episode)

Steve Rankin

Patahk (1 Episode)

Joey Aresco

Brull (1 Episode)

Elkanah Burns

Temarek (1 Episode)

J. Michael Flynn

Zayner (1 Episode)

Andrew Bicknell

Wagnor (1 Episode)

Fred G. Smith

Policeman (1 Episode)

Betty Muramoto

Scientist (1 Episode)

Kahlest (1 Episode)

Joycelyn O'Brien

Mitena Haro (1 Episode)

Jeff Rector

Alien #2 (1 Episode)

Stephen Markle

Kova Tholl (1 Episode)

Karen Landry

Ajur (1 Episode)

Michael Champion

Boratus (1 Episode)

William Denis

Ki Aloysius Mendrossen (1 Episode)

John H. Francis

Science Crewman (1 Episode)

Rudolph Willrich

Reittan Grax (1 Episode)

Nibor (1 Episode)

Mark LaMura

John Doe (1 Episode)

Patti Tippo

Nurse Temple (1 Episode)

Amy O'Neill

Annette (1 Episode)

Varria (1 Episode)

Frank Corsentino

DaiMon Tog (1 Episode)

Series Crew 63

Marvin V. Rush

Director of Photography (14 Episodes)

Dennis Madalone

Stunt Coordinator (12 Episodes)

Stunt Double (14 Episodes)

Stunts (1 Episode)

Brian J. Williams

George B. Colucci Jr.

Stunts (3 Episodes)

Chip Chalmers

Director (1 Episode)

Director (5 Episodes)

David Carson

Director (2 Episodes)

Gabrielle Beaumont

Director (4 Episodes)

Robert Legato

Robert Scheerer

Director (3 Episodes)

Robert Wiemer

Timothy Bond

Winrich Kolbe

John Farrell

Editor (5 Episodes)

Robert Lederman

Editor (4 Episodes)

Jeri Taylor

Executive Producer (26 Episodes)

Michael Piller

Rick Berman

Brannon Braga

Producer (26 Episodes)

D.C. Fontana

David Livingston

Gene Roddenberry

Joe Menosky

Merri D. Howard

Peter Lauritson

Robert H. Justman

Robert Lewin

Ronald D. Moore

Wendy Neuss

Original Music Composer (11 Episodes)

Drew Deighan

Story (1 Episode)

Marc Cushman

W. Reed Moran

Teleplay (1 Episode)

David Bischoff

Writer (1 Episode)

David Kemper

Dennis Bailey

Ed Zuckerman

Eric A. Stillwell

Fred Bronson

Hannah Louise Shearer

Hans Beimler

Writer (3 Episodes)

Ira Steven Behr

Writer (2 Episodes)

Melinda M. Snodgrass

Michael I. Wagner

Writer (4 Episodes)

Peter S. Beagle

René Echevarria

Richard Danus

Teleplay (1 Episode) , Writer (1 Episode)

Richard Manning

Robin Bernheim Burger

Sally Caves

Shari Goodhartz

Susan Sackett

Trent Christopher Ganino

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The Best Star Trek Actors Who Guest Starred In The Twilight Zone

Two of the most-loved sci-fi franchises of all time have a lot more crossover than you might think. Before starring on "Star Trek: The Original Series," several key members of the enterprise popped up in Rod Serling's seminal series "The Twilight Zone." A few decades later, the same pattern would repeat, only it would be future "Star Trek: The Next Generation" stars cutting their teeth on episodes of the '80s "Twilight Zone" reboot. Even the most recent iteration of the show, Jordan Peele's short-lived but ambitious effort that stalled out after just two seasons, has hosted some great past and future "Trek" actors.

It's worth noting that this list concerns the best "Star Trek" actors , and as such, there are no guarantees that these talented folks are actually great or even memorable in their "Twilight Zone" appearances. Some certainly are, while others have only the briefest of guest spots in mostly-forgotten episodes. We've limited this list to just 11 actors, but you could probably program a 24-hour TV marathon based entirely around episodes of both shows that feature the same actor. Some noteworthy "TOS" performers who didn't make the cut but should be recognized regardless include William Windom, James Gregory, Vic Perrin, Joseph Ruskin, and Susan Oliver, all of whom had memorable but non-starring roles in both shows.

