10 MORE Notorious Star Trek Urban Legends
5. Patrick Stewart Was Going To Wear A Wig
During the casting process for Star Trek: The Next Generation, there was a barrier against Patrick Stewart. He was bald and Gene Roddenberry couldn't accept the idea of a bald man in the future, least of all one who was in charge of a starship. Therefore, Stewart was forced to enlist the help of FedEx.
As a seasoned Shakespearen actor, Stewart already had a custom wig made for him. If baldness was the only barrier, then this would be an easy fix to get the part. He returned to the offices and entered while wearing the wig. It was universally disliked, with Roddenberry believing it made him look ridiculous.
Stewart did get the part of course, with his baldness no longer standing in the way. They also had to adapt the role to suit him, as he is an obviously English man, playing a Frenchman. This was half-heartedly addressed in the show, but more as a joke than direct commentary.
As time went by, Roddenberry himself warmed to the image of his new captain. When asked by an interviewer if humanity wouldn't have cured baldness by the 24th century, he retorted that by the 24th century, humanity wouldn't care.