15 Star Trek Actors Who Played Multiple Characters

Familiar Faces, Different Aliens

If you've ever found yourself watching an old episode of Star Trek and thinking, "Hang on, I'm sure I've seen that face somewhere before!", there's a very good chance you have!

Across decades of television, Star Trek has introduced us to hundreds of memorable characters. From Klingon warriors and mysterious Romulans to Ferengi businessmen and Starfleet officers, the franchise has built one of science fiction's most recognisable universes.

But here's something you might not have noticed.

Some actors were invited back again and again, often playing completely different characters!

Sometimes the transformations were so convincing that even dedicated fans failed to recognise them.

So, grab yourself a cup of tea, settle into your favourite chair and join us as we explore 15 actors who boldly went where they'd already been before.

1. Jeffrey Combs – The Ultimate Star Trek Chameleon

Characters: Weyoun, Brunt, Tiron, Penk, Shran and Krem.

If there's one actor who deserves the title of Star Trek's greatest master of disguise, it's Jeffrey Combs.

Most fans remember him as Weyoun, the smooth-talking and thoroughly sinister Vorta serving the Dominion in Deep Space Nine.

But Combs also portrayed Brunt, the Ferengi liquidator who seemed determined to make Quark's life miserable.

And if that wasn't enough, he later became Commander Shran, the blue-skinned Andorian who developed an unlikely friendship with Captain Archer in Enterprise.

He also appeared as Tiron in DS9's "Meridian", Penk in Voyager's "Tsunkatse", and Krem in Enterprise's "Acquisition".

Did you know? Combs appeared as both Weyoun and Brunt in the same DS9 episode, "The Dogs of War". Talk about earning your wages!

2. Suzie Plakson – From Vulcan Doctor to Klingon Warrior

Characters: Dr Selar, K'Ehleyr, Female Q and Tarah.

Suzie Plakson managed something rather impressive: playing four completely different characters across three Star Trek series.

She first appeared in The Next Generation as the Vulcan physician Dr Selar in "The Schizoid Man".

She returned as K'Ehleyr, the half-Klingon ambassador who had a complicated romantic history with Worf.

Later, she portrayed the female Q in Voyager, before appearing as the Andorian Tarah in Enterprise.

Four characters, four very different personalities and some seriously impressive makeup work.

Did you know? Her first two Star Trek characters were both introduced in The Next Generation, but belonged to entirely different species.

3. Tony Todd – A Klingon, an Older Jake Sisko and a Hirogen

Characters: Kurn, older Jake Sisko and a Hirogen.

Tony Todd was already a familiar face to horror fans thanks to Candyman, but he also left quite an impression on the Star Trek universe.

He portrayed Kurn, Worf's younger brother, in The Next Generation, returning to the role in Deep Space Nine.

But perhaps his most memorable appearance came in the DS9 episode "The Visitor", where he played an older Jake Sisko.

It's one of the most emotional episodes in the entire franchise, and Todd's performance helped make it unforgettable.

He later appeared as a Hirogen hunter in the Voyager episode "Prey".

Did you know? Todd's performance as Jake Sisko was almost completely unrecognisable from his appearances as the Klingon Kurn.

4. Tim Russ – Before Tuvok, There Were Other Characters

Characters: Devor, T'Kar, a Starfleet lieutenant and Tuvok.

Most viewers know Tim Russ as Tuvok, the wonderfully logical Vulcan security officer aboard USS Voyager.

But before joining the regular cast, Russ had already appeared in the Star Trek universe.

He played Devor, one of the criminals attempting to seize the Enterprise in TNG's "Starship Mine".

He then appeared as the Klingon T'Kar in DS9's "Invasive Procedures".

And, of course, he eventually became one of Voyager's most recognisable crew members.

Did you know? Russ also appeared as a lieutenant aboard the Enterprise-B in Star Trek Generations, giving him yet another role in the franchise.

5. Vaughn Armstrong – The Man with a Dozen Star Trek Identities

Characters: Korris, Gul Danar, Admiral Forrest and numerous others.