In deciding to focus on "Star Trek" television, we also left out John Cho, who appeared in the not-great 2019 "Twilight Zone" episode "The Wunderkind" and, of course, played Hikaru Sulu on the big screen in Paramount's reboot "Trek" films. You don't need us to tell you that John Cho is great in everything . With that said, here are 11 other talented "Trek" actors who appeared in "The Twilight Zone" over the years, in order of their appearance.

William Shatner

Before he was commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise with cocksure charm and glistening pecs, William Shatner had starring roles in not one but two great "Twilight Zone" episodes. He's most remembered for the second one, season 5's "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," in which he plays a panicked man (who recently recovered from a breakdown) convinced he saw a gremlin on a plane's wing. Shatner's memorable line reading when he attempts to convince others that the monster is real has been parodied to hell and back, paraphrased by everyone from Ace Ventura to Bart Simpson. The unsubtle bravado of Shatner's performance made it famous, but the episode is also remembered as a paranoid thriller with a classic twist ending.

Shatner's first appearance in "The Twilight Zone" is less referenced, but even better. In the season 2 episode "Nick of Time," he plays one half of a newly married young couple (Patricia Breslin is his wife) that ends up transfixed by a fortune-telling machine at a diner on the way to their honeymoon. Shatner's character briefly becomes fixated on controlling their future through the machine's seemingly all-knowing answers, but they ultimately decide to live with the uncertainty. It's a powerful parable about the wide open future young lovers face, and the choice to either face it together or descend into anxiety and obsession over what could go wrong. Shatner and Breslin memorably make the right choice.

Leonard Nimoy

"A Quality of Mercy" was no doubt an effective anti-war tale when it dropped in 1961, but these days, it's tough to look at the "Twilight Zone" episode and see anything but a white actor in yellowface . That actor thankfully wasn't Leonard Nimoy (though he also crossed racial lines on screen, once playing a Native man on "Gunsmoke"), but the man playing his soldier's superior officer, Dean Stockwell. Stockwell starts the episode as Second Lieutenant Katell, a platoon leader commanding a weary band of U.S. soldiers (including Nimoy's Hansen) at the end of World War II.

When Stockwell tries to push his men into an attack on a group of wounded, surrounded Japanese soldiers, he's suddenly body-swapped and pushed back through time, where he finds himself acting as a Japanese commander about to do the same thing during the fall of the Philippines. The message here is potent, if extremely ill-executed: the lines between friend and foe are thinner than you think, and American brutality on the battlefield isn't morally sound just because it's coming from Americans. A sobering ending drives the point home even further. Nimoy is a relatively small presence in the episode, but he's also the type of actor who I imagine would've made viewers at the time pay a little more attention and ask, "Who's that guy?" They'd know him soon enough.

James Doohan

Before the crew of the enterprise was asking James Doohan's Scotty to beam them up, the actor was playing around with teleport-like technology in a season 4 episode of "The Twilight Zone." The show's fourth season is known as its weakest thanks to episodes that sprawled out to an hour (every other season featured taut 30-minute episodes), and "Valley of the Shadow" is no exception. Still, it's an interesting premise: a reporter (Ed Nelson) discovers a mysterious town where everyone seems keen on making sure he leaves quickly. Soon enough, though, a series of disasters leads to the man taking up residence in the town and discovering that it's a sort of isolated utopia he can never leave.

Doohan plays a townsperson (credited as "Father" in the show, though his character has since been called Johnson) who's only in the episode for a moment, but you'll recognize him from his ultra-high-waisted pants. The episode is an interesting complement to "Star Trek" in that it uses technology that's similar to that of "Trek" transporters and replicators. It's also philosophical in a way that aligns with the later series: the town's futuristic tech is fiercely guarded by its citizens, who don't believe the world at large could handle such powerful tools without descending into violence.

George Takei

Another episode about Japan, America, and the ghosts of World War II, "The Encounter" is a powerful (if flawed) two-hander. A young George Takei delivers a singular performance (he's by far the standout of all the original "Trek" castmates on this list) as a man named Arthur who ends up trapped in an attic with a racist WWII vet (Neville Brand's Fenton) and a katana that has a taste for blood. A sharp script by Martin M. Goldsmith unfolds with tense precision as Arthur, a young stranger looking for work, and Fenton, a depressed man with skeletons in his closet, attempt to find common ground.

