12 Actors You Didn't Know Were Almost Cast In Star Trek

1. Tom Hanks

Martin Landau Spock
Luigi Costantini/AP

Every Trek fan knows that Zefram Cochrane is the father of warp drive technology. So, who better to play him than America’s Hollywood dad, Tom Hanks? That’s what producers were thinking when they cast the role for Star Trek: Generations.

And, the casting seemed like a match made in heaven. Hanks is a self-admitted massive Trekkie. Unfortunately, Hanks was busy at the time with his debut directing gig in That Thing You Do and was unable to commit to the role.

Now that one is a missed opportunity for the fans.

The role ended up going to 56 year-old actor James Cromwell.

The only strange thing about this casting is that the events of the film took place in 2063. And, according to Star Trek lore Cochrane would have been around 33 years old at this time.

Apparently, living through World War III is really going to age us.

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John is a teacher and writer living in Texas. He spends far too much time watching Star Trek. Check out more if his work at artofnarrative.com