While most people know Kirstie as the one who went through some pretty public struggles with her weight, the actress was once a Vulcan-Romulan hybrid on the set of Star Trek. Alley appeared in the 1982 film, “Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan,” playing Lt. Saavik. With her dark hair and costume, she’s worlds away from the image we’ve grown accustomed to.
After her brief flirtation with Star Trek, Alley went on to enjoy a long run on the popular sitcom, “Cheers.” She’s appeared in a number of other television roles, but was catapulted to fame in Hollywood movies like “For Richer or Poorer,” “Look Who’s Talking,” “Accidental Love,” and “It Takes Two.”
Kim Cattrall as Vulcan Valeris
Since we’re already on the topic of stars you never realized were on Star Trek, it may surprise you to learn that, long before her days of prowling the streets of New York with Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall was a Trekkie. While most people know her as open-minded and upfront Samantha from HBO’s hit show, "Sex and the City," Kim Cattrall will remain a Vulcan in the hearts of all true Star Trek fans.
Cattrall’s character, Valeris, was under the mentorship of Captain Spock and excelled with his expert tutelage. Perhaps foreshadowing her "SATC" future, Cattrall designed her character’s headband and was also involved in the hair styling and even the development of the name.
Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
Here’s an epic bit of Trekkie trivia for you: First appearing in the pilot episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and enjoying a career that carried all the way through to "Star Trek: Nemesis," Michael Dorn gets to boast the most appearances of any actor in the whole franchise. What an honor! Dorn’s Star Trek career adds up to an incredible 272 episodes and five films.
After such a monumental run with the show, Dorn was left with a pretty impressive CV, which has helped him secure many a supporting role. He is, however, picky with his roles, preferring independent films. He also has the most bad-ass side hustle ever: Dorn is a highly skilled pilot and owns and operates his own Lockheed T-33 trainer jet. We’re sure you’re not at all surprised to learn that his nickname for the plane is “starship.”
Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand
A picture of 60s style, Grace Lee Whitney played elegant yeoman to Captain James T. Kirk, Janice Rand. Janice can be seen in eight episodes of the first season but Whitney’s initial contract didn’t extend beyond this, so that was that. For a while anyway. Fans weren’t happy with her departure and they weren’t shy about begging for her return at conventions. As the years went by, the requests kept coming until the producers finally made a decision.
Whitney was brought back on board and fans got to enjoy seeing Janice back in action. She continued to pop up at diverse times throughout the series and appeared in Star Trek movies also. Along with her much-loved Star Trek role, Grace Lee Whitney enjoyed literally hundreds of television show appearances throughout her career. She was a talented singer and musician and penned an autobiography before she passed away in 2015.
John De Lancie as Q
Responsible for bringing us the character, Q, John De Lancie was also one of few actors who got to reprise his role over multiple series. Appearing in "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," and "Voyager," Q is both the name of Lancie’s character and the race said character comes from.
Since departing from the world of Star Trek, Lancie has enjoyed a varied career, with roles in film, television, and theater. "Breaking Bad" fans will remember his noteworthy guest appearance as the father of Jesse's girlfriend, Jane Margolis. He’s also turned his hand to the written word, with several books to his name.