"The Encounter" delivers surprise after surprise, all of them realistic and each of them related to the unthinkable events of World War II and the bleak state of race relations in post-war America. Arthur's dad, we find out, was in Pearl Harbor, while Fenton took the sword from a Japanese soldier under dubious circumstances. As the episode unfolds, it becomes clear that the katana, which has the inscription "the sword will avenge me," has a mind of its own. No matter how hard both men try to move past their guilt and defensiveness, this piece of the past won't let them. It's a potent episode with a message about war as a zero-sum game, and it would be nothing without Takei's incredible performance. He also gets to show off his swordsmanship, something he would do again in the classic "Trek" episode "The Naked Time." 

Takei's "Twilight Zone" appearance was rarely shown on TV in the 20th century, as its frustrating, both-sides take on Arthur and Fenton's respective roles in World War II was reportedly protested from the time of its release.

The 1985 version of "The Twilight Zone" doesn't possess the timelessness of the original, and it delivered fewer stone-cold classics, but it's got some gems nonetheless. Part of the show's charm comes from the parade of future stars who showed up for a fragment of an episode: everyone from Morgan Freeman to Helen Mirren to Shelley Duvall popped up in the series. Tim Russ, who would take minor roles in several "Star Trek" properties before landing the part of Vulcan Tuvok in "Star Trek: Voyager," is credited in two different episodes of the series.

The first, "Kentucky Rye," delivers a good old-fashioned wicked-get-punished storyline involving a drunk man who buys a bar that seems too good to be true. Without giving away the episode's satisfying ending, Russ plays part of an emergency services team in a minor yet narratively important role. His second appearance came two years later in the episode "Voices in the Earth," which sees an interstellar scientist (Martin Balsam, who was also in the original "Twilight Zone") plagued by the figures of former Earthlings upon returning to the now-barren land. The episode isn't great, but it does feel more like a "Star Trek" story than a "Twilight Zone" one. Russ appears as Archer, a member of the scientific team.

Jonathan Frakes

"Trek" mainstay Jonathan Frakes appeared in one of the sillier episodes of the '80s "Twilight Zone" reboot, the 1985 fable "But Can She Type?" The episode follows an underappreciated receptionist (Pam Dawber) who gets sucked into another dimension by a malfunctioning Xerox machine. Hilariously, it's a world where secretaries are as high-status and beloved as movie stars. It's there that she meets Frakes' character (credited only as "Single Man"), who is impressed with her career and wants to take her out. As ridiculous as certain aspects of the episode are, it's memorable as the rare "Twilight Zone" story that doesn't leave its main character trapped in the worst timeline.

Frakes has also stepped behind the camera on "The Twilight Zone," albeit after he had already gained fame as fan favorite character William T. Riker on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." In 2002, Frakes directed the 11th episode of the second "Twilight Zone" reboot, "The Lineman," which focuses on a telephone line worker (a pre-"Entourage" Jeremy Piven) who gets psychic powers. Frakes is a great director, but "The Lineman" is not one of the higher-rated episodes of the series.

Brent Spiner and John de Lancie

One of at least two "Trek" crossover two-for-ones in "Twilight Zone" history, "Dead Run" features two of the most talented scene-stealers from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (and "Star Trek: Picard," for that matter). Data actor Brent Spiner and Q himself, John de Lancie, both appear in this episode, which is a standout entry in the '80s "Twilight Zone" reboot. "Dead Run" is about a truck driver (Steve Railsback) whose lack of job opportunities leads him to become a ferryman to Hell, a gig he takes reluctantly and soon grows disillusioned with as he figures out that some people on the "low road" might not actually deserve to be there.

