14 of the biggest names inStar Trekare still waiting to make their Star Trek on Paramount+ comebacks. The modern era ofStar Trekhas not only introduced new charactersbut also brought back many legacy actors to reprise their iconic roles.Star Trek: Picardreunited thecast ofStar Trek: The Next Generation.At the same time,Star Trek: Prodigyis essentially a sequel toStar Trek: Voyager,where Kate Mulgrew played Admiral Kathryn Janeway and Hologram Janeway.
Star Trek’s animated series,Star Trek: Lower DecksandStar Trek: Prodigy, were a haven for legacy actor comebacks, especially since they could voice their characters in scenarios where their real-world ages and appearances were not an issue. Perhaps the most surprising return wasJolene Blalock voicingStar Trek: Enterprise’s T’PolonStar Trek: Lower Decks.George Takei also voiced Captain Sulu onStar Trek: Lower Decks,while Walter Koenig voiced Federation President Anton Chekov onStar Trek: Picard.
Unfortunately, withStar Trek: Lower Decksnow over on Paramount+, andStar Trek: Prodigy’s future uncertain on Netflix, there are far fewer opportunities forStar Treklegacy actors to mount comebacks. However,Star Trek: Starfleet Academycould use sci-fi means to incorporate legacy characters, just asThe Doctor (Robert Picardo) fromStar Trek: Voyageris integrated into the newestStar TrekTV series. Whether in animation or a dream live-action comeback,here are the 14 biggestStar Treknames we’re still waiting for.
14John Billingsley
Dr. Phlox On Star Trek: Enterprise
John Billingsley portrayed Doctor Phlox, theChief Medical Officer of the NX-01 Enterprise.Phlox was the first Denobulan inStar Trekand Billingsley pioneered the development of that species and the Denobulan culture. Dr. Phlox’s last appearance was inStar Trek: Enterprise’s series finale in 2005, “These Are The Voyages…”, but it hasn’t been established how long Denobulans live, so there are hopes Dr. Phlox can return inStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Although Doctor Phlox is still waiting for his Star Trek comeback, John Billingsley continues to act. Billingsley recently appeared in the feature filmThe Shift,the Apple TV+ miniseriesManhunt,and theMatlock reboot series.Billingsley is also part of the leadership of the Hollywood Food Coalition, and he is part ofTrek Against Pancreatic Cancer, raising funds in the fight against pancreatic cancer.
13Anthony Montgomery
Ensign Travis Mayweather On Star Trek: Enterprise
As the helmsman of the NX-01 Enterprise inStar Trek: Enterprise,Ensign Travis Mayweather was the first pilot of a starship named EnterpriseinStar Trekcanon. Mayweather’s pioneering heroics in the 22nd century served as the inspiration forLt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), the USS Enterprise’s helmsman inStar Trek: Strange New Worlds.Travis' last appearance was inStar Trek: Enterprise’s series finale in 2005.
AlthoughEnsign Travis Mayweather was seen in theStar Trek: very Short Treksepisode “Holograms All The Way Down,“Anthony Montgomery didn’t voice his character, andStar Trek: very Short Treksis not considered part of official canon. Montgomery remains a working actor and is a popular guest atStar Trekconventions. Fans and Anthony would surely welcome his return as Mayweather.
12Dominic Keating
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed On Star Trek: Enterprise
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed was the Armory Officer of the NX-01 Enterprise, and Dominic Keating’s last time playing Reed was inStar Trek: Enterprise’s 2005 series finale.Reed was referenced onStar Trek: Lower Decks,but Keating didn’t voice his British Starfleet Officer, who was also affiliated with Section 31 in the 22nd century.
In 2022, Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer hostedThe Shuttlepod Showbefore creatingThe D-Con Chamberpodcast, where they interviewStar Trek actors past and present.Keating would welcome aStar Trekcomeback as Lt. Malcolm Reed, and so wouldEnterprise’s fans.
11Linda Park
Ensign Hoshi Sato On Star Trek: Enterprise
Ensign Hoshi Sato was the Communications Officer aboard the NX-01 Enterprise, and Linda Park’s last time portraying her young linguistic prodigy was inStar Trek: Enterprise’s series finale.Star Trek: Strange New WorldsestablishedHoshi as the inspiration for her successor, Ensign Nyota Uhura(Celia Rose Gooding). Park continues to act, including appearing in Apple TV+‘sFor All Mankind,butStar Trek: Enterprisefans would love to see Linda reprise Hoshi Sato.
