Trekkies that have trekked

[K'Toska]

The thread on the topic of trekkies and trekkers got me thinking about this. Mojochi suggested that a trekkie is someone who enjoys Trek, whereas a trekker is someone who has been part of it - like the cast. I know not everyone defines these terms in the same way, but that made me wonder about which Trek actors/writers/producers were fans of the show before getting the gig.

I know that Jolene Blalock was a big fan of TOS before she got the role of T'pol in Enterprise. From Memory Alpha:

During her youth, she became a huge fan of Star Trek: The Original Series (becoming a self-confessed Trekkie), with her favorite character on the program being Mr. Spock. It seems only fitting, then, that she was given the role of the Vulcan T'Pol, whose presence on Enterprise serves as a lead-in for Spock in the original series, set over a hundred years later.

Can you think of any others?

 

[Cyke101]

As far as the new movies, we have Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Justin Lin.

Scott Bakula had a nice clip online (shown at the ENT forum) about what a big deal it was to be in Star Trek, speaking as a fan.

 

[Captain Rob]

There's a thread about an recent interview with Marina Sirtis over on the TNG section. She was asked if she was a fan of TOS before she got her job on TNG. She said that she was aware of TOS over in England but not a fan of it. But both Michael Dorn and Levar Burton were really big fans of TOS. And I think Brent Spiner as well.

 

[K'Toska]

Yeah it seems like a lot of them loved TOS so I'm interested if any actors in say, DS9, Voyager, or Enterprise were fans of the series after TOS but before whatever show they were in. I know TOS gets a lot of shout outs but I haven't seen any actors really talking about being a fan of TNG or anything, oddly enough.

 

[Mojochi]

Whoopi Goldberg was such a huge fan, she was the instigator in getting on the show. Seeing as how Tim Russ had been in a movie prior to Voyager, it's probably fair to say he had a love of the thing enough to keep coming back. I'd suspect Picardo too, but I'm not sure

 

[sojourner]

Christian Slater and Simon Pegg are both fans that made it into Star Trek productions. Christian even has his own replica of Kirk's TOS captain's chair.

 

[RandyS]

There's a thread about an recent interview with Marina Sirtis over on the TNG section. She was asked if she was a fan of TOS before she got her job on TNG. She said that she was aware of TOS over in England but not a fan of it. But both Michael Dorn and Levar Burton were really big fans of TOS. And I think Brent Spiner as well.

The way I heard it was that Bent Spiner was (and still could be for all I know) a TV junkie, and watched TOS on occasion because it was on TV, but I've never heard of him being a fan of it specifically.

 

[RandyS]

Yeah it seems like a lot of them loved TOS so I'm interested if any actors in say, DS9, Voyager, or Enterprise were fans of the series after TOS

Both Nicole de Boer and Linda Park have said they watched TNG before appearing on their respective shows, but I don't remember hearing that they were fans.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

There's a thread about an recent interview with Marina Sirtis over on the TNG section. She was asked if she was a fan of TOS before she got her job on TNG. She said that she was aware of TOS over in England but not a fan of it. But both Michael Dorn and Levar Burton were really big fans of TOS. And I think Brent Spiner as well.

The way I heard it was that Bent Spiner was (and still could be for all I know) a TV junkie, and watched TOS on occasion because it was on TV, but I've never heard of him being a fan of it specifically.

I agree, I don't get the impression that Spiner was a fan. Dorn, and Levar Burton yes....and Wil Wheaton I think. I also get the impression that Denise Crosby might have been to some degree too, but I've never really heard it stated anywhere. I also have a feeling that Armin Shimerman might have been a fan too, but again I haven't heard anything mentioned implicitly.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Seth MacFarlane is a good example.

 

[Kal]

Was recently watching Enterprise. Seth MacFarlane had a tiny bit part, with a serious line, but was still so obvious he loved playing it. The seriousness of the sitch was less than his joy being in the suit, and this is well after he is super famous. Mega fan me thinks

 

[K'Toska]

Whoopi Goldberg was such a huge fan, she was the instigator in getting on the show. Seeing as how Tim Russ had been in a movie prior to Voyager, it's probably fair to say he had a love of the thing enough to keep coming back. I'd suspect Picardo too, but I'm not sure

I for one am glad that Whoopi Goldberg made that happen. :P

 

[2takesfrakes]

Terry Farrell loved STAR TREK as a kid, I'm pretty sure of that. She's stated in interviews that she had to start crying when Rick Berman hired her and he was concerned that she was just overcome with emotion. She said, "you don't understand, I was watching this show (STAR TREK) when I was seven."