Vaughn Armstrong is one of Star Trek's most prolific returning performers.

His first appearance was as the Klingon Korris in the TNG episode "Heart of Glory".

He later played the Cardassian Gul Danar in DS9's "Past Prologue", alongside various other alien characters across the franchise.

However, his most familiar role is probably Admiral Maxwell Forrest, Captain Archer's superior in Enterprise.

Did you know? Armstrong is credited with playing around a dozen different characters across four Star Trek television series. That's quite a collection of costumes!

6. Armin Shimerman – Quark Wasn't His First Ferengi

Characters: Letek, DaiMon Bractor, Quark and the Wedding Box.

Before Armin Shimerman became the wonderfully scheming Quark in Deep Space Nine, he'd already helped introduce the Ferengi to Star Trek audiences.

He appeared as Letek in TNG's "The Last Outpost", one of the very first Ferengi encountered by the Enterprise-D crew.

He returned as DaiMon Bractor in "Peak Performance", before eventually landing the role of Quark.

But there's another appearance you might have missed.

Shimerman also played the talking Betazoid gift box in "Haven"!

Did you know? The man who became Star Trek's most famous Ferengi had already played two completely different Ferengi before Quark even existed.

7. Max Grodénchik – Three Ferengi, One Familiar Face

Characters: Sovak, Par Lenor and Rom.

Sticking with the Ferengi, here's another familiar face.

Before Max Grodénchik became Quark's lovable brother Rom, he played Sovak in the TNG episode "Captain's Holiday".

He later returned as Par Lenor in "The Perfect Mate".

By the time Deep Space Nine came along, Grodénchik was practically a Ferengi veteran.

And what a character Rom turned out to be!

Starting as Quark's rather timid brother, Rom eventually developed into one of DS9's most endearing characters.

Did you know? Grodénchik auditioned for Quark before landing the role of Rom. Imagine how different the show might have been!

8. J.G. Hertzler – Much More Than General Martok

Characters: Martok, Laas, Kolos, a Vulcan captain and a Hirogen fighter.

General Martok is one of the most beloved Klingons in Star Trek history, and much of that comes down to J.G. Hertzler's performance.

But Hertzler's Trek career began before Martok appeared.

He played the Vulcan captain seen in the opening of DS9's pilot episode, "Emissary", and also appeared as one of the Prophets.

He later portrayed Laas, another Changeling, in "Chimera", as well as a Hirogen fighter in Voyager's "Tsunkatse".

In Enterprise, he returned as Kolos, a Klingon advocate in "Judgment".

Did you know? Hertzler initially portrayed a Changeling impersonating Martok before the genuine Klingon general was introduced!

9. Mark Lenard – Romulan, Vulcan and Klingon

Characters: Romulan Commander, Sarek and Klingon Commander.

Here's one for fans of the original series.

Mark Lenard is best remembered as Sarek, Spock's father.

But before he became the distinguished Vulcan ambassador, Lenard portrayed the Romulan commander in the classic episode "Balance of Terror".

He later appeared as a Klingon commander in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

That's three of the franchise's most recognisable alien species played by one actor.

Did you know? Lenard's Romulan appearance came before his debut as Sarek, meaning viewers had already encountered Spock's future father without knowing it!

10. Diana Muldaur – Three Doctors Across Two Generations

Characters: Dr Ann Mulhall, Dr Miranda Jones and Dr Katherine Pulaski.

Fans of The Next Generation will remember Diana Muldaur as Dr Katherine Pulaski, who temporarily replaced Dr Beverly Crusher during the show's second season.

But Muldaur had already appeared twice in The Original Series.

She played Dr Ann Mulhall in "Return to Tomorrow" and Dr Miranda Jones in "Is There in Truth No Beauty?"

Nearly two decades later, she returned to the franchise as a regular member of the Enterprise-D crew.

Did you know? All three of Muldaur's Star Trek characters were doctors, although they had very different personalities and responsibilities.

11. Robert Duncan McNeill – The Tom Paris Mystery

Characters: Nicholas Locarno and Tom Paris.

