25 Cast Members from Star Trek: Then and Now

23. Nichelle Nichols; Uhuru, TOS

Of the two actors mentioned, the other is Nichelle Nicols, who played Uhura, the communications officer. When she played a black female officer in the series, she unwittingly challenged many stereotypes. It was great for the black community. It was great for women. It was great for humanity. Nichols has maintained an active career as an actress, starring in every Star Trek movie based on the original series. More recently, she’s enjoyed a renaissance of her acting career.

22. DeForest Kelley; Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, TOS

If Spock and Captain Kirk were the two forces of leadership guiding the crew of the USS Enterprise, Dr. Leonard was the one complaining about it all. Trekkies loved the character of Bones for his constant dissatisfaction with the world around him, but also for his deep humanity which came out when one least expected it. DeForest Kelley struggled to throw off the role but milked it for what he could. He reprised the role of the ship’s doctor in the movies and at conventions, where fans went nuts to hear him speak. After contracting stomach cancer, Kelley passed away in 1999.

21. Mark Lenard; Sarek, TOS, TNG

Of any cast member on the original series, only Leonard Nimoy (Spock) enjoyed a broader span of influence. He managed to appear in the rebooted movies, an alternative timeline to the original series but featuring the same characters. The actor, Mark Leonard, who played his character’s father, Sarek, in the original series also reprised his role for a long time. When they first featured Sarek in the original series, he was a young man. As such, he was able to age with the show. When producers wanted to feature a character crossover into The Next Generation, they considered Nimoy, but couldn’t afford to pay for Spock, so they brought on Sarek. In 1996, after a long and diverse career, and after developing multiple myeloma, Lenard passed away.



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