20 Things You Never Knew About Star Trek: Insurrection

18. Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here

Star Trek Insurrection Dougherty
Paramount Pictures

Anthony Zerbe plays Admiral Matthew Dougherty in the film, though he was actually considered originally for the role of Adhar Ru'afo. Though he auditioned well, that role was given to F. Murray Abraham.

As part of his audition, Zerbe used his own unique style of acting to secure the part, including going completely off-script! Rather than recite the lines as provided, he instead performed a chunk of Dante's Inferno. Only after he had completed these passages, did he then switch back to the script as it was.

This would prove to be a slightly apt decision, as Admiral Dougherty himself makes many bargains with the Devil during his time in the film. Though it is all done for altruistic reasons, the S'ona Alliance is one that is clearly about as secure as an alliance with the Borg.

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"