10 Amazing Behind The Scenes Secrets Of Star Trek: Voyager

The casting process for Captain Janeway was, for the longest time, simply "Geneviève Bujold or bust". But, prior to that, the showrunners had gone back and forward with Paramount over the very concept of a female captain and one early compromise might have given us an entirely different show.

Initially, the network executives had been uneasy about casting a woman in a lead role (and I mean yeah, absolutely fair enough there lads, not like it was the mid-90s and you were months away from Buffy, Sabrina, Xena, and Sex and the City all launching on rival networks or anything, incredible foresight and market awareness there), and would only consider the prospect if they also allowed men to read for the part. Several did with, and delete as appropriate, Chariots of Fire / Coronation Street actor Nigel Davers the most notable.

When it finally became clear that a woman was going to be a much better fit for the part, the network agreed to get on board with the idea provided they got someone in who had both mainstream and crossover cult appeal. The top name on that list was Terminator's Linda Hamilton who, despite being a household name after starring in 1991's Judgement Day hadn't quite found big roles falling into her lap.

Overtures were made, unconfirmed rumours even say she secretly read for the part, but a deal could simply not be reached.