Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ro Laren
5. Yes, She Was Meant To Be On Deep Space Nine, But Star Trek Demands Got In The Way
It's a well-known secret by now that the character of Ro Laren was meant to appear on Deep Space Nine, though because of behind-the-scenes challenges, this would eventually become Major Kira Nerys instead.
Michelle Forbes was approached to star in the new spin-off, but several factors held her back. First, she was hesitant to take on a full, multi-season order for a show. That would have severely curtailed her liberty to take on any different roles in that time, as she was already eyeing a career in film.
The other factor was a uniquely Star Trek one - entering the Trek family comes with certain responsibilities. These responsibilities include appearances at conventions, many of which happen multiple times a year. So, it wasn't simply the filming schedule that was unappealing, but the additional scheduling that comes from being a main player in Star Trek.
Several attempts were made to convince Forbes to come across, but they came to naught. The silver lining of this situation was the introduction of the incredible Nana Visitor to the franchise.