Now here's a particularly interesting one.

Before Robert Duncan McNeill became Tom Paris, Voyager's talented but occasionally troublesome pilot, he played Starfleet Academy cadet Nicholas Locarno in TNG's "The First Duty".

And here's the strange part.

Both characters were gifted pilots who had fallen foul of Starfleet regulations.

Both had troubled pasts.

And both were played by exactly the same actor!

So why not simply make Tom Paris the same character?

The Voyager production team ultimately decided to create a new character with a similar background, rather than carry Locarno's history into the new series.

Did you know? Nicholas Locarno eventually returned in the animated series Lower Decks, once again voiced by McNeill.

12. Ethan Phillips – Neelix Had a Ferengi Past

Characters: Farek, Neelix, Ulis and a holographic maître d'.

Long before Ethan Phillips became the cheerful Talaxian Neelix in Voyager, he'd already made his Star Trek debut.

He appeared as the Ferengi physician Farek in the TNG episode "Ménage à Troi".

Years later, after seven seasons playing Neelix, Phillips returned to Ferengi makeup as Ulis in the Enterprise episode "Acquisition".

Did you know? Phillips also appeared in Star Trek: First Contact as an uncredited holographic maître d'. Another appearance many viewers completely missed!

13. Casey Biggs – Damar Wasn't His Only Identity

Characters: Damar, Dr Wykoff and an Illyrian captain.

Casey Biggs became one of Deep Space Nine's most important recurring performers through his portrayal of Damar.

Initially little more than a Cardassian officer serving Gul Dukat, Damar eventually developed into a central figure in the Dominion War storyline.

But Biggs also played Dr Wykoff in the DS9 episode "Shadows and Symbols".

He later appeared as an Illyrian captain in Enterprise's "Damage".

Did you know? Biggs played Damar and Dr Wykoff in the very same DS9 episode, with the latter appearing in a storyline involving Benny Russell.

14. Clint Howard – From a Mysterious Alien Child to a Ferengi

Characters: Balok, Grady and Muk.

Clint Howard has one of the longest-running connections with the Star Trek franchise.

His first appearance came when he was just a child, portraying Balok in the original series episode "The Corbomite Maneuver".

Decades later, he returned as Grady in Deep Space Nine's "Past Tense, Part II".

He subsequently appeared as the Ferengi Muk in Enterprise.

Did you know? Howard was only seven when he filmed his original Star Trek appearance. He would go on to appear in several later incarnations of the franchise, including Discovery.

15. Majel Barrett – The First Lady of Star Trek

Characters: Number One, Christine Chapel, Lwaxana Troi and the Federation computer voice.

We couldn't possibly finish this list without Majel Barrett.

Often referred to as the First Lady of Star Trek, Barrett played several hugely important roles throughout the franchise.

She first appeared as Number One in the original pilot, "The Cage".

She later became Nurse Christine Chapel in The Original Series, before returning as the flamboyant Lwaxana Troi in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine.

And, of course, there's that unmistakable computer voice.

Barrett provided the voice of Starfleet computer systems across multiple generations of Star Trek.

Did you know? Her computer voice became such an integral part of Star Trek that recordings continued to be used long after her death in 2008.

One Universe, Hundreds of Characters and Some Very Familiar Faces!

One of the wonderful things about revisiting classic Star Trek is discovering little details you missed the first time around.

Whether it's spotting a familiar actor beneath layers of alien makeup or realising that a future series regular appeared years earlier as somebody completely different, there's always something new to discover.

And that's part of the magic of classic science fiction.

Long before streaming services and endless on-demand entertainment, many of us discovered these stories through television broadcasts, recorded VHS tapes and treasured home video collections.

At Orter, we're passionate about keeping those memories alive.

Whether you're revisiting the adventures of the Enterprise, exploring the mysteries of Deep Space Nine or rediscovering a forgotten science-fiction classic, there's something special about experiencing the films and television programmes we grew up with.

And here's a question for all the Trekkies out there:

Which Star Trek actor surprised you the most? And have we missed anyone?

Live long and prosper! 🖖