Large film and television franchises often provide opportunities for new actors to gain experience, as these projects require many performers. The Star Wars prequel films, for example, launched or featured the careers of well-known actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Ewan McGregor. While these stars carried significant roles, the films also included smaller parts for rising talents such as Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Rose Byrne, and Richard Armitage. However, Star Wars isn’t the only franchise willing to take risks on new faces; its rival, Star Trek, also frequently gives up-and-coming actors a chance to shine.
Many famous actors have made appearances on Star Trek ships, like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson on *Voyager* and Stephen Hawking on *The Next Generation*. But there’s a surprisingly large group of well-known actors whose work with Starfleet often goes unnoticed. Here are seven actors you might be surprised to learn appeared in *Star Trek*.
7) Gabrielle Union
Man, the late 90s and early 2000s were *the* era for teen movies, and Gabrielle Union was totally in a bunch of the classics – I’m talking *She’s All That*, *Bring It On*, even *10 Things I Hate About You*. But you know, before she was a movie star, she was paying her dues on TV like everyone else. It’s funny, one of her very first roles was as a Klingon officer, N’Garen, on *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*. She basically spent her time giving Worf’s son a hard time, which is a pretty cool little piece of trivia!
6) Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst, known for her role as Spider-Man’s Mary Jane, started her career as a child, appearing in commercials and even on *Saturday Night Live*. This early work caught the attention of the casting directors for *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, who gave her a guest role as Hedril, a character who communicated solely through telepathy. Her appearance on the *USS Enterprise-D* created difficulties for the character Lwaxana Troi.
5) Jonathan Banks
Jonathan Banks is instantly recognizable for his roles in *Breaking Bad* and *Better Call Saul*. He truly shined in those shows, becoming a memorable part of Vince Gilligan’s universe. But before that, he had a brief appearance on *Deep Space Nine* playing Golin Shel-la, a leader who had lost sight of his purpose.
4) Mark Shepard
Crowley from *Supernatural* is one of the most compelling villains on television. This demon consistently stumbled into success, ultimately becoming King of Hell. Though the character played by Mark Sheppard in *Voyager* wasn’t as outright evil, he wasn’t exactly a hero either. He turned his own son into a dangerous weapon capable of destroying the Borg, and the crew had to rescue the boy from a terrible destiny.
3) Rainn Wilson
The TV show *The Office* launched the careers of stars like John Krasinski and Steve Carell. While Rainn Wilson hasn’t had the same success in movies, he’s found consistent work on television. He played the character Harry Mudd, a charming con artist, in *Star Trek: Discovery*, a role that originally appeared in *Star Trek: The Original Series*. After his time on *Discovery*, Wilson continued to play Harry Mudd in the *Star Trek: Short Treks* series.
2) Jim O’Heir
Jim O’Heir is used to being the target of jokes, a pattern that started with his role on *Parks and Recreation*. His character, Garry Gergich, was always clumsy and made mistakes, but remained optimistic. However, his character on *Voyager* had a much harder time – he helplessly watched his wife leave him with a deceitful man named Gar.
1) Famke Janssen
While many know Famke Janssen as a Bond girl, she’s perhaps best known for playing Jean Grey in the *X-Men* films, where her character was caught in a love triangle with Cyclops and Wolverine. Interestingly, her role on *Star Trek: The Next Generation* had a similar dynamic – her character, Kamala, developed feelings for Captain Jean-Luc Picard even though she was already engaged to someone else.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
https://comicbook.com/anime/news/7-sci-fi-anime-that-are-perfect-for-star-trek-fans/embed/#
Read More
- 12 Best Schools to Rebuild in College Football 26
- 99 Nights in the Forest codes: Full list of codes for September 2025
- Preview: Here’s Why Resident Evil Requiem’s Tension Is Off the Charts
- You Need to Hear the Advice Rhea Raj Gave KATSEYE’s Lara
- Solo Leveling: ARISE OVERDRIVE launches November 17 for PC, in 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series
- Justin Bieber’s Mom Shares Prayer of “Healing” For Him
- What Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban and More Shared About Their Salaries
- Top gainers and losers
- Metal Gear Solid Delta Patch Promised, But No Mention of PS5 Performance Improvements
- James Gunn Defends Superman’s Controversial Parents Twist, And I Think He’s Right
2025-10-08 22:56