Christopher Plummer was an absolute legend of the acting world, with an illustrious career spanning an impressive six decades. While Shatner still has him beat time-wise (at seven decades of work and counting), Plummer’s talent was incomparable. Plummer delved into the Star Trek universe in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.”
He was perfectly suited for the role he took on: Shakespeare-loving Klingon General Chang. Plummer himself was a classically trained actor and Shakespeare fanatic who has spent as much time on the stage as he has on camera. What you may not know is that, in the year 2000, he lent his voice to the “Star Trek: Klingon Academy” video game, reprising his role as Chang. In February 2021, he sadly passed away.
LeVar Burton as Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Do you remember "Reading Rainbow?" If you were the right age to be entranced by this brilliant children’s show, then you’ll certainly recognize its host (and executive producer, just by the way), LeVar Burton. This wonderful entertainer also had one of our favorite roles in the Star Trek franchise: Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge.
While La Forge was blind, he was able to have his own unique form of sight through the use of his boss-looking VISOR. While his eyes were always concealed behind the blingin’ prosthetic device, Burton is still mega recognizable. Since his time on Star Trek, Burton has both acted in and directed numerous episodes in a variety of television series. He’s also had a shot at directing a few films.
Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
Korean-American actress, Linda Park, had just graduated from Boston University when she got her first big break: the role of Hoshi Sato in Star Trek. With only a minor role in "Jurassic Park" under her belt, this regular role was a big step up for her, and Park was determined to shine. Her character, Hoshi Sato, was the communications officer and had a natural knack for understanding and translating all the alien languages the crew encountered.
When her time with Star Trek came to an end, Park was able to use it as a platform from which to land plenty of ongoing television work. You may recognize her as a regular on the show, "Crash." In tandem with her acting career, Park co-founded Underground Asylum, an LA-based theater company (though it has since gone defunct).
Martha Hackett as Seska
Martha Hackett is another star who took on more than one character in the Star Trek universe. Though she wasn’t quite as prolific as Vaughn Armstrong, Hackett appeared in two of the Star Trek television series and also voiced characters in five different Star Trek games. She’s definitely got the chops to call herself a Trekkie!
Her biggest role within the franchise was as Seska in "Star Trek: Voyager." Hackett appeared in 13 episodes as this character. Apart from her dedication to Star Trek, Hackett has had a number of roles in blockbuster films, including "Never Been Kissed" and "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day."
Catherine Hicks as Dr. Gillian Taylor
Seems like there’s some kind of connection between Star Trek and "7th Heaven." Catherine Hicks played Annie Camden on the hit show. Thankfully, she was not as controversial of a figure as her co-star, Stephen Collins. The only attention Hicks stirred up was for her stellar performances. She was nominated for a Saturn Award, in the Best Supporting Actress category for her portrayal of Dr. Gillian Taylor in Star Trek.
Prior to her appearance in "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," Hicks had already been nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. From such a promising start in the 80s, Hicks blossomed into an even more wonderful actress and has a list of credits a mile long.