By Jessica Wedemeyer
9:03pm PDT, May 14, 2022
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In the years since the "Star Trek" franchise first kicked off with "Star Trek: The Original Series" in 1966, many bold-faced names have joined the universe in various roles — big and small. But while some performances have become truly iconic, others have been lost to time. In honor of the May 5, 2022, debut of the new Paramount+ series "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" starring Anson Mount as Captain Pike — Captain Kirk's predecessor — plus Rebecca Romijn as Number One and Ethan Peck as baby Spock, Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at some of the celebs who've boldly gone where apparently many A-listers have gone before…
Keep reading to see the big names who were in "Star Trek" movies and TV shows early in their careers…
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A pre-fame Chris Hemsworth made his feature film debut in 2009's "Star Trek." He portrayed George Kirk, the father of Chris Pine's Captain James T. Kirk. For a while, there were rumors that the comely former co-stars would reunite in the upcoming 14th "Star Trek" film, but Chris H. dashed fans' hopes in mid-2019 when he told Variety, "I didn't feel like we landed on a reason to revisit that yet. I didn't want to be underwhelmed by what I was going to bring to the table." Womp!
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Long before "Dynasty" made her a household name, Joan Collins portrayed Edith Keeler — a social worker in 1930s New York City — on a time-travel-themed 1967 episode of "Star Trek: The Original Series."
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In 1993, Kirsten Dunst appeared as Hendril, a child from a telepathic race, on an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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A pre-fame Tom Hardy portrayed the main villain — Shinzon, a Romulan-created clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the leader of the Reman people — in 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis."
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A pre-fame Sarah Silverman portrayed astronomer Rain Robinson — who encounters the crew of the Voyager when they're thrown back in time — on two episodes of "Star Trek: Voyager" in 1996.
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In 1991, a rising star by the name of Christian Slater portrayed an unnamed "Red Shirt" communications officer in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
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Ashley Judd made her acting debut as Ensign Robin Lefler on two episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" in 1991.
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Iman portrayed the flirtatious criminal shapeshifter Martia, who attempts to kill Captain James T. Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy, in 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
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Kelsey Grammer portrayed Captain Morgan Bateson, who's stuck in a time loop, on a 1992 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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Famke Janssen made her television debut in 1992 on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." She portrayed the seductive Kamala, a metamorph who accidentally bonds with Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
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In 1988, Teri Hatcher portrayed Lieutenant B. G. Robinson, a transporter operator, on an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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Kirstie Alley made her feature film debut in 1982's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan." She portrayed the Vulcan Star Fleet Cadet trainee Saavik but was replaced by actress Robin Curtis in "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home."
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Adam Scott briefly popped up as a "Red Shirt" — a conn officer on the USS Defiant — in 1996's "Star Trek: First Contact." His character memorably declares, "It's the Enterprise!" as the starship swoops in to rescue his crew as they're attacked by the Borg.
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Tyler Perry portrayed Admiral Richard Barnett — who presides over the Starfleet Academy board tasked with punishing James T. Kirk for cheating on the Kobayashi Maru exam — in 2009's "Star Trek."
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Kim Cattrall portrayed Lieutenant Valeris — a Vulcan who was mentored by Captain Spock at Starfleet Academy and was revealed to be a traitor conspiring with the Klingons — in 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
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A few years after he found fame for his work on "Family Guy," Seth MacFarlane portrayed Ensign Rivers, an engineer, on two episodes of "Star Trek: Enterprise" — first in 2004 and then again in 2005.
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"Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander portrayed Kurros, a tactician and the spokesperson for a group of alien scholars, on a 1999 episode of "Star Trek: Voyager."
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In 1998, Andy Dick portrayed EMH-2 Dr. Bradley, an emergency medical hologram, on an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager."
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Ron Perlman was completely unrecognizable as a Reman in 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis." He donned heaps of special effects makeup to play Shinzon's second-in-command, the villainous telepath who mentally rapes Deanna Troi.
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"Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" star Jonathan Banks appeared on a 1993 episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
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Before he starred as Doc Brown in "Back to the Future," Christopher Lloyd portrayed the main villain — the ruthless Klingon Commander Kruge — in 1984's "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock."
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Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello has just a handful of acting credits on his résumé — and two are from the "Star Trek" franchise. In 1998, he portrayed a Son'a officer in "Star Trek: Insurrection," and in 2000, he had a brief cameo as Crewman Mitchell on an episode of "Star Trek: Voyager."
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"Lost" star Terry O'Quinn portrayed Admiral Erik Pressman, the controversial commander of the USS Pegasus, on a 1994 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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In 1998, Iggy Pop portrayed alien Yelgrun on an episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
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Bill Hader voiced a computer aboard the Vengeance, the vessel belonging to Benedict Cumberbatch's Khan, in 2013's "Star Trek Into Darkness."
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Former "Cheers" star Bebe Neuwirth portrayed the Malcorian nurse Lanel — who memorably enjoys a brief romantic tryst with Riker — on a 1991 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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"Scrubs" actor Ken Jenkins played Dr. Stubbs on the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "Evolution," which aired in 1989.
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Here's one you might not remember: Back in 1991, Christopher Plummer starred as a Klingon general named Chang in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
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One of Vanessa Williams' earliest acting roles? Arandis — the hostess at a tourist destination on the planet Risa — on a 1996 episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
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Former "That '70s Show" star Kurtwood Smith is no stranger to the extended "Star Trek" universe: He portrayed a Cardassian security officer named Thrax on a 1996 episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and then had a two-episode stint as a Krenim temporal scientist named Annorax on "Star Trek: Voyager" in 1997. But before all that, he played the president of the Federation in 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."
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Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood donned loads of prosthetics to play an Antedian dignitary on a 1989 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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Four years before "Lost" launched him to stardom, Daniel Dae Kim portrayed an alien astronaut named Gotana-Retz on a 2000 episode of "Star Trek: Voyager."
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Back in 1996, Ed Begley Jr. portrayed Henry Starling — a philanthropist and computer technology pioneer during the late 20th century — during two time-travel-themed episodes of "Star Trek: Voyager."
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"Desperate Housewives" alum Brenda Strong portrayed Rashella — a member of the dwindling Aldean race — on a 1988 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation."
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Decades before her star-making turn as Sam Fox on "Better Things," Pamela Adlon popped up on a 1989 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation." She portrayed Oji, a Mintakan record keeper responsible for measuring the daily readings from a sundial.
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Prior to regularly appearing on "Star Trek: Discovery," Rekha Sharma popped up on a 2017 episode of "Star Trek Continues" as Avi Samara.