10Connor Trinneer
Commander Trip Tucker On Star Trek: Enterprise
Commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III was theChief Engineer of the NX-01 Enterprise. One ofStar Trek: Enterprise’s most popular characters,Trip’s death inEnterprise’s series finale, “These Are The Voyages…” lives on in infamytwo decades later. Yet Trip has often been mentioned inStar Trek: Lower Decks, and, in an alternate timeline, Trip and T’Pol were married for decades.
Connor Trinneer voiced Trip Tucker in theStar Trek: very Short Treksepisode, “Holograms All The Way Down,” but it was a non-canonical appearance.Star Trekfans await a potential reversal of Trip’s controversial death or his resurrection in a futureStar Trekappearance. Meanwhile, Trinneer and Dominic Keating co-host the popular podcast,The D-Con Chamber.
9Ethan Phillips
Neelix On Star Trek: Voyager
A popular butcontroversialStar Trek: Voyagercharacter,Neelix was the first Talaxian inStar Trek,and he was the USS Voyager’s self-appointed morale officer and chef. Neelix is best remembered for his romance with Kes (Jennifer Lien) and the Talaxian’s offbeat friendship with the Vulcan Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ). Neelix exitedStar Trek: Voyagerright before its 2001 series finale, “Endgame.”
Ethan Phillips voiced Neelix for the first time in two decades inStar Trek: very Short Treks’“Holograms All The Way Down,” but the animated short isn’t recognized as officialStar Trekcanon. Phillips is a popular comic actor whose career has spanned decades, and Ethan occasionally makesStar Trekconvention appearances. But a Neelix comeback is somethingStar Trek: Voyagerfans await.
8Roxann Dawson
Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres On Star Trek: Voyager
A formermember of the Maquiswith Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), the half-Klingon Lt. B’Elanna Torres was Chief Engineer of the USS Voyager for all seven seasons ofStar Trek: Voyager.Torres married Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), but while Paris has returned inStar Trek: Lower Decks,Torres has yet to make herStar Trekcomeback. Although, B’Elanna was name-dropped onStar Trek: Prodigy.
Roxann Dawson has made a name for herself as a prolific director,butStar Trek: Voyagerfans still want to see her return as B’Elanna Torres. BetweenStar Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Picard, andStar Trek: Lower Decks,nearly every other member ofStar Trek: Voyager’s cast has made a comeback, and Roxann Dawson’s B’Elanna is one of the few missingVoyagericons.
7Nicole de Boer
Lieutenant Ezri Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Created toreplace Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax(Terry Farrell), Lieutenant Ezri Dax was a Starfleet Counselor on Deep Space Nine, andEzri’s last appearance was inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine’s 1999 finale, “What You Leave Behind.” WhenStar Trekfans last saw Ezri, she was starting a romantic relationship with Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig). Nicole de Boer continues to act and is a popular presence atStar Trekconventions, butStar Trekhas yet to bring de Boer back as her Trill heroine, Ezri Dax.
6Colm Meaney
Chief Miles O’Brien On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Chief Miles Edward O’Brien was the Chief Engineer of Deep Space Nine, and the last time Colm Meaney played his beloved Irish everyman Starfleet hero was inStar Trek: Deep Space Nine’s series finale. At the end ofDS9,O’Brien moved to Earth with his family to teach at Starfleet Academy.
AlthoughColm Meaney has shot down the idea of reprising O’Briennow that it’s been over 25 years sinceDS9wrapped,Star Trekfans still hope to see the manStar Trek: Lower Deckscalled"the most important person in Starfleet history.”
5Terry Farrell
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax was the beloved Science Officer of Deep Space Nine, and the late wife of Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn).Terry Farrell exitedStar Trek: Deep Space Nineat the end of season 6, and she hasn’t played Dax since 1998. Still,fans continue to hopeStar Trekwill find a way to resurrect Jadziaso that Terry Farrell can finally return, and perhaps even have Jadiza and Nicole de Boer’s Ezri Dax somehow share the screen.
