TheStar Trekmovie franchise has utilized a huge roster of actors over the years, but many of these supporting stars have been forgotten. Starting with the release ofThe Motion Picturein 1979, the movie franchise brought back the beloved crew of the U.S.S.Enterpriseand sent them on epic adventures that saw them grow as characters. The original movies were different from the utopian sci-fi of the classic ’60s series, and were typically much larger in scope and scale. This trend continued into the 1990s with the release of movies based onStar Trek: The Next Generation.
Like the TV episodes,theStar Trekmoviesdidn’t just focus on the various starship crews, and usually introduced new characters in supporting roles. Whether they were memorableStar Trekvillains or new cadets on theEnterprise, the movies often invested more time in the supporting characters than the TV shows ever did. Unfortunately, many actors aren’t best remembered for their time trekking among the stars, and their contributions are overshadowed by the main crew who took center stage.
10David Warner - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier & Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
David Warner Is A Star Trek Veteran
The franchise is no stranger to reusing actors again and again, andDavid Warner has appeared in multiple roles in theStar Trekfilmsand TV shows. Perhaps best remembered for playing the villainous Cardassian torturer, Gul Madred, in theNext Generationepisode “Chain of Command”,Warner actually appeared in two differentStar Trekmovies. InStar Trek V: The Final Frontier, Warner plays the Federation ambassador trapped on Nimbus III, but he stole the show as the philosophical Klingon chancellor, Gorkon, inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
9Malcolm McDowell - Star Trek Generations
McDowell Plays One Of Trek’s Most Infamous Villains
Malcolm McDowell is no stranger to playing villain roles, and he has made a name for himself playing dastardly characters in films likeA Clockwork Orange. His appearance in theStar Trekfranchise is in one of its weaker installments, butMcDowell’s performance is a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable movie.Star Trek Generationstapped McDowell to play Soran, a scientist who wants to reenter the Nexus in order to escape from his own tragic past.
Soran’s arc is the one thing in the film that makes sense
Soran is a uniqueStar Trekmovie villainbecause he has a clear motivation that’s understandable. Even thoughGenerationsis a bit convoluted and bogged down, Soran’s arc is the one thing in the film that makes sense. This is due in large part to McDowell’s performance, but he has largely been forgotten because the film itself isn’t worth remembering.
8Christopher Plummer - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
The Sound Of Music Star Played A Klingon
Christopher Plummer isn’t really known for playing heels, but when he showed up in theStar Trekmovie franchise, he was cast against type.Plummer appears inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countryas Klingon general, Chang, the chief of staff to the late Chancellor Gorkon. The antagonistic general butts heads with Kirk from their first meeting, and it’s clear that he distrusts the Federation as much as they distrust him. Plummer’s performance is one of the highlights of the movie, and only an actor of his gravity could bring so much humanity to Chang.
According to the book,The Art of Star Trekby Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, Plummer requested that Chang have lighter makeup so that he could have a more human look for his performance.
7John Larroquette - Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
The TV Legend Only Appeared In A Star Trek Movie
Ironically, TV icon John Larroquette made his onlyStar Trekappearance in a movie and not in one of the many series. TheNight CourtandBoston Legalstarappeared inStar Trek III: The Search for Spockas Maltz, one of the crew members on the Klingon cruisercommanded by the evil, Kruge (Christopher Lloyd). Unlike his more violent contemporaries, Maltz is often the voice of reason and tries on numerous occasions to advise Kruge, who is determined to make foolhardy decisions.
Larroquette’s time in the 23rd century was rather brief, but it has become an iconic part of his career. During the run of theNight Courtrevival series, Larroquette’s character, Dan,appeared in court dressed as a Klingon for one episode. This is an obvious nod to Maltz, and a fitting tribute to aStar Trekmovie that often goes overlooked.
