Star Trek was usually not in a position to hire A-list actors. Patrick Stewart being the obvious exception.
Oh, Jadzia!
- Thread starter CaseyW
- Start date
Let me defend her. Farrell could have had a long career as a "scream queen," or she would have fit in well on Voyager. However, she was cast on a show with tons of stage performers.
And let me disagree: Patrick Stewart was far from an A-list actor when he was hired. During the Berman era, the actors (regular and semi-regular) who came closest were Whoopi Goldberg and Scott Bakula.
And let me disagree: Patrick Stewart was far from an A-list actor when he was hired. During the Berman era, the actors (regular and semi-regular) who came closest were Whoopi Goldberg and Scott Bakula.
I'll agree with Levar Burton and Whoopi Goldberg. Aside from individual exceptions, my general point stands that hiring A-list actors was usually beyond Star Trek's budget. They would hire actors who had done a few things that showed they had good potential but had not yet been priced out of the budget.
I think that every actor who happened to land a part in a Star Trek show is granted (a special) fame that they never would have had otherwise.
Wil Wheaton definitely had some fame going from Stand By Me.
Only in the last 10-20 years has casting an A-list actor viable and desirable. Getting Scott Bakula, a big name in television even in 2000, was a huge score, and easily could have screwed the show, like hiring Genvieve Bujold turned out to be. (And I am sure calling either one an A-List actor is something people will find contentious). Hiring Michelle Yeoh was a coup, but her continuously rising profile made her less available over time.
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