Tim Russ may be most remembered for portraying Lt. Tuvok onStar Trek: Voyager,but the actor has popped up in a surprising number of otherStar Trekprojects. Many actors have portrayed multiple roles throughouttheStar Trekfranchise, but Russ has played more than most, appearing across multiple eras, in films and television shows, in animation and live action. Originally considered for the role ofGeordi La Forge onStar Trek: The Next Generation,Russ continued auditioning forStar Trekroles, landing a few smaller parts before ultimately being cast as Tuvok.
Tim Russ began acting in the 1980s, appearing in episodes ofThe Twilight Zone, Hill Street Blues,andThe Highwayman,among many others. Russ also appeared in 1987’sSpaceballsand portrayed Jesse inDeath Wish 4: The Crackdown.He remains most known for hisStar Trekroles,but later went on to have significant roles inSamantha Who?andiCarly.He continues to enjoy a busy acting career, popping up across television, film, and video games, and currently has several projects in various stages of development.
6Tim Russ In Star Trek: The Next Generation
Russ Portrayed Devor In TNG Season 6, Episode 18, “Starship Mine”
Tim Russ’sStar Trekdebut came in theStar Trek: The Next Generationseason 6 episode, “Starship Mine,” which findsCaptain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) starring in his own version ofDie Hard.With the Enterprise evacuated for scheduled maintenance, a group of mercenaries attempts to steal parts from the ship, only to be thwarted by a determined and resourceful Picard. Russ portrays one of the mercenaries named Devor, who poses as a technician working on the ship.
Another one of the mercenaries is portrayed by actress and stunt performer Patricia Tallman, who would go on to star as Lyta Alexander onBabylon 5.
When Picard encounters Devor working on a panel, the Enterprise captain questions what he’s looking for. Devor attacks Picard, butJean-Luc gains the upper hand and takes Devor down with a Vulcan nerve pinch.When Devor wakes up, Picard questions him about the mercenaries' plans, but he refuses to answer. Picard knocks Devor unconscious again with a hypospray, and the thief is presumably killed when the baryon sweep passes through the Enterprise.
5Tim Russ In Star Trek Generations
Russ Portrayed An Unnamed Lieutenant In Generations
The first foray onto the big screen for Captain Picard and hisTNGcrew,Star Trek Generationsis most remembered for thedeath of James T. Kirk (William Shatner)and the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D. The opening scenes of the film take place in 2293, as retired Starfleet officers James Kirk, Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) attendthe maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise-B.
The Enterprise-B soon gets pulled into an impromptu rescue mission to save two El-Aurian refugee ships from a strange energy ribbon.Tim Russ appears as a lieutenant on the Enterprisewho attempts to beam the refugees from the SS Lakul, but cannot get a lock because they are in"some sort of temporal flux.“Russ’s unnamed lieutenant later reports on the falling percentages of the Lakul’s hull integrity until the ship eventually explodes.
4Tim Russ In Star Trek: Voyager
Russ Portrayed Tuvok In All Seven Seasons Of Voyager
Most famously,Tim Russ portrayed the Vulcan Lt. Tuvok, who served as the Security Chief on the USS Voyagerunder the command ofCaptain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Tuvok was working undercover on the Maquis raider Val Jean when the ship was transported 70,000 light years to the Delta Quadrant. He rejoined Voyager’s crew after the crews of the two ships merged, serving as Janeway’s second officer.
With his sense of Vulcan logic, Tuvok proved to be a great investigator and security officer on Voyager throughout the ship’s unprecedented journey through the Delta Quadrant.He expertly adapted to new situationsand was a big part of the reason why most of Voyager’s crew survived their journey. Despite his stoic Vulcan exterior, Tuvok could be surprisingly funny, and he cared deeply for his fellow crew members.
3Tim Russ In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Russ Portrayed T’Kar in DS9 Season 2, Episode 4, “Invasive Procedures” & Mirror Universe Tuvok In DS9 Season 3, Episode 19, “Through the Looking Glass”
Before Tim Russ landed the role of Tuvok, he appeared in an episode ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nineseason 2as a Klingon named T’Kar.T’Kar was a mercenary who visited Space Station Deep Space 9 in the company of the Trill Verad (John Glover). Verad was attempting to steal the Dax symbiont from Jadzia (Terry Farrell), and T’Kar helped take over the space station and guard the senior officers who had been taken hostage.
Tim Russ appeared again onDS9in the show’s third season, this time playingthe Mirror Universeversion of Tuvok. When Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) is brought to the Mirror Universe, he aids the Terran rebellion against the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance.Tuvok was one of the rebelsand the only Mirror Universe counterpart of aStar Trek: Voyagercharacter to appear in live-action.
2Tim Russ In Star Trek: Lower Decks
Russ Portrayed Commander Tuvok In Lower Decks Season 3, Episode 1, “Grounded”
InStar Trek: Lower Decksseason 3 premiere,Tim Russ returned to voice Commander Tuvok,who aided in the investigation of the Pakled Planet’s destruction. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) of the USS Cerritos had been framed for the alleged bombing of the planet, and Tuvok ultimately helped clear her name.
The investigation was led byCaptain Morgan Bateson (Kelsey Grammer), who had Tuvok interrogate a Zakdorn data fabricator with ties to the Pakleds. Through a mind meld,Tuvok learned that the Pakleds had destroyed their own homeworldto force the Federation to relocate them to a better planet.
1Tim Russ In Star Trek: Picard
Russ Portrayed Captain Tuvok & Changeling Tuvok In Picard Season 3
And last but not least, Tim Russ’s most recent appearance as Tuvok came inStar Trek: Picardseason 3, by which time the Vulcan had transferred to the command division and held the rank of captain. Although the real Tuvok returned at the end of the season,Russ initially portrayed a Changeling posing as Tuvokwho contacted the USS Titan-A.Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)discovered the deception, leading the Changeling to threaten the ship’s crew.
Tim Russ will always be a welcome face in any Star Trek project.
After Admiral Picard and his crew thwarted the Borg/Changeling plot, Starfleet rescued Tuvok and the other officers being held by the Changelings. Tuvok then met with Seven to inform her that Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) had recorded a message prior to his death recommending that Seven be promoted to captain. Tuvok honored this wish, confirming Seven’s promotion to captain and giving her command of the newly rechristened USS Enterprise-G. It remains to be seen if Tuvok’s story will continue, but Tim Russ will always be a welcome face in anyStar Trekproject.
Star Trek
Star Trek is one of pop culture’s biggest multimedia franchises, spanning multiple movies, TV shows, books, comics, video games, and various other media. The franchise was created by Gene Roddenberry and started with the 1960s TV series starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Over the decades, several equally popular series have come out since as Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Discovery.