 

[eyeresist]

As far as the new movies, we have Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Justin Lin.

There was also a story on TrekToday about Idris Elba, who said he liked Spock and was looking forward to scenes with Quinto.

 

[SpocksOddSocks]

Was recently watching Enterprise. Seth MacFarlane had a tiny bit part, with a serious line, but was still so obvious he loved playing it. The seriousness of the sitch was less than his joy being in the suit, and this is well after he is super famous. Mega fan me thinks

Yeah, he appears on numerous special features on the TNG blu-rays. I haven't listened to the commentary tracks that he has done (I rarely watch with commentaries ...so far only Futurama and Red Dwarf have interested me due to the humorous nature, but I might listen to those at some point).

There a writer's panel documentary on there that he chaired, and it really is great to hear him talk about the show with them - he keeps correcting them on minor details that they can't remember.

I don't remember him being on Enterprise, but I wasn't really aware if him, or Family Guy, when I watched Enterprise - and I haven't actually re-watched it. One of these days I'm sure I will though.

 

[alpha_leonis]

IMO this thread isn't complete without bringing in significant people from outside of the Entertainment industry who have had cameos at various times.

The most famous one, of course, is Professor Stephen Hawking, who came all the way from London to Los Angeles to film his holodeck cameo, playing himself. I don't know if Professor Hawking counts himself in this group, but there are many working scientists who were inspired to go into their fields because of Star Trek.

Jordan's King Abdullah (at the time he was still Prince Abdullah) had a cameo on Voyager, shaking the hand of Harry Kim in a corridor before walking away off-camera. (Famously, he wasn't allowed to have any speaking lines since he wasn't a member of SAG.) He's stated publicly that Star Trek influenced his political philosophy.

But most significant, IMO: Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space IRL, played a transporter operator in TNG's "Second Chances". She was inspired by Star Trek to become an astronaut.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Tom Hanks is a HUGE Trekkie and really wanted to play Zefram Cochrane in ST:FC, but it conflicted with his work on That Thing You Do! and so he couldn't do it.

Similarly, Eddie Murphy wanted to do ST IV but he had to choose between it and The Golden Child. Bet he regrets that.

 

[T'Girl]

Let's not forget the rec room scene in TMP.

Trekkies by the hundreds.

Eddie Murphy wanted to do ST IV but he had to choose between it and The Golden Child. Bet he regrets that.

Why would he regret it, The Golden Child made 80 million dollars and was one the top ten movies of that year, Murphy's performance was fantastic.

 

[alpha_leonis]

Let's not forget the rec room scene in TMP.

Trekkies by the hundreds.

Eddie Murphy wanted to do ST IV but he had to choose between it and The Golden Child. Bet he regrets that.

Why would he regret it, The Golden Child made 80 million dollars and was one the top ten movies of that year, Murphy's performance was fantastic.

I've always heard (or understood) a different version of that story: that it wasn't Mr. Murphy who chose his own project instead of Star Trek, but it was Paramount execs who nixed the partnership.

Both Murphy and Star Trek were licensed to Paramount at the time. Any Star Trek movie would have been very successful and profitable by itself; the same with any Murphy movie (at least at that time, before his career tanked.) If they had cast Murphy into a Trek movie, the crossover would have made that particular movie more successful and profitable by itself -- but not nearly as profitable as two separate movies.

Essentially, the greater profit potential of two movies instead of one led Paramount to reject the idea of putting Murphy into Trek. It wasn't Murphy's decision at all.

 

[Cyke101]

Yeah it seems like a lot of them loved TOS so I'm interested if any actors in say, DS9, Voyager, or Enterprise were fans of the series after TOS

Both Nicole de Boer and Linda Park have said they watched TNG before appearing on their respective shows, but I don't remember hearing that they were fans.

I distinctly remember Linda Park saying in an interview that she watched TNG growing up because she had a crush on Wil Wheaton, so it still counts.

Let's not forget the rec room scene in TMP.

Trekkies by the hundreds.

Eddie Murphy wanted to do ST IV but he had to choose between it and The Golden Child. Bet he regrets that.

Why would he regret it, The Golden Child made 80 million dollars and was one the top ten movies of that year, Murphy's performance was fantastic.

According to Leonard Nimoy, which Murphy never countered, Murphy told Nimoy that he regretted the decision well after both movies were released, though Murphy turned it down for a variety of reasons. It was more of him speaking after looking at the quality of the final products.