Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else?

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

I always knew about Nimoy, but thanks to Netflix, I recently found out for myself that George Takei was in the first season playing the guest agent for the episode. This was back when the concept of the show was that the team had a couple regulars and then a guest star or two as a an agent brought in by the team leader with a specialty needed for that particular mission (a concept brought back for a couple of movies). George's specialty in this case was as a biologist (I think) and the team had to steal a biological weapon. It was pretty neat.

As the OP mentioned, it's more about being surprised to see a Trek actor in before you actually watched that movie/episode. With 50+ main cast members and countless supporting actors, not everyone can keep up with each and every Trek alum's career, y'know, and there's that nice sense of familiarity that they bring.

For example, when Under Siege came out, I knew it was a vehicle for Steven Segal, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Busey, sure. But when Colm Meaney popped up, I yelled at the screen, "WHOA, THAT'S CHIEF O'BRIEN!"

On a small twist on the thread, I smile when I recognize a Trek acting alum as the director of a given episode, particularly a couple of the Voyager cast who I'm convinced are among the hardest working directors in TV now. I also got a kick from seeing Jonathan Frakes' name pop up when watching Agents of SHIELD. Sure, I know they have a consistent and happy career as directors, but it's still nice to see their names.

 

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

And, hey, Captain Robau turned up on ELEMENTARY last night! (Moonlighting from Warehouse 13, no doubt.)

 

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

I looked around for a thread mentioning it, couldn't find one. Unsure if it counts as I've not actually seen it (not out yet), but I was very unpleasantly surprised to learn that Kate Mulgrew is seemingly narrating a documentary propounding geocentrism.

I guess a gig's a gig, but there are limits. Maybe she figures it's so looney-tunes there's no real harm, so she may as well take the money? Or does she buy it?

The 'documentary' itself looks to be in the vein of What The $!&@ Do We Know? and No Intelligence Allowed.

 

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

O-kay... that brings her IQ down to about a tenth of what it used to be. Personally I'd rather go hungry than narrate that crap.

 

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

Rene Auberjoinois in McCabe And Mrs Miller.

I don't think of him as being as old as he is because of his makeup. But a 70s Western by Robert Altman? I was surprised.

 

Re: Have you ever been surprised to see a Trek actor in something else

That was a pleasant surprise for me, realizing that it was John DeLancie playing Jane's father...Hey, that's Q!!