"Dead Run" is interesting for several reasons, from its use of the "afterlife as bureaucracy" idea (which would later end up in everything from "Beetlejuice" to "Good Omens" and "The Good Place") to its critical commentary on both punishment-heavy organized religion and America's faulty justice system. Spiner appears as a draft dodger consigned to hell, while De Lancie plays a dispatcher working with the transport team. Just one year later, both would step into their career-defining roles on "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Terry Farrell

The only "Trek" star to land a lead role in the 1980s "Twilight Zone" series, Terry Farrell led the cast of a revamp of one of the original series' best episodes. Several years before she was breaking new ground as queer, genderbending Jadzia Dax in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Ferrell played the woman at the center of "The After Hours," a surprisingly unnerving remake of a Rod Serling classic. In case you haven't seen the excellent original, we'll keep the details of "The After Hours" quiet, but it's worth noting that both versions of the story feature a woman named Marsha whose visit to a department store is plagued by eerie mannequins.

There are a few key differences between the two episodes, including their tone. While the original "After Hours" reveals its mythology as a sort of wistful magical realist premise, the '80s version takes a horror-tinged approach, with Marsha's encounters with the mannequin beings growing more aggressive as the episode wears on. Farrell puts in a solid performance here, but it's impossible for "The After Hours" to live up to the original, which is one of the best episodes of a classic sci-fi show in its prime.

Tawny Newsome and Paul F. Tompkins

Incredibly, "Dead Run" isn't the only "Twilight Zone" episode to feature two future costars in a "Star Trek" series. In 2020, "Star Trek: Lower Decks" voice actors Tawny Newsome and Paul F. Tompkins appeared together in a season 2 episode of Jordan Peele's reboot series just two months before making their "Trek" debut. The episode, "Ovation," opens with a pop star passing a mysterious medallion to a busker named Jasmine (Jurnee Smollett) before dying by suicide. Jasmine's fortunes soon change, and on the road to fame, she goes on a talk show hosted by Paul F. Tompkins' character. Newsome plays her sister, Zara, who's caught in the crossfire of Jasmine's newfound celebrity.

Newsome and Tompkins don't have scenes together in "Ovation," but they'd share plenty of screen time in "Star Trek: Lower Decks," where Newsome stars as rebellious nepo baby ensign Beckett Mariner and Tompkins plays hilariously unhelpful bird-man therapist Dr. Migleemo. Though neither talented comedic actor gets the screen time they deserve in "Ovation," it's a solid episode of the so-so reboot series — one that's bolstered by great performances from Smollett and Newsome, assured directing from Ana Lily Amirpour, and a wheel-of-fortune plotline that would be right at home in the original "Twilight Zone."

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Perfect Mate

• Episode aired Apr 25, 1992

Ferengi machinations unleash a diplomatic gift aboard the Enterprise - the rare, empathic perfect mate, ready to bond with any male around her. Ferengi machinations unleash a diplomatic gift aboard the Enterprise - the rare, empathic perfect mate, ready to bond with any male around her. Ferengi machinations unleash a diplomatic gift aboard the Enterprise - the rare, empathic perfect mate, ready to bond with any male around her.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Reuben Leder
• Michael Piller
• Patrick Stewart
• Jonathan Frakes
• LeVar Burton
• 32 User reviews
• 8 Critic reviews

Top cast 30

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard

• Commander William Thomas 'Will' Riker

• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge

• Lieutenant Worf

• Dr. Beverly Crusher

• Counselor Deanna Troi
• (credit only)

• Lieutenant Commander Data

• Ambassador Briam

• (as Max Grodenchick)

• Chancellor Alrik

• Transporter Technician Hubbell

• Enterprise Computer
• Operations Division Officer
• (uncredited)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia Famke Janssen was supposed to play Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) the following year. Janssen turned down the role to focus on her film career, and it eventually went to Terry Farrell . When initial make-up tests with the original Trill make-up from The Host (1991) were thought to be unconvincing, the staff remembered Kamala's spots and used them on DS9, which is why Kamala almost looks like a Trill with her spots.
• Goofs When Picard meets the ambassador from Valt, the star field in the window slowly moves in shots focusing on the captain but does not in shots focusing on the ambassador.

Commander William T. Riker : [aroused from his encounter with Kamala] Riker to bridge, if you need me, I'll be in holodeck 4.

• Connections Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Celebrities You Didn't Know Were on Star Trek TV Shows (2017)
• Soundtracks Star Trek: The Next Generation Main Title Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User reviews 32

• campbel-11998
• Oct 13, 2019
• April 25, 1992 (United States)
• United States
• Official site
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA (Studio)
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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