Long before he preached from our TV screens as the squeaky clean father and Protestant minister in “7th Heaven,” Stephen Collins was a Trekkie. He played Commander Willard Decker in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” which was released way back in 1979.
Since then, Collins enjoyed the aforementioned “7th Heaven” success and appeared in a number of other TV shows and Hollywood films along the way. He even became a published author at some point in his career. His success has been somewhat disrupted, following some allegations against him, which have all but put his acting career to an end.
Avery Brooks as Commander Benjamin Sisko
Avery Brooks was a regular on the set of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," gracing our screens from 1993 to 1999 as Commander Benjamin Sisko. Like Nichelle Nichols, who came before him, Brooks’ role in Star Trek was a momentous one. While the civil rights movement had been underway for some time, Brooks was the first African-American to take a leadership position in Star Trek history.
Having truly made his mark on the show, Brooks went on to enjoy a varied career in film, television, theater, music, and teaching. He also continued his work in civil rights, directing the annual National Black Arts Festival and working with the Smithsonian on their Black American Culture Program.
Leonard Nimoy as Spock
From one legend of Star Trek to another, it would be impossible to imagine the Star Trek universe without Spock. Leonard Nimoy was responsible for the creation of one of the most loved characters in the franchise’s history. From the pilot episode, filmed way back in 1964, to his final appearance in 2013, the part human, part Vulcan science officer was a definite mainstay of the show.
While Nimoy enjoyed an abundant film and television career outside of Star Trek, in the minds and hearts of fans, he would always be Spock. While the character may have been the highlight of his career for many, it’s worth noting that Nimoy was also an accomplished director, author, and musician. Star Trek fans were devastated in 2015 to discover Nimoy had passed away due to a severe medical condition.
Susanna Thompson as Varel
When Susanna Thompson appeared in an episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," she was an active participant in one of the first-ever same-sex kisses to be shown on American television. It seems the Star Trek crew were really into creating television firsts! Thompson appeared in more than one season of Star Trek, playing Varel in her first appearance, then Inmate Jaya in a later episode of "The Next Generation."
Then, of course, there was the infamous Dr. Lenara Kahn, in the "Deep Space Nine" episode mentioned above. And Thompson showed up again as the Borg Queen, in "Voyager." In the midst of this on-again-off-again relationship with Star Trek, Thompson has been busy with a variety of roles. Most recently, you may have seen her in Arrow and Timeless.
Roxann Dawson as B’Elanna Torres
Here is our favorite part-human, part-Klingon engineer, B’Elanna Torres. Played by Roxann Dawson, Torres graced our screens in the full, seven-season suite of "Star Trek: Voyager." The talented Dawson also made her directorial debut during this time. With such a brilliant platform, Dawson enjoyed a solid television career, starring in a number of other shows while simultaneously making a big impression as a talented director.
The multi-talented woman directed some of our favorite episodes of "Charmed," "The Mentalist," "The O.C.," "Cold Case," "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," and "Lost." Lately, she’s turned her talents to producing with credits on a number of successful shows, including "Cold Case," "Crossing Jordan," and "Scandal."