Whoopi Goldberg’s role was an interesting one. She played Guinan, from the El-Aurian race, who spend their time listening to the universe. Guinan’s home planet was decimated by the Borg (a cyborg species who like to destroy things), turning her into a refugee.
After a long life in the Star Trek universe, Goldberg’s career took off and, along with being a household name, she is now the proud owner of Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony awards. Goldberg blazoned her name in the history books with her Oscar win, as it was only the second one ever to go to a black woman. Lately, Goldberg has chilled out on the acting, instead happily settling into a co-hosting spot on “The View.”
Robert Picardo as Emergency Medical Hologram
Here’s something you probably don’t know about your favorite Emergency Medical Hologram. The actor who played the role, Robert Picardo, was all set to become a real-life doctor before he took a complete 180 and went into acting instead. After graduating from William Penn Charter School, Picardo launched into Yale, ready to take on life as a pre-med student. But the drama department was calling to him and, unable to resist, Picardo changed his course, eventually graduating from Yale with a drama degree rather than a medical one!
Given his history, it’s such a beautiful turn of events that Picardo went on to take the Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) role on Star Trek. More commonly referred to as “The Doctor,” Picardo’s EMH character popped up in the "Star Trek: Voyager" films. Since then, he’s enjoyed a fruitful acting career with roles in film and television, and on Broadway.
Anthony Montgomery as Ensign Travis Mayweather
Anthony Montgomery graced the decks of the USS Enterprise at the same time and for the same 98-episode duration as Dominic Keating. The Indianapolis native had already been building a solid acting career, with appearances in both film and television, when he was cast as Ensign Travis Mayweather in "Star Trek: Enterprise."
After his role came to an end, Montgomery dabbled in stand-up comedy for a while. He continued his acting work while also developing his skills as a graphic novelist. He’s currently enjoying a regular starring role on the ABC soap opera, "General Hospital," in which he plays Andre Maddox.
Scarlett Pomers as Naomi Widman
While she may have been one of the youngest cast members to grace the Star Trek decks, Scarlett Pomers was already a surprisingly accomplished performer before she appeared in the show. Along with a number of TV roles, she had appeared in the music video for Michael Jackson’s 1991 hit, “Heal the World.”
Pomers had a decent run on Star Trek, appearing in 17 episodes over a three-year period. Critics were as impressed with her portrayal of Naomi Wildman as the fans were, and Pomers won a Young Artist Award, commending her for an outstanding supporting role in a drama series. After leaving Star Trek, Pomers starred in the TV show, "Reba," and founded the band, SCARLETT (also known as the Scarlett Pomers Band).
Robert Beltran as Commander Chakotay
Robert Beltran certainly did a sterling job, filling the boots of Commander Chakotay, the starship Voyager’s first officer. He was so loved in this role, in fact, that he was twice nominated for an ALMA award and was successful in taking out the award for “Outstanding Actor in a Television Series” from Golden Eagle.
What you may not know about Beltran is that he is a bit of a theater addict. The talented actor has appeared in almost as many stage productions as he has in films. Since Star Trek, he’s enjoyed roles in film, television and theater and, with his talent and unique features, is unlikely to ever be out of work.