10 Actors Who Appeared On Star Trek In Unusual Ways

4. Wil Wheaton

Star Trek Wil Wheaton
Paramount Pictures

Wil Wheaton was of course Wesley Crusher, the first child to serve aboard the Enterprise-D.

Audiences were not fond of him during the first season, though this was due to a mix of poorly written dialogue and a propensity for Roddenberry to insist on Wesley somehow saving the day. Basically, he was the annoying kid in class who always happens to be right, pissing off everyone around them.

Wheaton elected to leave the show in the fourth season, believing that a brighter future awaited him in movies. Unfortunately, this dream didn't pan out. He would struggle for much of the nineties between acting roles and personal issues, though in the aughts he has made a solid home for himself on television, as a writer, and as a presenter.

In 2009, he returned to Star Trek, though anyone would be forgiven for not recognizing him. He gave his voice to several of the Romulans serving aboard the Narada, taking orders from Eric Bana's Nero.

In a fun choice of casting, Joe Quinto, Zachary Quinto's brother, also plays a Romulan - though he actually gets to show his face in the film.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"