6Kurtwood Smith - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
The Red Forman Actor Played The Federation President
One thing that makes theStar Trekmovies special is that they often cast excellent actors in the smallest supporting roles. Never was this more true than inStar Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country,when Kurtwood Smithappeared as the Federation President. Smith’s character doesn’t have a name, but is a member of the Efrosian species, an alien race known for their long white hair and cranial ridges.Smith brings his usual stoic charm to the part, and is a far cry from the stern and humorous Red Forman fromThat ’70s Show.
Series Or Movie
Annorax
Star Trek: Voyager
S4 E8 & 9 “Year of Hell Parts 1 & 2”
5Chris Hemsworth - Star Trek (2009)
Before He Was Thor, Chris Hemsworth Was Captain Kirk’s Dad
he imbued George Kirk with a lot of the classic mannerisms that his fictional son would soon inherit.
Just a few years before he became a household name as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Hemsworth had a small but very important role in J.J. Abrams’Star Trek. The 2009 reboottapped Hemsworth to play the role of George Kirk, Captain Kirk’s late father, who dies in the opening scene aboard the U.S.S.Kelvin. Hemsworth wasn’t given a lot to do in his short appearance in the film, but he imbued George Kirk with a lot of the classic mannerisms that his fictional son would soon inherit.
4Christian Slater - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Countrywas the last hurrah for the originalEnterprisecrew, and it also featured a host of famous supporting stars. Christian Slater was at the height of his fame in 1991, and theHeathersandTrue Romancestar has a small cameo role inStar Trek VI.Slater appears as an unnamed communications officer, and has a small walk-on part with only a few lines. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but Slater is very much his usual self onscreen.
Apparently, Slater is a huge fan of the franchise, andactually lobbied to appear inStar Trek. Though he would likely have wanted a larger role, it’s interesting that he was able to earn a spot on the crew of theEnterprise. Despite his love of the franchise, Slater has made no further appearances in anyStar Trekmedia.
3Sofia Boutella - Star Trek Beyond
Boutella’s Performance Was Buried Under A Lot Of Makeup
Before she was the star of her own ill-fated sci-fi franchise,Rebel Moon, Sofia Boutella appeared in theStar Trekmovie franchise in a memorable supporting role.The action star played the role of Jaylah inStar Trek Beyond, an alien of unknown species who was trapped on the planet Altamid for years following an attack by Krall. Like many of Boutella’s roles, Jaylah often lets her fists do the talking, and she generally increased the amount of action in the third Kelvin timelineStar Trekfilm.
2Tom Hardy - Star Trek: Nemesis
An Early Tom Hardy Role Was In A Star Trek Movie
Unfortunately, Tom Hardy got the short end of the stick when he made his lone appearance in theStar Trekuniverse, but he gave his all nevertheless.Hardy plays the role of Shinzon inStar Trek: Nemesis, the final film to feature the crew of theEnterprisefromStar Trek: The Next Generation. Shinzon is actually a clone of Captain Picard who wants revenge against his originator after he spent his life suffering at the hands of the Romulans.
The biggest problem with Shinzon isn’t Hardy’s performance, it’s actually the poor writing and convoluted plot. It’s never really clear why Shinzon hates Picard so much, besides the fact that he’s a clone of the legendary captain.Nemesistries to ape the formula fromThe Wrath of Khan, but Shinzon’s motivation is flimsier than Khan’s, making the whole experience seem pointless.
1Idris Elba - Star Trek Beyond
Elba Played One Of The More Complex Villains From The Kelvin Universe
The villains ofStar Trek’s Kelvin Universeall have very similar motivations, and their quest for revenge is what drives them. Idris Elba played the role of Krall inStar Trek Beyond, andhe turned in one of the most dynamic and layered performances found in the over-the-top alternate universe franchise. Krall was once a human soldier who was transformed into a monster thanks to some science fiction mumbo jumbo.
A skilled performer like Idris Elba is able to make Krall feel more human
Elba’s performance is able to shine even though pounds of makeup, and Krall’s decisions make sense, even if they are evil. He used to be a soldier, and after being retired in favor of a more peaceful future, Krall came to resent the change in philosophy. A skilled performer like Idris Elba is able to make Krall feel more human, and he’s one of the more memorableStar Trekmovie villains.
