10 Amazing Behind The Scenes Secrets Of Star Trek: Voyager

10. Nicole Janeway

We'll get this one out of the way early.

Kate Mulgrew was not the first choice to play Captain Janeway. In fact, not only was she not first choice, but the show was already a full day into filming its pilot episode before she was brought in. Legendary Canadian actress Geneviève Bujold, who was Paramount's pick from the very start, already had several scenes under her belt when she left the role.

The short version of this story is that, while Bujold was a notable actress in cinema, that can't prepare you for taking a starring role in a weekly TV show. The long hours, the constant costuming, the on-the-fly script changes were not things she was accustomed to and, after just a day and a half, she confessed to the show's producers this wasn't a part she could commit to long term. They took one look at the footage they currently had, and were happy to accept her departure.

Kate Mulgrew stepped in and immediately made the part her own. Even going so far as to pitch renaming the role from Nicole Janeway to Kathryn Janeway, which the producers were also happy to go with. Yes, this one is pretty well known these days, but if you've never seen the above image before, it's a total mind-bender.